The Merchant's Mark

by Pat McIntosh

Overview

The barrel should have contained books - instead it held treasure and a severed head...

Gil Cunningham and his old acquaintance, Glasgow merchant Augie Morison, expecting a delivery of books from the Low Countries, report the gruesome substitute to the Provost, and at the inquest the next morning Morison is accused of the murder and imprisoned. He appeals to Gil, who sets out with his friend and future father in law Maistre Pierre, the French master-mason, to find the treasure's owner, trace the barrel and identify the dead man.

The trail they follow leads them from the court of James IV at Stirling via a cooper's yard in Linlithgow, to another death on the bare slopes of the Pentland Hills.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781849018623
Publisher:	Little, Brown Book Group
Publication date:	09/01/2011
Series:	Gil Cunningham , #3
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	300
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Pat McIntosh, like Gil Cunningham, was born and brought up in Lanarkshire and educated at the University of Glasgow. She lived in Glasgow for many years, but now resides on the coast, where she divides her time between writing and anything else which can be done with a cat on her knee.

Editorial Reviews

In McIntosh's gripping third 15th-century historical featuring Scotsman Gil Cunningham (after 2005's The Nicholas Feast), the young lawyer-to-be finds himself in the middle of a murder inquiry when a Glasgow merchant friend, Augie Morison, discovers a severed head in a barrel that should have contained books. When Morison is accused of the murder, the amateur sleuth, aided by his future father-in-law, Master Pierre, seeks to identify the victim, as well as the source of the valuable jewels that were also concealed in the barrel. The pair cross paths with a variety of Scottish nobles, even as a bloodthirsty hit man known simply as the Axeman piles up an impressive body count that silences a number of potential witnesses. While the prime mover behind the crimes will be obvious to many, McIntosh's characterizations and period detail are first-rate and bode well for future entries in this series. (July) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

A return to the closing years of the 15th century reveals a severed head in a brine barrel, a king's missing treasure and a mystery man with an ax. Lawyer Gil Cunningham (The Nicholas Feast, 2005, etc.) is invited by his old friend Augie Morison to examine his latest delivery of books. Instead of reading material, however, the barrel contains a familiar-looking head and coins and jewels from James III's missing treasure. When Augie is arrested, Gil sets out on a dangerous road trip to prove his innocence. He leaves behind his betrothed, the clever Alys, and his sister Kate, whose hopes of a miraculous cure for her withered foot have just been dashed. Taking over the running of Augie's house when his daughter's nurse leaves, the two women must deal with the mystery of a murdered servant who knew too much and intruders who have broken in to search for the treasure. Meanwhile, Gil and his future father-in-law Pierre are attacked on the road as they retrace the path of the barrel. The clues lead to Roslin, where they find more treasure in the unfinished church. Gil must walk a fine line between powerful forces in order to solve the murders and return the treasure to its rightful owners. A convincing tale of loving families and brutal killers that delves deep into medieval Scottish life.

Kirkus Reviews

McIntosh's characterizations and period detail are first rate.—Publisher’s Weekly

The next Cunningham adventure is to be welcomed.—Historical Novels Review

From the Publisher