Autumn, AD 672.

While out walking, Abbot Brocc was shocked to encounter the sinister apparition of a young woman, cloaked entirely in grey, who foretold his impending death. Dismissing the soothsayer's words, Brocc nevertheless felt concerned enough to ask for Sister Fidelma's advice on the matter.

But by the time Fidelma and her companions arrive at the remote abbey of Dair Inis, Brocc has been found dead in the abbey's sweat house - as the mysterious prophetess had predicted.

Plunged into a world of uncertainty, where believers of the Old and New Faiths are violently opposed, Fidelma, Eadulf and Dego embark on a journey fraught with danger, in a puzzling and perilous quest for the truth behind Brocc's murder . . .

Praise for the Sister Fidelma mysteries:

'A challenging and unusual but deeply satisfying and enjoyable historical thriller' Booklist

'The background detail is brilliantly defined...wonderfully evocative' The Times

'Tremayne expertly incorporates historical and legal details of the time into the suspenseful plot. This impressive volume bodes well for future series entries' Publishers Weekly

"A challenging and unusual but deeply satisfying and enjoyable historical thriller" - Booklist

"The background detail is brilliantly defined...wonderfully evocative" - The Times

"Tremayne expertly incorporates historical and legal details of the time into the suspenseful plot. This impressive volume bodes well for future series entries" - Publishers Weekly

"This is masterly storytelling from an author who breathes fascinating life into the world he is writing about" - Belfast Telegraph

"The detail of the books is fascinating, giving us a vivid picture of everyday life at this time...the most detailed and vivid recreations of ancient Ireland" - Irish Examiner

"One of the best cases for the complex, enchanting Fidelma" - Kirkus Reviews