In this, one of my favorite Brother Cadfael stories (and also the first one I read long ago on a trip to Britain), attention again returns to the roles and lives of medieval women, but this time the focus is on the middle and lower classes. From the dramatic opening when the peace of the monks' nightly office is shattered by a mob from the town pursuing a ragged traveling entertainer accused of murder to the even more dramatic climax, this Brother Cadfael will keep you turning the pages and then being sorry when it's done and wanting more.

Brother Cadfael (pronounced Cad-file) has definitely entered the ranks of great fiction detectives alongside Sherlock Holmes and Lord Peter Wimsey. But these stories are more than just murder mysteries in medieval drag. Ellis Peters actually lived in Shrewsbury, England, where Cadfael's monastery of St. Peter and Paul can still be visited. Her knowledge of the land and people and history permeates her work and gives her the incredible gift of transporting her reader into the past. You really do feel as though you are in that long-lost world lit only by fire, where it's quiet and green and life moves at a pace most people can be happy in.

Cadfael is a suitably complex man. He's from Wales, but now living in England (though Wales is not very far away). He was once a soldier, but now he's a monk. He's lived a full life, now he wants to be quiet. But he also has a strong sense of right and justice and refuses to compromise on these things, even when it means getting himself in trouble. He's also picked up a lot of knowledge, especially of herbology and medicine and (somehow for the time) logical analysis that stands him in good stead as a solver of mysteries.

Another charming step along the journey of Cadfael!

Spring 1140 in Shrewsbury is a lovely time of year; peaceful and calm at the Abbey, all is well.
That peace and quiet is broken late one night by the desperate arrival of a young man who is being chased by a mob right into the church during the midnight ritual of Matins. Abbot Radulphus moves quickly to protect the victim and quell the mob. The mob's leader calls the sanctuary seeker a thief and murderer--serious charges, if true.
And thus begins Brother Cadfael's new investigation. This is a tale of a parsimonious goldsmith (who wasn't murdered after all), and his highly dysfunctional family. Lots and lots of domestic drama. But a real murder does occur--the goldsmith's neighbor is found dead on the riverbank of the Abbey's field, a day or so after the theft and attack at the goldsmith's. Did the gossip loving locksmith drown after falling from his small fishing boat? Cadfael certainly doesn't think so.
Interwoven with the mysteries is a sweet love story involving our 'sanctuary sparrow' and the young serving maid in the goldsmith's house. As the story reaches its harrowing climax a second love story comes to light, with no good outcome possible.
Long time readers of the series will find much to enjoy--our favorite deputy sheriff, Hugh Beringar, is on hand to help in the investigation. And our favorite troublemaker, Brother Jerome, is in fine form with Prior Robert, who does not approve of our sanctuary seeker at all, lending him support. It was fun to see those two in action again. Cadfael is wonderful and wise, as always, and leaves the reader with hope for the future.

Liliwin, the jongleur, must be the most piteous, heart-wrenching of all Cadfael's protegés. I was so glad to see him and his girl Rannilt go on their way rejoicing.
I felt empathy for the real culprits, too.
Also one of my Cadfael favourites.

This is the seventh book in the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Shrewsbury, in the England of the twelfth century. Cadfael lived a full life before becoming a monk, having been to the Crusades; he has now been a monk for some sixteen or seventeen years, and is sincere about his faith, his obligations to the Benedictines, and his maintenance of the monastery herb gardens. However, his intellect is always piqued by mysteries, especially concerning young people. These are fun little mystery novels, and this one is a great introduction to the series. My first recorded reading of this book was in 2003, and the next in 2010.

It is the spring of 1140, and in town they are celebrating the wedding of the goldsmith's son. The monks at the Abbey are saying Matins at midnight when the whole town comes chasing after a young juggler, accused of having murdered the goldsmith. The juggler flees into the Monk's church, and Abbot Radulfus gives the boy Sanctuary. As it turns out, the goldsmith is not dead, but his strongbox was robbed. Brother Cadfael sets himself to clearing the young juggler, who is smitten with the maid of the goldsmith's household, which includes the goldsmith's eighty-year-old mother, and the goldsmith's daughter, who is in her late thirties and runs the household.

This was a good mystery, and one that was good fun to read.

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2nd Recorded Reading: May 2010

This is the Seventh book in the series about Brother Cadfael, who in addition to being the chief herbalist in the Benedictine Abbey to which he belongs in the early 12th century, is also called upon quite often when dead bodies appear around the Abbey. And I very much enjoyed this particular installment. (My late sister in law Pookie, who was a lawyer, once observed that if she was in charge of law enforcement, the first person she would arrest for the spate of murders in Cabot Cove, Maine, would be mystery writer Jessica Fletcher, because she always seemed to be connected with each and every murder. One could make the same observation about Brother Cadfael.)

Some four weeks after Easter, in the Year of our Lord 1140, the monks at the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul at Shrewsbury are reciting the midnight office of Matins (one of the seven Hours recited in the Liturgy of the Hours) when they hear the sounds of a large noisy crowd pursuing someone. The someone being pursued bursts into the church and makes his way to the altar just as the large noisy crowd bursts in behind him, crying that he has committed murder and robbery. One Daniel Aurifaber, the son of the local goldsmith, asserts that during his (Daniel’s) wedding feast, the person clutching the altar, a poor acrobat and juggler named Liliwin, had performed for the guests but had broken a pitcher during his juggling exhibition. He was then thrown out and tossed a penny, only one-third of his agreed fee, and that the acrobat had gone out into the night threatening the family loudly. Then, when the goldsmith, Walter Aurifaber, had gone to put his new daughter-in-law’s dowry into his strongbox, he had been struck down, and the gold stolen. Abbot Heribert, none too pleased to have a vigilante committee invading his precincts, notes that the acrobat has claimed sanctuary, and that he cannot be taken for forty days without due process. The abbot then puts the acrobat in the care of Brother Cadfael, who has wide experience in treating those who are injured.

It turns out in the light of day that the goldsmith is not murdered, but alive; but all in his household aver that only the acrobat could have done the robbery by violence. All, that is, except the maid Rannilt, who has fallen in love with the unfortunate Liliwin, and insists that he could not have done what he is accused of doing. Brother Cadfael takes an interest in Liliwin, and determines that he will find out precisely what happened, and who did it, but not before a dead body is discovered the morning after the evening when Liliwin sneaks out of the Abbey precincts to escort Rannilt (who has come to visit him, with theleave of her mistress, Susanna Aurifaber, spinster daughter of the goldsmith) back to her quarters at the goldsmith’s after dark.

In the end, of course, Brother Cadfael figures out the mystery, leaving me free to read the next book in the series, which I shall do with great pleasure. I still have several books in the series to read before I get to the books I have not previously read (I read this one in May of 2003), but these are the kinds of books that one enjoys reading again after a passage of years.

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1st Recorded Reading: May 2003

Another good book in the series. Need to pause now and read some other books -- will return....

Liliwin, a wandering minstrel, is thrown out of Daniel Aurifaber's wedding feast after a jug is broken during his juggling act. Soon after, the groom's father is found senseless beside his empty money box. A lynch mob sets off after Liliwin, who claims sanctuary in the abbey. The next day, the Aurifaber's neighbour is found dead, and the ageing matriarch of their household has a seizure and dies soon after. The following day, the baddies make their escape taking the stolen gold and Rannilt - Liliwin's serving-girl friend - as hostage, but are stopped before the reach the Welsh border.

The seventh book in the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael and it was a good one. Part of the reason I enjoyed this story so much is that I have never seen it as a movie so I did not have any memories of the story.

A poor man who makes a living as a traveling entertainer is accused of murdering and robbing the father of the groom at a wedding celebration where he is hired to entertain the audience with his music, juggling and acrobatics. The townspeople are so sure of his guilt and madden ed by this awful act. They are ready to hang the poor man without a trial. Luckily for him, he makes to to the sanctuary of the abbey to seek protection from this angry, intoxicated mob. So he is safe for 40 days until his trial or even better he is proven innocent of all charges. Fortunately, the father of the groom is not dead. He just received a terrible hit on the head and was robbed of all the wealth he had stored in his lockbox. For a family that is fairly well-off and respected in town, they sure seem to be going through a difficult time. The groom is married to a plain girl who brings more wealth, but he thinks he is in love with another lady who is married to another. The bride is not happy about this plus she should rightly be in charge of the household, and for so long, that has been the job of the groom's sister. The grandmother of the groom is old and outlived many of those of her generation. she is suffering from a bad heart and in danger of dying. Each new shock pushes her closer to heaven. To make matters worse, one of their tenants, who is the local blacksmith, turns up dead in the river. It is not an accident but murder. Unfortunately that does clear the entertainer because he snuck out the night the man went missing to walk a girl home who he is in love with and who happens to work for the family he is accused of robbing. Brother Cadfael slowly begins to see the bigger picture and understand exactly what happened on the night of the wedding and the murder of the tenant. The truth is sad, but judgment ultimately rests with God. The worst is that another innocent girl may die, for she knows more than she realizes. Can Brother Cadfael save the lives and souls of those all tangled in this mess, or will more tragedy occur.

Great story! This series is set in the Middle Ages during a time of unrest and turmoil. The central character is a monk. Sounds strange, but these stories are so good. The truth slowly emerges in bits and pieces, and you want to keep ready until the end. The setting and back story just make the adventures more interesting. if you like cozy mysteries or historical mysteries or both rolled into one story, this book and this series are a must-read. Will be reading another one soon.

Ellis Peters is one of the best in the business when it comes to historical whodunits.

I do enjoy these books. This one had a young, gifted orphan at center and at risk...the one claiming sanctuary. Excellent plot and benevolent handling by Cadfael and Hugh in a joint effort to bring resolution and/or justice. Ugliness aplenty, certainly...but beauty from ashes prevails. There are some lovely interactions between some of the brothers and the young jongleur as well as oppositional forces from some members of the order. Reality. We are allowed a happy ending with this one.

This is the second Brother Cadfael novel that I've read and definitely the better of the two. The description of the setting is (as usual) great, the characters are much better developed than in the previous one (even if I wasn't a big fan of the romantic arc). While the resolution of the mystery came a bit too quickly and too easily, I liked the tense ending and the identity of the villain.

Book seven in the long running series of mystery novels starring Brother Cadfael, a monk who is part of the Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul in Shrewsbury in twelfth century England. Although the mysteries aren't too puzzling, the characterization is terrific. Perhaps because I have read seven volumes now, I am able to easily identify with Brother Cadfael. He seems like a wise, kind guy, but also worldly enough to recognize all the failings of humanity. Greed, envy, lust, pride - Cadfael knows what motivates some humans to perform their most sinful, violent deeds.

The Sanctuary of the Sparrow begins with the brothers of the Abbey gathered for a midnight rite - they are chanting Matins, when a great outcry is heard outside the church doors. An angry mob pursues a young man. Barely eluding their violent grasp, the man manages to sprint into the church and throw himself before the altar, claiming sanctuary. The drunken citizens are ready to beat him to death, but Abbot Radulfus stands before them and declares that their very souls are at risk for violating the sanctity of the holy place. As the mob sullenly retreats, their leader bitterly exclaims that the young man is in fact a murderer and a thief. The accuser is Daniel Aurifaber, and he proclaims that the wretch who so narrowly escaped rough justice had in fact just killed his father, Walter Aurifaber, and stolen a great sack of treasure stolen from the strongbox.

This night was in fact the wedding night of Daniel Aurifaber, and a great celebration feast was held in his honor. A jongleur was hired to provide merriment - he would juggle, sing, play his rebec, and generally provide merriment for the wedding guests. But during the course of the feast, someone bumped into the jongleur from behind and he stumbled forward, knocking a pitcher to the ground where it promptly shattered. The miserly old lady, Dame Juliana, who tightly controlled the fortunes of Aurifaber household, declared that the cost of the broken pitcher must be deducted from the jongleur's fee, and so paid him but a single coin. Angry and bitter, the young jongleur had left. Just an hour later, Walter was discovered face down in his storeroom - someone had crept up from behind and delivered a killing blow to Walter's skull as he greedily was locking away the dowry that came with the newly married bride. Someone cried out that the evil deed must have been the work of the vengeful jongleur, and a drunken crowd quickly rose up in pursuit. They chased the jongleur to Shrewsbury Abbey, where he claimed sanctuary.

Sanctuary must not be violated, but should the young jongleur - whose name is Liliwin - step outside the church grounds, the waiting men will seize him and deliver him up to immediate justice. Once claimed, sanctuary only lasts for forty days, after which the sheriff's men will take the accused to trial. Liliwin is now trapped within the church, unable to flee, unable to prove his innocence. But fortunately for Liliwin, Brother Cadfael is skeptical of Daniel Aurifaber's accusations, and decides to investigate what really happened.

Peter's does a great job describing the habit, customs and beliefs of twelfth century England. Details about their foods, clothing and work all appear in the story - not as long exposition, but as quick description that fits seamlessly into the flow of the tale. The world building is excellent, as is Peter's completely convincing portrayal of the people of England. Of course Cadfael figures out what truly happened, who is guilty and what motivated them. It is a well told story, and I see that I have the next volume, The Devil's Novice on my own bookshelf, so I won't even need to scour the library shelves for it.

Brother Cadfael, a former crusader now turned Benedictine monk, is a thoughtful investigator. He dislikes injustice especially when the poor and the weak are wrongly accused.



The wrong man
When Liliwin, a poor birdlike minstrel, reaches the monastery only a few steps ahead of a wildly angry mob, the brother monks offer him forty days sanctuary. Then Brother Cadfael learns that Liliwin's accusers want to hang him for a crime he swears he never committed . . and Cadfael begins to investigate.



The challenge. Who will try the accused and who will protect him?
“I will hear you,” said Radulfus with a snap, “by daylight, when you come with sheriff or sergeant to discuss this matter calmly, and in proper form. But I warn you, this man has claimed sanctuary, and the rights of sanctuary are his, according to custom, and neither you nor any other shall force him away out of these walls until the time of his respite is over.”
“And I warn you, my lord,” flared the youth, blazing red, “that should he venture a step outside, we shall be waiting for him, and what falls out of your lordship’s lordship will be no concern of yours, or the church’s.” Yes, unquestionably he was moderately drunk, or he would never have gone so far, an ordinary young burgess of the town, if a wealthy one. Even with an evening’s wine in him, he blenched at his own daring, and shuffled back a pace or two.
“Or God’s?” said the abbot coldly. “Go hence in peace, before his bolt strike you.”



The kitchen maid - the girlfriend
“Is it true?” she asked, low and urgently. “He’s safe, there in the church? And you’ll protect him? You won’t let them fetch him away?”
“He’s with us, and safe enough,” said Cadfael. “No one dare touch him now.”
“And they haven’t hurt him?” she questioned earnestly.
“No worse than will mend now, in peace. No need to fret for a while. He has forty days grace. I think,” he said, studying the thin face, the delicate, staring cheekbones under the wide-set eyes, “you like this young man.”
“He made such lovely music,” said the child wistfully. “And he spoke me gently, and was glad of being with me in the kitchen. It was the best hour I ever spent. And now I’m frightened for him. What will happen to him when the forty days are up?”
“Why, if it goes so far—for forty days is time enough to change many things—but even if it goes so far, and he must come forth, it will be into the hands of the law, not into the hands of his accusers. Law is grim enough, but tries to be fair. And by then those who accuse him will have forgotten their zeal, but even if they have not, they cannot touch him. If you want to help him, keep eyes and ears open, and if you learn of anything to the purpose, then speak out.” Clearly the very thought terrified her. Who ever listened to anything she might say?

With little proof but much faith on his side the kindly Cadfael is determined to solve this delightfully twisted mystery.


Enjoy!

U velikom sam iskušenju da nadalje za sve romane o Kadfaelu koje budem iščitavala pišem samo "ista meta, isto odstojanje" - ne znam nijedan drugi serijal koji je od početka tako jasno omeđio svoj teren i onda ga se pošteno držao. Ako se ovaj po nečemu izdvaja, onda možda po za nijansu tužnijem završetku, ali i dalje unutar granica cosy mystery žanra.