Thomas the Falconer tracks down a hawk and a lady In the summer of 1590, Thomas is sent to help Sir Giles Buckridge train a wild ramage hawk. But the hawk disappears, as does Sir Giles's eldest daughter, and Thomas is set on her trail. But before he finds her, Thomas gets embroiled in yet another hunt. There's a hidden hoard of Spanish ducats to be found, and it's attracting the attention of a pair of exceptionally ruthless criminals. Thomas the Falconer has been temporarily loaned by his master to Sir Giles Buckridge, ostensibly to train Sir Giles' handsome young ward, Gervase Lambert, in the manly arts of falconry and hunting. When Thomas arrives at Sir Giles' estate, he discovers the man is on the verge of ruin: the few remaining servants are angry and dissatisfied, the house and fields in disrepair, and the local villagers rebellious. Thomas is challenged at every turn, and Gervase is completely uninterested in falconry, preferring instead to concentrate on music. In an apparent attempt to alleviate his financial woes, Sir Giles has betrothed his eldest daughter, Jane, to Stephen Ridley, a wealthy widower nearly twice her age and as cruel as he is rich. Then Jane vanishes. Sir Giles orders Thomas to lead the search for his missing daughter. Pilkington's latest in this well-liked series offers authentic period details, swashbuckling adventure, intriguing characters, and a page-turner of a story. Good for all historical mystery buffs. Emily Melton Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved