The Reeve's Tale: A Sister Frevisse Medieval Mystery

Here's the latest excellent installment in Frazer's superbly researched medieval mystery series featuring Dame Frevisse, a nun of the order of St. Frideswide, who, along with her godly duties, relishes the occasional opportunity for amateur sleuthing. In her ninth outing (after The Maiden's Tale), Frevisse is ordered to temporarily take over the duties of Master Naylor, the convent's steward. She finds herself in the middle of a land dispute when Matthew Woderove, a convent serf, is found dead and his widow, Mary, along with her new beau, Tom Holcote, tries to claim his land rights. Disputing the claim is wealthy villein Gilbey Dunn, who wants to add to his hefty holdings. The argument is quickly set aside when Matthew's death turns out to be murder and most of the village children come down with sometimesfatal cases of measles. Aided by a neighboring reeve, Simon Perryn, whose own children are among the sick, Frevisse seeks to untangle the roots of the crime, which grow to claim a second murder victim. Exquisitely written, the novel offers a brilliantly realized vision of a typical medieval English village, peopled with full-blooded men and women who experience the human range of joys and sorrows. Suspenseful from start to surprising conclusion, this is another gem from an author who's twice been nominated for an Edgar. (Dec.)