The Reeve’s Tale

MURDER, PLAGUE, AND DEATH…

As reeve of the small village of Pryor Byfield, Simon Perryn must rule on many local disputes – a task he often shares with the steward of St. Frideswide’s nunnery. But when the steward is accused of dishonesty and forced to step aside, the worldly Dame Frevisse is sent to replace him.

Her new duties thrust the reluctant Frevisse into the conflicts, rivalries, and domestic dramas of the locals – and when a plague sweeps through the town, the overworked nun must stay so as not to expose the nunnery to the disease. But after two villagers are brutally killed, Frevisse must divide her time between tending for the sick and searching for the truth.

As death casts a cloud over Prior Byfield, fear and suspicion reign – and Frevisse’s keen deductions lead her ever closer to the disturbing truth…

MINNESOTA BOOK AWARD NOMINEE
 
“Offers a brilliantly realized vision of a typical medieval English village… Suspenseful from start to surprising conclusion… another gem.” – Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)