Books

An Excellent Mystery (The Cadfael Chronicles)
The Summer of the Danes (Cadfael Chronicles)
A Dead Giveaway (Inspector Thanet S.)
Second Inspector Thanet Omnibus: "Close Her Eyes", "Last Seen Alive", "Dead on Arrival" (Inspector Thanet S.)
Eavesdropper
Southern Cross
The Holy Thief (Cadfael Chronicles)
Blood Sinister (A Bill Slider Mystery)
Devil's Work
Dead Man Riding (A Nell Bray Mystery)
Cause for Concern
Ricochet
Night Sins
Cimarron Rose
A Thin Dark Line
Demolition Angel
Heartwood
Even the Wicked (A Matt Scudder Mystery)
A Stab in the Dark (Matt Scudder Mystery S.)
A Little Death
In the Midst of Death (Matt Scudder Mystery S.)
Single Shot: A Johnny Ace Crime Novel
A Walk Among the Tombstones (A Matt Scudder Mystery)
Innocent Victims (Pinnacle True Crime)
Getaway with Murder

An Excellent Mystery: The Eleventh Chronicle of Brother Cadfael

Average customer rating:

Peters' Most Excellent Mystery
A greater love
Disagree With A Review Posted
Peters plays fair
A Very Good Mystery

An Excellent Mystery: The Eleventh Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
Ellis Peters
Manufacturer: Mysterious Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

British Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Rose Rent (Brother Cadfael Mysteries)
The Heretic's Apprentice: The Sixteenth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
The Holy Thief: The Nineteenth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
Virgin in the Ice (Brother Cadfael Mysteries)
St. Peter's Fair: The Fourth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael

ASIN: 0446405329

Book Description

The year is 1141, and two monks have arrived in Shrewsbury after their abbey in Winchester is destroyed. Brother Humilis, who is very ill, and Brother Fidelis, who is mute, seek refuge at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Paul. From the moment he meets them, Brother Cadfael suspects that something deeper than their common vows binds the two brothers. As Brother Humilis's health fails, Brother Cadfael faces a crisis of belief as he must somehow distinguish between the innocent and the guilty. The author's Brother Cadfael mysteries are her most popular series, leading many fans to become pilgrims themselves - to Shropshire and the very real Abbey of Saint Peter and Paul at Shrewsbury.

Customer Reviews:

Peters' Most Excellent Mystery.......2006-03-25

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.

A greater love.......2006-02-28

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.

Disagree With A Review Posted.......2002-07-18

"... this story was most tedious and far-fetched. I couldn't believe that this young woman would do what she did for a man she hardly knew..."

I am currently reading The Crusades by Zoe Oldenbourg. From this book and others, the type of action taken by this young woman is very believable *FOR THE TIME*. Women worshipped heroic men and marriage was not a match for love, but for property. To put it in a more modern perspective, what if a young girl was told that in 10 years time she would be the wife of Harrison Ford or Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt or Kid Rock.

Certainly, she would spend much of her growing years yearning for every scrap of information and growing into a bond with the legend of him.

Peters plays fair.......2001-05-24

This is the first Brother Cadfael mystery i've read. It was, perhaps, not the most fortuitous choice i could have made; certainly it was rather different from my expectation. Part of the difference can, of course, be explained by the fact that i have seen some four or five of the adaptations starring Derek Jacobi, so despite my best efforts i interpreted everything i read through that filter, seeing the characters in my mind according to their development in the television shows. The murder/mystery is well plotted out, though simple not quite simplistic, and nicely both hidden and revealed. I can point to the exact paragraph, sentence even, i was reading when i suddenly knew ~ not through anything revealed in that paragraph ~ the solution; the rest was mere reading to prove myself correct and see how Peters would handle the results of the revelation. Though this was not what i expected, i shall read another Cadfael book, just to learn a little more about him, and to see if i can't erase Jacobi's excellent interpretation from my mind.

A Very Good Mystery.......2001-04-28

It is the late summer of 1141. The war between King Stephen and Empress Maud to decide who will rule England continues. As the fighting rages, the abbey in Winchester is destroyed and two of the displaced monks find their way to the Abbey of Saints Peter and Paul at Shrewsbury. Brother Humilis is a former crusader who is slowly dying of his wounds. He is accompanied by Brother Fidelis, a young mute who is devoted (for reasons unknown) to the care of Humilis. But their relationship is only one mystery. Another is what has happened to Julian Croce, a young woman fron a manor in the north of the shire who seems to have disappeared while on her way to join a convent near Winchester.

Peters books are a pleasure to read. She exhibits an elegant turn of phrase that. As someone else here has already remarked, she makes the "grim and gritty middle ages" sound like someplace you might actually want to live. And this is one of her better plots. I figured out what was going on about halfway through, but only because I got an unintentional hint from someone who had already read the book. Even so, it was a pleasure to watch the story unfold.

Elegant style and clever plotting aside, however, the story is a bit over-romanticized. For example, at one point Nicholas rides non-stop from Winchester to Shrewsbury, through both day and night and, finally, through a storm. He "must get his tale at once to the ears of authority" and he "dared not stop hating, or the remaining grief became more than he could stand." All this intense feeling over a girl he had only met once, three years earlier. Sorry if this makes me a chauvinist, but clearly this is a woman writing about how women wish men felt about them. This is the mystical ideal of chivalrous love. It isn't how a young man would really feel under such circumstances. This is typical of Peters and it doesn't really hurt the story, but it is a bit gushy and you can tell a woman wrote it. For a male reader, it's just a little over the top.

Peters is a charming writer. She paints a vivid, if somewhat romanticized, picture of life in the 1100's. Cadfael and the rest of her characters are congenial and her stories are light, but entertaining. The mysteries are sometimes a bit transparent, but not this one. This is one of her better ones. Cadfael fans will definitely enjoy it. Others should keep in mind that this is definitely a romantic mystery. Also, if you haven't read a Cadfael mystery before, you should consider starting at the beginning of the series. That said, I recommend "An Excellent Mystery" to those who like this type of story. It's better than most.

Average customer rating:

AN EXCELLENT MYSTERY. The Eleventh Chronicle of Brother Cadfael.
Ellis. Peters
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Co.,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N7G6Y4

Books:

Books