by Ellis Peters
Part of Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, book 13
First published 1986
Brother Cadfael faces a peculiar problem in the spring of 1142. The Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul must deliver one white rose to the widow Perle by June 22nd as rent for her donated house, or their contract becomes void. Late spring weather threatens to ruin the blooms entirely. When the roses finally appear, the abbey sends a devout monk to make the payment. He never returns alive. Cadfael discovers the monk murdered beside the destroyed rose bush, bloody petals scattered around the corpse. The herbalist monk knows that Perle's considerable dowry makes her an attractive prospect for remarriage, and her house adds significantly to her wealth. Before Cadfael can determine whether a fortune-seeking suitor committed this brutal act, a second crime occurs. Now he must navigate through complications more complex than the widow's rose garden to prevent additional deaths in this medieval mystery.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-detective, historical-setting, murder-investigation
Setting: Britain
Period: 20th Century, 1142
240 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Mysterious Press