Product Description
The eighth novel in the author's hugely popular Brother Cadfael series puts the medieval monk on the trail of a priest-killer responsible for the disappearance of a priestly emissary for King Stephen. Reprint. K. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

The Church for All The Wrong Reasons
Ellis Peters pokes sly fun at actions of the young in THE DEVILS NOVICE and uses Father Jerome to spike the tales. The end is serious and unexpected.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS.

Two for one special -- history and mystery
This is my second foray into the Brother Cadfael Mystery series and this book did nothing to dampen my initial enthusiasm for the series.Most of the comments from my previous review (see The Leper of Saint Giles) apply here as well.In particular, I enjoyed the mix of romance and mystery.Once again, this book delves into themes of unrequited love and also explores the mystery of feminine allure (even among the celibate).

Brother Cadfael is a uniquely endearing character, with his mix of gentleness, worldly wisdom, and competence.This book also provided my first introduction to Hugh Beringar, sheriff Shrewsbury.He and Cadfael join together their several talents to make an unbeatable team.

My only complaint is that this book takes a little while to get into, as it plows through the political and religious background necessary to understanding the plot.All in all, though, it is worth, as the reader will end up both entertained by the story and educated by the history.

Dreams of murder
When Meriet, a quiet, secretive young man is brought to the Abbey of St.Peter and St.Paul by his father, to be accepted as a novice monk, Brother Cadfael is immediately wary of his true vocation as he is almost too keen to take vows and to renounce the outside world at an age where he has had no experience of life, except as a youth in a privileged world of the minor nobility. He disturbs all the residents of the Abbey with his screaming nightmares so is taken to serve under the guidance of Brother Mark, at the Leprosarium of St. Giles. While helping the patients gather firewood in the nearby forest, he discovers the burned body of a murdered cleric who had recently been an overnight guest at his father'smanor, and who had been declared missing for a short time. Meriet's father has never had any time for him as his elder brother Nigel was the apple of his parent's eyes and could do no wrong. The mystery evolves with Cadfael, as usual, methodically sifting through red herrings and true clues, with the help of his friend, Deputy Sherriff, Hugh Beringar. It's another fine Cadfael story, linked very closely with the political history and unrest of the day.

A noble family loses a priest and gains a monk
"They say there's a devil at him in his sleep, and it was he brought it here among them, and who knows which of them it will prey on next? The devil's novice, I've heard him called. Oh, I put a stop to that, at least aloud. But it's what they're thinking."
- Brother Paul, master of novices

"The devil is always the intruder, the stranger, the one who is different. Every successive wave of newcomers from the mainland of Europe, either from the north or the east, was the very devil in its day."
- from SHROPSHIRE: A MEMOIR OF THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE

While Abbot Radulfus questions the wisdom of accepting novices too young to know what they're giving up, he has no objection to a young man past nineteen entering the cloister of his own free will. Meriet Aspley, younger son of the Norman lord of Aspley, seems like a straightforward proposition: a younger son, perhaps seeking a career rather than a vocation, but surely none the worse for that as long as he strives to be a credit to the order. But Brother Paul, for one, is uneasy about him, having never before seen a postulant pursue his vows with such determination but so little joy.

By day, Meriet is all dutiful obedience, studying hard and petitioning to have his probationary term shortened, but by night he wakes the entire monastic household with violent nightmares. He's never served in the armies of either king or empress and seen little of violence save on the hunt, yet the mere sight of a fellow novice struck unconscious by a freak accident sends him into shaken silence. On the other hand, a run-in with Brother Jerome over a keepsake from a red-haired girl suggests other kinds of passion running in Meriet: not only a thwarted love for his elder brother's betrothed, but a hot temper when he tries to defend his trophy from Jerome.

Meanwhile Hugh Beringar pursues the disappearance of another cleric connected with the Aspley household: Peter Clemence, envoy from the Bishop of Winchester to the great lords of Chester and Lincoln and cousin to Meriet, last seen spending the night at Aspley on his way north. Why should a priest disappear at the same time the youngest son of the household was seized with a sudden urge to enter the cloister?

Very tidy mystery here, particularly since Meriet is given to speaking the literal truth under interrogation, so the reader has a certain amount of evidence to work with.

Particularly nice touches:
- Meriet attempting to strangle Brother Jerome.
- The three most formidable members of the Aspley household: Meriet, his father Leoric, and his father's ward Isouda, who's confident that he will be hers in the end.
- How Brother Mark gains a patron for his studies to enter the priesthood (after this book, he doesn't return until SUMMER OF THE DANES).
- Radulfus' consultations with various senior brothers on the issue of accepting children into the order.
- Character development of Brother Paul, the master of novices.

As always, I recommend the unabridged recording narrated by Stephen Thorne.

Ellis Peters worth a second look
It has been years since I have read one of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael mysteries.I had forgotten what a really good writer she was.

I found "The Devil's Novice" an entertaining companion for snowy winter days when I'm at home.The plot is excellent--I was indeed as interested in why the priest was murdered as by whom.

Peters' blending of historical events into her story and her descriptions of the 12th century English countryside are excellent as well.

The love story is rather saccharine however, and more people recover from their injuries than might have been the case in medieval England.

Still, this is a novel and a most enjoyable one. Ellis Peters had a great hero in Brother Cadfael and a marvelous command of the English language.Long may her books live. ... Read more

Product Description
Through sources ranging from ancient forsundun (praise songs) and the hero kings to newspaper accounts, public decrees, and even graffiti, this book offers vivid portraits of major events and everyday life in Ireland through the centuries—beginning with Golamh, the legendary leader of the band of Iberian Celts who settled the island more than three thousand years ago, and concluding with gripping accounts by those on both sides of the bloody civil conflict in Northern Ireland. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Highly recommend
I picked this book up one day almost as an afterthought and have been thoroughly delighted by it ever since.As the name and cover imply this is not a typical history book; no one should expect a thorough exposition of Irish history or any part of it.Instead, Peter Beresford Ellis has compiled for us 270-some odd pages of various letters, journals, poetry and transcribed folklore detailing instances -- snapshots, if you will -- in Irish history that do a surprisingly great job of capturing the essence of the grander events surrounding them.Think of this book as a "peek beneath the surface" or "organic history" -- you're given the gritty details but not the big picture.The joy of this book lies in forming the latter in your mind.

Highlights include: the naming of Ireland; excerpts from the early monastic and bardic writers and scholars; a snippet of the famous "Pangur Ban"; dozens of written accounts from the various wars, insurrections and related skirmishes of Ireland's storied past; a captivating look into the hearts and minds of those who suffered the Easter Uprising; media and personal accounts of recent Irish affairs up to the year 2002.

This book is not for newcomers to Irish history who want a foundation introduction to Ireland and her past; "The Making of Modern Ireland" (Beckett) and "The Oxford Companion to Irish History" (Connolly) are better sources for that.However, it should be an excellent appetizer for any uninformed but inquiring mind to whet their appetite for the vast feast that is the story of Eire, as well as for the more knowledgeable reader who wants a little mortar between the bricks, so to speak.

Research Text
This is not an easy read.When I purchased this book I expected that I was getting a typical history book.My search was inspired by Sister Fidelma novels.I simply wished to learn more about Irish customs and laws of Ireland before it was overcome by the British.This book does not satisfy my search but does contain manyprimary sources, so it is a rare find.This is and introductory history book that provides numerous "eye witness" reports of important events in the development of Ireland.

Eyewitness to Irish History is a tough read because it is not really a narrative in chronological order.Also while an eyewitness relates a story or event they tend to ramble (so they may be real).The book covers more than twenty historical events covering three millennia in 300 pages.Accordingly none of the events are covered in depth and the author did not promise such depth.
The book is well referenced and has a great bibliography.It includes many primary sources andeyewitness accounts.I could find it useful as a reference.
A source for early Irish history is In Search of Ancient Ireland: From Neolithic Times to the Coming of the English ... Read more

Product Description
The Sanctuary Sparrow: Sudden drama strikes the Benadictine monastery at Shrewsbury when a young man, pursued by a lynching mob, claims sanctuary just in time to save his life. Cadfael senses the young man's innocence and sets out to solve yet another tangle of human passions where love plays its inevitable part. The Devil's Novice: The Benedictine monastery at Shrewsbury finds its new novice Meriet Aspley a disturbing presence. Meek and bidable by day, his sleep is rent with nightmares so violent as to earn him the nickname of Devil's Novice. Can Meriet be involved in the nearby disappearance of a superior prelate? As events take a sinister turn, it falls to Brother Cadfael to detect the truth behind the young man's predicament. Dead Man's Ransom: In the battle of Lincoln, the sherrif of Shropshire is captured and the King himself taken prisoner by his enemies. Nothing more natural than that an exchange of prisoners should take place. But before this can be completed, one captive is murdered. And to Brother Cadfael, who notices the evidence of unnatural death, falls the task of gathering enough clues to prove it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good Collection
This collection of three of Ellis Peters' Father Cadfael is in chronological order of the stories and is an excellent choice if you are a Peters fan.
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS.

Contents?
The seller did not list the contents of this omnibus.It should be The Sanctuary Sparrow, The Devil's Novice and Dead Man's Ransom.I would not buy this omnibus if I did not know the contents. ... Read more

Product Description
THE ROSE RENT: A young woman, recently widowed bestows one of her properties on the Abbey of Shrewsbury. In return she expects an annual rent of a single rose. But such a beautfiul and wealthy woman is an attractive proposition for suitors. Someone it seems will stop at nothing to prevent the payment of the rose- not even murder. THE HERMIT OF EYTON FOREST: Ten year old Richard Ludel has become the new Lord of Eaton following the death of his father and is expected to make a marriage of convenience. But Richard befriends the young companion of Cuthred the Hermit who has recently taken up residence at Eyton Forest; a place of peace. But its tranquility is shattered by the discovery of a corpse. THE CONFESSION OF BROTHER HAULIN: Brother Haulin slips from the roof of the Abbey and makes his deathbed confession to the Abbot and Brother Cadfael. When Haulin recovers he sets on an arduous journey of expiation, with Cadfael as his sole companion. It is a journey which leads to some shocking revelations, and eventually to murder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good and Valuable Service from UK
These Cadfael Omnibuses are no longer available in the U.S. but for about $20 this seller will ship a brand new copy from Britain in a few weeks.A valuable service and much appreciated. ... Read more

Product Description
An account of who and what the Druids were, covering their Druidic training, philosophies and beliefs, portraying them as doctors, lawyers and advisers to kings and arguing that they were the intellectuals of ancient Celtic society. First published in 1994. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Non Fiction
Beresford Ellis has written an introduction to Druid society and culture.It is not overly long, and reasonably accessible, I think.It looks at clearing up the misconceptions (or Asterix caricatures :) :) ).For those interested in learning something about this group of people, this book is certainly worth a look.

food for thought
Ellis's writing style can be a bit frustrating for the pagan reader, but as a student of history I found this book most enjoyable. The author's theories about the similarities between Celtic and Indian culture are, if nothing else, intriguing. I feel that the material was presented in the manner intended: as a sampling of the evidence that will hopefully inspire others to do the research for themselves. As a Celtic reconstructionist pagan, I personally share his views on "new agers" claiming to follow a Celtic path. A triumphant book that delivers us from the New Age dregs of revisionist religion to at least a plausible level of ancient custom.

Enigmatic
Who were the Druids? This group, surrounded by legend and folklore for millenia, continues to fascinate moderns, perhaps because of the enigmatic character of their identity. Probably most of the popular images of Druids -- of being tree worshippers, of being itinerant poets and prophets, of being priests who practiced human sacrifice and built strange structures such as Stonehenge -- are generally misperceptions, perhaps even deliberate 'character assassination' attempts by the victorious political and religious authorities that moved into Druid areas. Indeed, the bulk of Classical information on the Druids comes from anti-Druid writings of the Romans.

`By the time the Celts themselves came to commit their knowledge to writing, they had become Christianised and, not surprisingly, the Druids continued to get "a bad Press". Their portrayal remains an extremely biased one.'

In this very readable book on The Druids, Peter Berresford Ellis presents an examination of the archaeological, etymological and historical evidence to give an account of the identity and importance of the Druids in early Celtic societies.

`The Druids emerge as the intellectual caste of ancient Celtic society. They were the doctors, the lawyers, the ambassadors, the advisors to kings. They also had a religious function.'

One historical fact that is often overlooked is that the early Celtic 'empire' was as expansive as the Roman Empire, stretching from Britain and Ireland in the northwest, through Gaul and central Europe north of the Alps, stretching as far as Turkey to the east, and also extending down into Iberia. The Celtic language group includes influences on all major European languages as well. However, the Celtic empire had no imperium, no central structure or organisation, but was rather a loose confederation, in which the Druids, as the intellectuals, helped to keep a cohesion of social life if not political and economic life.

The Druids operated largely without writing, following the tradition of many early peoples by using an oral tradition of learning and history. Thus the earliest appearances of the Druids come from Greek and Roman writings. The Druids were seen as a philosophising, priestly caste, also somewhat of a civil authority. Indeed, both Julius Caesar and Cicero mention the Druids in their writings, and one Druid ambassador even addressed the Roman Senate in search of an alliance against the barbarian Germanic tribes (Caesar, however, with intent to conquer Gaul, persuaded the Senate to support the Germans so as to facilitate the conquest of Gaul -- of course, shortly thereafter the Germans became the enemies of Rome, and would remain so for the most part for the rest of Roman history).

Ellis examines the Druids from many vantage points, looking at the writings about the Druids by both insiders (Celts) and outsiders. Ellis also examines the religion, rituals, and wisdom of the Druids, which includes subchapters on schools, books, philosophy, law, history, poetry, music, medical knowledge, art, astronomy and astrology, and mysticism.

Ellis argues in his final chapter that the Druids never truly disappeared. As a social class, rather than as a narrowly-defined group of wizards and priests, the Druids as an intelligensia remained under a new classification, but this social strata was slowly destroyed by the nations who conquered the Celts and made strides to assimilate or eliminate the Celtic peoples. Ellis traces the literary/historical chain of events that led to the identification of the Druids as a small subset of this intelligensia, mostly those dealing with religion and the arts, most commonly associated with secret rites or witchcraft, which is present in today's thinking about the Druids.

`Celtic and Druidic "truth" of every description -- from "arcane knowledge", "karmic destiny", "the true path", to "mystic awareness" -- are solicited in the commercial deluge of New Age philosophies. The Druids and the Celts were there when our seventeenth and eighteenth century ancestors sought "Romanticism" as a counter-balance to the "Age of Reason" and industrialisation. It is not surprising that they are still being reinvented at this time because, in our sad and sorry contemporary world, people still want a quick fix on spirituality.'

This is a fascinating and highly readable text on the history of the Druids, and the history of the way the Druids have been portrayed (and misrepresented).

Misses both the general reader and the historian
To defend his lack of academic documentation in the book, Peter Berresford Ellis claims he writes for the "general reader," not the historian.I'll leave it to the other reviewers to explain how Ellis's book disappoints historians, but as a general reader I feel qualified to say it disappoints me.Here's why:

1) The book's writing style is a lengthy listing of names and places with minimal transition or elaboration to string them together meaningfully.For a general reader, Ellis makes a fascinating subject tedious to follow.

2) Some of the arguments Ellis makes are weakly supported and, frankly, appear unobjective.In a tone that crosses to sarcasm, he attacks several sources as pro-Roman (i.e. untrustworthy) without explaining his evidence thoroughly.

A good introduction to the Druidic controversies
Peter Berresford Ellis is a popular historian, not an academic historian.The primary difference between popular and academic historians is that they write for different audiences.Ellis' work has been criticized for lacking the kind of detailed references that a peer-reviewed book or article would include.The reader must guess where the citations and allusions may be researched and accept the citations and translations as accurate.

Hence, you're not likely to find many historians recommending an Ellis book to their students.But students who have read Ellis will have a very clear idea of what materials to look for.And he does a very good job of challenging long-standing interpretations which have always been flimsy or weak at best.Unfortunately for him, the science of historical analysis requires accountability and Ellis refuses to be accountable.He takes his case to the popular audience and hopes to influence the broader imagination.

That's all well and good, but some of his research has been challenged and Ellis has had to make at least one major retraction in his career.He is a Celto-centric writer and people of Celtic heritage should be glad to know there is still a dedicated flag-waver around.But in the end, no matter how well he writes, no matter how thorough his research, Ellis must be regarded only as a popular historian.In that respect, he is one of the finest popular historians I've had the pleasure to read. ... Read more

Product Description
It is winter 1139 and the tranquil life in the monastery gardens in Shrewsbury is again interrupted by violence. Raging civil war has sent refugees fleeing north from Worcester. Among them are two orphans from a noble family, a boy of thirteen and an eighteen year old girl of great beauty, with their companion, a young Benedictine nun. But the trio have disappeared somewhere in the wild countryside. Cadfael fears for these three lost lambs, but his skills are needed to tend to a wounded monk, found naked and bleeding at the roadside. Why this holy man has been attacked and what his fevered ravings reveal soon give brother Cadfael a clue to the fate of the missing travellers and he sets out to find them. The search will lead him to discover a chilling and terrible murder, and a tale of passion gone astray. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Well Crafted Tale
Ellis Peters; THE VIRGIN IN THE ICE maybe the finest piece of crafting yet in this great series.
Father Cadfael deals with the past and the present when unexpected paths cross during the turmoil of war. The plotting is intense and her gift of suspense is so finely woven in the narrative that the reader steps back in time to live in another era through her words.
A great read anytime.
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS.

The Virgin in the Ice
I had read all the Brother Cadfael books but this one.It was as great as expected.Historically correct, the series helps to bring reality to a long ago time.An excellent series to read and re-read!

More historical novel than murder mystery
I came late to mystery-reading, so I missed out on the PBS series about Brother Cadfael, much less the now-classic book series upon which it was based. But I had certainly heard references to them, so when I came across a copy of The Virgin in The Ice at a used bookstore, I grabbed it. I'm glad I did.

I did worry that I might miss something by coming in at book 6 in the series. I'm glad to report that the story works perfectly well as a standalone novel. Maybe I'd get more out of it if I'd read the previous books, but you certainly don't need to worry that you'll be lost.

The basic premise of the tale is a little confusing to summarize, but it works rather well in the context of the story. It's 1139, during a civil war. Among those running away from the sacked city of Worcester are two noble siblings and their nurse, a young Benedictine nun; another victim of the unrest is a seriously injured monk, whom Brother Cadfael is called upon to doctor. The people and events shortly become tied together. Given the nature of the story, there is indeed a dead body and the need to find out Whodunnit.

In a way, I think it's necessary to read this novel with a sense of how new and remarkable accurate "historical novel meets mystery" was when this was first published in the 1980s. Because Ellis Peters spends a fair bit of storytelling time painting a sense of what it's like to live in 1139, either as a doctor or an 18-year-old noblewoman, rather than chasing around in "action scenes" after the murderer. That might be a positive for you, if you like historical novels but aren't so much into mysteries, but those of us "trained" on faster-paced stories might need to take a deep breath. I felt the story was just a little slow to get started -- but I very much got into it, and I like the book a lot. It's also a short novel and a relatively fast read, making it a perfect "airplane novel."

Bottom line: the story is entertaining, the history well-done. I see why this series is considered a classic. It deserves the accolades.

The Brother Cadfael series continues...
A can't-put-it-down novel, with twists and turns, and written in the great way Ellis Peters does.The second of the Cadfael books I have read, and I will be looking for more.

The Virgin in the Ice
It's 1139 and winter in Worcester on the border between England and Wales.Two orphans in the charge of a Benedictine nun fleeing the internecine war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda have disappeared into a blizzard.Enter a mysterious stranger (gasp!) in search of them and Brother Cadfael temporarily abandons the cloister to take up again the sword of the crusader he once was to go in aid.A you-are-there setting, unexpected plot turns, and characters minimally drawn for maximum effect, Ellis Peters ends The Virgin in the Ice with the best sword fight since Captain Blood:"Now have ado with a man!"

This is my favorite of the Brother Cadfael series, but more, reading these novels is a twenty-lesson tutorial in writing superbly to formula.There is always murder most foul, young lovers in peril, repulsive villains, confounded authorities, and Cadfael triumphant, and it all works, every time. ... Read more

Product Description
A World War II Resistance hero and popular modern-day anti-violence speaker is accused of murdering a former German prisoner of war, and policeman George Felse must stop his son from getting too close to the investigation. Reprint. PW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Best of Inspector Felse
Best known for her "Brother Cadfael" series, Ellis Peters (1913-1985) was also the author of thirteen novels featuring Inspector George Felse. Published in 1951, FALLEN INTO THE PIT is first novel in that series--and easily the best.

Most of the Inspector Felse novels run approximately two hundred pages; FALLEN INTO THE PIT runs over three hundred.To a certain extent this is due to Peters' establishment of the main characters and locales--but in simple fact the novel is much more densely written than her other Felse novels, so much so that at times it has an almost poetic quality.

Set in England following World War II, the plot focuses on a young German prisoner of war named Helmut Schauffler, who has remained in England after his release.Unfortunately, Helmut is a nasty bit of goods: a bully who attacks only when reasonably certain that there will be no retribution.Needless to say, he makes enemies right and left--and no one is greatly surprized when he is found with his head crushed in and thrown into a country stream.

Peters' plots are typically contrived, and although handsomely written and more than usually entertaining this is no less true of FALLEN INTO THE PIT than it is of her other works; long-time mystery readers will likely spot the killer through the way the author draws out her plot and sets forth the characters.Even so, this remains a particularly fine title in the Felse series.Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

My First George Felse Mystery
I have read and loved all Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael mysteries, and for that reason I had been reluctant to start her equally well-known George Felse series.I am very glad that I did decide to begin this series.It's been awhile since I actually read a Brother Cadfael, and I had forgotten what a marvellous writer Ms. Peters was.Her characters in this series are just as well-rounded and realistic as the ones in the Cadfael series.The time and place are much different, but Ms. Peters' wonderful plotting and story-telling are the same.I truly believe that Ms. Peters is still in a class of her own when it comes to authorship.In this book the main sleuth is not George Felse himself, but his protege of a son - Dominic, who is 13 years old.Ms. Peters has written a coming of age mystery book here with her usual great skill. Dominic and his sidekick Pussy are two youngsters that readers will not soon forget.Also, George's wife Bunty is another wonderful character that I can't wait to read more about.They mystery too is ingenious and such a pleasure to uncover.Can't wait for more George Felse.

Deep, insightful, and brilliant
After reading almost all of Ellis Peters' Cadfael mysteries, I decided to give her other works a try, just to see if they could possibly compare.Well, to say I was surprised at what a fantastic novel this is can only be appreciated by those who have read and marveled at the brilliant Cadfael series.

Peters has created not only a very suspenseful and intriguing whodunnit, but a work of great depth, warmth, humor, and tragedy, full of complex character studies and profound insights into human nature, the effects of war, and how the murder of a man whom everyone hated anyway still rips apart the fabric of a small, close-knit community.And above it all emerges a playful, lighthearted banter between a precocious 13-year-old and his loving parents which is absolutely delightful to read.Somewhere around the middle of the book, after she has painted a vivid picture for us of the people, place, and times, young Dominic becomes central as the book's primary protagonist, and I cannot think of a more well-suited character to carry this novel.

As for the mystery itself, it was simply ingenious, better than many of the Cadfael mysteries, some of which are fairly easy to solve.This one had me on my toes until the very end, and threw some whopping surprises in along the way.

This is truly a work of genius, many-layered, lovingly crafted, and brilliantly well-told.Good luck finding another modern author who can come close to this level of accomplishment.Peters' work deserves much more acclaim than it has received.

Felse's first murder investigation
Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
- Psalms 7:14 - 15

In these days after WWII, England is no longer the place the young men left when they went away to fight. The mining industry has been nationalized, and even Comerford's old slapdash efforts at opening up its shallow coal deposits are about to be reopened, with a flood of new faces coming in to operate the new machinery. The men who went away, of course, aren't those who came back: Jim Tugg, the hired man at the Hollins farm, with daring exploits as a paratrooper; Chad Wedderburn, the pacifist classics master who spent years in guerilla fighting; even Charles Blunden, son of Selwyn Blunden of Harrow, fought all the way across North Africa and Sicily.

Expatriates from all over Europe are common enough, even ex-POWs who still slip and say 'Heil Hitler!' if they forget. (And get beaten up, maybe, by somebody whose brother died in a Stalag.) Helmut Schauffler, though, has been asking to be murdered by going far beyond that.

Gerd Hollins had lost her entire family in the concentration camps. Haunted by memories of horror that won't stay suppressed, she asked her husband to hire Helmut, because if she could learn to see one German as a human being, it would help her to let go of her nightmares. Unfortunately, Helmut is a creep - an actual Nazi who enjoys psychological torment (though he's not stupid enough to try it in front of her husband or hired man). When he's fired and takes a job at the quarry, he still harasses her in a slimy way, while causing discord everywhere else he goes.

Sergeant Felse isn't surprised when Helmut finally turns up floating in the brook, head bashed in, although he's less than thrilled that his 13-year-old son Dominic found the corpse. Despite George's best efforts, Dominic gets interested in the case, especially since his classics master is a suspect.

A great modern English mystery, best she's written.
This was one of the best mysteries I have ever read. I came upon it by accident, not even knowing if it were a mystery or not. It is a wonderful successor to the great writers of the original English mystery. GeorgeFelse ranks up there with Poirot and Holmes, but shows a bit more humanity.The other characters, also, show qualities that make you forget that you'rereading. The plot, I'm sure, will perplex you and will have you back formore Ellis Peters. I will say that after reading most of the Felsemysteries and a few Cadfael that Felse is better, but this one is the bestin the lot. ... Read more

Product Description
When Figaro is killed in a plane crash, it seems nothing can save the London production. A world-class baritone arrives from Europe to take over, then he too is killed - in mid-performance. Detective Inspector Musgrave embarks on a quest to discover who is responsible. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Mystery Without a Murder
THE RAVEN IN THE FOREGATE by the late Ellis Peters delivers a full-fledged mystery without a murder. This is rare in mystery fiction and it is a delight when it is done well. Ellis Peters had the prose and style to keep us reading until the last page.
1141 -- the civil war between Maud and Stephen is still taking its toll on the lives of their countrymen. Stephen was in power, then in prison, and now he's out again with full power. The Christmas season heralds glad tidings and change as the new year approaches, but Maud supports are on the run for their lives. Many are hiding in Shrewsbury looking for ways to escape Stephen's wrath into Wales or Brittney.
A great classic read.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS.

The canon keeps on keeping on
The prose of Ellis Peters is phenomenal in it's own way. This time out the mystery has clues and red herrings a plenty, with the background of the civil war still thrown in to keep us entertained. A much better addition to the canon then some of the other previous ones of late.

Gentle Justice
This Twelfth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael has all the elements we have come to expect in this series: a wanted man traveling under an assumed name; a beautiful young woman whose family has been destroyed by the continuing civil war; a body in the mill pond; and at least half a dozen people with motive and opportunity for murder.Once again it is Brother Cadfael's compassionate understanding of human nature that leads to explanation, resolution and, for some of the characters, new hope.Ellis Peters (Edith Parteger) administers a bit of gentle-never malicious-justice even to the insufferable Brother Jerome, in a delightful coincidence that ends the story.

A cat among the pigeons
Just prior to Christmas,1141, a new priest is appointed to the parish church of Holy Cross...also known as the Abbey of St.Peter and St.Paul. Father Adam, the easy going, genial and forgiving priest who had cared for his flock for many years, has died and the charge of filling his shoes falls to the brothers of the Abbey. The Abbot has selected a well educated, former secretary to the Papal legate as a worthy candidate, not realising that an able administrator does not necessarily make a compassionate and understanding priest. Father Ailnoth immediately alienates his parishioners with his harsh, unforgiving rule, severely ruffling the feathers of servants and free men alike, so when his body is found, floating in the river, Sheriff Hugh Beringar finds a wall of silence surrounding the apparent murder. Suspicion falls on Cadfael's new garden helper, Benet who came to the town as a nephew to Father Ailnoth's housekeeper. As usual, Cadfael and Hugh solve the not so difficult mystery and, as usual, the setting for the story is what makes it so appealing. Despite the changes in the surroundings and circumstances of today, the people of nine centuries past, are just the same as the people of today, with their jealousies, faults and squabbles.

Mystery at Holy Cross
This is the first book that I have read of the Brother Cadfael Mysteries.I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I was drawn into the world of medieval England that Peters brings to life."The Raven in the Foregate" is a quick read, entertaining and mysterious to the fact that there is not much mystery to the case at hand.

As usual, Brother Cadfael is drawn into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of the newly instituted priest of Holy Cross, Father Ailnoth.While he was alive, Ailnoth was quick to make enemies in the church and in the community; many are glad to see him dead, and many are content to hold their tongues as to the truth of what caused his death on Christmas Eve.Complicating matters are the search for a French renegade who was undercover at Holy Cross in the guise of the nephew of Father Ailnoth's housekeeper.Brother Cadfael must piece together the scant clues and abounding rumors to uncover the truth of Ailnoth's death.

"The Raven in the Foregate" is a well-written mystery, although at times too tidy and predictable.It was a true delight to enter into the world of Holy Cross and medieval England that Peters has crafted throughout her Cadfael mystery series. I look forward to reading the other books in the series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Solid work in the canon
I have been ploughing through these this last few weeks. Ploughing being an intentioned pun. I have told sometimes of the sequencing of a body, of a suspect, of a result if it was too obvious. Well here we have the body in the very first chapter. It works wondorously well. Throughout the series we have the vocabulary that Cadfael uses lend further to the depth that these stories give the times. Perhaps not what really took place, but giving the entire series a character.

We see that well fleshed out here. Cadfael and Hugh the Sheriff embark on solving the mystery and whilst doing so we have our red herrings, we have our Peters provided romance, and this time out we have a conclusion that is not so obvious, but is well within the realm of the possible that it satisfies. Certainly, given some of the faults that could have taken place and have had with the previous few novels, this was a solid novel and well worth the time.

We find that the civil war provides some background to the mystery but not as in the past books that without it, there would be no story. We also see a good mix of the perception of the church, and how the church interacts with its flock. This story provides a good return on the investment with Cadfael.

After the Abbey does a deal with another monastery that results in a local field being exchanged, Cadfael is on hand to oversee the first day's work to it when the body is uncovered. As it was previously worked by a new brother to the Abbey of Saint Peter and Paul, suspicion falls on this good man that it is the wife he left behind before taking orders. From there we have a well paced haul to the truth.

Cadfael With A Twist
When a newly tilled field recently given to the abbey yields the hastily buried body of a young woman, Brother Cadfael is soon involved in the matter. The field was once owned by Ruald, the local potter, who abandoned his beautiful young wife wife in favor of joining the abbey as a novice the previous year. The wife was rumored to have gone off with a new lover, but it now seems as though that may not have been the case.

THE POTTER'S FIELD, the seventeenth chronicle of Brother Cadfael, is one of the better mysteries in the series. As usual, Ms. Peters has given us a pleasant tale set in a somewhat idealized rendering of twelfth century England. The prose is, as always, elegant and pleasurable to read. Often, however, her mysteries are not too difficult to see through. Not so, here. In fact, through much of the story, it isn't entirely certain who the dead woman is and, when all is said and done, the events surrounding her demise are unique relative to the typical whodunit.

This is an entry in the Cadfael series with an unusual twist. While I have always enjoyed these tales, the surprise ending here made this one more interesting than usual. I recommend all of the Cadfael chronicles, but I think this is one of the best.

#17 an' still going strong?
The Pillars of the Earth
In the Brother Caedfael mysteries we get a very different
look at life in the 12th century from that given by Ken Follett.
In some ways I think Follett captured the feel of "life" better
in his failed historical novel than Ellis Peters does in his admittedly successful series?
We get a very different take on the local royalty and how they interacted with their peasants in a feudal setting.
In this novel someone dead and unsuspected is the plot twist

An intriguing read
This entry in the Brother Cadfael series presents a more complex tale of good, evil, and the grey area in between, than often is the case in this series. There is the usual happy ending in terms of the young couple united in the course of the story, but the resolution of the guilty party is surprising and somewhat unsettling.

Buried memories
In this 17th chronicle of the detective monk, Brother Cadfael is asked to help to identify the body of a woman who was discovered when the monks of the Abbey of St.Peter and St.Paul began to till a field which had just been donated to them. The field was previously occupied by Ruald, a local potter who abandoned his wife of many years to become a monk, claiming that he had a divine calling from God, and the fact that he was leaving his wife neither free nor widowed, was immaterial. Local rumour has it that Ruald's wife, Generys, ran off with a lover and, as she was a verybeautiful woman who certainly did not appreciate being dumped, even for God, this rumour was generally accepted. It's the year 1143 and the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud is still raging, with the armies of both sides doing great damage to the countryside and the people. When an Abbey in the fens was seized by renegade soldiers under Geoffrey de Mandeville, the monks were forced to flee to safety and one of them, a young man who was still a novice, comes to Shrewsbury. Sulien Blount is the younger son of a local noble family and begs admission to the Abbey to continue his novitiate. Sulien has a ring belonging to Generys and claims that he obtained it recently from a silversmith near the besieged Abby, which proves that she is still alive and so the body which was found cannot be hers. When the Sheriff, Hugh Beringar is commanded by the king to take a troop of soldiers to the fens to flush out the marauders, he takes the opportunity to visit the silversmith to find out the truth about Generys ring. Between them, Cadfael and Hugh discover the truth behind the body which was buried in unconsecrated ground...an unbelievably shocking thing in those times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Brother Cadfael encounters his past.
Ellis Peters reveals a bit more about Brother Cadfael's life before he entered the abbey.Of course there is a murder which Brother Cadfael solves.A particularly distressing aspect is that the murder takes place in the abbey's guest house and the poison is from Cadfael's own laboratory.Another good mystery in the series.

Reunion With an Old Love
MONK'S HOOD by the late Ellis Peters is the third volume in this outstanding medieval mystery series.
Father Cadfael encounters an old love in the wife of a murder man. Is she guilty of killing her husband or is her young son by her first marriage the culprit. It is up to the good father to untangle the twists strands of complex human emotions and their desire to retain what was promised to them.
A fine read.
Nash Black, author of Indie finalists WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and HAINTS.

Monk's Hood - Third Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
I love these books! Especially good for herb lovers.

Great Development in an Interesting Story
Now that I've finished Monk's Hood, I have found a new appreciation for Ellis Peters' work.After one death too many, I was expecting a rather static setting that would seem to change, but in truth, it would really change from book to book.I am definitely the product of watching too many American sitcoms and am glad my expectation was not met.

The story begins with Father Abbot Heribert leaving Shrewsbury to a council being held to reassess the leadership of the Church in England.He believes is going to be replaced so he leaves any legal matters unsigned so the new Abbot could determine the course of things once appointed.In the meantime, the Bonel household was going to cede its holdings to the abbey in exchange for a quiet retirement.The contract was left unsigned by the Abbot and shortly after Gervase Bonel, the head of the household, was murdered by way of poison, a medicine called Monk's Hook made by Cadfael himself.

The book is filled with a wonderful assortment of characters.None of which are good or bad.They have their own strengths, aspirations and failings.Once of things I enjoy about the Cadfael stories is he passes very little judgment against others (Brother Jerome and Prior Robert being exceptions).We have a new assistant - Brother Mark, his former fiancé - Richaldis, the return of Hugh Beringer, not to mention a number others.Even the murderer in the end is a many Cadfael felt sympathy for and helps.Yes, there is a sense of right and wrong in these books, but the means to right are often rather unorthodox and thus enjoyable.

I would recommend this book to anyone continuing to read the stories of Cadfael.They would appeal to a mystery reader and perhaps a fantasy reader as well.Definitely someone who likes historical fiction.I know I am well hooked into the series now.

Wasn't this a tasty dish?
Brother Cadfael is both pleased and displeased when his old love, Richildis, arrives at the Abbey with her husband, to take up residence as a permanent lodger. In return for permanent food, shelter and all things comfortable, Richildis's husband, Gervase Bonel, proposes to deed the ownership of his manor to the Abbey, a fact which does not sit well with his stepson, Edwin, to whom was promised ownership of the manor. In old age, Gervase had grown cantankerous and had taken a spiteful pleasure in goading Edwin into a rage about reneging on his promise of passing on the ownership of the manor to him. After eating a highly spiced and sauced dish of partridge, Gervase dies, and suspicion immediately falls on Edwin. The dish was poisoned with monkshood, an oil made of which, was brewed by Cadfael to use as a liniment for the old and arthritic monks. As usual in a Cadfael story, there are several characters who have equal reason and opportunity to have committed the murder, so it's up to Cadfael to sort out the mystery. It's another fascinating story, set in the 12th century, with a wealth of detail about mediaeval life and with Brother Cadfael sorting out the clues. ... Read more

Product Description
The Celtic Church, unlike its Roman counterpart, was never an identifiable organization with a central leadership. Nevertheless, for a period of 150 years, during the early Christian era, the million Celts of the British Isles were cut off from strict Roman influence. The Celts clung to old computations and freely mixed many pre-Christian traditions and social concepts into their Christianity and thus developed as a disctinct entity. Even as late as the 14th century AD in Scotland there were still bodies of Celtic monks (Culdees) clinging to the old ways. This study presents a general history of the Celtic Church in Britain and Ireland, concentrating on the Dark Ages which for Celtic people was a golden age of learning, of artistic achievement and development - achievements which Celtic missionaries took to other lands. Their influence has been profound and lasting. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Rich overview
Ellis, highly regarded for his books about Celtic and Druid history, has produced another tremendous book with "Celtic Inheritance."The author starts with a study of pre-Celtic society and religion, progresses through the evolution of Celtic Christianity, and concludes with a country-by-country discussion of Celtic religious beliefs and practices.

If you are serious about studying the Pagan roots of Christianity, or a history of Christianity's evolution in the context of Celtic beliefs and practices, this is a must-read book.I refer to it often in my own studies, and rank it among the top three texts for Celtic spiritual history. ... Read more

Product Description
In honor of her husband, young, beautiful, and wealthy widow Judith Perle donates a house to the Abbey at Shrewsbury--for the annual rent of one white rose. Judith has no shortage of suitors, and if she remarries, her dowry would be all the greater if the house were returned due to non-payment of rent. So when a priest charged with delivering the rose is found murdered, and the rose bush is found hacked to pieces, Brother Cadfael finds he must root out a killer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Better then many
This book has a different pacing then the last several in the series. There is still a build-up to the first murder and the mystery, but in this instance we are focused on the mystery. There is detail about the part of medieval life that surrounds and embraces those involved in the mystery and that background breathes life into these stories. But in this instance the politics of the King and Empress is lacking, but not sadly so.

That the tug of war of the Civil War that was occurring and featured so prominently in the preceeding books is gone has allowed the series to grow and be much more focused on it's genre. A much better mystery then some of what has been contrived to fit in the Civil War previously.

What one misses is that Cadfael, who does solve our mysteries with help, has special skills in herbology and this is not needed to solve the crimes and has seldom been played up. He is making casting impressions in this case and that certainly seems much more like a modern sleuth then one whose background as the local pharmacist for near twenty years would also be able to contribute.

Cadfael does not recognize his own growth away from his hut of herbs and spices, but does indeed know that solving the problem of the mystery is where he finds peace. I would think that at some time the abbey would say something along those lines, but we do glimpse the politics there on occasion and see that won't be forthcoming soon.

Medieval imagination
A murder, a drowning, a kidnapping, a suspicious fire-and at least one red herring, as Ellis Peters challenges readers to match wits with the monk-sleuth Brother Cadfael in solving theseinterrelated mysteries.As in the rest of this series, the author makes a single historical detail the basis for a wonderfully imaginative tale in which the rich fabric of medieval life is beautifully unfolded.In an era when literacy was far from universal, it was customary to deliver a physical token in connection with the transfer of real property.Here, the annual "rent" is a single rose, required to be picked from a special rosebush annually on a saint's day-a whimsical flourish which the donor soon has occasion to regret.

A love token
The tenancy of a substantial house near the Abbey of St.Peter and St.Paul in Shrewsbury, has been given to the Abbey by it's owner, young widow, Judith, who asks in return that a token, single, white rose should be given to her each year, on the feast day of St.Winifred. This is purely a sentimental gesture on her part as the married years that she spent in the house were so happy that she wanted to be reminded of them. The present tenant, Niall Bronzesmith, a widower with a small child, finds the rose bush chopped up in an attempt to kill it, but manages to rescue the main portion of it. Unfortunately, the murdered body of a young monk from the Abbey is found next to the bush, evidently having died in its defence. Two days before the rose rent is due, Judith is kidnapped, forcing Sheriff Hugh Beringar to send his men and the townsfolk scouring the buildings and outbuildings of the town in search of her. That same day, the body of a young man who is employed as a weaver, by Judith, is found on the bank of the river with the mark of a blow to his head. Brother Cadfael, who has taken a very keen interest in all of these doings, takes a wax inpression of a heel mark, left in the rose garden, and is trying to tie together all of the clues available to help to resolve all of these connected incidents. Again, the mystery is easy to solve for the reader but the surroundings, the customs of the age and the very people themselves, make this a very pleasurable read, especially for one who is as hooked on Cadfael stories as I am.

Another Nifty Cadfael Tale
THE ROSE RENT is the thirteenth book in the Brother Cadfael series. As such, it is much like the others in a general way. That is, the mystery isn't difficult to see through, so you'll probably have figured out "whodunit" before the solution is entirely revealed, and twelfth century living conditions are probably a bit idealized. On the other hand, the historical events are "right on", the prose is elegant, and the characterization is outstanding. Indeed, for those who have read most, or all, of the preceeding books in the series, Brother Cadfael and the other Shrewsbury regulars are like old friends.

The Brother Cadfael mysteries aren't (in my opinion, at least) the most intricate or baffling of mysteries, but they work so well on other levels that they're a pleasure to read just the same. An editorial quote on the back cover of THE ROSE RENT mentions the "lively characterization" and "graceful, literate prose". I think that sums these books up pretty well. I have read them all up through this one and I plan on reading the rest, so it's safe to conclude I'm enjoying them. I recommend this one along with all the others. I also recommend reading them more or less in order from the beginning, as later books sometimes refer to earlier ones and personal histories build from book to book.

Another Nifty Cadfael Tale
THE ROSE RENT is the thirteenth book in the Brother Cadfael series. As such, it is much like the others in a general way. That is, the mystery isn't difficult to see through, so you'll probably have figured out "whodunit" before the solution is entirely revealed, and twelfth century living conditions are probably a bit idealized. On the other hand, the historical events are "right on", the prose is elegant, and the characterization is outstanding. Indeed, for those who have read most, or all, of the preceeding books in the series, Brother Cadfael and the other Shrewsbury regulars are like old friends.

The Brother Cadfael mysteries aren't (in my opinion, at least) the most intricate or baffling of mysteries, but they work so well on other levels that they're a pleasure to read just the same. An editorial quote on the back cover of THE ROSE RENT mentions the "lively characterization" and "graceful, literate prose". I think that sums these books up pretty well. I have read them all up through this one and I plan on reading the rest, so it's safe to conclude I'm enjoying them. I recommend this one along with all the others. I also recommend reading them more or less in order from the beginning, as later books sometimes refer to earlier ones and personal histories build from book to book. ... Read more

Product Description
When archaeologist Bruce Almond is killed on a dig in Greece, his son Crispin returns to Somerset and a mother he barely knows. Convinced his father's death was no accident, Crispin believes even his mother is not free from suspicion, so he baits a clever trap to lure the murderer out of hiding. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

So So
This book was that bad but hey it could be better.I never thought that the story line could be so cunfusing! Jeez the author could have put more effort into it but hey it was a good book in the end but don't hold yourbreath! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another book about Ellis Peters' India
This book is also set in India, but with Dominic minus his Tossa who is apparently back in England finishing a degree.I think the book misses Tossa.She is always an interesting character.But we have the indomitable Dominic and a very interesting Swami who is Dominic's mentor.The book is about terrorist plots and bombings and is set in sixties India.But it certainly could be now.Terrorists and bombings are in the news every day.In the book it appears that a terrorist is following Dominic and his party throughout India, and he is leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.The book is fast-paced and has a very surprising ending.Certainly worthy of the great Ellis Peters! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

This Forest Is Full of Surprises
This is number 14 in the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters. In this book, with the 12th century English civil war in the background, several unhappy events take place in and around Shrewsbury and beyond. Peters fits these seemingly unrelated events together for readers making for a good story.

As the book opens, the Lord of Eaton finally dies due to battle wounds; his son and heir named Richard is ten years old and in school at the abbey in Shrewsbury. The boy's grandmother is determined to take him home and marry him off right away to a neighbor who has only a daughter and very good lands. She is thwarted in her plans by the abbot, since the boy was put into his charge by the boy's father who wanted him educated.

At the Lord of Eaton's funeral, readers get the first glimpse of the hermit for whom the book is named. The grandmother installs this hermit in a small dwelling in a forest on Eaton land. Soon after, some disasters take place nearby on abbey land which are reported to the abbot. Not long after this, the hermit's servant appears at the abbey to announce that the hermit believes the disasters are God tying to tell the abbot to send Richard back to his grandmother. The abbot is not convinced.

Somewhere around this point in the book, news concerning some treasure of the Empress Maude's that has apparently been stolen comes to Shrewsbury. The messenger carrying this treasure is presumed dead given the condition of his horse when found. This turns out to be very important in the story.

A very unpleasant man named Bosiet shows up to lodge at the abbey. He is in search of a bondman of his who has run off - apparently for good reason. Bosiet shows up dead in the forest not long afterward. It looks like the hermit's servant is the missing bondsman.

The servant has made friends with the boy Richard. The boy finds out that Bosiet is heading off to find the servant, so he goes off to warn him, and does so, but disappears on the way back to the abbey. A massive search is started for the servant now suspected of the murder and for the boy.

As the story progresses, the boy is found, the hermit is killed and the mystery of the missing treasure is solved. The details are left out here so as not to spoil the plot.

I figured out what happened before it was actually revealed by the book, but only about a page or so beforehand. It is always exciting when that happens. I mean figuring it out ahead of time, but only at the last moment, so the book was indeed worth finishing.

Cadfael played a major part in this book, but he was not involved in several scenes. This may be why this book was not used for the TV series, which is a shame because it tells a very good story.

Anyway, if you like the Cadfael series, certainly give this one a try.

It's all politics and war
Once again there is the backdrop of the political turmoil that surrounds the civil war interweaved in the story. Without it, the mystery would not stand, and by far that makes the telling the weaker. There are several nice twists to arrive at a conclusion but that we need something that touches the war between Maud and Stephen seems a stretch once again.

Ellis is gone and Cadfael shall have no new mysteries in the canon, but with the knowledge of others in the field, the violent times of the dark ages should more than lend itself to murders without the need for princes and kings. The Abbey and Shrewsbury have more than an abundant wealth of detail that we have seen previously to support a rich environment for mayhem.

This story and the mystery seem to stem from just such an environment, but the murders that come about end up being related once more to our civil war and the impetus of life going on in spite of such a war is denied.

The fifteenth chronicle
In October of 1142, Empress Maud is still besieged in the town of Oxford, surrounded by the forces of King Stephen. She sends an emissary bearing jewels and money to her brother, begging him for help, but the man's horse is found with the leathers bloodstained and, of course, with no sign of the money or jewels. A local Lord and father of Richard, one of the young pupils at the Abbey of St.Peter and St.Paul dies and Brother Cadfael is charged with the duty of escorting the boy to his home to attend the funeral. The boy's grandmother, a harsh and grasping woman, wishes to force Richard into a marriage with an older girl, the daughter of a neighbour, so that the lands may be conjoined, but the 10 year old wants only to return with Cadfael to the Abbey and his friends. A minor, local landowner stays as a guest at the Abbey while mounting a search for his missing villein and enlists the reluctant help of Sheriff Hugh Beringar who agrees to help with the search, knowing that the man is a brutal master who treats his servants very badly. A series of events causes Richard to be kidnapped and forced into a marriage by his grandmother and Cuthred, a local hermit and holy man. Yet another stranger arrives at the Abbey with a slight wound and so is taken to be treated by Cadfael who makes his usual assessment of all the events and uses his insatiable curiosity to tie all the loose ends together for a very satisfactory conclusion.

A forest full of dangers, holy hermit or no
As with several other entries in the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, at the center of this book stands one of the younger members of the community of the Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul, and his relationship to the community versus his romantic relationships in the world outside. But this time the youngster isn't a novice who made a mistaken commitment to the cloister after a love affair gone wrong, nor even an embittered older man seeking solace after a disastrous marriage.

No, Richard Ludel (his father's namesake and only child) is ten years old, doesn't yet see any use for girls, and is happy enough to be one of the handful of students boarded at the monastery, well away from his formidable grandmother's plans to marry him off to the heiress of a neighbouring manor - "quite old", being past twenty, and a nuisance rather than a person from Richard's point of view. This makes an oblique, fairly subtle contrast to the events of the ongoing civil war between the empress and the king - the empress, like Richard's intended, is years older than her husband, tied to him in a marriage with little love lost, as demonstrated when Geoffrey of Anjou not only refuses to send so much as a single soldier to her aid while she is under siege in Oxford, but has lured away her half-brother and best general to help *him* with the battles for the Norman lands in contention in the struggle for the throne.

Upon the death of the elder Richard Ludel (still young, but never recovered from wounds suffered in the battle of Lincoln), Richard's elders plan to let matters proceed according to their settled routine - but there's a disagreement about what that routine is. Hugh Beringar as sheriff has no wish to antagonize the loyal Ludels by interfering with Richard's inheritance, despite his being a minor; his only concern is that the Ludels' steward should be competent and loyal. Abbot Radulfus (by charter the boy's guardian until he comes of age), intends for the boy to stay in school - as Radulfus objects to children being handed over as infant oblates into monastic vows before they can consent, he also objects to children being bound in marriage, without any designs on pressuring the boy into becoming a monk. But Dame Dionisia Ludel's idea of the status quo is to continue with her campaign to marry the boy off, beginning by playing on public sympathy for a poor bereaved widow, cruelly kept from bringing her grandson home for a visit (and backing it up with judicious threats of taking the abbey to law).

Even as Dame Dionisia piously installs the hermit Cuthred in a long-empty hermitage in Eyton forest - who unlike the brothers of Shrewsbury would be under vows to remain solitary and enclosed in his hermitage, with only a youngster acting as his errand boy for regular company - the lady at first seems piously resigned, though she sees no use in having him educated and a *lot* of use in getting the neighbouring manors of Wroxiter and Leighton joined with the Ludel's manor of Eaton. Curiously, events then seem to conspire against the brothers, as accidents become disturbingly frequent in the abbey lands near Eaton, and the hermit (through his errand boy, the mischievous Hyacinth) issues a public warning to the abbey that perhaps these signs of nature in revolt should be taken as a sign that Richard should not unnaturally be kept away from his only remaining blood kin.

Despite this, young Richard immediately takes to Hyacinth, after waylaying him upon Hyacinth's delivery of the message, and the much older Hyacinth is happy enough to give Richard all the information his elders have been withholding from him, in exchange for being put in the picture about Richard's own situation. So when Richard later overhears an abbey guest in pursuit of a runaway villein being informed that Hyacinth matches the runaway's description, he immediately sets out for the hermitage at Eyton to warn his friend, naturally leaving no word at the abbey that he's playing truant, let alone venturing into his grandmother's reach.

But Richard fails to return to the abbey (and as his fellow students cover up for him into the next day, his absence isn't discovered until many hours have passed). Well aware of Dame Dionisia's plans for the boy, the lands in her care are searched thoroughly - but with no trace of the boy, and as the manor folk are more loyal to the boy than to her, it's hard to see where he could've been hidden - or how he can be rescued before being browbeaten into saying vows and signing marriage settlements.

As always, I recommend the unabridged recording narrated by Stephen Thorne. And as usual in Cadfael novels, there *are* love stories amid the pair of loveless arranged marriages for joining lands and titles featured in the story of the civil war and the private war over Richard's future. My congratuations to the reader who manages to spot *all* the puzzles to be solved, and not to be distracted by the enjoyable drama and romance that accompany them. Not least, one of the most dramatic episodes of the war - King Stephen's siege of Oxford, with total victory almost within his grasp as the empress is trapped within the castle - is playing out as the people of Shropshire are concerned with events nearer home.

Drive-in totals:
- Three disappearances (counting the mystery of the missing villein, being hunted ruthlessly by his former masters).
- Three deaths (counting Richard's father).
- Three love stories (the most dramatic of which is played out entirely off-stage, but no less affecting for that).

Another Pleasant Tale
THE HERMIT OF EYTON FOREST is another installment in Ellis Peters' popular Brother Cadfael series. I've read most of them and fully intend to read the rest. Clearly, I'm something of a fan. Not because the mysteries are so riveting. They aren't. In fact, most of them are fairly transparent. The how and why might not always be so obvious, but the who isn't usually too hard to figure out. The suspicious characters are rarely difficult to identify.

Further, the picture Ellis paints of life in the eleventh century is sanitized for our enjoyment. Despite the violence of the civil war raging in the background, life in Shrewsbury is slow-paced, calm, and ordered. Filth, squalor, brutality, disease and the appallingly short life expectancy of the period rarely intrude here.

Despite this (or perhaps because of it), the stories are engaging, the characters charming, and Peters' idyllic vision of the time is very attractive. Her prose has an elegant, graceful quality that enhances the pleasure of the overall experience, making these books a delight to read. I never fail to enjoy them, and THE HERMIT OF EYTON FOREST is certainly no exception. ... Read more