The Hour of the Fox
by Cassandra Clark
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Pub Date 2 Jun 2020 | Archive Date 28 Aug 2020
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Description
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.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780727889584 |
| PRICE | US$28.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 256 |
Featured Reviews
Sarah-Hope P, Educator
I read a LOT of historical mysteries, and Cassandra Clark's The Hour of the Fox stands out from the usual fare. To give a brief overview: This novel is set during the War of the Roses at the time of Henry Bolingbroke's triumph over Richard II. Everyone is plotting on behalf of one side or the other—sometimes both. A young nun has been found murdered and Brother Chandler and his friend Arnold Archer, the London Coroner, attempt to solve the puzzle of her death, which, it becomes increasingly clear, has been ordered by someone high up among the nobility.
The central mystery works well, but it's other aspects of the novel that really make it stand out.
• Chandler isn't a heroic figure—he's in the midst of the plotting like everyone else.
• Chandler and Arthur's relationship has genuine points of strain; their disagreements are significant and not just plot devices.
• Some chapters, the only ones written in first person, are in the voice of a maid working in a household near Chandler. Seeing him through her eyes makes his character even more complicated and interesting.
• Chaucer lives across the street!
• With no heavy-handedness, Clark very aptly depicts the danger Henry's rise to power presented for the Lollards.
Given all this, I am very much hoping this book will be the start of a series. I've read volumes in some of Clark's other series and have found them enjoyable, but The Hour of the Fox takes things up several notches in terms of characterization and effective ambiguity.
I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Severn House via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.
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