Tyrant of the Mind by Priscilla Royal

Tyrant of the Mind  is the second in Priscilla Royal's Medieval Mystery series.  In the previous post, I reviewed Royal's first book in the series which I thoroughly enjoyed.  

Set in the winter of 1271, Tyrant moves the setting from Tyndale Priory to castle Wynethorpe, the castle of Eleanor's father, Baron Adam Wynethorpe .  

Eleanor's nephew is seriously ill, and her father has heard of Sister Anne's ability to heal.  (I thought of including a bit about Sister Anne, Tyndale's infirmarian, in my previous review; now I wish I had.  She is an important minor character who will figure largely in the series.)  

Anyway, Eleanor is accompanied by Sister Anne and Brother Thomas.  Richard is recovering when the novel opens, but both Sister Anne and Brother Thomas have become very attached to boy who is the apple of his grandfather's eye.  

Final plans for the marriage agreement of Eleanor's brother Robert are in the works.  The marriage is intended to unite the families of old friends, but when Henry, the unpleasant son of the family is murdered, and Robert found with a bloody knife in hand--things get sticky.  The resourceful Eleanor is once again called upon to use her investigative skills to prove her brother innocent. Sister Anne and Brother Thomas support and aid Eleanor as she unravels complicated back stories and secrets of the family that provided childhood friendships.

The main characters continue to unfold and develop, the description of the castle provides a wonderful visual back drop, and Eleanor (that weaker vessel) once again proves her common sense and strength of character.  

There are nine books in this series.  I have one more to review and 6 more to read!

Read in March.

Medieval Mystery.  2011.  Print version:  253 pages.