To Wear the White Cloak

October 2, 2000
With its attention to detail, depth of research and well-developed characters, this seventh book in Newman's Catherine LeVendeur series should delight fans of her medieval mysteries. In a simple prologue, three men--a lord, a miller and a servant--set out on Easter from their small French village to join the Knights of the Temple and King Louis's expedition to rid the Holy Land of the Saracens. Meanwhile, Catherine and her extended family arrive in Paris, expecting to find their house aired and ready for them. Instead there's moldy and rancid food in the kitchen and the decaying body of a murdered man, wearing the white cloak of the Knights of the Temple, in the counting room. Fearful that certain family secrets are at risk of exposure, Catherine, her husband, Edgar, and her cousin, Solomon, determine to discover the man's identity and his murderer. Thus begins a story that will bring the three pilgrims and Catherine's clan together and change their lives forever. Besides providing an intriguing mystery, the author touches on such large issues of life in 12th-century France as Jewish-Christian relations, the restrictions and obligations imposed by a rigid class order and the health hazards faced by craftsmen, as well as more personal matters of housekeeping, child rearing and birth control. Seasoned with wit and humor, this is a recommended read for mystery lovers and historical devotees alike.