The Servant's Tale

Sister Frevisse is sinfully good at discerning the mysteries of the soul—and solving the crimes of the human heart in this charming series.

It's Christmastime, and the sisters of St. Frideswide cannot turn away travellers, even the players knocking at the nunnery door. But along with the motley troupe comes the grievously wounded husband of the cloister's scullery maid, Meg. They swear they found the drunken wastrel in a ditch, but the tale sounds like another song and dance. Especially when two dead bodies are waiting in the wings...

Now Sister Frevisse must find out if one of the actors is a murderer in masquerade—or face a very unmerry Yuletide season."Period detail, adroit characterizations, and lively dialogue add to the pleasure of this labyrinthine tale."—Publishers Weekly

"This mystery is so rich with place and time that they become characters in the story. Dame Frevisse is a stalwart, appealing sleuth and the cold, dark priory and the squalor of Medieval England are fascinating backdrops."—New Orleans Times-Picayune

"The writing is seamless...The atmosphere of the book is cold and blustery, danger afield. A well-steeped sense of history prevails...They make this novel more than a mystery, but a wonderful historical dark tapestry. We are transported back to the 14th century. One of the 10 best mystery novels of 1993."—Minneapolis Star TribuneMargaret Frazer is the author of the Sister Frevisse Medieval Mysteries, including The Servant's Tale and The Prioress' Tale, which were both finalists for the Edgar Award for Best Original Paperback. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.