Blind Jewish physician Isaac has done business with these men and has lived comfortably side-by-side with the Christians for many years. He is currently treating the local bishop, who is very concerned about the bidding wars for the Grail that the entire city seems engaged in. He also treats the widow of the dead merchant. Both patients allow him to be privy to the murdered man’s affairs, as well as the Church’s position on the Grail.

Isaac’s apprentice is a young boy who is the King’s ward, a boy many see as an excellent bargaining chip. Despite warnings from the Bishop, Isaac investigates his friend’s murder and the tenuous business deals surrounding it, putting himself and his family and ward in grave danger.

Solace for a Sinner, the fourth in a series, is a well-researched novel. While some details of daily life are given, it does not entirely make the reader feel as if he were transported to medieval Spain. Fourteenth century Spain was politically calm and Jews and Christians, for the most part, would live harmoniously and symbiotically as they do in this book.

While Isaac is the doctor of record, his daughter Raquel, acting as his assistant, begins to emerge as a strong character, possibly setting her up for a more prominent role in future episodes. The other merchants and Isaac’s family are not explored a great deal, although a strong sense of community is quite evident. The mystery is well-laid out and easy to follow. Solace For a Sinner is a solid mystery in an unusual setting that will be popular with fans of the Middle Ages.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry