The Pepper Thief

July 1390: when Captain Klaus sails his boat into the harbour outside the town, the local innkeepers and grocers who have eagerly awaited his cargo are delighted. The great annual fair is to take place the very next day, the town is full of visitors and they will all be hungry and thirsty! Captain Klaus has thought of everything; he has even managed to rustle up a sack of precious black pepper. The goods are stowed away in the storehouse overnight.

The next day the sack of pepper has disappeared and Hannes, the scullion who took the sack to the warehouse, is suspected of being the thief! To prove his innocence he has to rely on help from his friends Jakob and Agnes - and on the readers being on the look out for clues!

Whilst we try to find out who the real culprit was, we are able to explore the world of a medieval town, with colourful and informative descriptions, in the process learning a great deal about trading and markets, pilgrims and other travellers, jugglers and minstrels, clothing and medicine…