The Monk Who Vanished: A Celtic Mystery [Hardcover]

Peter Tremayne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 11, 2001

In September of 666 A.D., an aged monk and a set of relics disappear during the night from the Abbey of Imleach. The missing monk is a matter of great concern for the abbey. But the relics are a disaster of a much higher order. They are the priceless holy relics of St. Ailbe, the man who, in the fifth century, brought Christianity to the Irish kingdom of Muman, converted and baptized it's king, and founded the abbey. The relics themselves are the political symbol of the entire kingdom and their disappearance threatens to disrupt its continued peace and stability.

On a visit to the Abbey of Imleach, Sister Fidelma, sister to Colgu, the current King of Muman, and an advocate of the Brehon Courts, is asked to investigate. With the help of her friend and traveling companion, the Saxon monk Brother Eadulf, Fidelma begins to slowly unravel the mystery behind the twin disappearances. But there are dark forces at work, which will stop at nothing - even murder - to achieve their aims.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In his seventh Sister Fidelma novel, Tremayne offers up a juicy plot, the rich details of which will appeal to those with an appetite for medieval minutiae. Those reluctant to wade through turgid dialogue trumpeted by stilted characters, however, should forgo this foray into intrigues abroad in seventh-century Munster, Ireland, involving multiple murders and an energetic sleuth. The relics of St. Ailbe have disappeared from the monastery of Imleach, as has their keeper, Brother Mochta. Meanwhile, political strife amid Celtic kingdoms brews, and hostilities smolder between monks who follow the Roman rite and those loyal to the distinctive observances of early Irish Christianity. Into this charged arena steps Sister Fidelma, an advocate in the law courts, determined to untangle the web of events that threaten the kingdom. Dealings with a stealthy merchant and greedy innkeeper, a bevy of busy monks and a host of warriors show Fidelma to be a woman of righteous compassion, polite and proud in equal measure, adroit in her reasoning and fastidious in her appraisal of evidence, tough when necessary and tender, too. Because Fidelma remains cloaked in the heavy mantle of her many virtues, however, she never comes fully alive. Her oddly modern spiritual sensibilitiesAshe's dismissive of the potent power of relics and given to outspoken interreligious proclamations regarding pagan practicesAalso jar. That's too bad: there are the bones of a compelling mystery here. (Jan. 11)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Seventh-century sleuth Sister Fidelma returns in another exquisitely crafted historical caper. When her brother, the king of the Muman province of Ireland, narrowly escapes an assassin's arrow, Fidelma undertakes a physically and emotionally perilous investigation into the treasonous crime. Linking the murder attempt to both the disappearance of a monk and the attempted theft of the Holy Relics that serve as significant religious and political symbols for the citizens of Muman, she uncovers a plot that threatens to undermine the integrity of the entire kingdom. Acting in her capacity as an advocate of the Brehon law courts, Fidelma utilizes her considerable knowledge of national history and the sophisticated Irish legal system to expose a disgruntled prince eager to create and fill a power vacuum. Tremayne continues to provide a superior brand of medieval mystery that equals the^B best of Ellis Peters. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1st edition (January 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312242190
• ISBN-13: 978-0312242190
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,005 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Peter Tremayne is the fiction pseudonym of Peter Berresford Ellis, a renowned Celtic scholar who has written over 30 books on the Ancient Celts and the Irish. As Tremayne, he is best known for his stories and novels featuring 7th century Irish religieuse Fidelma of Cashel. He lives in London.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Monk Who Vanished, January 12, 2001

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Monk Who Vanished: A Celtic Mystery (Hardcover)

The stakes are high indeed in this seventh installment in the Sister Fidelma mystery series, because this time she is fighting to protect her brother's claim to the kingship of Murman.

The Ui Fidgente, a major clan of Murman, have been adversaries of Cashel for a long time, and indeed they have long challenged Cahsel's right to the kingship of Murman, refusing to pay tribute. Now however the current prince of Ui Fidgente, has decided to put all the bad blood between the two clans behind him and to negotiate a treaty of peace with Cashel. To this end, he and his retinue have come to Cashel in a gesture of goodwill in order to hammer out some form of an agreement. However, just as the two princes are about to exchange greetings, an unknown bowman shoots at them, wounding both men. He is later found dead, wearing the emblem of the Golden Chain, which identifies him as a member of Cashel's elite bodyguard. This proves to be a bad sign for Fidelma's brother, for if he is found guilty of the attempt of the prince of Ui Fidengente's life, the kingship of Murman would then be forfeit to the Ui Fidengente! Another bad sign: in the abbey at Imleach, the relics of the holy man Ailbe, has been stolen. Legend has it that if ever the relics were stolen then the kingship of Murman would fall from Cashel and chaos would ensue. It looks as if the two incidents are tied and that Fidelma will have to do some rather nifty detective work to discover who exactly is behind this move to take the throne away from her brother and start a war.

This historical mystery series is a really good one even if Peter Tremayne's writing style is a little to dense and dry. However he has struck gold in his creation of Sister Fidelma. In Fidelma, Tremanyne has created a brilliant and charming heroine, with a thirst to see justice done and set things right. The plot of this mystery novel is intriguing and a little convoluted, full of red herrings and sub-plots that have sometimes very little to do with the actual problem at hand. However the final denouncement where Fidelma finally lays all her cards on the table makes everything worthwhile: the somewhat dry and dense prose, the convoluted plot with all its red herrings, and the somewhat ranting style of communication that nearly everyone save Fidelma and Brother Eadulf seem to employ. A book well worth reading inspite of the few nit-picking problems I had with it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical mystery, December 29, 2000

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Monk Who Vanished: A Celtic Mystery (Hardcover)

The seventh century in Europe became known as the Dark Ages yet Ireland remained a beacon of light where learning and enlightenment continued unabated. Rulers from around the known world sent their leading scholars to learn so that they could return home and educate the leaders. Women were treated as equals and even held office in the church. Sister Fidelma, daughter of a king and sister of the current monarch, is both a religieuse and an advocate of the law.

Long time enemies the Prince of Vi Fidgente and Colgu of Cashel the King of Muman seek a truce. As they near Colgu's home, an assassin hits both men with arrows. The Prince's men kill the culprit before anyone can question him. The King and the Prince accuse each other of duplicity and attempted murder. Unless Sister Fidelma can prove otherwise, her regal brother will be considered guilty and punished under Irish law. However, the clues take her to the Abbey of Imleach where a monk and relics connected to the case are missing with little hope of eminent discovery.

THE MONK WHO VANISHED is a fascinating mystery filled with unexpected twists that often lead to false clues and the wonderful Sister Fidelma, sleuth extraodinaire. However, the true beauty of the tale lies in the descriptions of seventh century Irish life as seen through the eyes of the religious and aristocratic leaders. Peter Tremayne is a gifted storyteller who provides his audience with a vivid view as if the reader is actually there. Even after a delightful decade of the Sister's stories, the latest entry remains fresh and hopefully means the start of another decade of tremendous historical mysteries from Mr. Tremayne.

Harriet Klausner

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This was worth waiting for!, January 29, 2001

By 

Leah Houghton (Atascadero, Ca United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Monk Who Vanished: A Celtic Mystery (Hardcover)

As an avid reader of the Sister Fidelma books I was more than pleasantly surprised by The Monk Who Vanished. It kept me guessing from the start with unexpected twists and turns.

Fidelma's world is brought to life in this seventh installment in the mystery series. This is a highly personal adventure for her with her brother's kingdom at stake. As always there is more than meets the eye in this adventure. With all of the sub-stories Tremayne keeps you guessing as to whether it will all come together in the end or if they are separet mysteries unto themselves. With everything thrown at her, Fidelma keeps her cool and saves the day with her wit and incredibly sharp mind.

This was a story well worth waiting for. I eagerly await the next installment!