Edward Marston Domesday The Hawks of Delamere, The Ravens of Blackwater, The Dragons of Archenfield

Edward Marston Domesday brings together three mysteries set against the backdrop of William the Conqueror’s Domesday survey. As the king’s officials travel to record land, resources and claims, their work draws them into local tensions where power, wealth and long-held disputes can turn deadly.

Across these stories, Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret are called on to address conflicts exposed by the compilation of the Domesday book. From a forest killing that prompts a nobleman’s swift judgement, to a village dominated by the Fitzcorbucion family, and a violent death linked to claims in Bedwyn, each case demands careful scrutiny before further bloodshed follows.

Included titles

• The Hawks of Delamere
• The Ravens of Blackwater
• The Dragons of Archenfield

Synopses

The Hawks of Delamere

The Earl of Chester orders the immediate execution of two poachers after his hawk is killed by an arrow in the Forest of Delamere. When a body is later found in the forest, also shot by an arrow, it becomes clear that justice may have been delivered too quickly. Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret, in Cheshire to settle land disputes revealed by the Domesday book, set out to identify the killer before another attack.

The Ravens of Blackwater

Maldon is controlled by the wealthy Fitzcorbucion family, led by Hamo Fitzcorbucion of Blackwater Castle. Known for intimidation and for building his position through legal and shady means, Hamo keeps the villagers silent. When his eldest son, Guy, is found murdered, Hamo demands justice and is determined to get it.

The Dragons of Archenfield

In 1086, William the Conqueror sends surveyors and census takers across England to record the resources of the land and its people. Their arrival brings excitement and, at times, murder. In Bedwyn, the Domesday researchers confront the violent death of the man whose claims brought them there: a wealthy miller, savaged by a wolf in Savernake Forest.