Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
MysteriousPress.com/Open Road
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Historical Fiction. HTML:A despised priest is drowned in a pond in this medieval mystery filled with "lively period detail" (Kirkus Reviews). In a mild December in the year of our Lord 1141, a new priest comes to the parishioners of the Foregate outside the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Father Ailnoth brings with him a housekeeper and her nephew�??and a disposition that invites murder. Brother Cadfael quickly sees that father Ailnoth is a harsh man who, striding along in his black cassock, looks like a doomsaying raven. The housekeeper's nephew, Benet, is quite different�??a smiling lad, a hard worker in Cadfael's herb garden, but, as Brother Cadfael soon discovers, an impostor. And when Ailnoth is found drowned, suspicion falls on Benet, though many in the Foregate had cause to want this priest dead. Now Brother Cadfael is gathering clues along with his medicinals to treat a case of unholy passions, tragic politics, and perhaps divine interve… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member DWWilkin
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.
LibraryThing member Othemts
"Men die, and thinking men see a morsel of their own death in every one that draws close to them, but the young soon recover." - p. 91
"… it will be a long journey through purgatory, but no doubt even the most winding way gets there in the end." - p. 161
"… it will be a long journey through purgatory, but no doubt even the most winding way gets there in the end." - p. 161
LibraryThing member seoulful
In this 12th Chronicle of Brother Cadfael, Ellis Peters once more explores the fine line dividing justice and mercy. She often finds the line blurred but more often than not will shy away from legalism in favor of grace.
We find the rigid legalistic viewpoint embodied in Father Ailnoth, newly
Brother Cadfael, herbalist and amateur sleuth at the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Shrewsbury, England is summoned to apply his shrewd powers of crime detection made difficult by a close-mouthed populace.
At the conclusion of the case there are decisions to be weighed in the scales of justice and grace. Abbot Radulfus eloquently sums up the attitudes of the bearers of grace to a crowd still smarting from the injustices of Father Ailnoth warning them about thinking too highly of oneself and about judging others. "The company of the saints is not to be determined by any measure within our understanding. It cannot be made up of those without sin, for who that ever wore flesh, except one, can make so high a claim? But we, all we who share the burden of sin, it behoves us not to question or fret concerning the measure dealt out to us, or try to calculate our own merit and deserving, for we have not the tools by which to measure values concerning the soul. That is God's business. Rather it behoves us to live every day as though it were our last, to the full of such truth and kindness as is within us, and to lie down every night as though the next day were to be our first, and a new and pure beginning. The day will come when all will be made plain."
We find the rigid legalistic viewpoint embodied in Father Ailnoth, newly
Show More
appointed priest to the church of the Foregate parish. Dismayed parishioners used to the merciful ways of the late Father Adam are among the many under suspicion when the "black" priest is found drowned Christmas morning.Brother Cadfael, herbalist and amateur sleuth at the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Shrewsbury, England is summoned to apply his shrewd powers of crime detection made difficult by a close-mouthed populace.
At the conclusion of the case there are decisions to be weighed in the scales of justice and grace. Abbot Radulfus eloquently sums up the attitudes of the bearers of grace to a crowd still smarting from the injustices of Father Ailnoth warning them about thinking too highly of oneself and about judging others. "The company of the saints is not to be determined by any measure within our understanding. It cannot be made up of those without sin, for who that ever wore flesh, except one, can make so high a claim? But we, all we who share the burden of sin, it behoves us not to question or fret concerning the measure dealt out to us, or try to calculate our own merit and deserving, for we have not the tools by which to measure values concerning the soul. That is God's business. Rather it behoves us to live every day as though it were our last, to the full of such truth and kindness as is within us, and to lie down every night as though the next day were to be our first, and a new and pure beginning. The day will come when all will be made plain."
Show Less
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
the fourth in the "Brother Cadfel" mysteries. This is a taut and competent who-dunnit, an evening's entertainment.
LibraryThing member Meredy
Six-word review: Unlamented sudden death exposes many secrets.
Extended review:
Brother Cadfael's twelfth outing as a medieval sleuth in monastic robes combines familiar elements: mysterious death, misplaced suspicion, disguised aristocrats, young love, and natural justice played out against a vast
I continue to enjoy this series, but I think it would also do to let a little more time elapse between episodes to offset a cloying sameness. Just what I needed at this juncture, however.
Extended review:
Brother Cadfael's twelfth outing as a medieval sleuth in monastic robes combines familiar elements: mysterious death, misplaced suspicion, disguised aristocrats, young love, and natural justice played out against a vast
Show More
political field and a very small Benedictine one. Plot predictability, almost inevitable within such a narrow setting featuring a distinctive, knowable character, is its virtue as well as its shortcoming; the writing is, as ever, deft and elegant.I continue to enjoy this series, but I think it would also do to let a little more time elapse between episodes to offset a cloying sameness. Just what I needed at this juncture, however.
Show Less
LibraryThing member devafagan
Continuing my re-read of the series. One of my favorite parts of this one is Father Abbot's speech (at the end) about virtue and seeking your own perfection versus helping others.
LibraryThing member antiquary
a strict new priest, unpopular in his parish, is murdered, and Cadfael investigates.
LibraryThing member jen.e.moore
The final joke was a little bit belabored, but overall I liked this one very much. Some mystery series become more unlikely the longer they go on - how many murders can there *be* in a small place? But I never get that feeling from this series, because every incident is so different from the next.
LibraryThing member phoenixcomet
I always enjoy Brother Cadfael mysteries. When a disliked priest, Father Ailnoch is found dead, no one is particularly troubled and yet Hugh Beringar must seek out the murderer. At the same time, a young man is trapped behind enemy lines and wishes to rejoin Empress Maude if only he can get out of
Show More
Shrewsbury. Show Less
LibraryThing member fdholt
In the twelfth chronicle of Brother Cadfael, the war between the Empress Maud and King Stephen is still raging but Shrewsbury is relatively quiet. Father Adam, pastor of the Foregate Church has died and a replacement is need. Abbot Radulfus, returning from a church council, brings with him Father
Show More
Ailnoth along with his housekeeper and her nephew to the Foregate as priest and housekeeper. Of course, trouble follows as the new priest is arrogant with his flock. Soon Ailnoth is found dead and the nephew along with a score of parishioners could be the culprit. But with Hugh Beringar and Brother Cadfael, all is sorted out. A good medieval mystery! Show Less
LibraryThing member ritaer
Unpopular priest found dead
LibraryThing member fuzzi
Adequate entry in the series. I didn't guess the murderer but felt a little let down by how the mystery concluded.
LibraryThing member walterhistory
The new priest for Foregate proves to have no compassion nor mercy with his obsession of his new job. When he is found dead, there are plenty of suspects. Cadfael finds little evidence to show murder yet how to prove that is complicated by lack of witnesses or was there any?
LibraryThing member Karin7
I enjoyed this book (see below.) The less said about what happens in the book, the better, in my opinion. One of the reasons I liked this so much the first time is a mystery to me, because I might have given this 4 stars this time, but am going to go with what I put here first. However, I quite
This is my second time reading this book and I know I rated it 5 stars, but I can't find any review or a date for when I read it before sometime between 2016 and 2018 (when I read the one right before and after it so since I first added this on July 8, 2017, I'm going with the end of that month for a first read.
Show More
liked the "guest star" characters and a number of things particular to this mystery. In addition, I particularly enjoyed Cadfael's continued friendship with a recurring character, but if you've never read any books in this series please read the second one before any subsequent ones, although the ideal way is to read them in order from the first one.This is my second time reading this book and I know I rated it 5 stars, but I can't find any review or a date for when I read it before sometime between 2016 and 2018 (when I read the one right before and after it so since I first added this on July 8, 2017, I'm going with the end of that month for a first read.
Show Less
Original publication date
1986
ISBN
9781784080624
Local notes
Brother Cadfael, 12
DDC/MDS
| Fic Mystery PetersE |