In the Presence of Evil: A French Medieval Mystery

Christine de Pizan Mystery Series, Book 1

By: Tania Bayard

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Introducing scribe sleuth Christine de Pizan in the first of an intriguing new historical mystery series set in 14th-century France

Paris, 1393. Recent widow Christine de Pizan became a scribe to support her family, but when she is called to the palace to work, she dreads going. There, everyone fears the king's attacks of unreason and they believe the charlatans who claim they can cure him with vile potions. But when a mysterious book of magic leaves a trail of real murdered bodies in its wake, Christine has more than black magic to worry about.

Then one of the king's favorites, Hugues de Precy, is found murdered and his wife Alix de Clairy is blamed. Can Christine prove Alix's innocence and save her from being burned at the stake?

©2018 Tania Bayard (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Satisfyingly complicated plot

Historical mysteries are more interesting for me because the sleuth must solve the crime without access to any modern forensic tools. I did wonder why Christine fell down so frequently.
The narrator has an excellent voice but his pace was so slow I turned the speed to 1.2. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Stick with it

I was a little bored at the beginning, but then I often am. So I stuck with it and am pleased I did. It is a good listen. The narration is great and he brings the characters to life. I recommend.

Unusual story, wonderful atmosphere

The story is set in Paris during the reign of Charles VI of France (1380-1422). Much of the action takes place in and around the the royal residence of Hôtel Saint-Pol. I was drawn into this medieval world in which superstition, court intrigue, and a mad king were the dominant forces. The heroine, Christine, is a scribe for Queen Isabeau of Bavaria, the wife of Charles VI, an unusual occupation for a woman at that time. Her husband had been killed at the Battle of Agincourt while fighting for the king. She is intelligent, witty, and decidedly not superstitious. She takes up her occupation to support her family. When a woman she knows at the court is charged with the murder of her husband, a murder she clearly did not commit, Christine really shows her mettle. She has a strong sense of justice and does not let her understandable fears for her own safety prevent her from solving the mystery. I enjoyed the story very much. The narration is excellent and the writing so rich that you can picture yourself there at the court or walking the streets of medieval Paris. Along the way, the author presents many interesting details of life in the Paris of the time, the role of women, clothing styles, and the odd beliefs shared among the rich and poor alike. The secondary characters are well defined, likable and add a lot of interest to the story. My one petty complaint is that the story is a bit overlong and could do with some editing to hold the listener's attention.

Makes no sense

A confusing tale. I was often confused as to who was killed. Decoding why they were killed was never clear and lots of people were written off as crazy. Don’t bother