by Ellis Peters
Part of Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, book 17
First published 1989
Brother Cadfael faces a disturbing discovery in August 1143 when workers plow the monastery fields. They uncover the remains of a woman buried in soil that once belonged to a local potter who has since joined their Benedictine order. The dead woman turns out to be the potter's beautiful young wife, who everyone believed had abandoned her husband and fled town. Now Cadfael must investigate whether his fellow monk committed murder. The medieval detective finds himself caught between loyalty to his religious community and his duty to uncover the truth. As he digs deeper into the case, Cadfael confronts the possibility that someone within the monastery walls is guilty of killing the woman. The investigation forces him to examine the complex motives that drive people to violence, even those who have supposedly devoted their lives to God.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-detective, loyalty-vs-duty
Setting: Monastery, Potter's Field
Period: August 1143
217 pages · Paperback · Mysterious Press