The Nicholas feast

In Pat McIntosh's slow-moving The Nicholas Feast, her second historical after 2004's The Harper's Quine, former student Gil Cunningham returns to Glasgow University in May 1492 for the annual rites celebrating the yuletide saint. The pace begins to quicken when actor William Irvine is found strangled in a coalhouse two hours after the feast, but readers may wish at times they had a glossary ("Even William never had a leman at the yett," a porter mutters). (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Gil Cunningham, who has foresworn a planned priestly life in order to become engaged to a French stonemason's daughter, participates in the Nicholas Feast at his old university in Glasgow. Events turn sour, however, when a snobbish and much-disliked student is found murdered. Because of his recent success in solving an earlier murder (The Harper's Quine), Gil is asked to investigate. His astute observations, a little help from the stonemason, and unexpected assistance from his visiting mother uncover deceit, blackmail, and a murderer. A nicely involving historical, well-written and tidily plotted. The Scottish-born McIntosh lives on the West Coast. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Donning his academic robes and riding off to attend the Nicholas Feast at Glasgow University, Gil Cunningham little suspects his journey will end in murder. Gil's greeted at the gate by rude, arrogant young William Irvine, a bastard of the powerful Montgomery clan. After the feast and play, William is found strangled in the coalhouse. Because of Gil's former involvement in crime (The Harper's Quine, 2004), the college asks him to discover the truth. William's wrothful relative Lord Montgomery gives him two days before he brings out the thumbscrews. It doesn't take even that long to discover that William collected scraps of gossip and was not above blackmailing people. Hated and feared by almost everyone, he leaves no dearth of suspects. Someone presumably desperate for information has searched his room and cracked the head of his wolfhound puppy. Recently betrothed to French mason Maistre Pierre's lovely and intelligent daughter Alys, Gil turns to her for help in deciphering the coded shorthand information William kept in a red book. Diligent questioning has produced alibis for most of the field when the wolfhound puppy Gil's taken in leads him to a clue that solves the mystery of William's birth--a significant piece of the puzzle behind the crimes. A satisfying story, studded with tidbits of medieval custom, hearty as a raisin scone. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.