Tales of Dom Pedro

Pedro I was king of Portugal from 1357-1367. Some called him Pedro the Cruel for the harsh punishments he meted out to lawbreakers. However, he was also called Pedro the Just because of his passion for justice. He was seldom happier than when holding court and judging those accused of wrongdoing. He showed no favoritism in his sentencing. Rich and poor, noble and common, all received the same sentence for the same crime. He spared no one, not even his close associates. This book contains three stories, each based in part on incidents described in the Cronicas of Fernão Lopes, one of the earliest Portuguese historians.

This book's main character actually existed. Pedro I was king of Portugal from 1357-1367. The earliest account of his life can be found in the Cronicas of Fernao Lopes, one of the earliest Portuguese historians. Lopes tells of his character and his passion for justice. He also includes several incidents that I have used as the basis for the three mysteries I have written and have collected in this book. In one story Pedro discovers a body by the side of the road. He must discover who the man was and who was responsible for his death and pass judgment on the guilty. In the second, the naked body of a beautiful woman is discovered in the street of a town after a night of Carnaval. Again Pedro must discover who is responsible for this crime and see that a suitable punishment is administered. In the third Pedro, who is not yet king, must defend one of his followers who is accused of raping and murdering a young girl.

Toni Cor was born in California and grew up in the Rocky Mountain area. From childhood she has been fascinated by medieval culture and literature and has read widely on those subjects. She is also an avid reader of science fiction, fantasy, and mysteries, particularly historical mysteries. When she encountered Dom Pedro, she decided to start writing her own historical mysteries. At present she is living in the Washington, D.C. area with her husband where she spends entirely too much time playing Angry Birds.