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Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #1-3
Le cronache di fratello Cadfael - Volume primo: La bara d'argento / Un cadavere di troppo / Il cappuccio del monaco
Inghilterra, prima metà del XII secolo. In un caldo pomeriggio d’estate, nella serena atmosfera di un monastero, un monaco sta accudendo al suo «giardino dei semplici», l’orto in cui coltiva le piante medicinali. È fratello Cadfael, un tempo marinaio, poi crociato, ora padre erborista e speziale dell’abbazia benedettina di Shrewsbury. È osservatore acutissimo e fine ragionatore, è paziente e dotato di senso dell’umorismo, il saio, i sandali o il crocifisso di legno non devono trarre in inganno. Infatti… è il più grande detective che le cronache medioevali ricordino. La sua ambizione è essere lasciato in pace per badare al suo orto, ma interviene nei fatti di sangue di cui è testimone per amore di giustizia e soprattutto quando vede innocenti ingiustamente accusati.
714 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1990
65 people are currently reading
431 people want to read
About the author
Ellis Peters
207 books1,145 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 35 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.
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.
January 19, 2021
Fan da sempre della serie BBC, sono stata contentissima di avere finalmente per le mani uno dei libri da cui è tratta. 🤩
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.
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.
December 23, 2021
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 know 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 covid pictures, which I enjoy.
These three stories were so varied, good plots, interesting procedural solving of mysteries with the backdrop of the religious pass times of the monks going about their business. I’ve already for 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 pass times of the monks going about their business. I’ve already for 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.
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.
to-finish-later
January 15, 2016This is going slowly. I thought I'd love it...but so far it's a bit of a yawn.
Um.....not reading this. It didn't grab me and then I got busy and then I picked up another book and then the semester started...
Maybe some other year I'll try this one again.
Um.....not reading this. It didn't grab me and then I got busy and then I picked up another book and then the semester started...
Maybe some other year I'll try this one again.
January 30, 2023
I started reading these books because I liked the British series with Derek Jacobi playing Cadfael. I loved them. I will continue reading the remainder of the series. I will recommend these books to friends and family who like mysteries.
November 11, 2023
All'inizio interessante e ben scritto, poi ha cominciato ad annoiarmi, avevo l'impressione di "già letto", di riciclato. Ellis Peters scrive(va) sempre lo stesso libro, con la stessa struttura e purtroppo sempre con lo stesso finale.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews