Behold a Pale Horse

Sister Fidelma #22

by Peter Tremayne

The brilliant new novel by the internationally bestselling author of the Sister Fidelma mystery series.

AD 664: Sister Fidelma finds herself in the seaport of Genua, en route from Rome back to her native Cashel. Her old teacher, Brother Ruadan, lies dying in the abbey of Bobium - an isolated abbey in a disturbed country where even the Christians are in bloody conflict with one another and the worship of the pagan gods often prevails. Fidelma is determined to see Brother Ruadan before he dies. But from the moment she enters the beautiful valley of the Trebbia, there is danger on every side. Her dying teacher's last words send her off on her most dangerous adventure where murder follows murder and a vicious civil war threatens before an extraordinary conspiracy is revealed. And from the start, Fidelma is on her own...

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Ireland, Medieval

370 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2011

About the author

Peter Berresford Ellis (born 10 March 1943) is a historian, literary biographer, and novelist who has published over 90 books to date either under his own name or his pseudonyms Peter Tremayne and Peter MacAlan. He has also published 95 short stories. His non-fiction books, articles and academic papers have made him acknowledged as an authority on Celtic history and culture. As Peter Tremayne, he is the author of the international bestselling Sister Fidelma mystery series. His work has appeared in 25 languages.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in 2011, and its the 3rd volume, chronologically wise but in total the 22nd, of the wonderful "Sister Fidelma" series.

The year is AD 664, and after her adventure in the Lateran Palace, Sister Fidelma finds herself in the port of Genua, and is on her way home to Cashel in Ireland.

But before she embarks on a ship, she hears that her old teacher, Brother Ruadán lies dying in the Abbey of Bobium.

Determined that she wants to see him before he dies, she sets off towards Bobium in a land that is ridden with conflict between the Christians themselves.

At the moment she enters the beautiful valley of the Trebbia, she will encounter danger from all sides, and after seeing her teacher and hearing his dying's words, Fidelma sets off into a world of conspiracy and murders, and right from the start she's on her own in this civil war.

What is to follow is an intriguing and amazing mystery, in which Sister Fidelma will excel in her cunning thinking and survival techniques, so much so that she's able to survive this very dangerous adventure in a land that is ridden with civil war from all sides in her own unique way.

Highly recommended, for this is another superb addition to this terrific series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Brilliant Sister Fidelma Adventure"!

[Viola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mana galvenā problēma ar vēsturiskajiem detektīviem, kuru darbība notiek viduslaiku klosterī - viss tiek salīdzināts ar Eko "Rozes vārdu". Tādēļ šis man likās diezgan garlaicīgs.

[Spuddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the books in this series can be hit or miss--it's a very long-lived series, so of course there are some repetition and similarity between them all. Sometimes they can be a bit predictable. I really loved the early ones, and it's probably the reason I enjoyed this one more than any of the more recent ones--it actually takes us back in time to events after Fidelma's time in Rome when she first met Brother Eadulf--who later becomes her husband. The plot was well done with lots of red herrings and plot twists. I think the author has also finally learned to back off a bit on the constant in-sentence translation. There is some of it, but it's not so obvious, and not at inappropriate times.

While stranded in Genua (modern day Genoa, Italy) due to a storm and her ship being disabled, Fidelma assists an elderly cleric who is attacked in the street and eventually travels with him to Trebbia Abbey when she finds out that her childhood mentor and teacher Brother Ruadan is there--and is not expected to live long. She ends up in the middle of a regional power struggle with several murders to solve, but having the disadvantage of not knowing the local language and customs and being a stranger in a strange land. She has none of the powers she enjoys as the daughter of a former King and as a daleigh (lawyer) there. Who can she trust? She has already been wrong about that more than once--but she needs help to confirm her suspicions.

[Danny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical mysteries may seem like a non-starter. After all, these days we have such an abundance of crime-based TV shows featuring technological wonders that you may wonder how many surprises a nun from ancient Ireland could possibly provide.

The answer, as you've probably guessed, is plenty. In the very first scene Sister Fidelma proves she can handle herself when attacked by a man holding a cudgel. She's in the city of Genua waiting for a ship back to her homeland when she sees two thugs following a monk down a dark alley. With Fidelma's assistance the monk survives and tells her he is from an Abbey founded by the same Irish saint who founded her order. Moreover, the brother who taught her in her youth is staying there now, though he is in very bad health. Fidelma decides to go visit her old teacher. What she learns when she arrives is that politics and religion are very much entwined in this corner of Europe, and she has to keep on her toes to keep from making too many enemies. Who can she trust? How can she stop the murders that start to pile up? And why is life so complicated in this little valley?

A complex mystery that includes a large cast of characters, some of whom are involved in a conspiracy that could change the entire way of life at the Abbey. Fortunately, Fidelma is there to save the day.

[Anna Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Many details on historical information I was unaware of. The more I read the more I wanted to read. I am quite sure I will read more of this series.

[Sunsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dieser Band müsste eigentlich Band 3 sein, obwohl er später erschienen ist, aber chronologisch gesehen gehört er dorthin. Fidelma und Eadulf kennen sich zwar schon und haben in zwei Fällen zusammen ermittelt (sind aber noch nicht verheiratet), aber während Eadulf in Rom blieb, macht sich Fidelma auf den Weg in die Heimat. Durch Zufall gerät sie an die Küste Genuas und von dort aus in die Abtei Bobium.

Auch dieses Cover ist wieder wunderschön gestaltet und passt hervorragend zu den anderen erschienenen Bänden. Allerdings ist mir ein Fehler aufgefallen: Das Zitat aus der Offenbarung und auch der Buchtitel lautet online überall "Und die Hölle folgte ihm nach" - gedruckt wurde der Titel auf dem Cover im Präsens 😉

Hier möchte ich explizit einmal die Übersetzer loben, denn in diesem Buch regiert der Genitiv 👍. Immer, wenn mir auffällt, dass der Dativ nicht dem Genitiv sein Tod ist, bin ich hoch erfreut. Überhaupt ist die Sprache in den Büchern dieser Reihe immer sehr gehoben und ausgefeilt. Detailliert werden Gegend und Figuren beschrieben, und als Leser hat man einen guten Überblick über die Geschehnisse.

Natürlich weiß der Historiker auch, wovon er spricht. Es erübrigt sich, seine Recherchen überprüfen zu wollen 😉 und wir profitieren von seinem Wissen.

Der Spannungsbogen ist anfangs eher niedrig. Es fiel auch etwas schwer, zu folgen, wo das noch alles hinführt, die vielen ungewohnten Namen taten ihr Übriges. Aber dann mit Häufung der Todesfälle nahm die Spannung zu, und es machte Spaß, der jungen Fidelma zu folgen, wie sie hinter die Geheimnisse kam...

Ich gebe 84/100 bzw. 08/10 Punkte.

https://sunsys-blog.blogspot.com/2023...

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series (Published): Sister Fidelma, 22

Series (Chronologically): Sister Fidelma, 3


This is the twenty-second installment in the Sister Fidelma medieval mystery series, but the action takes place after Shroud for the Archbishop which places it in the number 3 slot chronologically. It's the summer of 664 and Sister Fidelma finds herself stranded in Italy on her way home from the activity in Rome. The action in this story takes place in the then Abbey of Bobium (today's Abbey of Bobbio).

My Take
I do enjoy how precise Fidelma is. They certainly don't like Fidelma's questions!

All the controversy in this novel is over two things whether God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is truly three-in-one or if the Father is superior to the Son who is superior to the Spirit (the Arian belief). So typical of Man to be more worried about idiot details than the actual life s/he is living! The second issue is power. Who reigns, who dies.

A council of men chose one way belief and exiled all the others. With a change in rulers, came a change in which view was accepted with a reverse in who is exiled and so it goes, back and forth.

Fidelma's Irish upbringing intrigues the Italian nobles. They are so used to deference from all let alone from a woman. There's also an interesting discussion about the contrast between how rulers are created as well. I do much prefer the Irish way.

It doesn't feel as much like a mystery as a look at the history of the area, an exploration of the politics involved, and an examination of the differences in religious beliefs. The beliefs are actually a separate issue while the history definitely affects the politics. I also get a glimpse of the bandit lords who plagued the area of the Italian countryside for so many centuries.

["Longobard" was the original term between 568 and 774 A.D. for the Lombards.]

This was a very convoluted mystery and quite clever on Tremayne's part, the way in which he designed all the twists and turns. He must'a done a heap of research on the time period, the area, and the religious issues.

Why is Fidelma being so obtuse? Why isn't she questioning whether she was given an accurate translation of the woman's words? It seems so un-Fidelma-like.

The Story
Anxious for home after events in Shroud for the Archbishop , Fidelma cannot help her reaction to the men stalking an elderly religieux. It's pure chance that Magister Odo also knows Father Raduan, her teacher and the man she has loved as a father. When she hears of his condition, nothing will stop Fidelma from visiting him.

When she arrives at the Abbey of Bobium, she is warned of the evil that is in the valley, of the storm that is coming. That she should leave for her home NOW.

They don't know Fidelma well at all. Especially when murder is afoot.

The Characters
Sister Fidelma is also a princess of Chasel and a dálaigh, an Irish lawyer. She's heading home from events in Rome when her ship encounters difficulties and must put back to Genua.

Monks at the Abbey of Bobium include:
Magister Odo is a highly respected, scholarly monk whom Fidelma rescues from assassins in Genua. Brother Faro and Sister Gisa have come to escort him back to the abbey. They're also in love.

Abbot Servillius is in charge and is hated by Bishop Britmund who leads the Arian sect whereas the abbot abides by the Council of Nicaea. Other brothers include the Venerable Ionas, a scholar; Brother Wulfila is the steward; Brother Hnikar is their apothecary; Brother Ruadán is Hibernian and Fidelma's old teacher; Brother Lonán cares for the abbey's herb garden; Brother Eolann is their librarian and another traitor; Brother Waldipert is the cook; and, Brother Bladulf is the gatekeeper.

Radoald is the Lord of Trebbia and fights on the side of King Grimoald. Wulfoald is the commander of Radoald's armies and seems quite intelligent and competent. Suidor is Radaold's physician. Aistulf is a hermit in Trebbia.

Romuald is Prince of the Longobards, the son and heir of Grimoald. Lady Gunora is his loyal nurse and they have sought sanctuary at the abbey, poor souls. Lupus the Wolf, the Duke of Friuli, is Grimoald's regent while the king is in the field with his army.

Wamba is a goatherd in the wrong place as is his mother, Hawisa. Odo is Hawisa's nephew who takes on her goats and provides useful evidence.

Grasulf is the Lord of Vars and will sell his allegiance to him with the fattest money bag. Krakko is his jovial steward.

Perctarit was king before being overthrown by Grimoald and Perctarit adheres to the Nicaean decision, but accepts support from Arians. While Grimoald is an Aria, but allows both. The Lord of Turbigo is the brilliant Commander in Perctarit's army as well as a good strategist.

The Cover
It's a pale lime green cover right down to the Celtic knots forming the exterior side borders as well as the frame for the inset picture of a white horse caparisoned in gold-trimmed red on a green, grassy hillside high above the abbey and its Roman-built bridge. A shield of lightning and a laurel wreath rests against a protruding rock. The wreath makes sense, but it was a flaming sword mentioned in the book. Not lightning.

The title refers to the horse the murderer rides and is also a biblical reference for death: Behold a Pale Horse and the name that sat on him was death".

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having finished her work in Rome and waiting for a ship to take her home to Ireland, Sister Fidelma makes a pivot connection with fellow religieux in Genua. They share with her news about their community, including a recent attack on one of her old teachers, Brother Ruadan.

She decides to join the group, traveling to a remote abbey in northern Italy. And finds the abbey in the midst of danger, beyond the issues of the old pagan religion still alive in the community.

Then she visits her dying teacher and realizes the danger within and without the abbey. Soon there are multiple murders and growing fear of conspiracy. Can Sister Fidelma work through conflicting evidence and misdirection to the truth of what is happening? And can she stop it before the death toll grows?

Another intriguing historical tale and a multilayered, complicated mystery. Peter Tremayne's lead character, Sister Fidelma is a complex individual with very real emotions and feelings, and the issues she faces are ones that the reader can understand and emphasize.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This episode seemingly is out of order. At one point Fidelma is wishing Eadulf is with her, but at the end Tremayne discusses Eadulf as if the episode came immediately after the two met at the conference in Britain (vol. 1). She also never mentions her son. That confuses me still. — For a series that prides itself as being strictly chronological in presentation, this episode is off.

That being said, the history and description of ancient Italy is wonderful, and the plot twists and turns kept me enthralled. Characterizations in this episode are well thought out, and clearly the attitudes of the hot-blooded Italians is a nice contrast to the fair and logical Irish. It would be easy to pop a Montegue or a Capulet into this story, with their feuds and vendettas. I had fun romping in a new setting with Fidelma.

As always after finishing one of these mysteries, I am compelled to go on to the next volume. I think the next one is from 2011–episode 22.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really 3 1/2 *'s but I'll round up.
The mystery was enthralling and the text was, as usual superb. I enjoy the way the author makes the language work for us.
My main difficulty with this episode arises from two separate things that together made the book somewhat less enjoyable than others.
Problem 1: several character names were very similar; in some cases character names differed by one or two letters at the end of the name; at times these similarly named characters appeared in the same scene
Problem 2: although these characters appeared again and again as the story unfolded, their characteristics didn't seem well developed (if developed at all) making it even more difficult to keep track of what was going on
My amateur opinion is that if an author needs "throw away" characters that they should be given "throw away" names so they don't detract from the rhythm of the writing.
All this notwithstanding, I will continue reading this extraordinary series, avidly.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hadn't caught up with Sister Fidelma for a couple of years, so was delighted to find a newish selection that is set after Shroud for the Archbishop, one of the early novels in the series. As always, Peter Tremayne brings the far distant past to life in his vivid setting and activities of his characters. We find Sister Fidelma seething with boredom after her ship from Rome limps into an unscheduled port badly storm damaged. She hears that her old tutor / mentor is ill, possibly near death, in a distant village and decides she must see him again. On such spur-of-the-moment decisions are lives changed. Once she arrives in the valley housing her abbey destination, everything seems "off." Unfortunately, she fails to heed her sense of wrongness which ultimately spins her into danger and intrigue.

Behold a Pale Horse was a warm welcome back into the world of AD664+.

[Menno Beek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought four of the full length Fidelma mysteries in a thrift shop, curious, because I only read short stories on the wise sister. This was not a punishment to read, Tremayne keeps the plot going, the sister on her toes and the reader interested. I think I would like these books even better if they were like 250 pages long, instead of the 400 this one takes, because every now and then the pace might need a hand. It is on the other hand very much possible I'm to impatient. I will certainly read the other three I bought, because I like the sister and I like the smart way Tremayne teaches me early medieval European history between the lines. I knew of the Goths and the Arian heresy, but in this story they sort of come to live, Very nice.

[Doris Mahala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fidelma has just left Eadulf in Rome.
The story has been taken back to a time of adventure before Fidelma and Eadulf were ever to entertain the possibility of a temporary marriage of a year and a day.
She has stumbled on a brewing storm between 3 warring factions.
She has been kidnapped by a fellow county man!
The main question is this: will she be able to prove who killed her former teacher and someone who helped her to grow up as a princess?
Will she figure out where the gold came from and who will receive the wagon load of the gold?

[Martina Kovaříková · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the book is chronologically after the first books, it can be easily read on its own, with just few references to Fidelma's adventures in Rome. The story is set into her journey back home, when she visits her old, dying menthor, who suddely dies. Fidelma is then thrown into a rather complex story, where getting to the bottom of the truth is not as easy as it seems.
While the book certainly had its issues, overall I will say I enjoyed it, although at times I did find the story bit foncusing and sister Fidelma annoying.

[james irvine Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Revelation.

Another well told tale in which even Sister/The Lady Fidelma admits her arrogance and is just about as honest about her feelings for Brother Eadulf as her admission of arrogance. like all good mysteries I was still guessing between 3 characters as to whom the baddie was and even then I got it wrong. Not too many to read now but hopefully I will return to them when the sun shines on my part of Dalriada.

[Mieczyslaw Kasprzyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a time when I thought that the Sister Fidelma series was the bees knees but no longer. As the series went on I began to tire of the arrogance of the super-sleuth dalaigh. Her treatment of her lover, Brother Eadulf, became too much and I totally switched off. This book has been sat on my shelves for a few years now and I decided I ought to read it to see if my views have changed. The answer is no. In fact, I think the books have become too formulaic. This will be the last Sister Fidelma I shall read.

[Mary Helene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing is more damning than faint praise, eh? Others who know have told me that the research is carefully done but it was difficult to drag myself through these pages. "Confusing" would be the best one word summary. Too many characters who are alike, too much strategy, too little to recommend it.
The heroine says so herself on page 319 "She had nothing to do with the ambitions of the exiled King Perctarit nor those of Grimoald. She cared nothing about them." Neither do I.

[Ivan Ramos F · Rating 4 out of 5]

The events narrated in this novel take place after the SECOND book in the series, SHROUD FOR THE ARCHBISHOP set in Rome in the autumn of A.D. 664. So Fidelma leaves Eadulf in Rome and returns to Cashel, but her voyage is cut short due to some problems and she finds herself in the seaport of Genua having to wait for another ship to take her back to Ireland, and wait she does, but somehow she gets involved in another fascinating and dangerous mystery. No Eadulf this time.

[Randolph King · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 22nd book in the Sister Fidelma mystery series. Set in 664 AD, Sister Fidelma is returning from a trip to Rome. She finds herself on an island where she encounters an old mentor who is dying. But he had stumbled onto something that opened the door to murder, intrigue and conspiracies.

Not speaking the language, Fidelma is limited and manipulated by unknown agents. The story is very well told and compelling to the end.

[Boston64329 · Rating 3 out of 5]

There isn't any surprises here. By that I mean there is a main story with supporting intrigue, and murders and Sister Fidelma solving them all. I read this book in my quest to read the Sister Fidelma Mysteries in order. In previous book, her relationship with Brother Eadulf had matured to marriage and the birth of a son. Now Eadulf is only mentioned twice and only as if they had just met in Rome. Eadulf isn't list as one of the main characters at the begging of the book.

[Alayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has a very slow first three quarters of the book, which made me want to give up. The last quarter was very good, back to what I'm used to with this author. I think the absence of Fidelma's "sidekick", Eadulf, made it much harder as she had nobody to bounce her thinking off, and I also missed the interactions between the two. It got quite repetitive at times, and the well known saying, "Show, don't tell" very much applied here. At times I thought I was reading a textbook!

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction at it's BEST.
"Behold A Pale Horse" takes Fidelma to the Italian countryside where she solves a series of murders in the midst of a brewing local invasion, in AD 664. It is number 22 of the series, but is inserted retroactively to the time after Fidelma's trip to Rome where she solved a murder and was recognized by the Pope.

[Nance Roepke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the series and I liked this book. My big complaint is that it is out of order. I wish they had numbered this 2.5 instead of 22 because that would put it in the right order. So if you are just starting out in this series, read this after the Shroud of the Archbishop instead of in position 22. Otherwise it is a good book in the series as long as you forget everything you read before.

[Coleen Dailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Sister Fidelma books. She is the daughter and sister of a king, a nun, a lawyer and a mother. Hope I didn't give too much away. A strong woman who is much sought after for solving unusual crimes, she is sometimes led astray as she was in this book but always finds her way back to the truth. If you like Irish history this is a good series to get involved in.

[Cindie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was difficult to go backwards into Fidelma's past (before she is married). She is young and fallible and sees that her own arrogance allowed more deaths then she felt should have happened. This book is a good snapshot of the Italian Longoboards. As usual, a great read.

[Ana Elena Romero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Si bien al principio me parecía una novela muy lenta y tediosa, la novela da un giro sorprendente y alcanza un ritmo trepidante.
No defrauda. Es una gran serie con unos personajes muy bien definidos y unas tramas muy completas.

[Bonnijean Marley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fidelma gets entangled in a mystery in Italy. Even though she is at a disadvantage, she manages to solve everything by the end.

I enjoyed reading this. Every book teaches me a little bit about the middle ages.

[Shiela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though she stretches the imagination a bit, Fidelma is likable. But the real draw for me was the historical information that was scattered throughout the story.
This is my first of this series; I will certainly check into the beginning of the series.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This turned out to be the most complicated mystery for Fidelma to date. There were a lot of twists and turns, a few red herrings and a lame wrap up. I did like that this was a inbetween story for the early romance between Fidelma and Eadulf.

[Nancy Newton · Rating 3 out of 5]

War and strife, religious contention, it's all there plus a really complicated mystery you might not completely figure out until the end. The power struggles continue.