e-Book Tyrant of the Mind (Medieval Mysteries) download

Priscilla Royal may be a new favourite author.

This is second in a currently 9-book series that features the clever, young Prioress Eleanor of Wynethorpe, and dubious new priest, Thomas who was given the choice of burning or God after being accused of the crime of Sodomy. His betrayer was the very man he had begun to develop feelings for. Oh, did I mention that Eleanor is falling in love with Thomas?

This story takes place in Castle Wynethorpe, the seat of Prioress Eleanor's childhood home. A murder is committed just as a visiting family begins to unravel. When Eleanor's brother is accused of the murder it becomes not just her duty, but the love that she bears for her family, that spurs her to find the truth. Brother Thomas is also there to help.

The history takes place in the rough times of the 11th century, and the author has woven a believable world, and memorable characters. This is my second book, and the two main characters are only built stronger, and more believable.

Eleanor is a woman, and despite a woman who is Prioress of her own world, Tynedale Abbey, she is just that, a woman. Although loved by her father she is still thought less of because of her sex. As Eleanor seeks the truth her father has to come to the realisation that his daughter is grown up, but that she is as strong, and as clever as her own mother was. Her father, Baron Adam, comes to see Eleanor is a confidant light, and he grows stronger in his pride of her. He gains new respect for her, and Eleanor learns that the love and respect she had long thought her father unable to give her he had, and he was able to face her as an adult, yet still as her father, and let her know how he truy felt about her.

Thomas becomes more settled in his ecclesiastical role but he still has not found himself in God's embrace. He is less rebellious, and more contemplative and that is due to those he meets at Wynethorpe. He seems to dislike the family's Confessor Father Anselm -- who is a big and smelly proponent of bad teeth, and awful hygiene. Yet, despite that Thomas finds the soul of a man who truly believes in God, and cares about the family he is Confessor, and Spiritual Protector of.

The true delight in the story comes from the interaction between young Richard and Brother Thomas who is the much beloved bastard of Eleanor's elder brother Hugh who is off fighting. Richard has become ill and Eleanor returns home bringing with her Infarmarian(sp?) Sister Anne and Brother Thomas.

Thomas finds that his heart is quickly stolen by the little boy who also has endeared himself even to Father Anselm who plays the fierce dragon for the little boy. Thomas becomes fully embraced by Eleanor's family when Richard declares Thomas his 'uncle'.

My only problem with the story came towards the end as the murderer was revealed. The confessions were a bit muddled, and I found I had to re-read a few paragraphs to make sense of what was happening. Even so, I did understand, and it was shocking.

I am ready for the third tale in this series.

The setting is 1270 England. The central characters are Sister Eleanor, the Abbess, Sister Anne, the Sub Infirmarian, and Thomas, their all purpose investigator and confidante. This trio, perhaps because they acknowledge their own faults, are surprisingly real. Eleanor, a noble by birth, chose the convent because she knew she could make a contribution as an administrator and also because she knew that the prayer life might be her salvation. Sister Anne had led a full life as a married woman before entering the convent, following her husband, who had a sincere religious vocation. Anne brought her knowledge of medicine with her, which made her a valuable member of Eleanor's monastery. Thomas, forced into religious life, found a surprising number of problems that he was uniquely qualified to solve. Together they uproot evil, either at the monastery or away from it, at Eleanor's brother's castle, as they were in this novel.
The details of medieval life that Royal provides as well as the surprisingly modern concerns of her characters make the novels in this series very interesting, as well as accessible to readers who enjoy a good historical mystery. Their length, less than two hundred fifty pages, is just right. The plots move along well enough to finish reading in a single sitting.

Another great addition to the series, the second book, with many more to come. Love the pictures of 12th century life. It really compliments a series I am reading that takes place in Wales at the same time, so I am getting both sides of the life descriptions. Soon Edward 1 will come on the throne, called "The Hammer of the Scots", so maybe Eleanor and Thomas will go to Scotland for one of their mysteries. In any case, anyone enjoying light mysteries in Medieval times will enjoy this series. While, so far, the villain has been an easy guess, the reason has been a surprise. ENJOY!

Eleanor, the prioress of Tyndal, is journeying to her home, a castle on the Welsh border, in order to help care for her very ill nephew. Accompanying her is Sister Anne, the best healer in the community, and Thomas, the abbey's priest who has also shown his value as a healer. Their arrival turns the tide and the nephew begins to heal, but then tragedy strikes. The prioress' brother is discovered, bloody and weaponed with a knife, over the body of a family friend, the son of the her father's best friend. Now the trio must turn to discovering the real murderer, and must do it before more victims turn up.
This is a fine novel, combining a nice mystery with a sound knowledge of medieval times. Settle in by a fire and give this book a chance.

I am restating my review for this book because it says it all. You will not be disappointed if you select this or any of her books for a good read.

Priscilla Royal is a mistress of the Medieval Mysteries much in the style of Mary Stewart. Her research, skill in weaving fact and fiction is intriguing and exciting. This genre is not easy to read without becoming bored with stale descriptions and two dimensional scene settings; however, Ms. Royal pulls it off. Ms Royal's skills in bringing about the various stages of the novel and building toward an exciting plot and conclusion are worth the read. She has two other novels that are also on the Amazon list and I have read them all. I look forward to more of her clever plots in future books...and I do sincerely hope there are many more.
I will also review her other books in the same manner as they are equally delightful stages of her trilogy.