Quiet as a Nun

First US edition (publ. Viking Press)

Quiet as a Nun is a thriller novel, written by Antonia Fraser. First published in 1977, it features Fraser's sleuthing heroine Jemima Shore as she revisits the convent where she was schooled following the mysterious death of one of the nuns. A six-part television dramatisation of the book (written by Julia Jones) was featured as part of ITV's anthology series Armchair Thriller in 1978.

Plot summary

The novel begins with the death of a nun, Sister Miriam, who apparently starved herself to death in a ruined tower, known as the 'Tower of Ivory', which adjoins the grounds of the Convent of the Blessed Eleanor, a nunnery and an all-girls school.

The tower has specific significance to the order, as it was the original convent building. The tower and the ancient history of the order are recorded in the Treasury of the Blessed Eleanor, a manuscript which is referenced throughout the story. Though it is never stated explicitly, Blessed Eleanor is presumed to be Eleanor of Aquitaine, the once Queen of England.

Television reporter Jemima Shore is an old school friend of Sister Miriam, who was also known as Rosabelle Powerstock and was heiress to "the Powers fortune", one of the largest fortunes in Britain. Jemima is invited back to the convent by Reverend Mother Ancilla, where she uncovers a number of mysteries, including the suggestion that Miriam, whose family owned the convent lands, may have written a second will bequeathing them away from the Order, and into the hands of another charity.

The tension builds when the girls at the convent school tell Jemima that the Black Nun - a malevolent faceless spectre reputed to appear whenever a death is about to take place within the grounds - was seen just prior to Sister Miriam's death, and has been sighted again.

Television adaptation

Quiet as a Nun was adapted for television by ITV in 1978, as part of the Armchair Thriller series. The adaptation starred Maria Aitken as Jemima Shore, along with Renée Asherson (Mother Ancilla), Brenda Bruce (Sister Elizabeth) and Sylvia Coleridge (Sister Boniface). Patsy Kensit, then a young child, plays one of the convent schoolgirls, Tessa Justin, who has a significant role in the final two episodes.

In the final minutes of the third episode, aired on 18 April 1978, Jemima Shore goes into the Tower alone at nighttime. As she climbs into the attic, she encounters the faceless Black Nun sitting in a rocking chair. Jemima screams as the Black Nun advances towards her, bringing the episode to an end. The scene was ranked 63rd in Channel 4's Top 100 Scary Moments list.[1]

Episodes and original airdates

Cast

Crew

DVD release

In 2008, Network DVD released Armchair Thriller on DVD, both in separate volumes for each story and as an 11-disc set featuring all of the episodes produced by Thames Television.

References

  1. ↑ Channel 4's Top 100 Scary Moments

External links

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