Customer Reviews

An Excellent Mystery

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the fourth Brother Cadfael mystery that I have read (I happened upon a random selection in a neighbor's giveaway bin) and it is definitely the best so far. The title, taken from the Book of Common Prayer ("O God, who hast consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an excellent mystery"), is more than apt.

The overall theme of this installment could be briefly summarized as "things are not what they seem". While this is true in most mystery novels it is true in spades here. A young women is mugged and murdered--or is she? A monk has a homosexual crush on another monk--or does he? Sorry, I've probably already said too much.

As usual, there are several romantic plot threads, always a nice touch in the midst of a mystery story. Brother Cadfael, in this installment, does not use his deductive powers so much to solve the mystery as to analyze it as it unfolds. This heightens the suspense because we don't get let in on the inner workings of Cadfael's mind.

Another reason why this novel rises a notch above the others is the role that the 12th century English history plays in the story. In previous installments the history, while interesting and informative, sometimes makes the book hard to get into. Here, the history plays a central role in the story, as the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud provides both the impetus for several new characters to show up in Shrewsbury, as well as making it more difficult to track down the information necessary to solve the mystery.

In addition to being a good read, I think this would make a great movie. I see from another review that the series has been dramatized, presumably for British TV. It's too bad this series is not more widely circulated, perhaps if more people knew about it a movie would be more likely. Or, alternatively, maybe somebody should make a movie anyway, so that people who would not normally read the books can enjoy these excellent mysteries.

In this eleventh chronicle of Brother Cadfael of the Abbey of St.Peter and St.Paul in Shrewsbury, the ongoing war between King Stephen and Empress Maud has come to a stalemate, following the sacking and burning of the city of Winchester. With Stephen still a prisoner in Bristol, Maud had barricaded herself and her forces within the city when Stephen's queen, Matilda, attacked the city with fire arrows, destroying the monasteries and convents and causing the general flight of all who could escape. Two Benedtictine monks arrive at the Shrewsbury Abbey, begging for refuge and a new home. Humilis, the elder, is an ex crusader, like Cadfael, but had been severely wounded in battle. Fidelis, the younger monk, is mute, and is Humilis's carer, tending him with complete devotion. Cadfael realises that Humilis is close to death and tends him with loving care. At the same time, a hue and cry is set up to find the whereabouts of the former fiancee of Humilis who had wished to enter a convent after her betrothal vows were rescinded by Humilis who knew that he could never be a husband to her with his shocking wounds. Sheriff Hugh Beringar is afraid that the girl was robbed and murdered en route to the convent as she was never seen again. Wise and worldly Cadfael sees beyond outward appearences and soon becomes aware of the deceptions being carried out. With his aid, the well meant perpetrators reach a satisfactory conclusion to their trouble and the life of the Abbey goes on as smoothly as possible in these turbulent times.

I have to say that this is my favorite of the Chronicles. It has great characters, a riveting storyline, and the most beautiful picture of true, sacrificial love I have ever read. To say anymore would give away the ending. DO NOT skip ahead in this one or you will not get the full impact of the story. It is better to keep guessing. But read it a second time to get the details that you missed from not knowing the secret.

Set against a backdrop of a lengthy civil war where King Stephan and Empress Matilda contend for the mastery of England, this installment of the chronicles of Brother Cadfael sets out the dilemma posed by two refugees of the war who come to Shrewsbury after their own Benedictine monastery in Winchester is burned to the ground.

Brother Humilis is a former nobleman and Crusader, wounded and crippled in the holy wars. Returning a broken man, he enters the monastery in Winchester. Soon after, a young man also takes the cowl, going by the name of Brother Fidelis. Fidelis is mute, and attaches himself as friend and attendant to Humilis whose wounds often reopen and lay him low. This unlikely pair has now reached Shrewsbury, in need of all the aid that Brother Cadfael can give: Humilis is dying and Fidelis's silence conceals a secret that if brought to light could shatter the reputation of the abbey and the Benedictine order!

History buffs will enjoy the solid insights offered on the "summer of stalemate" in the struggle between king and empress. Peters has a great talent for presenting the mysteries of the medieval mind to modern readers. Mystery fans will mull the fate of Julian Cruce, a young woman once engaged to the Crusader, who has disappeared into the wreckage of the civil war. Was she murdered for the silver she carried?

Fans of romantic literature will sympathize with Nicholas Harnage, squire to Humilis during the Crusade. He was the one who had to bring the bad news to Julian that her intended husband was unable to marry her. That glimpse of her in grief won his heart. Now he wants to find her and marry her himself. He embarks on a quest that sets him searching the length of war-torn England either to find her or to learn of her fate and revenge her!

The title is most apt; this is an excellent work in all respects. Like other books in the Cadfael series, it can stand alone. Highly recommended!

In this moving and dramatic story,Ellis Peters succeeds in doing something I thought was impossible in a mystery - and I am a mystery writer myself. I can't tell what it is without giving away the end. All I can say is that in addition to a story that intrigues from the first scene,characters and relationships you will never forget, and a fully-realized historical setting, there is an ending that will first thrill you and then make you say, "How did she do that???" And then you will want to read it all over again.

This Brother Cadfael mystery was absolutely riviting; I couldn't put it down. I know it sounds cliche, but true. I have been reading the books in order and this is the best one so far. I was totally engrossed in the plot and characters. The silent monk and the former nobleman turned monk were beautifully formed characters. The interplay between the repeating characters of the series was at its best in this novel. It just made me want to finish the series, so I could start all over again. I highly recommend any of the Brother Cadfael mysteries, but feel they should be read in some sequence to understand the relationships between some of the characters - especially our dear Brother and Sheriff Hugh Beringer. They are one of the best detective pairings since Perry Mason and Paul Drake.

Ellis Peters usually writes great stories, with intrigue, excitement and plenty of surprises. Unfortunately, An Excellent Mystery, the eleventh chronicle of Brother Cadfael, has little of those. In fact, Cadfael is almost relegated to a secondary role while the minor characters play more important parts in this cozy mystery.

The civil war between Empress Maud and King Stephen has reached a stale mate as the king languishes as a prisoner of the empress. The queen, however, has forced Maud into retreat, holed up in Winchester. The queen's forces are putting a stranglehold on the city to starve the empress out.

During the retreat, Maud's forces torched religious communities, scattering the members across the country. Two such refugees arrive at the abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul, an older mortally wounded brother and his young, comely, mute companion.

The elder Brother Humilis has accepted the fact that his days are numbered. Enter a squire, Nicholas, who served under Humilis before he took the cowl. Nicholas asks permission to request the hand of a woman Humilis was once betrothed to three years ago. Therein lies the mystery. Where is Julian Cruce? She hasn't been seen or heard from since Humilis entered the faith.

The book follows Nichaolas has he trvales the English countryside retracing Julian's steps on a trail three years cold.

When Cadfael unravels the mystery of the missing woman, the solution is rather anti-climatic. An Excellent Mystery certainly won't discourage me from continuing the series, but it's one that other readers can skip.

One of the best in Ellis Peters' outstanding series of medieval whodunits, this tale is written with her usual carefully chosen words, styled to fit the setting, and lyrical in description and dialogue. I re-read this tale at least once a year, because even when you know the unraveling of the mystery, the craft behind the story telling continues to enlighten, inspire and teach on many levels. It is a wonderful parallel comparison of loyalty, selfless service, constancy. Narration by Roe Kendall enriches the action and assists with characterization, pulling the listening reader into the action.

AN EXCELLENT MYSTERY by Ellis Peters is just that an excellent mystery. Set in the days following the destruction of the Abbey of Hyde Meade an ailing monk and his companion arrive at Shrewsberry seeking shelter. The monk knows he is dying and seeks to be near his former home from whence he ventured as a warrior. His service in the armies of God are well known to the people of the area and the monks extend the arms to Brother Humilis and his companion.
A young man's diligent search for a missing nun exposes the fact that she never entered the cloister near the Abbey of Hyde Meade, but disappeared along with her substantial dowry.
Many are the twists to this enthralling tale before Brother Cadfael is able to unwind the threads that entwine an act of love and devotion without bringing disaster down on the inhabitants of his home.
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS

Open up almost any of Ellis Peters' Cadfael mysteries, and chances are that you'll find a romance circling around the heart of it -- good ones, bad ones, and occasionally weird ones. "An Excellent Mystery: The Eleventh Chronicle of Brother Cadfael" is a solid example of the third kind, centering on a powerful love affair, and the only downside is the occasional stretch of believability.

After the abbey at Winchester is burned down, two new monks arrive at Shrewsbury -- Brother Humilis, a famous ex-crusader, and Brother Fidelis, a mute young boy who follows him and cares for him. It also turns out that Humilis received some truly horrible wounds during the Crusades that are slowly killing him, and have left him basically castrated. Because of his injury, he ended his engagement to a rich young girl named Lady Julian and became a monk.

However, an old friend of his arrives at the abbey and asks for his blessing in wooing Julian... only to find that while her brother says she became a nun, there is no trace of her becoming one. Cadfael is brought into the investigation, with only some pieces of jewelry as the clues to where she has gone -- but it soon becomes clear that one of the monks is more than he appears.

This book ends with a marriage prayer, and honestly that isn't surprising. "An Excellent Mystery" revolves around marriage, thwarted love and how true love can be divorced from sex -- on one hand you have the deep love between Fidelis and Humilis, and on the other you have a bisexual monk's obsessions and with Rhun and Fidelis (which are all about physical attraction and rage, with no actual love).

And it's some of Peters' cleverest plotting since EVER: she brings in all sorts of unexpected twists and clues that seem to point towards a straightforward murder mystery, only to double the story back at the climax. And she writes in a rich, antiquated style that seems to match the mellow medieval setting, as well as some depictions of what happened to some of the crusaders who were less fortunate than Cadfael.

The one downside: the story's biggest twist (and the backstory behind it) stretch credibility to the snapping point. Without revealing too much, it's hard to imagine how two different characters could develop such passionate, true feelings for other people they had barely met. It's just too much.

However, Peters' characterizations are excellent -- the warm, paternal Cadfael sits in the middle of all these events, and we get to see some of his old warrior blood stirring. The well-named Humilis and Fidelis are powerful depictions of a dying, ruined warrior who has made peace with his impending death, and a quiet boy with a secret. And Brother Urien is a complex character as well -- Peters makes you both despise and pity him.

"An Excellent Mystery" is indeed an excellent mystery -- sweet, confusing, and a little too romantic for its own good. Not the best-known of Peters' Cadfael mysteries, but certainly worth reading.