Claire (bookknoll) reviewed on 7/21/2009

This is the first in a series of mysteries set in England in the 1400s. The sleuth is a nun living in a small rural cloister. Part history lesson, part social commentary, and part pure whodunnit, the books contain amazing details about daily life of that period. As the series progresses, the events of English history play out as the fictional nun interacts with well-known figures. Supporting characters come and go (one supports a spin-off series), but Sister Frevisse stays as interesting in the recent episodes as in the early ones. Although she would rather remain behind the cloister walls in the peace that comes with a predictable routine and a very short list of desires, she accedes to the world's demands on her wit and intelligence. This episode puts a medieval spin on an ageless theme: the lengths to which people will go to maintain social standing.

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