The first recorded charge of ritual murder, which took place in Norwich, England, 1144, alleging that the Jewish community, “In despite of our Lord,” killed a Christian child, subsequently honored as Saint William of Norwich. THE SAINT-MAKERS tells the story of how the Church fabricated the charge of ritual murder to avoid paying the Jews for the building of Norwich Cathedral. Paul M. Levitt teaches in the department of English at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is also the author of Come with Me to Babylon and numerous books for younger readers and scholars.
