A tyrant is murdered. Not a king; a petty tyrant, a lord of the manor who has for years made the lives of his wife and children, his servants and all who live and work in the village, a misery. Anyone might have murdered him, for everyone is delighted that he is dead.
But his malicious hold on their lives is maintained through the terms of his will.
And then another death occurs, this one not at all welcome.
Following this second death, Dame Frevisse accompanies the wife and daughter back from the convent where they have been making a retreat. She is not there to investigate. But investigating comes naturally to her, she cannot help herself - especially when a third death occurs, one which seems to have been a tragic accident, but Frevisse is not so sure ...
What little love had ever warmed the heart of Sir Ralph Woderove, the first victim, was devoted entirely to his hounds, and these medieval hounds of various breeds and sizes and functions and characters form the fascinating and original backdrop to this book.
It is this meticulous attention to detail, I believe, that enables Margaret Frazer to make each Sister Frevisse book unique, unlike other similar series which tend to blur in the memory over time.
JM
