In York, 1361 the Black Rood of Scotland was stolen. The country is recovering from its war with France. Moreover rumours are rife that the Black death has returned. The people have not forgotten the last epidemic of Black Death. Its horrors are talked about in hushed whispers. Scores of countrymen had died. Its path had no borders. Rich and poor alike were affected. Meanwhile the coroner Sir Broderick de Whitby is murdered. The Justice of Peace Sir Ralph Mandeville is dispatched to Langbarugh to investigate. More deaths follow but they can be dismissed as plague victims. Sir Ralph and his two assistants soon realise that there is a greater danger in the wapentakes. With the escalation of panic the lines between plague and murder blur. Sir Ralph is thrust into a desperate race against time. It is imperative he unmasks the evil murderer lurking in the shadows of the plague. Can the Justice of Peace accomplish what seems like an unattainable feat. This is the crux of this mystery set in Medieval England. The main protagonist is the Justice of Peace Sir Ralph Mandeville. The title Desolation aptly describes the hopelessness of the people when faced with the Black Death. One word loaded with such meaning. It takes a lot for anyone to reach desolation or one incredibly heart life changing moment. Moray captures the peoples desolation in all its depth while also portraying the fear and evil behind the gruesome murders. He skilfully develops the story arc building the tension for the reader. The scenes are vivid and authentic. Sir Ralph uses his astute mind and military skill to solve the mystery. There’s no doubting his determination to succeed in his task. Desolation is not all doom and gloom. It has its evocative and poignant moments. I did find the narrative tedious and overly explanatory. In contrast the ending was rather abrupt. Nevertheless, this is an exciting foray into medieval murder mystery. I gained many insights into life in 13th century England. There were no cliff hangers.

1361 Justice of the Peace Sir Ralph de Mandeville is sent to Langbarugh to investigate the murder of a coroner, Sir Boderick de Whitby. But has the plague returned to the area, as people are dying in the village of Axeton. But these are not the only deaths. And the Black Rood of Scotland has been stolen to complicate matters. But why. An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its likeable and interesting characters. An excellent start to this new series

Sent to investigate the murder of a local coroner, Sir Ralph discovers more evil afoot. A valuable relic has been stolen, there's talk of alchemy and necromancy across the north, and worse still the plague appears to be back. It's 1361 and England is at peace with France and Scotland but in one corner of Yorkshire seems to be suffering from more than it's fair share of deaths. As Ralph and his team investigate further it seems that it is more like murder. This is supposedly the start of a new series of novels and so there is a fair amount of time given over to backstories here. The plot itself is a bit messy - the idea of a stolen relic and a chance to ignite war with Scotland is great. The alchemy is interesting but some of the murders seem a little gratuitous and not really linked in. Good sense of time and place though