The Templar Magician by P.C. Doherty

Two Templar knights, Edmond de Payens and Phillip Mayele, are sent to Tripoli where Count Raymond is under threat. Despite their presence the Count is murdered in the street, an act which triggers riot and massacre. The terrible Muslim sect, The Assassins, are suspected but news of a coven of black magicians within the Order that may be responsible means that the knights are assigned to travel to the newly established English Chapter in company with a mysterious Genoese to put an end to this evil. P.C. Doherty has given us another of his excellent historical adventures though I must reluctantly point to one small error. On page 42 an elderly English knight, William Trussell, used the phrase "to cut to the chase". This surely is a modern usage originating in the film industry indicating moving to an action sequence. Of course, Mr Doherty may have come across this in his extensive researches in ancient works and if this is the case I appologise for mentioning it.