The ever-intrepid Dorothy Martin is in France, visiting Mont-Saint-Michel; currently without her husband Alan, who is down with a broken ankle, Dorothy visits the site alone, only to fall and need help getting back down to sea level. While conversing with her guide, she learns he is interested in medieval manuscripts, especially those relating to Abelard. He and a friend are hoping to discover something new in the bowels of Mont-Saint-Michel. However, his friend is missing and when he hears that Alan is a former policeman, he asks Dorothy to let him know when Alan arrives in France so they can start an investigation for the missing man.
This is the beginning of a long and fairly scholarly look at the world of medieval manuscripts and the various people involved in the theft, forgery and sale of such things.
Having been disappointed in Dorothy’s last outing, this one is much better. The emphasis is on history and detection and I learned quite a bit as well as being entertained by the story. There is a fascinating cast of characters, none of whom are who they are pretending to be…
A solid entry in this long-running cozy detective series.