A group of pilgrims come to Buren, a relic is trashed and a man is killed. Harrison brings in the early days of the Protestant faith into the story. What gets extra credit is the quick mention, by one of the pilgrims, that when they were coming through Canterbury they met a group of rather rowdy, bawdy pilgrims. That little nod to Chaucer was subtle and wonderful.

I like this series but this was not one of my favorites. Too much of a jump in years between books, and the mystery revolving around outsiders to the community left a sense of disconnect. Then the wrap up seemed pretty sudden. The sense of place and community is what keeps me hooked, so we'll see what the next one offers.

Eh, these have begun to feel sort of formulaic to me (though I have still not managed to identify the killer before Mara, ever). Five+ years have passed since the last installment (without enough info on what happened during those years, imho) and Mara's gotten a bit sanctimonious about Brehon law. Still, I love the setting and the premise, and the mystery was interesting, and...hey, I admit that in Mara's shoes during the 1500s I'd probably be a bit smug and superior about Brehon law too.