A Play of Isaac

Rating:
Summary: Snail-paced
Review: I read all the "Tales Of . . ." books with enthusiasm. I was surprised to find this first in a new series so slow-moving. It was hard to find a plot through all the boring details. There was a surge of hope on pages 116 and 208, but this book never got going as far as I was concerned. Even Joliffe, from The Servant's Tale, lost his charming and witty personality in this one. It seemed as if the people using the Margaret Frazer pen name lent it to somebody else.

Rating:
Summary: Ms. Frazer has written better
Review: Interesting characters, but some logical flaws. Overall, fairly mediocre. Find a better book.

Rating:
Summary: A true feast --
Review: Some years ago, the scuttlebutt was that a mystery had to have a murder in the first chapter. Not only the first chapter, but as close to page one as possible. If the story couldn't be made to fit that requirement -- too bad. No sale. And we'd have missed this marvelous book, in which the first murder doesn't happen until page 116!

Thank goodness that's no longer the case. A PLAY OF ISAAC by Margaret Frazer is not a fast-paced, whiz-bang type of story. It is layers deep, with full-bodied characterizations and lavishly described surroundings so that on nearly every page, one can see and hear and smell and taste- and almost feel the world in which the book is set. It's a lovely, languid reading experience that will stay with you for a good while after you've finished it.

In 1453, the world was fairly well run by the church. Most folks couldn't read, but could remember saint's days and church festivals-with a little help from the monks and priests who lived and worked in the churches and abbeys. Some of the bigger festivals, such as Corpus Christi, meant a holiday from work, so was an even bigger event. Adding to the teachings of the church, groups of players delivered morality plays, and it was not uncommon for several of these to be given in a day's time, by various minstrel troups in scattered locations throughout a larger city such as Oxford.

It is there we meet Joliffe and the others of his band of players: Thomas Basset, the playmaster; his maybe-widowed-maybe-not daughter Rose, and her son Piers, plus Ellis who has aspirations other than acting. He'd be Rose's second husband in a minute, if she'd agree. Rose cannot be a player, of course, but she's the costumer, scenery deviser, props master, chaperone, and general manager, nonetheless. Even Piers plays many parts.

While settling in for the festivities, the troup is `discovered' by an Eden-child, Lewis, who may indeed be simple, but he uses the wits he has to better advantage than the so-called normal folks around him. He is a wealthy young man who is fostered by the wealthy, merchant Penteney family, and is even betrothed to their daughter, Kathryn. In fact, the banns will most likely be posted during the festival, in the presence of Lord and Lady Lovell, who will be visiting her parents.

In this tense time, with a weak king on the throne (Henry VI) the ever-constant threat of Lollardy is a grave offense. Along with the Lovells comes the first murder, and skeptical Joliffe mistrusts nearly everyone, although the acting crowner Barentyne seems reasonable and fair. Between them, they'll get to the bottom of the various mysteries, which may prove unsatisfactory to some readers, but are all perfectly sensible to the era in which the crimes take place.

If you're at all interested in theater, you'll relish the remarkable research done by the author, and attention to details paid to the still-somehat-young art of that time. It's amazing how sophisticated players and playing could be all those centuries ago.

If you need a fast-paced, shoot-'em-up type of story to keep you happy, this isn't that sort of book. If you like history, theater, words and characters about whom you'd like to know much, much more, then this is YOUR book. And soon, with luck, there'll be more to come in this new series by the author of the Dame Frevisse Medieval Mystery series.

Rating:
Summary: terrific historical who-done-it
Review: Thanks to Dame Frevisse, (see the SERVANT'S TALE) Joliffe and his fellow thespians (Basses, his daughter Rose, her son Piers and their friend Ellis) ply their trade in England of 14 34 though they have no patron. This wandering troupe lives to act no matter the hardship. They are in Oxford performing an inn and to act in a play for the Corpus Christi festival. Lewis, an Eden-child (a person who has Down's syndrome) is so excited with their role-playing that he invites them to be his guest at his home; his parents the Penteneys, enthusiastically endorse their son's invitation.

Master Penteney, a wealthy and powerful merchant, asks the performers to put on two plays in exchange for room and lodging. This is a sweet deal and the actors accept, happy to have rest from the road. They have the whole barn to themselves but when they wake up the next morning, they find the murdered body of a man outside their door. The authorities believe the victim was a heretic, a member of the Lollards. He came to speak to Master Penteney, who sent him on his way. At the feast, many guests suffer from food poisoning and Lewis acts out of character with nothing soothing him. The troupe falls under suspicion so Joliffe, needing to save their reputation, investigates.

Margaret Frazier, famous for her Dame Frevisse medieval mysteries, starts a new series in the same era that is as good as her first one is. Fans of Roberta Gellis, Sharon York, or Ms. Frazier will be shocked by how terrible actors were treated in fifteenth century England. A PLAY OF ISAAC is a terrific historical who-done-it that will please amateur sleuth and historical mystery fans.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: Fast-Paced, Entertaining, Gripping
Review: This one is Frazer at her finest. Why paperback, though? I would think her sales would assure her a hardcover! Anyway, once again, she manages to wend her way through a complex mystery, and neatly draws the threads together at the end. Believable time-piece.