Fear in the Forest

In 12th century England much of the country lies under the rule of the Royal Forest Laws, with all hunting reserved for the King. When times are hard the ordinary villagers may well turn to poaching to boos their meagre larder, but the penalties are harsh and almost always upheld. The penalty for killing a deer on the King's land is mutilation or death and the laws are upheld by the King's foresters. When a horse gallops into the village of Sigford, and its rider is being dragged along by the stirrup, with a broken arrow shaft sticking out of his back and the wearing the uniform of a senior forester there are any number of people who may have had cause to hate the man to such a degree that they would take his life. However when a second forester is attacked Sir John decides that there is something far more sinister than just a grudge killing and begins to uncover evidence of something far more sinister. And why is John's brother-in-law, the sheriff, Sir Richard de Revelle, a staunch supporter of Prince John taking such an interest in the attacks?