Priscilla Royal, author of fourteen books from Poisoned Pen Press in the Prioress Eleanor and Brother Thomas medieval mystery series, grew up in British Columbia and earned a BA in World Literature at San Francisco State University where she discovered the beauty of medieval literature. Before retiring from the Federal Government in 2000, she worked in a variety of jobs, all of which provided an excellent education in the complexity of human experience and motivation. She is a theater fan as well as a reader of history, mystery, and fiction of lesser violence. When not hiding in the thirteenth century, she lives in Northern California and is a member of California Writers Club, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime.
Imagine an Agatha Christie mystery set in the late thirteenth century, and you'll have a pretty good picture of this very well executed mystery. -- David Pitt * <B><I>Booklist</I></B> * Royal meticulously depicts life at Mynchen Buckland, which was a part of the Hospitaller order, its pious mission intertwined with the military efforts of the Crusader knights. She also pays close attention to all three of the visitors-turned-sleuths. Instead of functioning as main-character sidekicks or listening posts, Brother Thomas and Sister Anne use their respective gifts to astutely unravel crucial strands to the mystery, helping to bring the story to a satisfying conclusion. Royal shows once again why she stands in the front rank of medieval mystery authors. (starred review) * <B><I>Publishers Weekly</I></B> * Priscilla Royal has written many medieval mysteries, and I believe this book will satisfy those who have enjoyed her previous novels. She has written a book with a steadily unraveling plot, with details of the monastery routine coming to life. I loved the characters within the monastery and their interactions in this absorbing blend of history and mystery. * <B><I>Historical Novel Society</I></B> * ...a good read for fans of medieval history and anyone interested in problems surprisingly relevant to modern life. * <B><I>Kirkus Reviews</I></B> *