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The Barefoot Monk #1
Hard Cider Abbey
A spiritual mystery in the tradition of Brother Cadfael and Father Brown, set in the Appalachian Mountains of contemporary West Virginia. Brother Odo Leroi, a very young—and mute--monk from Quebec, arrives at the Philbertine Order’s Abbey of the Holy Face, only to literally stumble upon the body of the abbey librarian: Father Lucian, a scholar and hagiographer who had also served as spiritual mentor to the abbey’s younger monks. But it appears he has taken his own life, much to the shock and sorrow of Brother Emerick, a young laborer working in the monastery’s orchard and cidery, but also a wounded combat vet and local native who’d come to the abbey is search of solace and sanity after kicking an opiate addiction. Convinced the librarian has been murdered, the two youngest and lowliest monks join forces to root out the truth, looking first beyond the monastery walls; but then, inevitably, inside, forced to consider their own brothers within, a quirky collection of men with murky pasts, urges and motivations both spiritual and distinctly un-spiritual. There are already a number of potential suspects: The smooth-talking infirmarian Brother Marion; the vain, overly dramatic Brother Callixtus; the nervous OCD accountant and sacristan Father Odrian, or, perhaps, the bitter, alcoholic cider-master Brother Isidore. Or might their brand-new, mysterious abbot from Africa, Dom Frederique, be somehow involved?
Hard Cider Abbey is a semi-cozy, bittersweet whodunit, part psychological mystery, part procedural, all overlaid with the greater mystery of faith and belief. It draws its gentle humor from the intrusion of modern life into medieval tradition, and the interaction of the easy-going Appalachian-born brothers with their stiffer, more conservative European peers. No profanity, with only mild violence and some discussion of adult matters; but likely to provoke the ever-mysterious question: How do monasteries still exist, in this day and age?
“A thoroughly engaging and well-plotted mystery… Cecala presents a cast of eccentric side characters and memorable protagonists, particularly Brother Odo, an endearing outsider who unwittingly becomes immersed in a murder mystery. The story is infused with quirky local flavor and subtle humor, and the unique backdrop of an isolated monastery in the Appalachians of West Virginia further sets the mystery apart.”
--The BookLife Prize
Hard Cider Abbey is a semi-cozy, bittersweet whodunit, part psychological mystery, part procedural, all overlaid with the greater mystery of faith and belief. It draws its gentle humor from the intrusion of modern life into medieval tradition, and the interaction of the easy-going Appalachian-born brothers with their stiffer, more conservative European peers. No profanity, with only mild violence and some discussion of adult matters; but likely to provoke the ever-mysterious question: How do monasteries still exist, in this day and age?
“A thoroughly engaging and well-plotted mystery… Cecala presents a cast of eccentric side characters and memorable protagonists, particularly Brother Odo, an endearing outsider who unwittingly becomes immersed in a murder mystery. The story is infused with quirky local flavor and subtle humor, and the unique backdrop of an isolated monastery in the Appalachians of West Virginia further sets the mystery apart.”
--The BookLife Prize
188 pages, Paperback
First published August 9, 2018
118 people are currently reading
955 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 30, 2018
I enjoyed the story but reading the many typos and missing words was very distracting. Part of me wanted to get out my red pen and make corrections and send it back. It is self-published, and I know, from experience, that it is hard to edit your own work. For that reason, I won't be reading future books in the series.
January 30, 2022
Good plot and the Appalachian monastery setting was unusual enough to hold my interest mr the mostly mute co-protagonist was a nice touch as well
April 1, 2019
Strange setup to a mystery. A Canadian monastery closes and the last monk is mute. He is sent down to an American monastery where he immediately finds a dead monk. Most are willing to let it go as a suicide but one local soldier turned monk refuses to believe this of his mentor. Strange business and odd locals make the story move along. Not sure it comes across as believable or particularly good mystery but wasn't a bad read.
September 4, 2019
Another one not finished. I just couldn't connect with the characters and really didn't care what happened.
January 21, 2020
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.
This takes place at a monastery where they brew hard apple cider and sell it in town. The monks, in general, do not behave in what would be considered very "godlike." Several of them drink alcohol, do not maintain their vow of chastity and may have homosexual inclinations. If any of this bothers you, you will not enjoy the book.
The main character, Biff, has been living at the monastery but is not a priest. He is seeking refuge after coming home from the war and experiencing severe PTSD. His mentor at the monastery is found deceased in a manner mostly consistent with suicide. But Biff does not want to believe it and against everyone's wishes, starts to investigate. I found the characters in this story to be interesting and the mystery was intriguing. This is not a fast-paced action-oriented story. It moves along at a fairly leisurely pace as you get to know the main character Biff, his family and several of the townspeople. I mostly enjoyed the character of Odo, a monk who has been newly transferred to this monastery and thought to be mute. The relationship between Biff and Odo was captivating as they found a way to communicate and rely upon one another.
The narrator, Adam Barr, did a wonderful job with the various accents and characters. His narration certainly drew me into the story and made it more enjoyable.
This takes place at a monastery where they brew hard apple cider and sell it in town. The monks, in general, do not behave in what would be considered very "godlike." Several of them drink alcohol, do not maintain their vow of chastity and may have homosexual inclinations. If any of this bothers you, you will not enjoy the book.
The main character, Biff, has been living at the monastery but is not a priest. He is seeking refuge after coming home from the war and experiencing severe PTSD. His mentor at the monastery is found deceased in a manner mostly consistent with suicide. But Biff does not want to believe it and against everyone's wishes, starts to investigate. I found the characters in this story to be interesting and the mystery was intriguing. This is not a fast-paced action-oriented story. It moves along at a fairly leisurely pace as you get to know the main character Biff, his family and several of the townspeople. I mostly enjoyed the character of Odo, a monk who has been newly transferred to this monastery and thought to be mute. The relationship between Biff and Odo was captivating as they found a way to communicate and rely upon one another.
The narrator, Adam Barr, did a wonderful job with the various accents and characters. His narration certainly drew me into the story and made it more enjoyable.
October 23, 2018
Huge thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free e-ARC for this book!
With a unique set of characters and a setting that you might not find normally in other novels, K.P. Cecala's mystery novel is definitely something that is hard for me to forget. I am definitely intrigued to see what Cecala brings out next, because this one is wonderful.
We start the story with our monk main character, Brother Odo who moves from Canada to West Virginia where he joins a new abbey. What is unique from the get-go is how Odo is mute - however later on we will discover that he isn't really unable to speak, he just does not want to. But the story isn't just about that. Joining Odo is the talkative, passionate Brother Emerick - a former soldier who is quirky and deeply cares about the people he loves. The story ensues with a mystery when another member of the abbey was found hanging from a tree. Everyone assumed it was a suicide, but Emerick is convinced that it was a murder.
Other than the unique setting of the book (I mean, I don't think I've ever read a book - let alone a mystery book - set in a monastery before!), the writing of Hard Cider Abbey is definitely enjoyable. It's quirky and fun, has a lot of humour but also at parts solemn, and oftentimes very cozy. The story reminds me of a cozy mystery but less simple, it's definitely a mystery that makes the reader want to know what happened, and the characters along with their pasts and relationships really add value to the overall arc of the story.
With fun characters and an overall page-turning mystery, I absolutely enjoyed this book. I loved the religion aspects of the story that were present but not too much, and as someone who never really knew much about the lives of monks, I definitely got a great insight into how a monastery runs, but also how monks are also just humans, they live and breathe and have passions, families, hobbies, personalities, and weaknesses, just like anybody else. I adore the relationship between Odo and Emerick and I'm definitely looking forward to the next instalments of this book.
So if you're looking for a fun, lighthearted mystery that has a unique setting and unique characters, absolutely pick this one up.
With a unique set of characters and a setting that you might not find normally in other novels, K.P. Cecala's mystery novel is definitely something that is hard for me to forget. I am definitely intrigued to see what Cecala brings out next, because this one is wonderful.
We start the story with our monk main character, Brother Odo who moves from Canada to West Virginia where he joins a new abbey. What is unique from the get-go is how Odo is mute - however later on we will discover that he isn't really unable to speak, he just does not want to. But the story isn't just about that. Joining Odo is the talkative, passionate Brother Emerick - a former soldier who is quirky and deeply cares about the people he loves. The story ensues with a mystery when another member of the abbey was found hanging from a tree. Everyone assumed it was a suicide, but Emerick is convinced that it was a murder.
Other than the unique setting of the book (I mean, I don't think I've ever read a book - let alone a mystery book - set in a monastery before!), the writing of Hard Cider Abbey is definitely enjoyable. It's quirky and fun, has a lot of humour but also at parts solemn, and oftentimes very cozy. The story reminds me of a cozy mystery but less simple, it's definitely a mystery that makes the reader want to know what happened, and the characters along with their pasts and relationships really add value to the overall arc of the story.
With fun characters and an overall page-turning mystery, I absolutely enjoyed this book. I loved the religion aspects of the story that were present but not too much, and as someone who never really knew much about the lives of monks, I definitely got a great insight into how a monastery runs, but also how monks are also just humans, they live and breathe and have passions, families, hobbies, personalities, and weaknesses, just like anybody else. I adore the relationship between Odo and Emerick and I'm definitely looking forward to the next instalments of this book.
So if you're looking for a fun, lighthearted mystery that has a unique setting and unique characters, absolutely pick this one up.
January 1, 2019
As the author, I will admit there are, as in most books self-published and otherwise, a few typos in Hard Cider Abbey. As a former book editor, no one is sorrier about that than myself! However I must point out that this book was chosen for review by Publishers Weekly (9/10/18) which rarely reviews self-published work. They would not even consider reviewing an amateurishly edited book and would certainly have mentioned such a flaw in the review—and they didn’t. Hey, no one’s perfect! But we independent writers do the best we can.
June 8, 2020
Interesting
I just finished this book and, because it is so unlike any other I've read, I am still letting it digest. I enjoyed the West Virginia scenery and pictures it created. The dynamics among the monks was very interesting. What I learned is that stillness of mind and spirit can be achieved even when outside sources demand undeserved attention. It isn't always focus, it is sometimes opening the mind and spirit to a gentler spirit. I like to think that this was the real healing force Emerick found in the woods.
I just finished this book and, because it is so unlike any other I've read, I am still letting it digest. I enjoyed the West Virginia scenery and pictures it created. The dynamics among the monks was very interesting. What I learned is that stillness of mind and spirit can be achieved even when outside sources demand undeserved attention. It isn't always focus, it is sometimes opening the mind and spirit to a gentler spirit. I like to think that this was the real healing force Emerick found in the woods.
August 3, 2018
Brother Odo has arrived from Quebec, the last of his order, to join the Holy Face Monastery in West Virginia. Near to the monastery he meets Brother Emerick and shows him the body he has discovered of a monk, Brother Lucian. Emerick is convinced that Lucian has been murdered and is determined to prove it.
Although well-written, and an enjoyable mystery I didn't find myself totally engaged by the story. Still a good solid start to a new series.
A NetGalley Book
Although well-written, and an enjoyable mystery I didn't find myself totally engaged by the story. Still a good solid start to a new series.
A NetGalley Book
November 17, 2019
A really good read
Yes it is really good read. I didn't know who's the murderer was until it was revealed in the book. Well written but not very well edited a lot of missing two or three letter words and s' at the end of plurals aren't there a lot of times but never so bad that you couldn't figure out what was going on. Just a good grammar and spelling program would take care of that. Really enjoyed reading this one! Well done!
Yes it is really good read. I didn't know who's the murderer was until it was revealed in the book. Well written but not very well edited a lot of missing two or three letter words and s' at the end of plurals aren't there a lot of times but never so bad that you couldn't figure out what was going on. Just a good grammar and spelling program would take care of that. Really enjoyed reading this one! Well done!
April 16, 2019
Recommended
I truly enjoyed reading this book with it's wonderfully written characters and storyline. Brother Emmet and Brother Odo found a place in my heart. Not overly preachy but full of simple beliefs and humanity throughout. This is a simple read with enough mystery to keep my interest without violence and lots of sex or foul language.
I truly enjoyed reading this book with it's wonderfully written characters and storyline. Brother Emmet and Brother Odo found a place in my heart. Not overly preachy but full of simple beliefs and humanity throughout. This is a simple read with enough mystery to keep my interest without violence and lots of sex or foul language.
November 11, 2019
Good
Good. Well thought out. Characters are interesting. Plot has twists. I found the last half of the book more compellingly written. There just wasn't that oomph to catch me; the characters were too home-spun, a little too bumbly, a little too unholy and rough. I will try the next book to see if the series improves; that sometimes occurs.
Good. Well thought out. Characters are interesting. Plot has twists. I found the last half of the book more compellingly written. There just wasn't that oomph to catch me; the characters were too home-spun, a little too bumbly, a little too unholy and rough. I will try the next book to see if the series improves; that sometimes occurs.
March 24, 2019
Good mystery
I received this book free from one of the book sites. I do not remember which one! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Temptation is everywhere. Secrets & lies are revealed. A well crafted story.
I received this book free from one of the book sites. I do not remember which one! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Temptation is everywhere. Secrets & lies are revealed. A well crafted story.
December 31, 2018
I loved this book and its well-developed characters. There's enough twists and turns in the book to keep you reading, chapter after chapter! I can't wait for the next volume!
August 19, 2019
👍 Great
Excellent! So glad I found this author ,easy reading and no profanity.👌👣 I plan to read all of series.Thanks Belinda Young from Mississippi.
Excellent! So glad I found this author ,easy reading and no profanity.👌👣 I plan to read all of series.Thanks Belinda Young from Mississippi.
December 6, 2019
An invigorating mixture of down home Appalacian and traditional Christianity.
August 15, 2018
A very well written and enjoyable mystery. I loved the cast of characters and the setting.
I’m curious about the next instalment.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this Arc
I’m curious about the next instalment.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this Arc
August 28, 2018
"Hard Cider Abbey" is the first in a mystery series that feature Brother Emerick and Brother Odo as the amateur sleuths at the Holy Face Monastery in West Virginia. When they discover the body of a fellow monk, Brother Lucian, in the local "death forest" they do not believe that his death was self-inflicted and setout uncover the truth. Overall, the story was enjoyable and a good setup for a new mystery series that brings components of Inspector Gamache, rural Appalachia and cozy mysteries into this ailing monastery with a cast of quirky characters.
Free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was released on August 15th and is now available.
Free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was released on August 15th and is now available.
October 3, 2018
A very unique setting for a non traditional mystery. A cider brewery in Appalachian West Virginia by monks. A senior monk is found dead. His death has the appearance of a suicide. In a very non democratic setting, the lowest ranking monks decide the monk's death was murder and set out to investigate. They must look outside the Abbey where all evidence points to someone inside the Abbey. The book was enjoyable in it's uniqueness. You don't find cursing in the Abbey and you would not expect to find violence. In today's societies, it was very unusual to find and enjoy a non traditional story line that could keep your interest to the end. It will be interesting to see the author's next book in the series.
December 9, 2018
Thankyou to NetGalley and K.P. Cecala for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Hard Cider Abbey in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
I have to say, I loved reading this book. It was a quirky, fun read with memorable characters. The setting was very descriptive. This is an author I would definitely read again.
I have to say, I loved reading this book. It was a quirky, fun read with memorable characters. The setting was very descriptive. This is an author I would definitely read again.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews