England, 1901: Beautiful Compton Cathedral in the west of England is preparing for a special anniversary to celebrate one thousand years of Christian worship. But a few weeks before the ceremonies are due to take place, the Chancellor, a high official of the cathedral, dies in mysterious circumstances. Only a doctor and the undertaker are allowed to view the corpse. It soon transpires that the Chancellor was one of the richest men in England, and his sister suspects foul play; so that discreet and well-bred investigator Lord Francis Powerscourt is asked to step in. As Powerscourt paces the ancient cloisters and listen to evensong, he begins to suspect that a terrible secret lies hidden in the cathedral, and it might have something to do with the anniversary. Then there is a dreadful incident--the dead body of one of the choristers is discovered turning on the great spit in the Vicars Hall kitchen. Both Powerscourt and his wife Lady Lucy will find their lives at risk before he uncovers the astonishing secret of Compton Minster and unmasks a brutal killer. With narrative skill and a real understanding of the period, David Dickinson takes us into a past that becomes vividly alive.