Fresh from A Play of Piety Joliffe is off to Coventry to join his own family of players in time to prepare performances for the Corpus Christi festival. Joliffe's secret duties for Bishop Beaufort, his worship the Cardinal Bishop of Winchester, accompany him everywhere, despite his best efforts to enjoy the spring and his journey. Before he even reaches the town, he encounters the mysterious Sebastian, a fellow spy for the bishop and is charged with the task of solving a puzzle. Another man providing information to the bishop, a simple mercer named Master Kydwa has disappeared somewhere between his home of Coventry and the town of Bristol where he was to have met Sebastian.

Although content and bucolic now, Coventry was the site of a Lollard uprising not many years ago. The families involved are still a part of the community and Sebastian, as always, is certain the key to the disappearance lies with the Lollards.

Much as Joliffe longs to relax into the company of his fellow players a sudden death makes it clear there is much more to be discovered before his task for the bishop is done.

Well-researched as always, Margaret Frazer's seventh in the Joliffe Player mysteries returns to Coventry nearly four years after the happenings in the first of the series, A Play of Isaac. A PLAY OF HERESY begins slowly, unfurling a detailed backdrop of fifteenth century Coventry through the eyes of the sensitive and skilled Joliffe. The investment of attention by the reader is well-rewarded when the twists and turns of the tale emerge, shadowing the actions of the town folk and making clear to our eyes, as well as Joliffe's that something is rotten in Coventry.