Un relato de suspense en la Inglaterra medieval, con la abadesa de un convento y un caballero de Ricardo Corazón de León como investigadores. En Tonbridge, un valle cercano a la abadía de Hawkenlye, descubren a una novicia degollada. Los habitantes del lugar sospechan que el brutal asesinato es obra de uno de los presos liberados por el rey Ricardo Plantagenet, futuro Ricardo Corazón de León, quien, para ganarse la simpatía del pueblo, ha concedido la amnistía a todos los reclusos. Éste envía a su emisario, el valiente y leal caballero Josse d'Acquin, a investigar la espeluznante muerte. Josse descubre que la abadesa Helewise es una inteligente aliada: sensata y pragmática, nada suele pasársele por alto. Combinando sus dotes, Josse y la superiora dejan al descubierto lo que se oculta tras la tranquila vida en la Inglaterra rural del medioevo y descubren la amenaza que encierra el asesinato.

Hah. A new mystery series (for me) set in medieval England, Hawkenlye is an abbey headed by the formidable Abbess Helewise. The knight Josse D'Aquin, acting as agent for King Richard the Lionhearted, comes to the abbey to investigate the first murder. Promising and full of history. ( )

1189. To curry favour with the English people on becoming king, Richard plantagenet released all prisoners. Unfortunately a nun was murdered and so Josse d'Acquin is sent to Hawkenlye Abbey to investigate. On arrival he is helped by Abbess Helewise.
An enjoyable well-written historical mystery, a good solid start to this series. ( )

knight sent by RIchard II to investigate death of nun, turns out not to be murder

After the untimely death of his older brother, and then of his father, Henry II, Richard Plantagenet has inherited the throne of England. He thinks little of England; he’s lived in France most of his life. To celebrate his coming coronation, he orders the jails emptied. That turns out to be a poor idea, as many people figure this will result in a rise in crime. Soon, indeed, a rape/murder of a young nun, occurs, and Richard (not yet the Lion Hearted) sends an aide, the knight Josse d’Acquin, to investigate, hoping that the killer is not a former convict.

At the abbey, Josse and the Abbess Helewise set out to solve the murder- which turns into even more of a mystery when some new information from the abbey’s healer (and now medical examiner) comes to light. Then no sooner do they think they have that one solved when another novice is also found dead, with her throat neatly cut. Do they have a serial killer on their hands?

The story was complex enough to keep me interested, and I liked Sir Josse and Abbess Helewise- and liked how they worked together. The author has a good bit of knowledge as to the era she’s writing in, but.. the characters sometimes speak as if they belong to our time. While I don’t expect them to speak Middle English (heaven forbid), certain phrasings are just jolting. The book was a little light on characterization, but as this is the first of a series there is plenty of time to build on that (I think there is something like 15 in the series now). I did have to wonder about the ease with which nuns, and Sir Josse, came and went in the abbey. Were they really that open? Or did the right rules come later in time? I honestly don’t know. Anyway, an interesting, quick read. Four stars. ( )