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Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #4-6
The Second Cadfael Omnibus
The second omnibus edition of Ellis Peters' compulsive and bestselling mediaeval whodunnits.
Saint Peter's Fair: The great annual Fair of Saint Peter at Shrewsbury, a high point in the city's calendar, attracts merchants from far and wide to do business. But when an unseemly quarrel breaks out between the local burghers and the monks from the Benedictine monastery, a riot ensues. Afterwards a merchant is found dead - and Brother Cadfael is summoned from his peaceful monastery herb-garden to test his skills as a detective once more.
The Leper of Saint Giles: A marriage has been arranged between an ageing nobleman and a very young woman, ill-matched as January and May, but coerced by greedy guardians. Both parties arrive in Shrewsbury, with escorts suitable to their rank. A savage killing calls Brother Cadfael from his herbarium, and leads him to the leper house of Saint Giles - a sanctuary for the sick, but also a possible refuge for the hunted man...
The Virgin in the Ice: Winter 1139, and raging civil war has sent many refugees fleeing north from Worcester, among them two orphans of a noble family and their companion, a nun. But they seem to have disappeared somewhere in the wild winter landscape of frost and snow - and Cadfael sets out to find them.
Saint Peter's Fair: The great annual Fair of Saint Peter at Shrewsbury, a high point in the city's calendar, attracts merchants from far and wide to do business. But when an unseemly quarrel breaks out between the local burghers and the monks from the Benedictine monastery, a riot ensues. Afterwards a merchant is found dead - and Brother Cadfael is summoned from his peaceful monastery herb-garden to test his skills as a detective once more.
The Leper of Saint Giles: A marriage has been arranged between an ageing nobleman and a very young woman, ill-matched as January and May, but coerced by greedy guardians. Both parties arrive in Shrewsbury, with escorts suitable to their rank. A savage killing calls Brother Cadfael from his herbarium, and leads him to the leper house of Saint Giles - a sanctuary for the sick, but also a possible refuge for the hunted man...
The Virgin in the Ice: Winter 1139, and raging civil war has sent many refugees fleeing north from Worcester, among them two orphans of a noble family and their companion, a nun. But they seem to have disappeared somewhere in the wild winter landscape of frost and snow - and Cadfael sets out to find them.
560 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
Ellis Peters
189 books1,182 followersA pseudonym used by Edith Pargeter.
Edith Mary Pargeter, OBE, BEM was a prolific author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translations of Czech classics; she is probably best known for her murder mysteries, both historical and modern. Born in the village of Horsehay (Shropshire, England), she had Welsh ancestry, and many of her short stories and books (both fictional and non-fictional) were set in Wales and its borderlands.
During World War II, she worked in an administrative role in the Women's Royal Naval Service, and received the British Empire Medal - BEM.
Pargeter wrote under a number of pseudonyms; it was under the name Ellis Peters that she wrote the highly popular series of Brother Cadfael medieval mysteries, many of which were made into films for television.
Edith Mary Pargeter, OBE, BEM was a prolific author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translations of Czech classics; she is probably best known for her murder mysteries, both historical and modern. Born in the village of Horsehay (Shropshire, England), she had Welsh ancestry, and many of her short stories and books (both fictional and non-fictional) were set in Wales and its borderlands.
During World War II, she worked in an administrative role in the Women's Royal Naval Service, and received the British Empire Medal - BEM.
Pargeter wrote under a number of pseudonyms; it was under the name Ellis Peters that she wrote the highly popular series of Brother Cadfael medieval mysteries, many of which were made into films for television.
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August 10, 2026
The Brother Cadfael omnibuses (of which there are seven and that The Second Cadfael Omnibus contains Saint Peter's Fair, The Leper of Saint Giles and The Virgin in the Ice totally unabridged) are large format but more than decently portable. And yes, these compilations, they are set up in a nicely user-friendly manner (readable, with a decently sized font and a colour contrast that makes perusal a total reading pleasure and never a strain on my ageing eyes). Warmly and most highly recommended, and for me, reading (and also often rereading Ellis wonderful Brother Cadfael stories in these omnibuses), this totally makes me hugely smile.
SAINT PETER'S FAIR
While that in Ellis Peters' Saint Peter's Fair there are multiple murders has always bothered me a just wee bit (for one of the best parts of the Brother Cadfael series to and for me actually is that unlike so many historic mysteries, Peters does not usually have too much of a body count present in her novels), I do realise that the two supplemental murders in Saint Peter's Fair post the demise of Thomas of Bristol are actually essential for both the development and moving along of the plot, of the storyline itself and also and importantly for once and for all clearing the name of the individual who had been originally accused of Thomas of Bristol's death and jailed for this (although truth be told, I for one never from the square one so to speak assumed that Philip Corviser was guilty and always did find Ivo Corbière simply too good to be true, too slick and too creepy in an arrogant way).
But aside from my very minor quips regarding more than one body, more than one murder in Saint Peter's Fair, this is probably one of my favourites of the early Brother Cadfael novels. For yes indeed, aside from the realistic portrait of 12th century Mediaeval England (and of a typical church-run and organised fair) which Peters delightfully and descriptively paints (not to mention the historical details on the Civil War between King Stephen and the Empress Maud), I also and totally absolutely do adore both Brother Cadfael and Hugh Beringar as characters and how Ellis Peters shows in Saint Peter's Fair the ever strengthening bond of friendship and comradeship between the two of them, and yes, how first and foremost Hugh Beringar is for justice, law and order but also does not really ever impose his being King Stephen's man on everyone and therefore does not for example even expect Brother Cadfael to choose sides in the conflict between Stephen and Maud either. And even though Hugh Beringar in Saint Peter's Fair quickly realises that Emma Verold knows more about why her uncle Thomas might have been murdered and that it has likely something to do with the civil war, with clandestine messages and subterfuge, Hugh never is anything but both civil and even affectionate towards her, he does not put Emma in distress (and after her being rescued from Ivo Corbière's clutches by Philip, Hugh backs off, leaves Emma alone and to Brother Cadfael's care).
And indeed, it is the differences in ESPECIALLY Hugh Beringar's character in the BBC mini-series adaptation of Saint Peter's Fair from Ellis Peters' printed words, from her actual text that have made me stop watching the series in both anger and frustration. For in the BBC production of Saint Peter's Fair, especially Hugh Beringar, he is shown like a total little dictator in many ways, not only completely pro King Stephen but as also generally decidedly unfriendly towards Brother Cadfael (and even rather too often accusing him of interfering and of not being loyal enough) and certainly downright cruelly nasty towards Emma Jerold (all because he feels as though she has not told everything she knows). And in fact and in my opinion, the BBC adaptation of Saint Peter's Fair basically takes almost everything humane and likeable out of Hugh Beringar and renders him into just a goose-stepping political functionary, a for the most part one-sided individual, not at all like the actual Hugh Beringar of Ellis Peters' Cadfael novels but in fact rather appearing like how in the Brother Cadfael series, Gilbert Prescote, the Sheriff for Shropshire and Hugh's boss so to speak is usually being presented (and considering that I have always found Gilbert Prescott an interestingly rendered but personally unattractive and extremely unlikable character, I do find it rather personally offensive that the BBC dramatisation of Saint Peter's Fair basically has turned one of my absolutely favourite characters of the Cadefael novels into another, how in the BBC series instalment of Saint Peter's Fair, Ellis Peters' sweet-natured, justice-oriented and personally likeable Hugh Beringar basically has ended up morphing into a Gilbert Prescote like stereotypical and as such also very much boring and tediously unlikable authority figure).
THE LEPER OF SAINT GILES
While many of my Goodreads friends seem to consider The Leper of Saint Giles (the fifth of Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael series) as a favourite, personally, I have always found especially the presented mystery of The Leper of Saint Giles just a bit too frustratingly predictable. For indeed, the entire scenario in The Leper of Saint Giles of the enforced and problematic marriage of a young and orphaned heiress to a nasty man old enough to be her father, said person's murder and of course the young heiress's secret love interest being wrongfully accused and that the main villain finally turns out to be someone whom both the heiress and her lover had always considered a friend and ally, this is in my opinion a bit of an all too common historic mysteries theme and one that I have in fact and actually read in far far too many such incarnations over the years.
Therefore, I guess that I definitely do much prefer those Brother Cadfael novels, where Ellis Peters presents imaginatively novel and not so annoyingly tried and true standard mysteries (as that is actually one of the main reasons why many of the instalments in the Brother Cadfael series have always so much appealed to me). And yes, The Leper of Saint Giles has thus and truth be told, just been too similar to other Mediaeval mysteries I have had the chance to peruse for me to consider this tale all that truly special on a personal and reading pleasure level (even though I do of course and once again love love love how Ellis Peters so realistically sets her historic time and place, her general atmosphere and that in The Leper of Saint Giles we as readers are also treated to a delightfully realistic portrait of 12th century leper hospitals, reading about the lives of the afflicted, incarcerated patients and their caretaker monks, and in The Leper of Saint Giles, this of course being Cadfael's erstwhile assistant Brother Mark).
Combined with the fact that I also always do in the Brother Cadfael series prefer to encounter sub-sheriff Hugh Beringar as the main secular authority instead of (and like in The Leper of Saint Giles) sheriff Gilbert Prescote, who just is not all that likeable and personally approachable (albeit I do appreciate that in The Leper of Saint Giles, Prescote is depicted and presented by Ellis Peters as while not someone all that friendly and not as someone who could like Hugh Beringar ever become Brother Cadfael's close friend and companion, still as an inherently fair and just individual, who, as soon as he is given the necessary evidence by Brother Cadfael that Jocelyn Lucy could not have murdered Huon de Domville, readily and willingly accepts this and no longer considers Jocelyn his main suspect), I generally tend to consider The Leper of Saint Giles as a decent enough mystery and a worthy instalment in the Brother Cadfael series, but also not a story which I would ever want to read over and over again, not a four or five star offering from Ellis Peters' pen, but just a rather standard and a trifle unspectacular three star work.
THE VIRIGN IN THE ICE
Although when I first read Ellis Peters' sixth Brother Cadfael novel, when I perused her The Virgin in the Ice in 1986, it rapidly became one of my then favourites of the series, rereading The Virgin in the Ice has proven to be a trifle frustrating. For although and of course Peters does in The Virgin in the Ice (and like in all of her novels of Brother Cadfael) once again brilliantly and realistically bring the 12th century AD British Civil War between Stephen and Mathilda (Maud) descriptively and atmospherically to life, I also have found that in The Virgin in the Ice, there are for one far too many strange coincidences and that for two (at least for me), there also is a bit too much murder and mayhem, too much killing happening. For while of course the Brother Cadfael series are historical mysteries and therefore will naturally feature dead bodies, usually Ellis Peters at least in my opinion tends to steer away from presenting too much of a body count. And albeit The Virgin in the Ice is thankfully not awash with blood and with one body after the other appearing, there is still too much of an emphasis on the latter for me to feel totally comfortable and for me to equally consider The Virgin in the Ice as still being a favourite.
And truth be told, while I did and do find the advent of Olivier de Bretagne both interesting and personally satisfying (and that yes, I did manage to guess what his relationship with and to Brother Cadfael is even before the latter, even before Cadfael himself makes said connection), the manner in which Olivier suddenly appears basically out of the blue so to speak in The Virgin in the Ice and clandestinely helps Hugh Beringar and Brother Cadfael with locating and securing Yves and Ermina Hugonin, while yes, necessary and indeed even important for the continuation of the Brother Cadfael series as a whole, this does at least to and for my reading eyes now tend to feel a bit like a deus ex machina. As come on, in many ways, Olivier de Bretagne basically swoops down like some kind of fairy tale hero knight, making sure by his actions and deeds that The Virgin in the Ice has a positive conclusion, that the Hugonin children are found safe, that the lawless killers terrorising the area are routed, and yes, even that Sister Hilaria's murder is adequately solved (for without Olivier's heroics, in my opinion, Evrard Botterel's crimes would probably not ever have totally come to the surface, as Brother Cadfael could only match Botterel's horse with the mane hair he had collected after Olivier had helped them destroy the villains plundering and pillaging the area and to have then secured the livestock taken by them, including Botterel's horse). And therefore, but three stars for The Virgin in the Ice, but still rather highly recommended and indeed, since Olivier de Bretagne does becomes an important part of Brother Cadfael's life, one really should read The Virgin in the Ice (and yes indeed, before reading both The Pilgrim of Hate and even more so the last novel of Ellis Peters's Brother Cadfael series, Brother Cadfael's Penance).
SAINT PETER'S FAIR
While that in Ellis Peters' Saint Peter's Fair there are multiple murders has always bothered me a just wee bit (for one of the best parts of the Brother Cadfael series to and for me actually is that unlike so many historic mysteries, Peters does not usually have too much of a body count present in her novels), I do realise that the two supplemental murders in Saint Peter's Fair post the demise of Thomas of Bristol are actually essential for both the development and moving along of the plot, of the storyline itself and also and importantly for once and for all clearing the name of the individual who had been originally accused of Thomas of Bristol's death and jailed for this (although truth be told, I for one never from the square one so to speak assumed that Philip Corviser was guilty and always did find Ivo Corbière simply too good to be true, too slick and too creepy in an arrogant way).
But aside from my very minor quips regarding more than one body, more than one murder in Saint Peter's Fair, this is probably one of my favourites of the early Brother Cadfael novels. For yes indeed, aside from the realistic portrait of 12th century Mediaeval England (and of a typical church-run and organised fair) which Peters delightfully and descriptively paints (not to mention the historical details on the Civil War between King Stephen and the Empress Maud), I also and totally absolutely do adore both Brother Cadfael and Hugh Beringar as characters and how Ellis Peters shows in Saint Peter's Fair the ever strengthening bond of friendship and comradeship between the two of them, and yes, how first and foremost Hugh Beringar is for justice, law and order but also does not really ever impose his being King Stephen's man on everyone and therefore does not for example even expect Brother Cadfael to choose sides in the conflict between Stephen and Maud either. And even though Hugh Beringar in Saint Peter's Fair quickly realises that Emma Verold knows more about why her uncle Thomas might have been murdered and that it has likely something to do with the civil war, with clandestine messages and subterfuge, Hugh never is anything but both civil and even affectionate towards her, he does not put Emma in distress (and after her being rescued from Ivo Corbière's clutches by Philip, Hugh backs off, leaves Emma alone and to Brother Cadfael's care).
And indeed, it is the differences in ESPECIALLY Hugh Beringar's character in the BBC mini-series adaptation of Saint Peter's Fair from Ellis Peters' printed words, from her actual text that have made me stop watching the series in both anger and frustration. For in the BBC production of Saint Peter's Fair, especially Hugh Beringar, he is shown like a total little dictator in many ways, not only completely pro King Stephen but as also generally decidedly unfriendly towards Brother Cadfael (and even rather too often accusing him of interfering and of not being loyal enough) and certainly downright cruelly nasty towards Emma Jerold (all because he feels as though she has not told everything she knows). And in fact and in my opinion, the BBC adaptation of Saint Peter's Fair basically takes almost everything humane and likeable out of Hugh Beringar and renders him into just a goose-stepping political functionary, a for the most part one-sided individual, not at all like the actual Hugh Beringar of Ellis Peters' Cadfael novels but in fact rather appearing like how in the Brother Cadfael series, Gilbert Prescote, the Sheriff for Shropshire and Hugh's boss so to speak is usually being presented (and considering that I have always found Gilbert Prescott an interestingly rendered but personally unattractive and extremely unlikable character, I do find it rather personally offensive that the BBC dramatisation of Saint Peter's Fair basically has turned one of my absolutely favourite characters of the Cadefael novels into another, how in the BBC series instalment of Saint Peter's Fair, Ellis Peters' sweet-natured, justice-oriented and personally likeable Hugh Beringar basically has ended up morphing into a Gilbert Prescote like stereotypical and as such also very much boring and tediously unlikable authority figure).
THE LEPER OF SAINT GILES
While many of my Goodreads friends seem to consider The Leper of Saint Giles (the fifth of Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael series) as a favourite, personally, I have always found especially the presented mystery of The Leper of Saint Giles just a bit too frustratingly predictable. For indeed, the entire scenario in The Leper of Saint Giles of the enforced and problematic marriage of a young and orphaned heiress to a nasty man old enough to be her father, said person's murder and of course the young heiress's secret love interest being wrongfully accused and that the main villain finally turns out to be someone whom both the heiress and her lover had always considered a friend and ally, this is in my opinion a bit of an all too common historic mysteries theme and one that I have in fact and actually read in far far too many such incarnations over the years.
Therefore, I guess that I definitely do much prefer those Brother Cadfael novels, where Ellis Peters presents imaginatively novel and not so annoyingly tried and true standard mysteries (as that is actually one of the main reasons why many of the instalments in the Brother Cadfael series have always so much appealed to me). And yes, The Leper of Saint Giles has thus and truth be told, just been too similar to other Mediaeval mysteries I have had the chance to peruse for me to consider this tale all that truly special on a personal and reading pleasure level (even though I do of course and once again love love love how Ellis Peters so realistically sets her historic time and place, her general atmosphere and that in The Leper of Saint Giles we as readers are also treated to a delightfully realistic portrait of 12th century leper hospitals, reading about the lives of the afflicted, incarcerated patients and their caretaker monks, and in The Leper of Saint Giles, this of course being Cadfael's erstwhile assistant Brother Mark).
Combined with the fact that I also always do in the Brother Cadfael series prefer to encounter sub-sheriff Hugh Beringar as the main secular authority instead of (and like in The Leper of Saint Giles) sheriff Gilbert Prescote, who just is not all that likeable and personally approachable (albeit I do appreciate that in The Leper of Saint Giles, Prescote is depicted and presented by Ellis Peters as while not someone all that friendly and not as someone who could like Hugh Beringar ever become Brother Cadfael's close friend and companion, still as an inherently fair and just individual, who, as soon as he is given the necessary evidence by Brother Cadfael that Jocelyn Lucy could not have murdered Huon de Domville, readily and willingly accepts this and no longer considers Jocelyn his main suspect), I generally tend to consider The Leper of Saint Giles as a decent enough mystery and a worthy instalment in the Brother Cadfael series, but also not a story which I would ever want to read over and over again, not a four or five star offering from Ellis Peters' pen, but just a rather standard and a trifle unspectacular three star work.
THE VIRIGN IN THE ICE
Although when I first read Ellis Peters' sixth Brother Cadfael novel, when I perused her The Virgin in the Ice in 1986, it rapidly became one of my then favourites of the series, rereading The Virgin in the Ice has proven to be a trifle frustrating. For although and of course Peters does in The Virgin in the Ice (and like in all of her novels of Brother Cadfael) once again brilliantly and realistically bring the 12th century AD British Civil War between Stephen and Mathilda (Maud) descriptively and atmospherically to life, I also have found that in The Virgin in the Ice, there are for one far too many strange coincidences and that for two (at least for me), there also is a bit too much murder and mayhem, too much killing happening. For while of course the Brother Cadfael series are historical mysteries and therefore will naturally feature dead bodies, usually Ellis Peters at least in my opinion tends to steer away from presenting too much of a body count. And albeit The Virgin in the Ice is thankfully not awash with blood and with one body after the other appearing, there is still too much of an emphasis on the latter for me to feel totally comfortable and for me to equally consider The Virgin in the Ice as still being a favourite.
And truth be told, while I did and do find the advent of Olivier de Bretagne both interesting and personally satisfying (and that yes, I did manage to guess what his relationship with and to Brother Cadfael is even before the latter, even before Cadfael himself makes said connection), the manner in which Olivier suddenly appears basically out of the blue so to speak in The Virgin in the Ice and clandestinely helps Hugh Beringar and Brother Cadfael with locating and securing Yves and Ermina Hugonin, while yes, necessary and indeed even important for the continuation of the Brother Cadfael series as a whole, this does at least to and for my reading eyes now tend to feel a bit like a deus ex machina. As come on, in many ways, Olivier de Bretagne basically swoops down like some kind of fairy tale hero knight, making sure by his actions and deeds that The Virgin in the Ice has a positive conclusion, that the Hugonin children are found safe, that the lawless killers terrorising the area are routed, and yes, even that Sister Hilaria's murder is adequately solved (for without Olivier's heroics, in my opinion, Evrard Botterel's crimes would probably not ever have totally come to the surface, as Brother Cadfael could only match Botterel's horse with the mane hair he had collected after Olivier had helped them destroy the villains plundering and pillaging the area and to have then secured the livestock taken by them, including Botterel's horse). And therefore, but three stars for The Virgin in the Ice, but still rather highly recommended and indeed, since Olivier de Bretagne does becomes an important part of Brother Cadfael's life, one really should read The Virgin in the Ice (and yes indeed, before reading both The Pilgrim of Hate and even more so the last novel of Ellis Peters's Brother Cadfael series, Brother Cadfael's Penance).
June 21, 2020
I planned to read one story, then shift to another book before returning to story two, then repeat the process for story three. However, I could not stop reading the book! I was completely and happily absorbed from the first page to the last.
favorite passages:
"Cadfael's fragrant domain, dewy from the dawn and already warming into drunken sweetness in the rising sun ...." page 10
"Under the eaves of the workshop the dangling bunches of dried leafage rustled and chirped like nests of singing birds in waves of warmed air ...." page 175
favorite passages:
"Cadfael's fragrant domain, dewy from the dawn and already warming into drunken sweetness in the rising sun ...." page 10
"Under the eaves of the workshop the dangling bunches of dried leafage rustled and chirped like nests of singing birds in waves of warmed air ...." page 175
March 4, 2022
Really enjoyed. Three more great stories, beautifully written with gorgeous old language and insightful observations about people, behaviour and the human mind. The author is clearly into horses as she writes them so beautifully, and describes people well too, as well as the scenery and paints a word picture so you can see what is happening. I’m interested in the herbalism too.
St Peter’s Fair
With the power struggle between King Stephen and Empress Maud still raging, people have got to be careful who they talk to, even in the festive fair outside the monastery in Shrewsbury. A wealthy merchant from Bristol arrive at the fair and his beautiful niece are wooed by a gentleman, and the niece is taken by his good looks and charm, and romance is in the air. Meanwhile, stores are being robbed and murder is afoot. Thankfully Cadfael, Berringer and his wife,
The Leper of St Giles
A young woman is to be “sold” in marriage to an odious old man who seems like he will be cruel, only because her guardians are making money from her. Her father a hero of the Crusades died abroad, so she is alone but for a Page of her betrothed who adores her. A stranger, leper, comes to St Giles the leper hospital outside Shrewsbury and gets involved in the story unexpectedly, along with Cadfael when he realises the young couple are in danger. A story that could be set in modern times, full of lies, theft, murder, jealously greed and rage … friendships made and broken … really well written and gripping right to the end.
Virgin in the Ice
More of an epic than the TV episode showed, where bandits are terrorising the lands around Shrewsbury and Cadfael had to go to a nearby monetary to tend to an injured monk who was badly beaten by them. Homesteads are being looted and demolished, no one safe on the roads. Cadfael is also aware of two noble young people who have gone missing, and the search is on to find them. Can Cadfael and Berringer, deputy Sherif, find the runaways, identify a dead lady in a frozen lake, find the lair of the bandits, find the lady’s killer, find out what happened to the injured monk AND save the villagers?
Throughout the stories we learn more about Cadfael and his past, through reminiscences, old friends who appear and also in conversation when people ask about his calling to “the cloth” and he shares he wasn’t always cloistered. His sharp wits, experience and knowledge are used well, as he had experience with dead bodies on the field of battle, and so can perform simple autopsies but you don’t feel his knowledge is contrived for the plot - as in many TV procedurals. I like how he respected the “Saracens” in the Middle East, found them trustworthy and good people, loyal and full of honour, rather than speaking ill of them, and I really enjoy his kindly and caring faith, forgiving and fair.
St Peter’s Fair
With the power struggle between King Stephen and Empress Maud still raging, people have got to be careful who they talk to, even in the festive fair outside the monastery in Shrewsbury. A wealthy merchant from Bristol arrive at the fair and his beautiful niece are wooed by a gentleman, and the niece is taken by his good looks and charm, and romance is in the air. Meanwhile, stores are being robbed and murder is afoot. Thankfully Cadfael, Berringer and his wife,
The Leper of St Giles
A young woman is to be “sold” in marriage to an odious old man who seems like he will be cruel, only because her guardians are making money from her. Her father a hero of the Crusades died abroad, so she is alone but for a Page of her betrothed who adores her. A stranger, leper, comes to St Giles the leper hospital outside Shrewsbury and gets involved in the story unexpectedly, along with Cadfael when he realises the young couple are in danger. A story that could be set in modern times, full of lies, theft, murder, jealously greed and rage … friendships made and broken … really well written and gripping right to the end.
Virgin in the Ice
More of an epic than the TV episode showed, where bandits are terrorising the lands around Shrewsbury and Cadfael had to go to a nearby monetary to tend to an injured monk who was badly beaten by them. Homesteads are being looted and demolished, no one safe on the roads. Cadfael is also aware of two noble young people who have gone missing, and the search is on to find them. Can Cadfael and Berringer, deputy Sherif, find the runaways, identify a dead lady in a frozen lake, find the lair of the bandits, find the lady’s killer, find out what happened to the injured monk AND save the villagers?
Throughout the stories we learn more about Cadfael and his past, through reminiscences, old friends who appear and also in conversation when people ask about his calling to “the cloth” and he shares he wasn’t always cloistered. His sharp wits, experience and knowledge are used well, as he had experience with dead bodies on the field of battle, and so can perform simple autopsies but you don’t feel his knowledge is contrived for the plot - as in many TV procedurals. I like how he respected the “Saracens” in the Middle East, found them trustworthy and good people, loyal and full of honour, rather than speaking ill of them, and I really enjoy his kindly and caring faith, forgiving and fair.
November 8, 2017
Ramping up the tension as the characters become more familiar and the civil war rumbles along fruitlessly behind the plots of the main mysteries.
St. Peter's Fair: A thriller of civil war betrayal and an examinations of the motivations of the merchant class. An especially dark murder.
The Leper of St. Giles: a really interesting portrayal of disability amongst the previously physically strong, and recovery amongst the long-term sick. Brother Mark's starring moment. It's a shame the young male co-protagonist with Cadfael is extremely annoying.
The Virgin In The Ice: One of the best Cadfael books. Filled with genuine peril for two children lost in the civil war, held together by the appearance of Cadfael's beautiful son Olivier, a Syrian Galahad. Some deeply sad reflection on the vulnerability of children, women, and the mind.
St. Peter's Fair: A thriller of civil war betrayal and an examinations of the motivations of the merchant class. An especially dark murder.
The Leper of St. Giles: a really interesting portrayal of disability amongst the previously physically strong, and recovery amongst the long-term sick. Brother Mark's starring moment. It's a shame the young male co-protagonist with Cadfael is extremely annoying.
The Virgin In The Ice: One of the best Cadfael books. Filled with genuine peril for two children lost in the civil war, held together by the appearance of Cadfael's beautiful son Olivier, a Syrian Galahad. Some deeply sad reflection on the vulnerability of children, women, and the mind.
April 15, 2017
Just found this author and I love her. When I open these books I am immediately transported to the 12th century. 'It must be a pleasant thing, to be so made as to give pleasure to those who behold you. Do you suppose he realizes his blessings?' Brother Cadfael is an interesting character and many of the best characters follow throughout the books. The mysteries are very different and Peters obviously researched well. If you can find these they are entertaining.
May 23, 2012
I really liked having an Omnibus (in part), so as I ended one Cadfael story, I could head into the next, and realize how much (or little) time has elapsed between the stories.
June 3, 2026
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
4.5*
First time read the author's work?: No
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
4.5*
First time read the author's work?: No
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
February 12, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this book. Pleasant stories; just lovely!
March 12, 2013
Three more great stories in one book, which is convenient, as these three take place one after the other. Once again, Ellis Peters creates interesting plot lines, great characters, and is well researched. I really enjoy this series and I'll be sure to add more Cadfael books to my bookshelf.
November 30, 2025
Tre dei romanzi più belli della serie sono raccolti qui. Particolarmente bello l' ultimo, La vergine del ghiaccio, in cui Cadfael deve fare i conti con il suo passato lontano... Sempre belli da leggere e rileggere
December 18, 2024
Adoro Ellis Peters e leggere in sequenza i suoi libri è molto bello, non si perdono di vista molti elementi. Geniale è l'idea di pubblicare 3 libri in uno.
June 10, 2025
libro piacevole in particolare il romanzo la vergine nel ghiaccio
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