The Novice’s Tale cover art

The Novice’s Tale

A Dame Frevisse Mystery, Book 1

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The Novice’s Tale

By: Margaret Frazer
Narrated by: Susan Duerden
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About this listen

Unholy passions and demonic deaths...

In the fair autumn of Our Lord's grace 1431, the nuns of England's St. Frideswide's prepare for the simply ceremonies in which the saintly novice Thomasine will take her holy vows. But their quiet lives of beauty and prayer are thrown into chaos by the merciless arrival of Lady Ermentrude Fenner and her retinue of lusty men, sinful women, and baying hounds. The hard-drinking dowager even keeps a pet monkey for her amusement. She demands wine, a feast....

And her niece, the angelic Thomasine.

The lady desires to enrich herself and her reputation by arranging a marriage for the devout novice. She cares nothing for the panic and despair she leaves behind her.

But all her cruel and cunning schemes are brought to a sudden end with strange and most unnatural murder.

As suspicious eyes turn on the pious Thomasine, it falls to Sister Frevisse, hosteler of the priory and amateur detective, to unravel the webs of unholy passion and dark intrigue that entangle the novice and prove her innocence...or condemn her.

©1992 Margaret Frazer (P)2020 Tantor Historical Mystery Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths

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All stars
Most relevant
The plot and characters are interesting if a little practiced. But the book is spoiled by the weird cadence of the narrator.

Good story, unfortunate Narration.

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Dry good naration. Characters very well balanced. Interesting regards customs,fashion and hierarchy. I enjoyed it a d will try more from this author

June with attitude

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A good story about a death at a nunnery set in medieval times. I have enjoyed it and if you want a gentle who dunnit then this is for you !

Interesting story

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Thanks for review. I took a chance on this one and was very pleasantly surprised. The narration was crisp and well paced.

Thank you to reviewers.

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The story was so-so - the characters’ almost wilful blindness to the painfully obvious was very annoying- but the worst aspect was the narrator. She sounded almost like AI - inflections - or lack of - in the wrong place - it was just terrible to listen to. Not bad for an included story, but I wouldn’t pay for anything by this author or read by this narrator.

Awful narrator

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