"Strong amateur sleuth historical mystery"

Thanks to Dame Frevisse, (see the SERVANT'S TALE) Joliffe and his fellow thespians (Basses, his daughter Rose, her son Piers and their friend Ellis) ply their trade in England of 1434 though they have no patron. This wandering troupe lives to act no matter the hardship. They are in Oxford performing at an inn and to act in a play for the Corpus Christi festival. Lewis, an Eden-child (a person who has Down's syndrome) is so excited with their role-playing that he invites them to be his guest at his home; his parents the Penteneys, enthusiastically endorse their son's invitation.

Master Penteney, a wealthy and powerful merchant, asks the performers to put on two plays in exchange for room and lodging. This is a sweet deal and the actors accept, happy to have rest from the road. They have the whole barn to themselves but when they wake up the next morning, they find the murdered body of a man outside their door. The authorities believe the victim was a heretic, a member of the Lollards. He came to speak to Master Penteney, who sent him on his way. At the feast, many guests suffer from food poisoning and Lewis acts out of character with nothing soothing him. The troupe falls under suspicion so Joliffe, needing to save their reputation, investigates.

Margaret Frazier, famous for her Dame Frevisse medieval mysteries, starts a new series in the same era that is as good as her first one is. Fans of Roberta Gellis, Sharon York, or Ms. Frazier will be shocked by how terrible actors were treated in fifteenth century England. A PLAY OF ISAAC is a terrific historical who-done-it that will please amateur sleuth and historical mystery fans.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted July 9, 2004

Summary

From the author of the Dame Frevisse Medieval Mysteries, The player Joliffe takes center stage as a sleuth in the first mystery of a brand new series. When his band of traveling players are taken in by a patron, Joliffe and company find that murder has taken their place in the spotlight—and it's up to them to catch a killer in the act.