by Ellis Peters
Part of Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, book 1
Rating: 5.00 (1 ratings)
First published 1977
Brother Cadfael arrives in the Welsh mountain village of Gwytherin in 1137 with a mission from Shrewsbury Abbey. The ambitious abbey head wants to claim the sacred remains of Saint Winifred for his Benedictine order. As a native Welshman, Cadfael serves as translator between the monks and the rustic villagers. The townspeople split bitterly over whether to surrender their saint's relics. The leading voice against the proposal lies dead, killed by a mysterious arrow. Villagers whisper that Saint Winifred herself drew the bowstring in divine judgment. Cadfael knows better. A flesh and blood killer struck down the opposition leader. The monk must identify the murderer before the abbey's mission fails completely. His investigation threatens to expose secrets of love and justice that could destroy his own reputation and future in the order.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Gwytherin, Shrewsbury Abbey, Wales
Period: 1137
197 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Grand Central Publishing