Ellis Peters
Monk's Hood: The Third Chronicle of Brother Cadfael (1980)
Author: Ellis Peters
Genre: Mystery (Amateur Detective)/Historical)
Plot Summary:
As the civil war between King Stephen and Matilda the Empress Maud pushes southward away from Shrewsbury, a collective sigh of relief can be heard across the Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul -- a sigh that is particularly welcome as the Christmas holiday is fastly approaching, bringing with it the onset of winter. Brother Cadfael, the herbalist of the Benedictine abbey, is fastidiously preparing the elixirs and remedies so needed by the brotherhood during the cold season when news of an impending (yet unsealed) guestship agreement comes to light. In exchange for granting his manor, Mallilie, and land to the abbey, Gervase Bonel and his wife are to be given respite to live out the remainder of their lives under the care of the abbey. However, during a most unfortunate time that finds Abbot Heribert's abbey leadership in question, the sense of calm is short-lived, as Brother Cadfael is summoned to the aid of Bonel, who has taken ill and nearing death. Cadfael soon discovers that Bonel's eventual death was neither natural nor accidental. Quite the contrary, Bonel has been poisoned, and by the very oil of monk's-hood (also known as wolfsbane) that Cadfael mixed -- an oil powerfully good when applied topically to aid in joint pain, but extremely fatal if ingested, even in the smallest of doses. Suspicion soon falls upon Bonel's disinherited stepson Edwin Gurney, though, and Cadfael, ever doubtful of the suspect's guilt, sets off to find the real murderer. SPOILER: While it is quickly revealed that Gervase Bonel's wife, now widow, is none other than Richildis, affianced many years earlier to Cadfael before he left for the Crusades, the real motives behind the murder are slowly revealed as Bonel's history is uncovered. Despite the assumption that Bonel had no blood offspring (an assumption that aids the suspicion of his perceived heir by marriage, Edwin), it is discovered that Meurig, whose master is Richildis's daughter's husband, is the only child ever fathered by Bonel (born to Bonel's own maidservant, Angharad). Meurig's motivation for murder unveils itself during the book's denouement, as the reader learns of his desire to be heir-apparent of Mallilie, thereby ending the abbey's claim on the manor.
Geographical Setting: Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, UK
Time Period: 1138 C.E.
Series: Brother Cadfael Mysteries (Book 3)
Appeal Characteristics:
Fans of Ellis Peters (a pseudonym of Edith Pargeter) are unquestionably drawn to her books for their characterization and framing. In Brother Cadfael, we find an expert herbalist and astute observer of human nature, characteristics which clearly aid in solving so many of the puzzles in which he serendipitously becomes immersed. However, Cadfael is also a surprisingly complex protagonist -- a former soldier drawn to the cloister, existing in a dichotomous merger of the religious and the secular. Readers are clearly drawn to the familiarities present with the Cadfael character (despite his unusual and time-specific occupation). His is a fascinating, introspective, and sympathetic character, whose eccentricities are at once charming and quirky, yet recognizable and well developed, a somewhat warrior pluralist. Secondary characters are treated with no less care, be they secular or otherwise, offering both a foil to Cadfael's monkish charm, but also complementing the storyline with humor and detail. Through Richilidis, the reader discovers more of Cadfael's pre-cloistered life, and perhaps slowly reveals Cadfael's own motivations for becoming a Benedictine monk. Prior Robert's rigidity and selfishness present a more realistic vision of life in and amongst the abbey dwellers. Readers will also enjoy the well drawn teacher-student relationship between Cadfael and his young apprentice, Brother Mark. To be certain, Peters has framed a book with extensive details about 12th century monastic life. Historically accurate, with information spanning from politics, religion, and, medicine, to, in the case of this novel, more about early Welsh property law than the average reader might possess, Peters has created a compelling portrait of early English life. While some of the details of daily life might be somewhat romanticized, the tone is not, however, sanitized (rather, Peters simply does not dwell upon less-than-savory aspects). Moreover, she has created both a sensitive and understanding view of medieval life to which readers can relate, finding themselves mentally wandering the halls of the Shrewsbury abbey with relative ease. The gentle, multi-layered, and clearly character and setting centered story line will engage readers. There is plenty of action to be found here, but also much introspection and contemplation. Monk's-hood enjoys a calm, leisurely pace that most readers will enjoy. While some may find predictability in occasional plot twists, the measured yet relaxed approach overcomes any immediate need for intensity. Elegantly written in a most literary style, Peters has an incredible gift of making even the most detailed passages seem natural and conversational. Compelling and deliberate, readers will readily flock to this series, as Cadfael's character and the medieval setting are more fully fleshed out as the series progresses.
Read-alikes: Without question, fans of Monk's-hood will readily enjoy other titles in the Brother Cadfael series, which employ many of the same appeal elements. Start at the beginning with A Morbid Taste for Bones, which finds Cadfael immersed in Prior Robert's plan to retrieve the bones of an obscure saint in a rural Welsh village (the inhabitants' resistance to such naturally results in murder). Readers will no doubt enjoy the beginnings of Cadfael's character development and Peters' flair for all things historical. Readers seeking books set in medieval times with similar literary writing style but perhaps faster paced will likely enjoy Sharan Newman's Death Comes as Epiphany, which follows novice and scholar (and nun-in-training) Catherine LeVendeur in 12th century France as she sets out to find a forger and becomes embroiled in a murder mystery. For a similarly detailed historical mystery set in the Dark Ages and heavily dependent upon solid character development, readers would find Susanna Gregory's A Plague on Both Your Houses equally as compelling. Gregory's book finds physician Matthew Bartholomew and his monk colleague, Brother Michael, searching for the murderer of a man tied to a waterwheel, all while the Black Death fastly approaches. For another medieval mystery with no shortage of historical detail, an eccentric protagonist, and a decidedly measured pace, look no further than Margaret Frazer's The Bishop's Tale, which finds Sister Frevisse, a 15th century English nun, investigating the unlikely murder of a guest at her uncle's funeral. In Wine of Violence, author Priscilla Royal has created an historically accurate portrait of a 13th century English religious community, complete with a tone and atmospheric mood that reminds readers of the Cadfael mysteries. Readers will enjoy this incredibly well researched book which follows prioress Eleanor of Wynethorpe as she seeks the murderer of a beloved monk. Readers who enjoy the extensive information and details that abound in Monk's-hood as well as a character centered story line, but where a medieval setting is not a requirement, will find great satisfaction in Tony Hillerman's A Thief of Time, which follows Navajo Tribal Police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee as they investigate the disappearance of an anthropologist in the American Southwest.
Red Flags: Murder by poisoning, some mild innuendo concerning Gervase Bonel's sexual indiscretion
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