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A review by catherine_t
A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters
4.0
If ever I'm asked which fictional detective I'd like to spend the day with, I'd pick Brother Cadfael. Cadfael is the protagonist of the series of novels by the late Ellis Peters, a Benedictine monk of the abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul in 12th-century Shrewsbury, England, an eminently sensible fellow with a great understanding of human nature, more so than most of his brethren.
In *A Morbid Taste for Bones,* the first in the series, Cadfael wangles his way into a pilgrimage to Wales, mostly on the basis that Prior Robert will need someone to translate for him, and as Cadfael is a Welshman born and bred, he's the obvious choice. The reason for the pilgrimage is that Brother Columbanus, a young and exceedingly devout monk, has been cured of a fit by the waters of Holywell, blessed by St. Winifred of Gwytherin, and Brother Jerome has had a vision that the relics of St. Winifred should come to the abbey at Shrewsbury. Prior Robert has been searching for a saint to bring pilgrims and glory to the abbey, so this seems to be an answer to their prayers. However, when they arrive in Gwytherin, the monks discover that St. Winifred isn't as neglected as they'd thought, and the entire town turns out to voice their opposition. But when the monks' main opponent turns up dead, Cadfael suspects a more earthly perpetrator.
The plot is in essence fairly straightforward and in the Golden Age "fair play" tradition, the reader can follow the clues along with the detective to reach the conclusion. I wavered until the revelation as to whom the murderer was, but in the end was satisfied. I won't give anything away here, of course; you'll have to read it for yourself. Suffice it to say, it's still a fairly surprising ending.
In *A Morbid Taste for Bones,* the first in the series, Cadfael wangles his way into a pilgrimage to Wales, mostly on the basis that Prior Robert will need someone to translate for him, and as Cadfael is a Welshman born and bred, he's the obvious choice. The reason for the pilgrimage is that Brother Columbanus, a young and exceedingly devout monk, has been cured of a fit by the waters of Holywell, blessed by St. Winifred of Gwytherin, and Brother Jerome has had a vision that the relics of St. Winifred should come to the abbey at Shrewsbury. Prior Robert has been searching for a saint to bring pilgrims and glory to the abbey, so this seems to be an answer to their prayers. However, when they arrive in Gwytherin, the monks discover that St. Winifred isn't as neglected as they'd thought, and the entire town turns out to voice their opposition. But when the monks' main opponent turns up dead, Cadfael suspects a more earthly perpetrator.
The plot is in essence fairly straightforward and in the Golden Age "fair play" tradition, the reader can follow the clues along with the detective to reach the conclusion. I wavered until the revelation as to whom the murderer was, but in the end was satisfied. I won't give anything away here, of course; you'll have to read it for yourself. Suffice it to say, it's still a fairly surprising ending.