Wine of Violence (Poisoned Pen Press Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Priscilla Royal (Author)

Book Description

Series: Poisoned Pen Press Mysteries | Publication Date: March 1, 2005

It is late summer in the year 1270 and England is as weary as its aging king, Henry lll. Although the Simon de Montfort rebellion is over, the smell of death still hangs like smoke over the land. Even in the small priory of Tyndal on the remote East Anglian coast, the monks and nuns of the Order of Fontevraud long for a return to tranquil routine. Their hopes are dashed, however, when the young and inexperienced Eleanor of Wynethorpe is appointed their new prioress over someone of their own choosing. Nor are Eleanor's own prayers for a peaceful transition answered. Only a day after her arrival, a brutally murdered monk is found in the cloister gardens, and Brother Thomas, a young priest with a troubled past, arrives to bring her a more personal grief. Now she must not only struggle to gain the respect of her terrified and resentful flock, but also cope with violence, lust and greed in a placed dedicated to love and peace. "WITH ITS INTRUIGING PLOT, CHILLING CONCLUSION AND CHARACTERS WHO EXHIBIT UNIVERSAL AND TIMELESS FEELINGS, THIS FRESH FIRST HAS ALL THE POTENTIAL TO EVOLVE IN A SERIES AS ENDURING AS ELLIS PETERS BROTHER CADFAEL BOOKS." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the year 1270 on the remote East Anglican coast, the new prioress of Tyndal priory (a small "double house" where the monks and nuns run a hospital), the young Eleanor of Wynethorpe, is prepared to face some resentment but not the dire consequences of several deadly sins, including lust, in Royal's stellar debut. Eleanor's political appointment, a reward to her parents for their loyalty to King Henry III, has embittered some of the Tyndal nuns and monks, particularly Sister Ruth, who was assuming the job would be hers. Eleanor knows that gaining the trust of the sisters and brothers she's to lead is vital, but when a beloved monk is found murdered in the cloister gardens, Eleanor has a brutal killer to deal with as well. The arrival of a young priest, Brother Thomas, struggling with the demons created by a crime he committed compounds her problems. As the violence continues, Eleanor, Thomas and the local coroner join forces to investigate. With its intriguing plot, chilling conclusion and characters who exhibit universal and timeless feelings, this fresh first has all the potential to evolve into a series as enduring as Ellis Peters's Brother Cadfael books.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"In the year 1270 on the remote East Anglican coast, the new prioress of Tyndal priory (a small "double house" where the monks and nuns run a hospital), the young Eleanor of Wynethorpe, is prepared to face some resentment but not the dire consequences of several deadly sins, including lust, in Royal's stellar debut. With its intriguing plot, chilling conclusion and characters who exhibit universal and timeless feelings, this fresh first has all the potential to evolve into a series as enduring as Ellis Peters's Brother Cadfael books." Publishers Weekly *starred review*

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: I Books (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743498488
• ISBN-13: 978-0743498487
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,605,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A native of Washington State, Priscilla Royal grew up in New Westminster, BC. She graduated with a BA in world literature from San Francisco State University. In 2000, she retired from the federal civil service and now writes medieval mysteries full time. Medieval literature and history have fascinated her for almost half a century, and she delights in finding details that aren't usually mentioned in most fiction. As one example, her main characters belong to the very real Order of Fontevraud, a double house of monks and nuns, run by a woman in an era when conventional wisdom said that women were weak, illogical and should never rule men. The characters remain true to their time but exhibit universal characteristics. Although a fan of theater, modern mysteries, and fiction of lesser violence, she was inspired to write about medieval crime and punishment by the works of both Ellis Peters and Sharon Kay Penman.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting new writer, May 5, 2004

By 

Valerie Adolph "Coast Journal" (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wine of Violence (Medieval Mystery Book 1) (Hardcover)

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

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a vintage mystery, for cert, April 1, 2007

By 

Peter Reeve (Thousand Oaks, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Wine of Violence (Poisoned Pen Press Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Although Royal's debut novel does not quite deliver, it holds considerable promise for the future.

The circumstances of the murder are intriguing, but the solution is mundane. The ending is flat, but I won't say exactly why, because you don't want spoilers in a review.

The heroine, the young Prioress Eleanor, is interesting and likeable. The way the sleuthing skills are divided between three of the characters is odd, and not altogether satisfactory.

The author uses Modern English, as one would expect, except for the curious use of the word 'cert'. So, when asked if anyone suspected a monk of murder, a character says, "Some did, for cert". It happens a few times, and is quite jarring. Also, the dialogue is often inappropriate for the speaker. A serving girl, talking of a prioress and a brother, says, "Neither seemed comfortable in dealings with the secular world", and so on, totally out of character. More editorial effort is required, and then perhaps Eleanor and company will deliver more satisfying adventures.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Superb Book!, January 8, 2007

By 

Rafik "RafikNY" (New York, New York United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Wine of Violence (Paperback)

I've been reading a number of fine medieval mysteries but this one happens to be one the finest. Ms. Royal's debut, The Wine of Violence is an excellent first. It is winter of the year 1270 in a remote part of East Anglican coast. A new young prioress takes over an abbey frought with superstition, intrigue and murder. A monk's body is found to be mutilated in the garden. Politics, lust and the true goodness of the human spirit are abound in The Wine of Violence. It will bring a tear to the eye. A story that will stay with you. A must read.