The place is Girona, Spain, and the time is 1354. Isaac of Girona is a blind Jewish physician; he is the personal physician for a Catholic Bishop, the Bishop Berenguer. When the Bishop is invited to attend a Bishop Council meeting in Tarragona he wants Isaac to accompany him.

Against his wishes, Isaac's wife, Judith, intends to travel with Isaac. She wants to visit her sister in Tarragona and, against her daughter's wishes, Judith plans to do some matchmaking for Raquel, their daughter and Isaac's assistant.

While traveling to Tarragona, the Bishop receives two cryptic messages from an unknown and recently murdered friar. The messages have to do with the outcomes of petitions to the papal court and could be important to the King of Aragon, who's preparing to go to war. The Bishop believes they should be delivered immediately to his Majesty.

Before they reach the King, they encounter a seriously injured young man, Gilabert, who claims to be of poor descent but has the manners and bearing of a young lord. Isaac, Judith and Raquel care for Gilabert and hide him from danger when they are attacked by armed thugs looking for coin -- and possibly for a nun who's been found guilty of helping to kidnap the King's daughter.

During the journey, Isaac tries to help the Bishop figure out the importance of the messages. He also cares for Gilabert; Isaac wonders why this young man was beaten and why he can't or won't explain his true identity.

Historical mysteries can take some work to enjoy. If you're not familiar with the time and place, it can be a little overwhelming to pick up a book with so many historical characters and concepts.

Frankly, it took me a while to get into this mystery. Also, while I liked and appreciated all the wonderful historical details in An Antitdote for Avarice, I kept wishing for a little more mystery to go with all the history.

--Judith Flavell