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Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #1-3
The First Cadfael Omnibus: A Morbid Taste for Bones / One Corpse Too Many / Monk's Hood
A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES. In 1137 the head of Shrewsbury Abbey decided to acquire the remains of St Winifred for his Benedictine order. Brother Cadfael is part of the expedition sent to her final resting place in Wales and they find the villagers passionately divided by the Benedictines' offer for the saint's relics. Canny, wise and all too worldly, Cadfael isn't surprised when this taste for bones leads to bloody murder. ONE CORPSE TOO MANY. In 1138, war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud takes Brother Cadfael from the quiet world of his garden to the bloody battlefield. Not far from the safety of the Abbey walls, Shrewsbury Castle falls, leaving its ninety-four defenders loyal to the Empress to hang as traitors. With a heavy heart, brother Cadfael agrees to bury the dead, only to make a grisly discovery - there are ninety-five bodies awaiting his attention. MONK'S-HOOD. Brother Cadfael's herb garden is flourishing under his care, then a local dignitary is poisoned with one of the herbalist's own concoctions and Cadfael finds he has to defend himself and another suspect whom he is sure is innocent.
544 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
About the author
Ellis Peters
188 books1,179 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 27, 2021
Una gustata rilettura : dopo tanti anni mi piace sempre.
Come poliziesco sarà un po’ “ leggero “ , ma il monaco erborista mi affascina sempre e leggendo le sue avventure, me lo raffiguro come Sean Connery nel Nome della rosa ; ovviamente non c’è paragone con il romanzo di Eco , però mi rilassa e come ultima lettura della sera è molto piacevole.
Come poliziesco sarà un po’ “ leggero “ , ma il monaco erborista mi affascina sempre e leggendo le sue avventure, me lo raffiguro come Sean Connery nel Nome della rosa ; ovviamente non c’è paragone con il romanzo di Eco , però mi rilassa e come ultima lettura della sera è molto piacevole.
August 4, 2026
The Brother Cadfael omnibuses (of which there are seven and that The First Cadfael Omnibus contains A Morbid Taste for Bones, One Corpse Too Many and Monkshood 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.
A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES
While I generally speaking totally adore Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael novels, I also must admit that I have NEVER really all that much either liked or even appreciated the first instalment of the series, that Peters' A Morbid Taste for Bones has always (and from day one so to speak) continually left me both cold and personally rather unsatisfied. And yes, when I first read A Morbid Taste for Bones in the early eighties (probably around 1983, when I was seventeen years of age), I actually almost decided NOT to continue with the series (which I thankfully did not do, as truly and in my opinion, ALL of the following Brother Cadfael series novels are at least in my humble opinion both vastly superior with regard to Ellis Peters' presented themes, her sense of time and place and also with regard to her general writing style and what she considers essential and necessary to describe and dissect in detail, and it certainly would have been a personal reading tragedy if I had not persevered and continued meeting up with Brother Cadfael and reading about his sleuthing and exploits simply because I had found the first novel, I had found A Morbid Taste for Bones not all that readable and relatable).
Now to and for me, my favourite parts of the Brother Cadfael series are and have always been how delightfully realistic and historically accurate Ellis Peters paints the 12th century A.D. British Civil War between King Stephen and the Empress Maud (also known as Mathilda) and how Deputy Sheriff of Shropshire Hugh Beringar slowly but surely becomes Brother Cadfael's best friend and close confidant (and someone upon whom Brother Cadfael can also generally rely to be fair when trying to solve potential crimes and misdeeds). And since A Morbid Taste for Bones does NOT have either the 12th century British Civil War scenario or Hugh Beringar present (yet), I have indeed not ever really considered A Morbid Taste for Bones as all that enjoyable and pleasurable reading, finding the story rather tedious and personally dragging without in particular Hugh Beringar making even one appearance (and this especially since Ellis Peters renders the latter, renders Hugh as such a richly drawn and interesting character, so that one or rather so that I do totally and definitely miss and lament Hugh Beringar's non presence in A Morbid Taste for Bones).
And indeed, and in fact, without Hugh Beringar, I for one even tend to personally consider Brother Cadfael as not really being in any manner complete as a character, and yes, that without the Civil War historical background, the Brother Cadfael mysteries would to and for me always be at best a bit mundane and one-sidedly tedious (and which A Morbid Taste for Bones certainly does in my opinion amply show). And this of course and naturally is also why A Morbid Taste for Bones is one of the only (the very few) Brother Cadfael novels I have never in any manner actively enjoyed and appreciated (and have in fact disliked to such and extent that for me on a personal and emotional level, I also do not really even consider A Morbid Taste for Bones as the true beginning of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series, that I do approach and have always approached the second novel One Corpse too Many as the actual and real Brother Cadfael series beginning (with its 12th century King Stephen and Empress Maud civil war conflict and the advent and introduction of Hugh Beringar as Brother Cadfael's foil and soon to be best friend and partner when it comes to solving crimes).
ONE CORPSE TOO MANY
What is there not for me to love about Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael series and in particular about the second novel of the series, about One Corpse too Many? It (and this is actually also the general case for the entire series) presents a wonderfully realistic sense of historic time and place (showing and telling readers both about Mediaeval England in general and specifically about the 12th century AD English Civil War between King Stephen and the Empress Maud delightfully, enlighteningly but also engagingly and never ever pedantically, didactically), with Peters equally and indeed fortunately verbally presenting the action of the storylines without either the use of modern 20th century vernacular and slang or (and this even more importantly and appreciatively) without gratuitous violence, gruesomeness or horror visions (even when bodies are located and battle scenes etc. need to be described, showing that yes indeed, one can easily textually and narrationally depict even scenes of violence, of murder and mayhem without having to resort to wallowing in grief, terror and visions of disgustingness).
But of course for me personally, the best part of One Corpse too Many is how for one Brother Cadfael discovers that there is indeed an extra body amongst the battle dead (and that this individual had been murdered and hidden amongst the latter to cover up this crime) and for two how Brother Cadfael meets Hugh Beringar and how slowly they learn to work together, to trust each other and that their friendship is shown by Ellis Peters as developing slowly and not as some sudden deus ex machina revelation (for the development of Hugh and Cadfael's friendship is thankfully depicted and shown as realistic and as not something sudden and out of the blue so to speak, that both Cadfael and Hugh originally tread warily and at first also with a bit of distrust, even if Cadfael in the end does confide to Hugh that he never actually believed him to have been the villain, the murderer of Nicholas Faintree, but that he did have to make sure and test him even if he actually had basically no doubts as to Hugh's innocence in this regard). Five stars for One Corpse too Many (and indeed, for me, the true beginning, the true start of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series is NOT the fist novel, is NOT A Morbid Taste for Bones but is the second instalment of the series, is One Corpse too Many with its Civil War between Stephen and Maud setting and with the advent of Hugh Beringar to act as Brother Cadfael's foil and soon to be best friend).
MONK'S HOOD
While it is certainly and definitely true that Ellis Peters' Monk's Hood does not (and will likely also never) rank as one of my favourites of the Brother Cadfael Mediaeval mystery novels, I still very much and actively do consider it one of the more important earlier novels of the series (and as such to be read if not in actual order of appearance then still relatively early on, as indeed, there are in my opinion some very good reasons why Monk's Hood is the third mystery featuring Brother Cadfael and not a later instalment).
For one, Monk's Hood presents to us readers quite a bit of supplemental information regarding Brother Cadfael's past (before he decided to become a monk), important details regarding the latter's so-called back story, even though part of me does tend to consider the arrival of Cadfael's former lover Richildis at the abbey just a wee bit too deliberately coincidental. And for two (and yes, in my opinion, much more essentially and importantly for the entire series as a whole), in Monk's Hood Ellis Peters clearly portrays and points out in no uncertain terms why it would be an absolutely horrible fiasco in every sense of the word were Prior Robert ever to permanently become abbott of the Monastery of Saint Peter and Paul in Shrewsbury (and actually not even so much because of Prior Robert's rather strict and unbending ways but more because of his devoted fan and obsessive acolyte, Brother Jerome, with his penchant for gossiping, spying and seeing the work of Satan in even the most innocent of behaviours).
Now with regard to the actual mystery featured and presented in Monk's Hood (as to who poisoned Gervase Bonel with one of Brother Cadfael's own herbal tinctures), there is frankly rather a bit too much of the standard and traditional whodunnit present for my tastes (and I also tend to enjoy those Brother Cadfael novels somewhat more where Cadfael, while of course still being the one to ultimately solve the mystery or mysteries at hand, also tends to remain more in the background, is not acting so much front and centre with regard to discovering the identity of the main villain or villains). But all in all, I have certainly and indeed very much enjoyed Monk's Hood (and yes, especially and as usual due to Ellis Peters' writing style and her wonderfully descriptively imaginative yet always spot-on realistic sense of historic time and place, giving us as readers truly marvellous portraits of Mediaeval England and in Monk's Hood of course also of Mediaeval Wales).
But for me, what has finally and ultimately moved Monk's Hood from three to four stars is that Peters does not simply end up having the main villain appear as some downright evil and utterly vile entity but as basically a decent enough person pushed to the limit and then having the temptation of Brother Cadfael's monkshood tincture dangled in front of him like some kind of forbidden but tempting fruit (and I guess that this is actually one of the main and recurring reasons that I do consider the Brother Cadfael series such a personal favourite, namely that in the vast majority of the novels, Ellis Peters does not usually present her villains as horridly evil caricatures but as nuanced and fully fleshed out human beings who have made some very terrible and problematic mistakes and choices leading to murder, mayhem and their downfalls).
A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES
While I generally speaking totally adore Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael novels, I also must admit that I have NEVER really all that much either liked or even appreciated the first instalment of the series, that Peters' A Morbid Taste for Bones has always (and from day one so to speak) continually left me both cold and personally rather unsatisfied. And yes, when I first read A Morbid Taste for Bones in the early eighties (probably around 1983, when I was seventeen years of age), I actually almost decided NOT to continue with the series (which I thankfully did not do, as truly and in my opinion, ALL of the following Brother Cadfael series novels are at least in my humble opinion both vastly superior with regard to Ellis Peters' presented themes, her sense of time and place and also with regard to her general writing style and what she considers essential and necessary to describe and dissect in detail, and it certainly would have been a personal reading tragedy if I had not persevered and continued meeting up with Brother Cadfael and reading about his sleuthing and exploits simply because I had found the first novel, I had found A Morbid Taste for Bones not all that readable and relatable).
Now to and for me, my favourite parts of the Brother Cadfael series are and have always been how delightfully realistic and historically accurate Ellis Peters paints the 12th century A.D. British Civil War between King Stephen and the Empress Maud (also known as Mathilda) and how Deputy Sheriff of Shropshire Hugh Beringar slowly but surely becomes Brother Cadfael's best friend and close confidant (and someone upon whom Brother Cadfael can also generally rely to be fair when trying to solve potential crimes and misdeeds). And since A Morbid Taste for Bones does NOT have either the 12th century British Civil War scenario or Hugh Beringar present (yet), I have indeed not ever really considered A Morbid Taste for Bones as all that enjoyable and pleasurable reading, finding the story rather tedious and personally dragging without in particular Hugh Beringar making even one appearance (and this especially since Ellis Peters renders the latter, renders Hugh as such a richly drawn and interesting character, so that one or rather so that I do totally and definitely miss and lament Hugh Beringar's non presence in A Morbid Taste for Bones).
And indeed, and in fact, without Hugh Beringar, I for one even tend to personally consider Brother Cadfael as not really being in any manner complete as a character, and yes, that without the Civil War historical background, the Brother Cadfael mysteries would to and for me always be at best a bit mundane and one-sidedly tedious (and which A Morbid Taste for Bones certainly does in my opinion amply show). And this of course and naturally is also why A Morbid Taste for Bones is one of the only (the very few) Brother Cadfael novels I have never in any manner actively enjoyed and appreciated (and have in fact disliked to such and extent that for me on a personal and emotional level, I also do not really even consider A Morbid Taste for Bones as the true beginning of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series, that I do approach and have always approached the second novel One Corpse too Many as the actual and real Brother Cadfael series beginning (with its 12th century King Stephen and Empress Maud civil war conflict and the advent and introduction of Hugh Beringar as Brother Cadfael's foil and soon to be best friend and partner when it comes to solving crimes).
ONE CORPSE TOO MANY
What is there not for me to love about Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael series and in particular about the second novel of the series, about One Corpse too Many? It (and this is actually also the general case for the entire series) presents a wonderfully realistic sense of historic time and place (showing and telling readers both about Mediaeval England in general and specifically about the 12th century AD English Civil War between King Stephen and the Empress Maud delightfully, enlighteningly but also engagingly and never ever pedantically, didactically), with Peters equally and indeed fortunately verbally presenting the action of the storylines without either the use of modern 20th century vernacular and slang or (and this even more importantly and appreciatively) without gratuitous violence, gruesomeness or horror visions (even when bodies are located and battle scenes etc. need to be described, showing that yes indeed, one can easily textually and narrationally depict even scenes of violence, of murder and mayhem without having to resort to wallowing in grief, terror and visions of disgustingness).
But of course for me personally, the best part of One Corpse too Many is how for one Brother Cadfael discovers that there is indeed an extra body amongst the battle dead (and that this individual had been murdered and hidden amongst the latter to cover up this crime) and for two how Brother Cadfael meets Hugh Beringar and how slowly they learn to work together, to trust each other and that their friendship is shown by Ellis Peters as developing slowly and not as some sudden deus ex machina revelation (for the development of Hugh and Cadfael's friendship is thankfully depicted and shown as realistic and as not something sudden and out of the blue so to speak, that both Cadfael and Hugh originally tread warily and at first also with a bit of distrust, even if Cadfael in the end does confide to Hugh that he never actually believed him to have been the villain, the murderer of Nicholas Faintree, but that he did have to make sure and test him even if he actually had basically no doubts as to Hugh's innocence in this regard). Five stars for One Corpse too Many (and indeed, for me, the true beginning, the true start of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series is NOT the fist novel, is NOT A Morbid Taste for Bones but is the second instalment of the series, is One Corpse too Many with its Civil War between Stephen and Maud setting and with the advent of Hugh Beringar to act as Brother Cadfael's foil and soon to be best friend).
MONK'S HOOD
While it is certainly and definitely true that Ellis Peters' Monk's Hood does not (and will likely also never) rank as one of my favourites of the Brother Cadfael Mediaeval mystery novels, I still very much and actively do consider it one of the more important earlier novels of the series (and as such to be read if not in actual order of appearance then still relatively early on, as indeed, there are in my opinion some very good reasons why Monk's Hood is the third mystery featuring Brother Cadfael and not a later instalment).
For one, Monk's Hood presents to us readers quite a bit of supplemental information regarding Brother Cadfael's past (before he decided to become a monk), important details regarding the latter's so-called back story, even though part of me does tend to consider the arrival of Cadfael's former lover Richildis at the abbey just a wee bit too deliberately coincidental. And for two (and yes, in my opinion, much more essentially and importantly for the entire series as a whole), in Monk's Hood Ellis Peters clearly portrays and points out in no uncertain terms why it would be an absolutely horrible fiasco in every sense of the word were Prior Robert ever to permanently become abbott of the Monastery of Saint Peter and Paul in Shrewsbury (and actually not even so much because of Prior Robert's rather strict and unbending ways but more because of his devoted fan and obsessive acolyte, Brother Jerome, with his penchant for gossiping, spying and seeing the work of Satan in even the most innocent of behaviours).
Now with regard to the actual mystery featured and presented in Monk's Hood (as to who poisoned Gervase Bonel with one of Brother Cadfael's own herbal tinctures), there is frankly rather a bit too much of the standard and traditional whodunnit present for my tastes (and I also tend to enjoy those Brother Cadfael novels somewhat more where Cadfael, while of course still being the one to ultimately solve the mystery or mysteries at hand, also tends to remain more in the background, is not acting so much front and centre with regard to discovering the identity of the main villain or villains). But all in all, I have certainly and indeed very much enjoyed Monk's Hood (and yes, especially and as usual due to Ellis Peters' writing style and her wonderfully descriptively imaginative yet always spot-on realistic sense of historic time and place, giving us as readers truly marvellous portraits of Mediaeval England and in Monk's Hood of course also of Mediaeval Wales).
But for me, what has finally and ultimately moved Monk's Hood from three to four stars is that Peters does not simply end up having the main villain appear as some downright evil and utterly vile entity but as basically a decent enough person pushed to the limit and then having the temptation of Brother Cadfael's monkshood tincture dangled in front of him like some kind of forbidden but tempting fruit (and I guess that this is actually one of the main and recurring reasons that I do consider the Brother Cadfael series such a personal favourite, namely that in the vast majority of the novels, Ellis Peters does not usually present her villains as horridly evil caricatures but as nuanced and fully fleshed out human beings who have made some very terrible and problematic mistakes and choices leading to murder, mayhem and their downfalls).
March 17, 2021
Ellis Peters, pseudonym for English authoress, Edith Pargeter took me some getting used to, on top of depicting a Welsh border monastery of the 1300s. I am not a historical fiction buff. However, since I enjoy the hardcovers and paperbacks I amassed in her Brother Cadfael series, a seafaring soldier who retired as a monk herbalist; I am glad to rejoin him. I am an avid gardener and like non detective heroes, thus he has appeal. The first novel was slow. I liked the second so much better, I was curious to read the third: “Monk’s Hood”, 1980. Sometimes stories end up on par, because we prefer various elements in each of them.
I was more interested in the guest characters of “One Corpse Too Many” and the getaway, travelling excitement of it. It was too military for my liking, however. This novel has fleeing travellers with a personal purpose. We visit Wales, where our protagonist speaks his native language. A crime affects the son of an important lady from his youth. This story shares personal insight about him. We sigh in relief from the removal of the dislikeable Prior Robert, from consideration for the abbacy. The government changed hands. Will the current abbot preside, or will we meet a new one?
As the title tells readers, Brother Cadfael knows which plant is responsible for a poisoning. The difficulty is siphoning out evidence of how it was wielded, where it went, and by whom. I like this adventure for being very collaborative: investigating on the ground and fleeing on the road with clever misdirection. I love when we visit the small borderland monastery of shepherds. I am touched by Brother Cadfael’s remark that protectors of these gentle animals can fall in love with them, because only their wool is used.
I was more interested in the guest characters of “One Corpse Too Many” and the getaway, travelling excitement of it. It was too military for my liking, however. This novel has fleeing travellers with a personal purpose. We visit Wales, where our protagonist speaks his native language. A crime affects the son of an important lady from his youth. This story shares personal insight about him. We sigh in relief from the removal of the dislikeable Prior Robert, from consideration for the abbacy. The government changed hands. Will the current abbot preside, or will we meet a new one?
As the title tells readers, Brother Cadfael knows which plant is responsible for a poisoning. The difficulty is siphoning out evidence of how it was wielded, where it went, and by whom. I like this adventure for being very collaborative: investigating on the ground and fleeing on the road with clever misdirection. I love when we visit the small borderland monastery of shepherds. I am touched by Brother Cadfael’s remark that protectors of these gentle animals can fall in love with them, because only their wool is used.
July 13, 2012
Having watched the television series didn't ruin these books for me. I always wanted to read the books to find out how they were written and how different they were from each other. Watching the shows also helped me pronounce some of the Welsh words within the books.
Although a good story, I was a bit slower in reading 'A Morbid Taste for Bones' compared to 'One Corpse Too Many' and 'Monk's Hood'. This may be due to the fact that the King's deputy sheriff, Hugh Beringar was not in that first book, and Cadfael was more or less on his own to solve the murder. With Hugh's help, Cadfael has access to more resources and information in order to help solve the murders. I always liked the premise of Cadfael solving murders by his wits and knowledge of medicines and herbs. The main characters are credible and it's always a pleasure to see Cadfael outwit Prior Robert and Brother Jerome! I'll be sure to read more in this series.
Although a good story, I was a bit slower in reading 'A Morbid Taste for Bones' compared to 'One Corpse Too Many' and 'Monk's Hood'. This may be due to the fact that the King's deputy sheriff, Hugh Beringar was not in that first book, and Cadfael was more or less on his own to solve the murder. With Hugh's help, Cadfael has access to more resources and information in order to help solve the murders. I always liked the premise of Cadfael solving murders by his wits and knowledge of medicines and herbs. The main characters are credible and it's always a pleasure to see Cadfael outwit Prior Robert and Brother Jerome! I'll be sure to read more in this series.
July 24, 2025
3.5/5
November 17, 2011
Love Brother Cadfael mysteries, am re-reading.
Really enjoyed going back into Ellis Peters' (Edith Parteger's, I believe) created world. In the tradition of great (yes, I said great) mystery writers of the past like Sayers, Marsh, Christie, and another modern writer (Frazer), she writes in what I imagine to be a somewhat elusive middle ground between succinct writing and enough detail to fully color and flesh out scenes and make them intriguing. All of these authors who I love have different styles, mental flavors of their writing, and Peters' prose and subjects allow a reader to be drawn in to stories and also to slow down their own pace. Things move at a different scale in medieval mysteries, and I can very much appreciate that with a modern suburban real-life schedule.
Really enjoyed going back into Ellis Peters' (Edith Parteger's, I believe) created world. In the tradition of great (yes, I said great) mystery writers of the past like Sayers, Marsh, Christie, and another modern writer (Frazer), she writes in what I imagine to be a somewhat elusive middle ground between succinct writing and enough detail to fully color and flesh out scenes and make them intriguing. All of these authors who I love have different styles, mental flavors of their writing, and Peters' prose and subjects allow a reader to be drawn in to stories and also to slow down their own pace. Things move at a different scale in medieval mysteries, and I can very much appreciate that with a modern suburban real-life schedule.
February 17, 2018
England på 1100-talet. Litet som Morden i Midsomer i klostermiljö. Avdelningen trivsamma mord, så att säga. Det här är den första i en lång rad och jag ser fram mot nästa.
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. :-)
November 8, 2017
The first omnibus of the Broth Cadfael series: it is gently paced getting to know all of the characters, but well worth it!
A Morbid Taste for Bones: Vivid authentic historical retelling of medieval Shropshire and Wales, with a fascinating philosophical musing on the use of relics of saints. Culprit slightly predictable, but doesn't really detract from the story.
Once Corpse Too Many: Introduces the excellent character of Hugh Berenger, here completely ambiguous with regards to his motives and his darkness, a worthy ingenious adversary for Cadfael. Contains some annoyingly simplified descriptions of girls masquerading as boys.
Monk's Hood: An exciting tale of a poisoning motivated by bad-blood and jealous between bastard son and father which culminates in a stunning and life-threatening confrontation for Cadfael. The mystery itself is not the most memorable in the series.
A Morbid Taste for Bones: Vivid authentic historical retelling of medieval Shropshire and Wales, with a fascinating philosophical musing on the use of relics of saints. Culprit slightly predictable, but doesn't really detract from the story.
Once Corpse Too Many: Introduces the excellent character of Hugh Berenger, here completely ambiguous with regards to his motives and his darkness, a worthy ingenious adversary for Cadfael. Contains some annoyingly simplified descriptions of girls masquerading as boys.
Monk's Hood: An exciting tale of a poisoning motivated by bad-blood and jealous between bastard son and father which culminates in a stunning and life-threatening confrontation for Cadfael. The mystery itself is not the most memorable in the series.
August 1, 2026
I love this kindly monk, I love the setting of the 12th century and how that presents complications to these mysteries, and I love mystery novels as this sort of wish fulfillment that if you were ever to be unjustly accused of a crime you didn’t commit that there would be a funky little guy hellbent* on Getting to the Bottom of Things by asking questions and using logic, instead of collared as the most likely suspect with the least amount of work and handed off to punishment by local law enforcement.
Also fuck Brother Jerome, all my homies hate Brother Jerome.
* - heavenbent in this instance. Cos he’s a monk :).
Also fuck Brother Jerome, all my homies hate Brother Jerome.
* - heavenbent in this instance. Cos he’s a monk :).
October 25, 2024
Se sei un fan dei libri di Ellis Peters e ti piacciono i thriller storici che ti catapultano nel fascino dei tempi medievali, la serie dedicata a Fratello Cadfael fa al tuo caso. "Le cronache di Fratello Cadfael vol. 1" include i primi tre romanzi della talentuosa scrittrice che ho avuto il piacere di scoprire e adorare anni fa. In tutti e tre i libri ho trovato uno stile fenomenale, una trama mozzafiato e personaggi che non potrò mai dimenticare, perché sembrava prendessero vita tra le pagine.
October 11, 2021
Good start to the brother Cadfael series. Set in England in the mid-12th century, Brother Cadfael is new to the Benedictine monastery, having spent his adult life as a sailor and a soldier. He also grows the medicinal herbs, and knows how to use them, which comes in handy in solving mysterious deaths. While life can be brutal, this is a series without the requisite car chases and gun battles.
November 30, 2025
Avrò letto Le cronache di fratello Cadfael una decina di volte e ogni volta mi piace di più. Un buon giallo storico, che ci fa anche conoscere un periodo storico molto particolare della storia inglese, non sempre noto ai non British. Certo non è Il nome della rosa, ma è comunque una gradevole lettura, con un protagonista davvero irresistibile
January 2, 2024
three Cadfael books to start the series
Beginning the series finally. The books are so much better than the BBC series. twelfth century England is a simpler place, but murder is murder and Brother Cadfael using his talents and life experience is up to the task.
Highly recommend
Beginning the series finally. The books are so much better than the BBC series. twelfth century England is a simpler place, but murder is murder and Brother Cadfael using his talents and life experience is up to the task.
Highly recommend
November 15, 2024
Delightful mysteries.
Delightful mysteries with each story complete within itself. No repetition of circumstances, etc. Each is a fresh creative story always with Caffael’s ingenious sleuthing, in spite of Prior Robert’s haughty indignation and dislike of him.
Delightful mysteries with each story complete within itself. No repetition of circumstances, etc. Each is a fresh creative story always with Caffael’s ingenious sleuthing, in spite of Prior Robert’s haughty indignation and dislike of him.
January 21, 2025
Mi piacciono le atmosfere descritte in questi libri: ci si immerge nell'epoca.
Fratello Cadfael, con la sua perspicacia, è. senza dubbio, l'antesignano di vari detective, che usano il cervello, l'attenzione ai dettagli e l'intuito per risolvere casi intricati.
Fratello Cadfael, con la sua perspicacia, è. senza dubbio, l'antesignano di vari detective, che usano il cervello, l'attenzione ai dettagli e l'intuito per risolvere casi intricati.
November 12, 2021
Always an excellent read! Love this series!
January 31, 2022
I really liked the mysteries and characters but some of the language is hard to dive into.
January 20, 2023
Three contrasting mysteries with a relaxed feel. A good read
September 9, 2024
Edith wrote such wonderful mysteries. Wishing she was still among us.
May 21, 2025
storie con una buona ambientazione storica che si legge con piacere, non impegnativa.
April 9, 2025
These are historical crime stories written by the late Ellis Peters, whose hero is Brother Cadfael of Shrewsbury Abbey in the early 12th century, during the contested reign of King Stephen.
This volume contains the first three novels about Cadfael: A Morbid Taste for Bones, One Corpse Too Many, and Monk’s-Hood.
Cadfael is noted to be 57 years old at the beginning of the first novel, and became a monk after an adventurous youth fighting in the crusades and captaining a ship; this background distinguishing him from his less adventurous fellow monks.
His business is to maintain the abbey’s herb garden and doctor the sick, but his hobby is to take an interest in any crimes committed in the vicinity.
These are good, entertaining stories with plausible descriptions and engaging characters of both sexes. I thought the second novel was the best of the three, although it contains more corpses than the others.
However, in at least a couple of respects I think the author is rose-tinting the picture for us.
The stories begin about 50 years after the Norman Conquest, a time one would be expect to be rather unsettled in any case. Furthermore, King Stephen’s crown is contested by Matilda (or Maud), who has at least an equal hereditary right to it, and a significant number of supporters. For that reason, throughout the reign civil war is either simmering or boiling, and the period is known as The Anarchy, or the time when Christ and his saints slept.
How strange, then, to find Peters describing an apparently happy, secure, law-abiding society in which the average person seems to be honourable and trustworthy, and crimes are exceptional events. This makes for pleasant reading, but I doubt that it’s a true picture of the state of society at this time.
I have another much smaller niggle: Cadfael is 57 and getting older with each story. He must already have lost his close-up vision, and spectacles had not been invented. Trying to cope with life when everything blurred as he approached it would have been a significant problem for him, although common to everyone of his age; but it goes unmentioned in the text.
I don’t think these niggles should spoil anyone’s enjoyment of the stories, but they seem worth mentioning.
I would probably have given this book at least three stars at the time of reading; I give it two stars now because I haven’t felt motivated to reread it. Although this is at least partly because I mostly read science fiction and fantasy: when I’m looking for something to read, I don’t normally think of historical crime stories.
This volume contains the first three novels about Cadfael: A Morbid Taste for Bones, One Corpse Too Many, and Monk’s-Hood.
Cadfael is noted to be 57 years old at the beginning of the first novel, and became a monk after an adventurous youth fighting in the crusades and captaining a ship; this background distinguishing him from his less adventurous fellow monks.
His business is to maintain the abbey’s herb garden and doctor the sick, but his hobby is to take an interest in any crimes committed in the vicinity.
These are good, entertaining stories with plausible descriptions and engaging characters of both sexes. I thought the second novel was the best of the three, although it contains more corpses than the others.
However, in at least a couple of respects I think the author is rose-tinting the picture for us.
The stories begin about 50 years after the Norman Conquest, a time one would be expect to be rather unsettled in any case. Furthermore, King Stephen’s crown is contested by Matilda (or Maud), who has at least an equal hereditary right to it, and a significant number of supporters. For that reason, throughout the reign civil war is either simmering or boiling, and the period is known as The Anarchy, or the time when Christ and his saints slept.
How strange, then, to find Peters describing an apparently happy, secure, law-abiding society in which the average person seems to be honourable and trustworthy, and crimes are exceptional events. This makes for pleasant reading, but I doubt that it’s a true picture of the state of society at this time.
I have another much smaller niggle: Cadfael is 57 and getting older with each story. He must already have lost his close-up vision, and spectacles had not been invented. Trying to cope with life when everything blurred as he approached it would have been a significant problem for him, although common to everyone of his age; but it goes unmentioned in the text.
I don’t think these niggles should spoil anyone’s enjoyment of the stories, but they seem worth mentioning.
I would probably have given this book at least three stars at the time of reading; I give it two stars now because I haven’t felt motivated to reread it. Although this is at least partly because I mostly read science fiction and fantasy: when I’m looking for something to read, I don’t normally think of historical crime stories.
August 6, 2019
Book 1: First of the many adventures of Brother Cadfael. Not bad at all. Made me want to get my hands on the other omnibuses.
Book 2: Nicholas Faintree (all blacks - three blacks, no white). I wasn't very impressed with this volume. I don't know how Ms. Peters turned something that promised to be thrilling to be something somewhat lukewarm.
Book 2: Nicholas Faintree (all blacks - three blacks, no white). I wasn't very impressed with this volume. I don't know how Ms. Peters turned something that promised to be thrilling to be something somewhat lukewarm.
August 9, 2016
Actually, I only read the first novel. I added the three book set by mistake, and Goodreads has no method that I could find to remove a book without saying I have read it. So... I'm saying that even though I don't even have the other two volumes of the three book set. (Not true technically, since I did purchase the second one. but...)
Anyhow, this is a good quick read, with good historical context, and good character development. I read the Kindle version, which had a few OCR problems. Words with an "rn" turned into a simple "m". But it seems that many of these e-book versions have those problems, so I am kinda getting used to it. That certainly does not reduce my rating on the book itself.
I will definitely read more of these books. (There are 21 or so.) I suspect I will never read them all since there are so many other great books to read as well. Or potentially great!)
There are also DVDs available of the PBS television version of many.
Anyhow, this is a good quick read, with good historical context, and good character development. I read the Kindle version, which had a few OCR problems. Words with an "rn" turned into a simple "m". But it seems that many of these e-book versions have those problems, so I am kinda getting used to it. That certainly does not reduce my rating on the book itself.
I will definitely read more of these books. (There are 21 or so.) I suspect I will never read them all since there are so many other great books to read as well. Or potentially great!)
There are also DVDs available of the PBS television version of many.
February 9, 2026
Loved the TV series starting Derek Jacobi as the titular Cadfael, Benedictine monk, ex-crusader and now herbalist/physician to the neighbourhood. I hadn’t known that the author Ellis Peters was a nom de plume of a female writer, but whoever wrote it I love the soft cadence of the narrative and the old style and historical aspects so wonderfully described. A writer of descriptions, and atmosphere, the light at night on a path, the sheep, the smells, the eyes and the mannerisms all paint very vivid pictures, which I enjoy.
These three stories were so varied, good plots, interesting procedural solving of mysteries with the backdrop of the religious pastimes of the monks going about their business. I’ve already ordered the second omnibus ready to read. I really enjoy these stories for gentle mystery, adventure, history, religion, psychology, good characterisation, naturopathy, humour, and beautiful language and descriptions of pastoral, rural and medieval (?) life. Recommend.
These three stories were so varied, good plots, interesting procedural solving of mysteries with the backdrop of the religious pastimes of the monks going about their business. I’ve already ordered the second omnibus ready to read. I really enjoy these stories for gentle mystery, adventure, history, religion, psychology, good characterisation, naturopathy, humour, and beautiful language and descriptions of pastoral, rural and medieval (?) life. Recommend.
April 2, 2026
June 2025 - Finished reading A Morbid Taste for Bones (book 1 in the Cadfael series). Really good, loved the character of Cadfael and had fun trying to solve the murder mystery. I will be resuming the rest of the anthology after a short break!
April 2026 - A year later and I've finally read the second Cadfael story, One Corpse Too Many. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first story because there was a bit less of an emphasis on the whodunnit and more on the political landscape at the time. Still a very enjoyable read and I really liked the introduction of the Hugh Beringar character. Now for another break before I finish the last story in the omnibus.
April 2026 - A year later and I've finally read the second Cadfael story, One Corpse Too Many. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first story because there was a bit less of an emphasis on the whodunnit and more on the political landscape at the time. Still a very enjoyable read and I really liked the introduction of the Hugh Beringar character. Now for another break before I finish the last story in the omnibus.
November 10, 2022
I love the monks
June 11, 2014
Stories that should be read in the quiet of an English summer, in the garden with a pint in your hand. There are no 'edge of the seat' climaxes, just a gentle read. She has captured the atmosphere of the twelfth century, its politics, class hierarchy, and the smells. I enjoyed them, for once I read a book that I didn't have to race through.
Read
May 13, 2011I gave this a quick one-session try, and threw it in the book return the next day. Peters' prose is extremely clunky and some of the sentences were hard to read. I'm disappointed, because the subject matter is intriguing. Maybe my brain is turning into mush?
July 15, 2015
I love all of Peter's Cadfael works, and this one is no exception. I read it many years ago and just reread it again. Peter's 11th century monk comes across as believable as if he were a modern day character.
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