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)

PRAISE FOR MARGARET FRAZER AND THE DAME FREVISSE MYSTERIES

"This is a wonderful series. Frevisse, with her common sense and humor and tang of salt, is one of my favorite sleuths."-- Sharon Kay Penman, author of Cruel as the Grave

"This series is full of the richness of the fifteenth century, handled with the care it deserves. Margaret Frazer's tales are charmingly and intelligently contrived."-- Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Excellently drawn....very authentic."-- Anne Perry

"An unusual plot....appealing characters and crisp writing."-- Los Angeles Times

"A tale well told, filled with intrigue and spiced with romance and rogues."-- School Library Journal

"Frazer's writing is both erudite and vivid, and she has the ability to bring characters to life within a strong, clear story."-- The Drood Review of Mystery