The Hour of the Fox - (A Brother Chandler Mystery) by Cassandra Clark

About the Book

London, 1399. When the body of a young nun is discovered at Dowgate sluice, Brother Chandler is called in to investigate. But secretly acting as a spy for King Richard's cousin Henry Bolingbroke, Chandler is torn by conflicting loyalties, and his investigations will draw him into affairs of state - endangering himself and all those around him.

Book Synopsis

Introducing reluctant spy and friar-sleuth Brother Rodric Chandler in the first of a brand-new medieval mystery series.

London. July, 1399. As rumours spread that his ambitious cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, has returned from exile in France, King Richard's grip on the English throne grows ever more precarious. Meanwhile, the body of a young woman is discovered at Dowgate sluice. When it's established that the dead woman was a novice from nearby Barking Abbey, the coroner calls in his friend, Brother Chandler, to investigate.

Who would cut the throat of a young nun and throw her remains in the river? And what was she doing outside the confines of the priory in the first place? Secretly acting as a spy for Henry Bolingbroke, Chandler is torn by conflicting loyalties and agonising self-doubt. As the king's cousin marches towards Wales and England teeters on the brink of civil war, Chandler's investigations will draw him into affairs of state - and endanger not only himself but all those around him.

Review Quotes

"A fresh series launch... whenever the focus is on Chandler, the strong grips. Readers will want to see more of this highly original protagonist"-- "Publishers Weekly"

"The history is meticulously researched and depicted, with sprinklings of fact on almost every page, so much so that Brother Chandler's sleuthing may appeal to nonfiction readers looking for variety in their reading just as much as the fans of Clark's popular Abbess Hildegard of Meaux series"-- "Booklist"

"The mystery is a slender thread woven through rich historical detail in this intriguing introduction to a conflicted hero"-- "Kirkus Reviews"