Mistress of the Art of Death by Arina Franklin is a murder mystery set in 12th century England. In the town of Cambridge, the bodies of four missing children are found. All have been killed in sadistic and seemingly ritualistic ways, and blame has been placed on the Jews. Henry II arranges for what today we'd call a pathologist to come and investigate the murders. Said pathologist turns out to be a woman, and the story becomes that of a woman in a man's profession trying to solve the case.
I had mixed reactions. When the story centered on whodunit, I enjoyed it and rooted for the Jewish people to be found innocent. When it dealt with Adelia working as a doctor, I was intrigued. When it dwindled into a romance, I plowed ahead and waited for the mystery to return. When sex played a bigger and bigger role, I wished the book had been written in a less sex-crazed time. When it started to involve creatures of the devil and took on a Stephen King like tone, I forced my way through the final fifty pages.
I'm glad I read it but doubt I'll search out others by the author.
