Mara is a Brehon, that is, a judge, in the Burren region of western Ireland in 1509. Among the cases before her is one concerning the proper supervision of a man who is not in possession of all his faculties, another regarding whether a marriage contract is legal, and yet another about the suspected theft of a cow. Furthermore, the rape and resulting pregnancy of a young girl has disturbed the community.

Besides adjudicating disputes, Mara also operates a law school training future lawyers. Divorced with a grown daughter, she enjoys her life, especially her time spent working in the garden. Her assistant is Colman, a former student. She suspects that he is not kind to the boys attending the school and has decided to find a new position for him at the end of the term.

It is Beltaine, the May celebration with pagan origins that continues in these Christian times even though priests such as Father Conglach disapprove. Mara has a guest, King Turlough Donn O’Brien, whose interest in her is more than merely administrative. Both the king and Mara fear that the new English king, Henry VIII, may possibly invade Ireland in order to seize its riches and abolish its governmental and legal systems. (This was accomplished by James I a century later.) King Turlough expresses a desire to join the people in the Beltaine festivities. He and Mara walk up the hill where the fires will be lit although they do not climb to the top with the younger people. In the dark it is often difficult to recognize others in attendance.

The following morning Mara’s students are unusually subdued. A wolf hunt for the king has been organized, but not long after the hunt begins the hounds react strangely. Soon a body is discovered on the hill; it is that of Colman with a jewel-studded knife in the back of his neck. The knife belongs to Hugh, one of Mara’s students, but he denies having killed Colman. With a little investigation, Mara discovers that Colman was blackmailing several individuals and that there are a number of suspects who had a motive to kill him.

Mara will look into the circumstances surrounding the crime and try to identify the perpetrator.

Each chapter of My Lady Judge begins with an outline of Brehon law or notes pertaining to a particular case. Readers who skim these thinking they have little to do with the story line will come to regret it, because many are later integrated into the plot. The Brehon legal system is quite different from the English common law that is the basis of modern legal systems, both English and American. Mara’s cases are quaint and interesting, but the larger framework of the legal system may be harder to comprehend.

Mara is a strong heroine. Fair and considerate, she is admired and respected by the local people; her opinion is frequently sought on non-legal matters. Women in her time and culture enjoy more freedom and responsibility than their English counterparts. Modern readers will easily relate to Mara’s attitudes.

The mystery subplot is not as solid as the broader historical plot. Even though multiple suspects are introduced, the solution is not difficult to determine. Nevertheless, the unusual setting and the appealing heroine make My Lady Judge a good choice for fans of historical mysteries.

--Lesley Dunlap