CANDACE M. ROBB – The Nun’s Tale. Lucie and Owen Archer #3. St Martin’s, hardcover, 1995; paperback, 1996. First published in the UK by William Heinemann Ltd, hardcover, 1995.

   I think this is one of the best of the plethora of British historical series to come out in the last few years, Robb knows her period, and writes well about interesting times and people.

   In the year 1365 a nun runs away, then returns, in poor health and suffering from delusions, and speaking of miracles. Her story is intertwined with political intrigues involving the throne of Spain, and the Archbishop of York (also Lord Chancellor) has great interest in both aspects of the story. He calls upon Owen Archer, once Captain of Archers for the Duke of Lancaster before losing an eye in his service, now an apprentice apothecary to his wife Lucie and occasional spy for the Archbishop, to see if he can find his way along the strange paths the nun followed while she was gone.

   I’m a little more impressed by Candace Robb with each book, and I was quite impressed by her first (The Apothecary Rose, 1993). In my opinion the two best writers of historical mysteries — though differing greatly in approach and subject — are Ellis Peters and Ann Perry; but Robb is gaining ground fast. She, as they, has the dual knacks of creating and sustaining believable and intriguing characters, and bringing the historical milieu thoroughly to life as she does so. She combines these with an enviable skill in using the storyteller’s tools of pacing and narration, switching back and forth between the viewpoints of Owen and Lucie.

   Her prose is storyteller’s prose — straightforward, never drawing attention away from the narrative. The line between a good read and an exceptionally good one is hard to pinpoint, but there’s no doubt in my mind which side of it Robb’s books fall.