This is the first book in the Brother Cadfael mystery series, set in Medieval times, and I think this is the earliest time period I have read about in a historical mystery. This particular book is set in 1137.
A group of men from Brother Cadfael's religious order have been sent to Gwytherin, a small parish in Wales, to acquire the bones of a saint and bring them back to Shrewsbury Abbey in England. Cadfael is included because he is Welsh and can translate for them. The people of Gwytherin must agree to let the bones of the saint be moved, but then a prominent man in the village is killed. The murder must be resolved before the parish will release the bones.
Quote from the first paragraph of the book:
On the fine, bright morning in early May when the whole sensational affair of the Gwytherin relics may properly be considered to have begun, Brother Cadfael had been up long before Prime, pricking out cabbage seedlings before the day was aired, and his thoughts were all on birth, growth and fertility, not at all on graves and reliquaries and violent deaths, whether of saints, sinners or ordinary decent, fallible men like himself. Nothing troubled his peace but the necessity to take himself indoors for Mass, and the succeeding half-hour of chapter, which was always liable to stray over by an extra ten minutes. He grudged the time from his more congenial labours out here among the vegetables, but there was no evading his duty. He had, after all, chosen this cloistered life with his eyes open ...
I surprised myself by enjoying this book so much. For years I had avoided the series because of the period (1135 - 1145) and I could not picture a monk as a sleuth. You would think I would learn to ignore my prejudices, at least in the area of mystery novels. My enjoyment of a book more often depends on the skill of the author's writing and plotting rather than the subject matter.
Brother Cadfael is a wonderful character. He entered the cloister later in life, after being a soldier and a sailor. He is a herbalist and cares for the garden. I found him believable as an amateur sleuth due primarily to his intelligence and ingenuity. The book has a slow pace, but that worked well for me because I enjoyed reading about details of life at that time and about the religious community and the politics within that group.
This was a very educational and fun read for me, and I will continue reading the series.
See reviews at Read-warbler and Mysteries Ahoy!
Publisher: Fawcett Crest, 1985 (first published 1977)
Length: 256 pages
Format: Paperback
Setting: UK, Shrewsbury, Wales
Genre: Historical Mystery
Source: Purchased at the Planned Parenthood Book Sale, 2006.
19 comments:
Thanks for the link, Tracy. So pleased you liked this first one, and they get better too which is nice. I haven't read a new one since lockdown because I have an omnibus of several books but need to read book 5 (I think) before that. Now the library is open I can hopefully grab that one.
I've always liked this series, too, Tracy. Cadfael is, as you say, a well-drawn character. And I really like the sense of time and place, too. It's good to hear you enjoyed it.
Cath, I have copies of the next two books in the series and will read the next one in September. After that I will have to seek more of them out. Glad to hear that your library is open.
Margot, in addition, the books are a nice length, which I appreciate. I am looking forward to reading more of them.
Great review. I started this series a few years back after reading a few out of order. Finished #15 this week. Cadfael only gets better with age!
I really love this series! I have them all in pb, have read them all but the last one, which I was saving, and should now read. How lucky you are to have the rest of the books to read!
Thanks, Cat. I am glad to get more readers commenting how much they have enjoyed this series.
Rick, I do remember that you liked these books. I feel that way, that I am lucky to have them ahead of me.
Although I have never read these books, I think I saw some of them filmed for Masterpiece Theater a long time ago. Derek Jacobi, I think starred.
Patti, there was a TV series shown in the 90s but I never saw any of the episodes. After I have read a few of the books, I may look into the series.
I prefer the books to the BBC series, mostly because Jacobi doesn't "look" right to me after reading the books before the tv series was made.
Rick, I nearly always prefer the books to an adaptation, because books can convey more of the personalities. But someday I will probably try the series, just to see what it is like. I sort of already pictured Jacobi as Cadfael just because I knew he had played that role.
Like so many, I came to the Cadfael books when the TV series came out. I loved both the series and the books, and read pretty nearly all of them. AND visited the Abbey of St. Peter and St Paul in Shrewsbury. It seems that it was in need of money (not unusual) but once the series and books became popular, they soon began to flourish. Ellis Peters was very generous to them, and there is now a stained glass window commemorating both her and Br. Cadfael.
Susan, that sounds so wonderful, to visit Shrewbury and the Abbey. And I glad to hear that the Abbey is now doing well due to the series. I can tell that the books continue to be a beloved series, and I am glad that I finally came around to reading the books. I had them on my TBR for a very long time, and I am glad I held on to them.
I've always liked her contemporary mysteries, and have featured a couple of them on the blog, but I am very fussy about my historical detectives (predisposed against them) and read one about Cadfael and didn't like it. I will watch out for any future reports from you, and see if I can give him another go!
The TV series was a great favourite with both my mother and my husband! But even Derek Jacobi (a great actor) couldn't make me watch.
I would like to try some of her contemporary mysteries, Moira. I am sure I will be reviewing more of these books eventually, I plan to read another one in September. I am not sure if I would like the TV series, but will most likely give it a shot.
Pretty sure I have soemthing from Peters on the pile, though I can't remember what one. Someday I'll read it, I hope!
Col, I remember that you had Death and the Joyful Woman from a police procedural series (sort of) she wrote. Because I have that book and have had it for a long time, unread.
Wow, your memory puts mine to shame!
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