This book ignited a spirited discussion of what moral ambiguity is all about. There are all sorts of moral decisions being made at different levels and the story provides us with fodder for a rich discussion. Is it right to live a lie, sometimes, or not? Is it good to obey laws? Or sometimes not? Killing? Cover-up? Love? How do we make moral decisions? What factors in?
These questions are set against the terrible fundamentalism of an age which burned heretics. I became painfully aware, anew, of the oppression and persecution of Jews, which forms the structure of the plot.
A carefully constructed story, I'd say. ( )

Dame Frevisse is in London arranging the details of funeral vestments to be purchased and donated by her cousin Alyce to the memory of her dead husband, the Duke of Suffolk. As is always the case, the nun is drawn into deeper waters than she wishes to tread. London is in the midst of an uprising and those she has to deal with have much more going on that simply the selling of fabric and embroidered garments.
I enjoyed reading this story due to the many details of London at that time and the history of its peoples. When the rantings of a fanatical friar went on a bit long it was easy to skim. I am still not convinced about the murderer or the murders, they seemed to be inserted more because this is a "murder mystery" than because they fit the story, however, they served to bring the characters around the events to life. ( )

A solid entry in an impressive series. Ms. Frazier's strongest suit is her ability to recreate the life of 15th century convent, in vivid and often fascinating detail. Her lead character, Sister Frevisse, is also a delight: she grows and changes, and she is NOT a modern woman loosely wrapped in a 15th century habit. This story brings in a Jewish character, a man in constant danger, since Jews were not allowed in England in the 15th century. ( )

This has become one of my favorite series over the years. As usual, this is an extremely vivid evocation of another time and place with an interesting and admirable protagonist. Involving personal stories take place amidst tumultuous civil strife.

One thing that I love about the series is Sister Frevisse's genuine vocation. Unlike some other medieval mysteries, populated by modern people in costume, or medieval people who were presumably forced into a religious life for which they had little aptitude, Frevisse is an affecting figure of a sincere and devout medieval nun.

I think that the series has become somewhat uneven. I have read recently that "Margaret Frazer" was a pseudonym for a collaboration between a medievalist and a mystery writer, with the latter dropping out. Maybe this is the problem.

Frevisse, as cousin to Alice Chaucer, Duchess of Suffolk, is dragged into worldly matters in which she would prefer not to involve herself. In this book, her sense of integrity wars with her duty to obey her abbess. She is placed in a dilemma after learning that one of the other characters is a secret Jew, and therefore liable to execution. This is resolved believably, for medieval England, by Frevisse's belief that religious error does not justify vicious, violent behavior.

This begins a possible spoiler: I think that the book gets out of control with the third dilemma. Frevisse is quite actively involved in concealing the murder of murderer. Frazer is apparently very fond of vigilanteism, since this is at least the third case in six or seven books. Part of my problem with this novel is the feeling of, "what, again?!" Many mystery writers have an atypical story in which the detective lets the murderer go free in the service of a "higher justice." This can be quite believable and satisfying, still I like Jo Dereske's Miss Zukas story in which the detective realizes later that she was tricked by the "dying" culprit.

This strongly resembles the end of another book, but in that case, it is not Frevisse, but the representative of the law who decides to regard the matter as an accident. It was possible in the earlier case to argue a lack of clear intent and premeditation. Further, this provocation is nowhere near as strong: these days, it is illegal (in this state) to inflict punitive injuries on an adulterous spouse. The law is, however, likely to consider an impulsive attack upon unexpectedly catching them en flagrante as a mitigating circumstance.

Another problem is that I didn't find the mystery plot entirely credible, plausible or satisfying, making me more uneasy about the issue of leaping to conclusions and taking the law into one's own hands. The "need" for this action is somewhat contrived. Everyone, including Frevisse, easily concludes that one just can't trust the legal system, so they'll have to settle the matter on their own. I am reminded of an incident in Ford Madox Ford's Ladies Whose Bright Eyes, in which Mr. Sorrell time-travels from the 1930s to the first half of the 14th century: "He did not really suppose that they actually had any laws at all, whereas what they were carrying on now was rather more complicated than an average argument about mining rights in the Court of Chancery." It is clear from the earlier books that Medieval society wasn't an anarchy, although the system was suffering from the political disorder. I can understand their motives without being convinced that their actions are justified and in character. Further, there was an obvious alternative solution available to Frazer that was not so morally murky.

Engrossing for most of the book, but left me dissatisfied at the end. I considered giving it only 3 stars.

For those who like the medieval religious setting, I recommend the Brother Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters. It begins with A Morbid Taste for Bones; I warn the reader that I consider to be the worst in the series, but the rest improve rapidly.

Incidentally, the ex-collaborator, under the name Monica Ferris writes one of my favorite series, the Betsy Devonshire mysteries, centered around a needlework shop, which begins with Crewel World. ( )