Medieval Murders

I've just finished the second of Karen Maitland's medieval-set novels, 'The Owl Killers', the first being 'Company of Liars'. Both very enjoyable reads, especially if one is revising for FHS and needs a break that disguises itself as extra revision. 'The Owl Killers' is centred around a beguinage in rural Norfolk. The beguines find themselves the focus of suspicion and hostility, fomented by the local priest who believes that they are concealing a holy relic which protects them from the disease and floods that ravage the village. 'Company of Liars' is very loosely based on the Canterbury Tales; here a motley group of companions attempts to out-manoeuvre both the Black Death, and the dangerous forces that stalk them. The books have in common an unromanticised depiction of the hardships of life in the 14th century, containing scenes of harsh suffering and torture, and definitely worth a look. Maitland is in the process of writing two more medieval books for for penguin, and I look forward to them. You can find out more about her on her website:
http://www.karenmaitland.com/