To further develop my interest in historical fiction mysteries, I read Candace Robb’s The Nun’s Tale (this is the third book in the Owen Archer Mystery Series). I am becoming more interested in this genre because of the historical context and the intrigue of a mystery.
Here is a brief description of the book from the author’s website:
When a young nun dies of a fever in the town of Beverley, England, in the summer of 1365, she is buried quickly, for fear of the plague. The following year, the Archbishop of York is concerned to learn that a woman who claims to be the resurrected nun is talking of relic-trading and miracles. When murder follows in her wake, Owen Archer must undertake his third case. Traveling to Leeds and Scarborough to try to unearth clues, Owen finds only a trail of corpses.
A meeting with Geoffrey Chaucer, spy for King Edward, establishes a connection with mercenary soldiers and the powerful Percy family. Meanwhile, Owen’s wife, the apothecary Lucie Wilton, pregnant with their first child, has won the mysterious woman’s confidence. But the troubled secrets that start to emerge will endanger them all.
As with the two previous books, I think Robb does an excellent job of bringing the time period to life. She seems to understand the daily life of men and women in Medieval England. Without skipping a beat, she switches from characters who are wealthy to those who less fortunate.
The plot and character development are superb. Robb keeps you guessing throughout the book. You get to know the main characters more in this book as they try to solve another mystery.
I hope you enjoy this wonderful look at Medieval England.
