Wine of Violence

Rating:
Summary: As good as it gets
Review: For those that love a good mystery, for those that love history accurately portrayed, this is the book to own. A wonderfully entertaining read. Hopefully, I look forward to further adventures of Eleanor, Anne, Thomas and the cat.

Rating:
Summary: fascinating look at medieval life
Review: In the civil war between King Henry III and Simon de Montfort, Eleanor of Wynethorpe's family sided with the king. Eleanor's brother is a close friend of Prince Edward and her mother is a dear friend of the queen. As a reward for loyal service to the crown, Eleanor is appointed prioress of Tyndale Priory. This political reward is resented by the sisters and monks who reside there. Not long after Eleanor steps foot on the priory Brother Rubert is murdered.

Brother Thomas, who is at the priory to find out why their financial solvency has dwindled, becomes involved in the murder inquiry. When he is attacked and left for dead, Eleanor believes the same person is responsible for the murder and the attack. Life turns more dangerous when someone tries to attack the prioress in her sleeping quarters. Using people she trusts, a trap is baited to catch a killer.

WINE OF VIOLENCE is a fascinating look at medieval life in the year 1270 during the reign of King Henry III. Readers read about sexual predators enjoying the largesse of the Catholic Church and how secular choices are made for religious appointments. Priscilla Royal is a talented storyteller entertains and educates her audience with this regal historical.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Interesting new writer
Review: This is a book from a new writer who has got closer than most to the true atmosphere of life in a medieval religious community. If you enjoy mysteries set in medieval days, give this one a try. The characters are solid and believable. The settings and dialogue are well-researched and accurate.

It's difficult, when you write a book about a time several hundred years ago, to portray accurately the feeling of a very different time while realizing that human nature is basically much the same now as it was then. There were greedy people, lazy people, untrustworthy people. We know the type, we see them and their effects every day. What we don't see is a huge section of the population desperately clinging to religion to save them from the fires of hell. The writer straddles this dichotomy very well.

Her characters are so well realized that I'm hoping to meet many of them again in future books.