Mistress Meg and the Prigger of Prancers

Mistress Meg and the Elizabethan Rogues #1

by Miriam Bibby

There's mischief brewing in the town of Guildern. Mistress Meg and her mysterious servants are staying at the Goat in Chains Inn and her skills are already having an effect on the trade of the local cunning-man. When a parcel of rogues also arrives in Guildern just before the local fair there's sure to be trouble - and a valuable horse is at the centre of it.

"Prigger of Prancers" is a 16th century roguish term for a horse thief. Life on the road in Tudor times was hard and dangerous but there was also comradeship and humour. All this is reflected in this picaresque novel set in Elizabethan England.

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 2012

About the author

You'll never make a living out of horses, writing and history, they said. So I don't try too hard. I just make sure that I enjoy the time I spend with any of these; which accounts for most of my time.

I gained my first degree in Archaeology and Geography at the University of Nottingham and went on to study Egyptology at the University of Manchester. In 2000 I obtained my M.Phil from Manchester on the subject of "The Horse in Ancient Egypt", and in 2022 I gained my PhD on the topic of the Galloway Horse.

Formerly I was a tutor and course developer for the University of Manchester's networked learning course in Egyptology. I've managed heritage projects and worked as a museum curator and on various museum collection projects.

I've also worked steadily as a journalist and editor specialising in history, with a focus - hardly surprising - on horses and history.

Reviews

[Leena Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps the story doesn't begin with a big bang, but it certainly draws you in and soon you notice you don't want to put the book down. Here you can clearly see that Miriam has a deep knowledge horses and history. I enjoyed the "sidekicks" most - the rogues. They are delicious characters - not evil, just opportunist. And they sure made me chuckle on several occasions. And Mistress Meg... She remains somewhat of a mystery, but in a good way. The way she is described makes you really wonder where she comes from and what her past was. I will definitely read every Mistress Meg story - I want to know what happens to the characters in the future.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was slow to warming up to this story but by Chapter 4 I was hooked and a difficult time putting it down. It has a great unexpected ending!