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The Novice's Tale (Sister Frevisse, Bk 1)
The Novice's Tale - Sister Frevisse, Bk 1
Author: Margaret Frazer
To the priory a lady came for mischief... and for murder. — It is the year of Our Lord's grace 1431, and the nuns of England's St. Frideswide sweetly chant their Paternosters behind gracious, trellised walls. But their quiet lives are shattered by the unwelcome visit of the hard-drinking, blaspheming dowager Lady Ermentrude, with...  more »
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PBS Market Price: $8.09 or $4.19+1 credit
ISBN-13: 9780425143216
ISBN-10: 042514321X
Publication Date: 11/1/1993
Pages: 240
Rating:
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 94

3.6 stars, based on 94 ratings
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

lnicolay avatar reviewed The Novice's Tale (Sister Frevisse, Bk 1) on + 19 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
First in the Sister Frevisse Medieval Mysteries series. I have read better in the medieval mystery category. I didn't think the main character was developed that well and I didn't get attached to her like I do in the works I really enjoy. Also, the perpetrator was not much of a "mystery" to me. I am not the most astute in guessing villains but did so here! I have decided to try another 1 or 2 of her books to see if this changes.
danbookswife avatar reviewed The Novice's Tale (Sister Frevisse, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This is my first Sister Frevisse book, wanted to start at the beginning of the series to see how the author develops. Liked the Middle Ages English and details without it being too difficult to follow. You can learn a lot of history while enjoying a very well-paced mystery. Details of cloister life were interesting as well. Very real ladies behind those walls. Will try to get the next in the series.
wgw avatar reviewed The Novice's Tale (Sister Frevisse, Bk 1) on + 136 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
In the same vein as Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael tales, this is a darn good series. Another medieval historical mystery.
PamLS avatar reviewed The Novice's Tale (Sister Frevisse, Bk 1) on + 27 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This is a historical mystery taking place in a convent in 1431. I am not sure exactly where in England it is but the what is inside the walls are what is important. In reading this you get the sense of the pace of prayer and work until the outside world intrudes.But there quiet lives are shattered when hard-drinking, cursing Lady Ermentrude comes to visit and is murdered. Sister Frevisse is the convent hosteler so she is assigned to clear the intrusion us.
reviewed The Novice's Tale (Sister Frevisse, Bk 1) on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Very good story and well written. The time period is intriguing and easy to get lost in.
Read All 24 Book Reviews of "The Novices Tale Sister Frevisse Bk 1"

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reviewed The Novice's Tale (Sister Frevisse, Bk 1) on
I was really disappointed in this book; it is the first in a long series, and I was hoping for a great list of books to look forward to. But, alas, it didn't hold my interest, so I guess it's a one-off.
reviewed The Novice's Tale (Sister Frevisse, Bk 1) on + 5 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this book. It is well written. It got very exciting at the end where you could not put the book down until the even end. It is one of those mystery where you thought you knew who did it but at the end you were wrong.
reviewed The Novice's Tale (Sister Frevisse, Bk 1) on
This is the first in a series of mysteries set in England in the 1400s. The sleuth is a nun living in a small rural cloister. Part history lesson, part social commentary, and part pure whodunnit, the books contain amazing details about daily life of that period. As the series progresses, the events of English history play out as the fictional nun interacts with well-known figures. Supporting characters come and go (one supports a spin-off series), but Sister Frevisse stays as interesting in the recent episodes as in the early ones. Although she would rather remain behind the cloister walls in the peace that comes with a predictable routine and a very short list of desires, she accedes to the world's demands on her wit and intelligence. This episode puts a medieval spin on an ageless theme: the lengths to which people will go to maintain social standing.


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