The Subtle Serpent [Paperback]

Peter Tremayne (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur (1998)
• ASIN: B000OTI53Q
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

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

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lose yourself in the 7th century for a few hours. . ., December 29, 2000

By 

Mary Jacco - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Subtle Serpent: A Mystery of Ancient Ireland (Sister Fidelma Mysteries) (Paperback)

This is the fourth Sister Fidelma book I have read, and have yet to be disappointed! Though I am not a particularly big mystery fan, I am a fan of Celtic/Irish myth and legend. As Peter Tremayne, under his real name (maybe) of Peter Beresford Ellis, is a well-known authority on the ancient Celts, the stories carry an air of realism to the point that I feel I'm there when I read them, even to the extreme of feeling chilly when he describes the winters in Ireland of yore. As I live in south Florida, this is no mean feat!

Along with Ellis Peters in the Brother Cadfael series, Mr. Tremayne has a lock on the medieval sleuth genre. As with Ms. Peters, Mr. Tremayne adds just the right touch of reference to actual historical personages to give proper perspective, as well as to give them credibility. The twists of intrigue are historically accurate, as well as interesting and entertaining. And what the good sister can make of clues without the aid of a full 20th century forensics lab is asounding!

The characterizations are the work of a writer who truly understands the human condition. Sister Fidelma is not perfect, nor does she pretend to be. But she, and the other recurring characters, grow with the series. I cannot begin to describe the plot, as it takes so many twists and turns, but it unravels neatly, if you're of a mind to try to figure out who-dun-it before the good Sister does it for us.

As each book of the series builds on the previous ones, I would recommend that new readers begin with the first of the series, "Absolution by Murder". Each book is worthy of respect, though I must say that "The Subtle Serpent" is my favorite so far. I would recommend these books to anyone who loves mysteries, Irish history, both of the above, or just a good read!!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a captivating read, January 6, 2000

By 

B. Kelly (upstate NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Subtle Serpent: A Mystery of Ancient Ireland (Sister Fidelma Mysteries) (Paperback)

This was the fourth Sister Fidelma book I consumed as soon as I was able. I find the character and time fascinating. A long-time interest in Ireland, where my father's family was from, was ignited this summer by a trip to "Eireann". Sister Fidelma's adventures have kept the flame burning. I love the mention of places I'd seen. As a foreign language person, I appreciate the Latin and Irish thrown in to the dialog. The Subtle Serpent was an interesting blend of history and mystery. I like the characters developed in the book and Sister Fidelma's always insightful analysis! As a matter of fact, my interest in Sister Fidelma was so high, I read 3 more: TheSpider's Web, the Valley of Shadow and the Monk Vanished. Since some of them have not yet been published here in the US, I ordered them from Amazon.com.UK !

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Suspenseful and entertaining historical mystery!, January 10, 2007

By 

Snowbrocade (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Subtle Serpent: A Mystery of Ancient Ireland (Sister Fidelma Mysteries) (Paperback)

This fascinating historical mystery is set in Ireland in the year 666 AD. The author uses actual historical events as a backdrop for the story of Sister Fildelma, who is dalaigh, an advocate for the courts. In this capacity she is sent to investigate a murder at an abbey on the southwest coast of Ireland. During her investigation, several more murders are committed and Sister Fidelma becomes aware of local tensions and political machinations, as well as inappropriate behavior at the abbey.

This is a story that benefits from the excellent scholarship by the author who has thoroughly researched this historical setting. The time and place are vividly portrayed with lots of relevant and interesting details. The author is a capable writer with a talent for characterization and ability to build suspense. In addition, despite the fact that I have read none of the prior books in the series, I didn't feel lost by jumping in at the fourth book. However, I am intruiged enough to want to go back and start at the beginning!