- Paperback: 336 pages
- Publisher: Berkley Trade Pub; Reprint edition (Dec 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0425199428
- ISBN-13: 978-0425199428
- Product Dimensions: 17 x 10.6 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 365,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Once again the perceptive nun, Dame Frevisse, is caught in the middle of a murder scenario. When the body of Sir Ralph of Woodrim is discovered in the woods near his manor house, she finds herself positioned as the comfort-provider to a widow who's not grieving. It soon emerges that the late master of the manor, despised by his wife and family, can still hold power over his heirs through his will, just as he did in life, with stringent demands upon his executors. As secrets are drawn out into the light, Dame Frevisse fears the murderer among them will not rest until the family legacy has been settled once and for all and it is she who must resolve the mysteries and ensure justice is done.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Margaret Frazer was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Original Paperback for The Servant's Tale and The Prioress' Tale. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Sir Ralph Woderove rules his family with a rod of iron--and his brutal fists. So when, in the summer of 1448, the avid huntsman is discovered dead in the forest, nobody mourns--not his rebellious sons, not his despised grandson, nor even his calm, levelheaded wife who has spent years holding together the family her late husband tried to tear apart. Little effort is expended trying to discover the murderer and, despite the vindictive terms of Sir Ralph's will, the survivors gradually begin to mend as individuals and a clan . . . until a second death shatters their tenuous peace.
Into this new tragedy comes the insightful Benedictine nun Dame Frevisse, released from her duties to escort Sir Ralph's widow and daughter--the latter a pupil at St. Frideswide's convent--home for the funeral and the coroner's investigation. A reluctant guest at the Woderoves' manor, Dame Frevisse soon finds herself in the midst of a bitter interfamilial quarrel as a covetous neighbor sets out to enforce the terms of Sir Ralph's will, by fair means or foul. More alarming still is the dark cloud of secrets hovering over the Woderoves--secrets that can destroy or strengthen the ties that bind, or lead one person to kill again.
As ever, Margaret Frazer depicts the realities of medieval England with skill and conviction and presents a shrewd but sympathetic "detective" in Dame Frevisse. Frazer's novels dealing with family life may be among her strongest--and readers of "The Hunter's Tale" will not soon forget the embattled Woderoves, struggling to survive as a family while beset by destructive forces on all sides. Highly recommended.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
12 reviews
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
an excellent read
13 Jan 2004
Format:Hardcover
Once again Dame Frevisse of St. Frideswide's finds herself venturing away from the safe and peaceful confines of the nunnery and thrown into another situation involving murder, greed and family secrets. This is the thirteenth installment in the Dame Frevisse medieval mysteries, and it certainly lives up to expectations.
Sir Ralph Woderove was not a well liked man at all: deeply obsessed with hunting, his casual indifference and petty cruelty towards his family and retainers earned him no accolades. So that when he's found murdered one day (by a presumed poacher), no one is too surprised that his family shows almost no concern that there is little likelihood of his murderer ever being apprehended. Unfortunately even though Sir Ralph is no more, he still manages to maintain a stranglehold on his family because of the terms of his will. But it is when Sir Ralph's unfortunate widow, the Lady Anneys, finds herself being harassed by the unwanted attentions of a suitor that Dame Frevisse finds herself becoming deeply embroiled in the affairs of the Woderoves. And what she observes leads her to believe that Sir Ralph's murderer is not some unknown assailant but someone close at hand -- possibly even a family member. Unable to let things go, Dame Frevisse decides to do some investigating of her own, and finds herself becoming obsessed in her need to unmask a murderer...
Unlike previous Dame Frevisse mystery novels, this particular installment does not feature a cunning plot full of surprising twists and turns and intrigue. However, because Margaret Frazer is one of the few mystery novelists who treats the historical element as something more than mere wall papering, "The Hunter's Tale" turned out to be quite the engrossing read. The authour has a real talent for making 15th century England interesting and accessible (all those vivid imagery and details on what life in a nunnery and at the manor would have been like), and for portraying characters so that they were realistic and believable. I enjoyed Ms Frazer's thoughtful portrayal of Dame Frevisse -- especially the manner in which she showed us how the need to know was affecting Dame Frevisse's sense of balance and serenity -- and her portrayal of the young nun, Sister Johanne (and the interchanges between the two), who accompanies her to the Woderove manor. Also nicely done was the manner in which she imbued the Woderoves with a sense of bleakness, fear and despair at what has befallen them. So that all in all, even if "The Hunter's Tale" was not the kind of 'edge-of-your-seat' mystery novel that I had come to expect from Margaret Frazer, it still was an excellent 5 star read.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Another winner in this series
21 Aug 2004
Format:Hardcover
Start at the beginning, with this series, but definitely start. It is a worthwhile trip! The characterization is believable, the plot, too, and every time, hands down, the villain of the piece ends up being the one I did not want it to be! How does she do it? They are thought-provoking and entertaining at the same time. A terrific series.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Hunting, Hounds, and Homicide
17 Feb 2006
Format:Paperback
"The Hunter's Tale" is another superbly written entry in Margaret Frazer's series of medieval mysteries featuring the crime-solving nun Dame Frevisse. The year is 1434, and the reader is immersed into life on the small manor of Woodrim, where the master of the manor Sir Ralph Woderove has been brutally beaten to death while hunting on his own land. At first, even Sir Ralph's family is not too distressed by his death, as the reader quickly learns that Sir Ralph was a dispicable person who cared more for his hunting dogs than for his family. One of the key plots of the story is how Sir Ralph tries to control his family from beyond the grave by the terribly restrictive terms of his will. When a second death occurs, Sister Frevisse and another nun, Sister Johane, accompany Lady Anneys, Sir Ralph's widow and her daughter Ursula back to their manor, in order to provide some comfort to the family. Even though several weeks have passed since Sir Ralph's murder, Dame Frevisse can't help but get involved in trying to identify the murderer. The plot is well-written, and I was quite surprised by the ending of the story.
In addition to the intriguing mystery, I enjoyed the meticulous details provided on everyday life in 15th century England. The theme of this story, as indicated by the title, focuses on the English hunt and there is a lot of information given on the breeding and training of the hunting dogs. This story is an extremely enjoyable read.
In addition to the intriguing mystery, I enjoyed the meticulous details provided on everyday life in 15th century England. The theme of this story, as indicated by the title, focuses on the English hunt and there is a lot of information given on the breeding and training of the hunting dogs. This story is an extremely enjoyable read.
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