The Devil's Novice: The Eighth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael (Mass Market Paperback)

by Ellis Peters (Author) "IN THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER OF THAT YEAR OF Our Lord,1140, two lords of Shropshire manors, one north of the town of Shrewsbury, the other..." (more)
Key Phrases: lord abbot, great court, Brother Cadfael, Brother Mark, Peter Clemence (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
'Soothing, but no shortage of mayhem.' OBSERVER --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Mysterious Press (February 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446405159
• ISBN-13: 978-0446405157
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #272,647 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 8 in The Brother Cadfael Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dreams of murder, February 12, 2006

By	Beverley Strong (Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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's manor, 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.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Two for one special -- history and mystery, February 12, 2006

By	Joseph Kaiser Canner (North Africa) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Devil of a good mystery!, July 26, 1998

By	"rhbouchard" (Pawtucket RI USA) - See all my reviews

Peters spins a good tale, combined with her usual cast of interesting characters and a memorable setting, makes the one of the better Cadfael Chronicles.