With its mind-numbing combination of impeccable style and glacial pacing, this mystery novel left me wondering when it would ever end rather than inspiring any curiosity about who committed the crime. When after a seeming lifetime had passed me by and my Kindle told me I had slogged my way through only 37% of the text, I gave a hoarse cry of despair and abandoned it. I think it's safe to say that if you're a person who likes this kind of thing, this is the kind of thing you'll like. I am not that person, and this is not my thing.

Coincidences, but fewer of them than usual, or perhaps I’m just getting too used to them. No history, but a mildly interesting portrait of a merchant household (dysfunctional, of course). This installment just didn’t grab me in any way, in spite of having such a tragic perp.

A sympathetic criminal

By Charles van Buren on April 10, 2018

Format: Kindle Edition

In this Brother Cadfael novel, Ellis Peters presents us with a criminal for whom most will feel varying degrees of sympathy. Only at the very end does Peters introduce some elements which make it hard to continue to sympathize. Even so, many will still feel that all guilty parties are not punished.

I downloaded this book via Kindle Unlimited.

Maybe one of my favorite cadfael books. Devastating

Поняла, кто виновал, в моменте с мокрыми башмаками. Почти было жаль злоумышленников и хотелось, чтоб они ушли, пока не настал финал. Часть после отвратительная, если б не молодые люди. Кошмарная семейка.

I've come late to the Cadfael series, having first watched the television adaptations starring the magnificent Sir Derek Jacobi. Though this is the seventh in the Cadfael series, it was the first I read, since this particular adaptation was probably my favourite.

Peters has an amazing eye for historical detail, and her knowledge of such varied things as botany, criminology, psychology and the human heart is as impressive as it is extensive. Brother Cadfael is a medieval Gil Grissom in a habit, but with more humanity and emotion than that modern counterpart.

The religious aspect of the novel is never heavy-handed or overpowering, every character -- even the minors -- is three dimensional and believable, and the love stories at the heart of the mystery will pull at your heartstrings in an entirely sincere fashion.

A wonderful read for anyone who's interested in history, Medieval Britain, mystery, and the television adaptations.

A+ in my book, Ms. Peters. Brava.

I've never been much for mysteries, but Peters is a delightful discovery. This is nicely done historical fiction -- and well sited in both time and space, being on the Welsh marches during the Anarchy, so there's lots of room for a bit of excitement. What's more, it's nicely done fiction, period. Peters is a fantastic writer and this reads better than a number of litfic books I've walked away from over the years.

I did gloat inwardly a little when I read a small urchin utter the line, "I'm not afeared of all the town hobbledehoys." While hobbledehoys is a great word, it didn't sound period to my ear. It's not, it's from the 16th century. But that got me thinking about historical fiction generally, and of course Peters is trying to evoke a certain period, not write her sentences as though she lives in it. If that were the game, I couldn't get a page in without an annotated guide. Even so, I'm on to you, hobbledehoys.

Also, as an inveterate numismatist, I was beyond excited to see mention of a moneyer in the book, a certain Godesbrond -- because coins play a small role in the course of events, it turns out. I checked and Peters has done her homework. Godesbrond was a moneyer (or minting authority) in the town of Shrewsbury during the reign of Harold II. So awesome! Peters +100.

Per la festa di nozze del giovane figlio di un mastro orefice molto taccagno con una donna insignificante ma dalla dote cospicua viene ingaggiato un giocoliere/contorsionista/musicista di strada che più tardi viene accusato di aver aggredito il padrone di casa e aver rubato il contenuto della cassaforte.
Per non essere linciato, il giovane Liliwin chiede rifugio nella chiesa dell'abbazia, dove ogni volenza è proibita. Intanto Cadfael, convinto della sua sincerità e della sua innocenza, decide di indgare per scoprire cosa sia successo in realtà nel corso dei quaranta giorni di immunità che spettano al giovane musico che, nelle poche ore di presenza in casa dell'orefice, ha conquistato la sguattera di cucina Rannilt.
Un romanzo che fa riflettere molto sulla situazione delle donne nel medioevo, sulla loro impossibilità di scegliere del proprio destino, assoggettate a padri, mariti o fratelli e gettate via quando diventano "inutili".

Brother Cadfael helps the most helpless victim yet. A young minstrel accused of burglary by a respected local merchant claims sanctuary.
The actual criminal is quite the surprise and the ending bittersweet.

This one is so good.

The sweet love story of the accused juggler and Sanctuary Sparrow Liliwin and the maid Rannilt was my favorite part of the book. I also really enjoyed how some of the Brothers really took to Liliwin and wanted to help him and teach him.

Best Cadfael mystery yet!
4 Stars

Exciting medieval murder mystery. I especially liked the strain between brother and his unfairly treated sister. Lots of intrigue, passion, and a good psycho.

Reading level: high. Archaic vocabulary.