An Excellent Mystery (Chronicles of Brother

Cadfael, #11) by Ellis Peters

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Original Title: An Excellent Mystery (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #11)

ISBN: 0446405329
ISBN13: 9780446405324
Autor: Ellis Peters
Rating: 4.4 of 5 stars (2675) counts
Original Format: Paperback, 224 pages
Download Format: PDF, TXT, ePub, iBook.
Published: October 1st 1997 / by Mysterious Press / (first published 1985)
Language: English
Genre(s):
Mystery- 315 users
Historical Fiction- 151 users
Fiction- 64 users
Historical- 60 users
Mystery >Crime- 45 users
Mystery >Historical Mystery- 42 users
Historical Fiction >Medieval- 41 users

Description:

In 1141, two monks have arrived in Shrewsbury from Winchester, where their abbey was
destroyed. Now Brother Humilis, who is very ill, and Brother Fidelis, who is mute, must seek
refuge at Shrewsbury. And from the moment he meets them, Brother Cadfael senses something
deeper than their common vows binds these two brothers. And as Brother Humilis's health fails,
Brother Cadfael faces a poignant test of his discretion and his beliefs as he unravels a secret so
great it can destroy a life, a future, and a holy order.

About Author:
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Jul 08, 2016

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Jul 02, 2016

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Other Editions:
- An Excellent Mystery (The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael Book 11)

- An Excellent Mystery (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #11)

- An Excellent Mystery (Chronicles Of Brother Cadfael)

- An Excellent Mystery (Cadfael, #11)

- Mistero doppio (Le indagini di fratello Cadfael, #11)

Books By Author:

- A Morbid Taste for Bones (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #1)

 - One Corpse Too Many (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #2)

- The Leper of Saint Giles (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #5)

- Monk's Hood (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #3)

- St. Peter's Fair (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #4)

Books In The Series:

- A Morbid Taste for Bones (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #1)

- One Corpse Too Many (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #2)

- Monk's Hood (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #3)

- St. Peter's Fair (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #4)

- The Leper of Saint Giles (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #5)

- The Virgin in the Ice (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #6)

- The Sanctuary Sparrow (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #7)

- The Devil's Novice (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #8)

 - Dead Man's Ransom (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #9)

- The Pilgrim of Hate (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, #10)

Related Books On Our Site:

- The Devil's Door (Catherine LeVendeur, #2)

- A Gift of Sanctuary (Owen Archer, #6)

- The Bishop's Tale (Sister Frevisse, #4)

 - The Subtle Serpent (Sister Fidelma, #4)

- Spy in Chancery (Hugh Corbett, #3)

- Persona Non Grata (Gaius Petreius Ruso, #3)

Rewiews:
Jun 08, 2012
Nancy
Rated it: really liked it
Shelves: mystery-thriller, historical
It's fitting that the middle book of the Cadfael series is the most unique. It's the only book of the
series in which no one is killed and the ubiquitous pair of young lovebirds is almost completely
absent. Instead of a murder mystery, it's a story of passion, loyalty, justice, service, and devotion.
The "excellent mystery" part doesn't kick in until a third to halfway through the book and isn't fully
explained until the end. All of the characters are passionate about something, for good or ill, It's
fitting that the middle book of the Cadfael series is the most unique. It's the only book of the series
in which no one is killed and the ubiquitous pair of young lovebirds is almost completely absent.
Instead of a murder mystery, it's a story of passion, loyalty, justice, service, and devotion. The
"excellent mystery" part doesn't kick in until a third to halfway through the book and isn't fully
explained until the end. All of the characters are passionate about something, for good or ill, and
some more obvious in their passion than others. It wasn't until a scene late in the book of Nicholas
single-mindedly seeking Hugh in the pouring rain that I realized he was displaying just as much
passion as poor Brother Urien, just about very different things.
The final act of the book is very moving and also brilliantly constructed, bringing each character's
tangled thread to a conclusion. Happy for some, bittersweet for others, but positive and hopeful all
around. And adroitly avoiding a huge scandal, too. Besides, any time mischievous Sister
Magdalen (introduced in book 5, The Leper of Saint Giles) is involved, I'm all in!
The theme of passion is reflected in the historical events of the time. King Stephen and his cousin
Empress Maud were fighting a heated civil war for the crown. The book is set in 1141 and readers
are direct and indirect witnesses to the burning of Winchester and Wherwell, the siege and route
of Winchester, the Empress's retreat from Queen Mathilda's armies, and the capture of Robert of
Gloucester. Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester and papal legate, is mentioned often and
appears in a brief scene with Nicholas.
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