Penric’s Fox

Lois McMaster Bujold
Completed 5/14/2026, Reviewed 5/19/2026
3 stars

The third chronological book in the Penric and Desdemona series (fifth in publication order).  This story is a murder mystery with foxes.  Like its predecessors, it’s a rather cozy read.  It had a very slow start, but halfway through it picked up, making for a satisfying ending.  Unfortunately, I had the same basic feelings about this one as I did the previous two.  I like the characters but plot is thin.  And like Penric and the Shaman, there wasn’t enough interaction between Pen and his demon Des.  In the first book, Penric’s Demon, I loved their interaction.  In the succeeding books, Des occasionally pops up with interesting tidbits and hints.  Inglis the Shaman and Oswyl the Locator are in this book and provide more interplay as well as a little levity here and there.  

Penric and Inglis are called by Oswyl to help investigate the murder of a young sorceress.  She was devout and well-liked by many.  It turns out she already had a demon inhabiting her.  However, when the death of a sorcerer is expected, there is usually another chosen to become the demon’s new home.  In the case of the murder, the demon either entered the body of the murderer or a nearby animal, whatever was nearby.  For instance, a fox as there are tons of foxes in the woods where the sorceress was found.  There is a danger, however, when a demon bonds with a lesser animal.  The demon may overwhelm the animal and lose some of its “humanity.”  Penric and the others take up the challenge of finding the demon and the murderer.

Penric still stands out for me as the bookish, accidental sorcerer.  His demeanor is sweet; I really like him.  However, I still find the book to be awfully straight-forward.  There isn’t much tension to make the book gripping.  And there aren’t enough humorous moments to make it really cozy.  Instead, it feels a little flat.  I keep wanting to be blown away by something, but instead, feel like I get melodrama.  

I don’t have much else to say about the book.  It’s a pleasant read, prettily written in a world already developed by quite a few previous books.  It’s a meh, but on the positive side.  If I wasn’t reading this series with my friend John, I don’t know if I’d stick with it.  In the context of the book club, however, I look forward to finding out how deep the stories get and if I can become more emotionally involved.  I give this book three stars out of five.