The Novice’s Tale

A Dame Frevisse Mystery, Book 1

By: Margaret Frazer

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

Unholy passions and demonic deaths...

In the fair autumn of Our Lord's grace 1431, the nuns of England's St. Frideswide's prepare for the simply ceremonies in which the saintly novice Thomasine will take her holy vows. But their quiet lives of beauty and prayer are thrown into chaos by the merciless arrival of Lady Ermentrude Fenner and her retinue of lusty men, sinful women, and baying hounds. The hard-drinking dowager even keeps a pet monkey for her amusement. She demands wine, a feast....

And her niece, the angelic Thomasine.

The lady desires to enrich herself and her reputation by arranging a marriage for the devout novice. She cares nothing for the panic and despair she leaves behind her.

But all her cruel and cunning schemes are brought to a sudden end with strange and most unnatural murder.

As suspicious eyes turn on the pious Thomasine, it falls to Sister Frevisse, hosteler of the priory and amateur detective, to unravel the webs of unholy passion and dark intrigue that entangle the novice and prove her innocence...or condemn her.

©1992 Margaret Frazer (P)2020 Tantor

So happy I found this series! I hope all of these come out in Audible!

It’s so refreshing to find another well-written medieval mystery series! The historical details are accurate as far as I can tell; it’s not easy to find a writer who understands that “uppers” contract the irises, often to the point to where the eyes look black from the enlarged pupils. This is accuracy I find rare among many writers - some of them quite famous. I hope to begin the next book in the series right now!

Completely Wonderful

I thoroughly enjoyed this! The plot is complex and features a lot of insights into human nature. The historical setting is interesting; as a fan of historical fiction I would have enjoyed even more cultural and political context. I also appreciate the window into monastic life of an earlier time.

The narrator is excellent, though with not as intricate many voice changes as some.

I can hardly wait to continue with this series!

Tedious story line

Took a while to get into. Dull uninteresting characters. Will not look for next book.

A bit boring

I wanted to like this but it took about half the story to get to some action. I almost gave up on it several times.

The narration

I am impressed by the narrators use of different voices for the characters —-so talented !