A Murderous Procession by Ariana Franklin.

This fourth installment of the Mistress of the Art of Death series is just as compelling as the previous entries.  King Henry II compels Adelia Aguilar, a female Jewish doctor trained in Salerno, Italy, where the medical arts were revived during the 12th century, to accompany his 10-year old daughter and promised bride to Henry’s cousin, William II of Sicily.  King Henry holds Adelia’s own daughter as “ward” with Eleanor of Aquitane, so she will return to England, but Adelia’s enemies have no intention of letting her survive the trip. The author provides excellent historical perspective and details that convey the atmosphere of a Europe that was beginning to awaken from a long, dark period, but which is still almost over-whelmed by religious cunning and superstition. Franklin’s depth of research and elegant writing style move the story along at a clip, providing the reader with a glimpse into a period of history which is almost lost to a casual reader.  Richly detailed, wry, and (mostly) historically accurate, this is a series to savor.