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    Monk's Hood
    Monk's Hood
    Monk's Hood
    Ebook318 pages6 hours

    Monk's Hood

    By Ellis Peters

    4/5

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    Silver Dagger Award Winner: In this medieval mystery, Brother Cadfael faces suspicion when one of his herbal ingredients is used to kill a man.

    Gervase Bonel is a guest of Shrewsbury Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul when he suddenly takes ill. Luckily, the abbey boasts the services of the clever and kindly Brother Cadfael, a skilled herbalist. Cadfael hurries to the man’s bedside, only to be confronted with two surprises: In Master Bonel’s wife, the good monk recognizes Richildis, whom he loved before he took his vows—and Master Bonel has been fatally poisoned by monk’s-hood oil from Cadfael’s stores.

    The sheriff is convinced that the murderer is Richildis’s son, Edwin, who hated his stepfather. But Cadfael, guided in part by his concern for a woman to whom he was once betrothed, is certain of her son’s innocence. Using his knowledge of both herbs and the human heart, Cadfael deciphers a deadly recipe for murder. 
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMysteriousPress.com Open Road
    Release dateAug 5, 2014
    ISBN9781497671119
    Author

    Ellis Peters

    Ellis Peters (the pen name of Edith Pargeter, 1913–1995) is a writer beloved of millions of readers worldwide and has been widely adapted for radio and television, including her Brother Cadfael crime novels, which were made into a series starring Derek Jacobi. She has been the recipient of the Cartier Diamond Dagger, Edgar Award for Best Novel, Agatha Award for Best Novel, and was awarded an OBE for her services to literature in 1994.

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    Reviews for Monk's Hood

    4/5

    42 ratings27 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Another excellent narration by Stephen Thorne who brings Cadfael to life. Unfortunately it appears that he has only narrated three of the Cadfael series, so this is the last.A little more of Cadfael's past is revealed and there is a lovely assessment of the impact of the civil war on the Abbey as Father Heribert goes off to find out whether he will keep his position or whether Prior Robert will take over.Cadfael discovers who was responsible for the poisoning of Gervase Bonel and eventually administers his own form of justice.What an excellent writer Ellis Peters was, bringing this periods of English history to life.
    • 4/5
      A mystery set in the year 1138. Brother Cadfael, a monk in charge of herbal remedies in the Abbey makes inquiries when one of those remedies was used for murder. His investigation is humane and charitable, following the tenet of his order. A satisfying whodunnit, with the added interest of a background setting in the Middle Ages.
    • 4/5
      A re-read. I first came across the series as a teenager,when mum would buy them as they came out. Brother Cadfael is a Welshman who has been a sailor, crusader and certainly lived a life before finding a home as a monk in the Abbey at Shrewsbury. He is a herbalist, and has more independence than most monks get allowed as a result. In this edition, an oil used to ease muscle pains is used to kill a somewhat unpleasant baron. This baron is in the midst of handing over his lands to the abbey in exchange for free living. Only he is cut down before the deed can be sealed, so it is not valid. In which case who is heir to the property and how is the prime suspect? That would be his stepson, his wife's child by her first husband. only she turns out to be a woman Cadfael had an understanding with before he went to the Holy land and sort of forgot to come back. That being a typical level of coincidence in these. But it's not any less enjoyable because of that. There are some pantomime villains, but they are few & far between. In few people is there pure evil, they are all human and fallible and, by that, all the more appealing. A nice easy read.
    • 3/5
      I blew through this short, but fun mystery in one day of travel. Cadfael is a classic and managed to fool me on at least one misdirection. The mystery wasn't the central part of the story for me. I enjoyed the interplay of the brothers in the convent and the politics of the Welsh vs. the English more. I'll definitely look for more in this series.
    • 4/5
      I really, really liked the book, but I LOVE Cadfael. Cadfael gets ten stars. These books may be classified as stand-alones,but I believe you should read them in order, starting with the second book. Why? Because it is important to know who each one of the characters really is, their souls, what makes them tick, how they think and behave. In book two I came to understand who Beringar was. Book three has now taught me, showed me, who Cadfael is. I have seen the choices he makes, and I absolutely love him. I wish I had had this knowledge before I tackled the later books. Personally I think you can skip the first, or go back and read that when you want o fill in lost details because you know you love the whole series.Super narration by Stephen Thorne.One more thing. I guessed who the murderer was after two or three chapters, but you do not read these books to "solve the mystery". You read them to be with people you admire and respect. You read to see how they will deal with what is thrown in their path. The books let you escape into a completely different world. Is this why I less often enjoy picking up books set in modern times?I really enjoyed this book; I do not want to leave Shrewsbury so I will move on to "Virgin in the Ice". I have read all the books between this and that one. Completed May 30, 2013
    • 3/5
      A visiting merchant is poisobed with monk's hood from Cafael's own laboratory, and he discovers that the merchant's wife is the women he himself once loved.
    • 3/5
      Nice follow-up to One Corpse Too Many, although I didn't like it quite as well. I did like the Welsh angle, and the political squabbles in the abbey.
    • 4/5
      Continuing with the saga of Brother Cadfael, we get more of his history as a former lady friend moves into the abbey with her husband. The lord was in the process of willing his lands to the abbey in exchange for room and board for life for himself and his wife. Before it becomes official, however, he is murdered by an oil containing a very potent poison derived from the plant known as Monk's Hood. Cadfael had this oil on hand to ease the suffering of arthritis and sore joints but was always adamant about the safe handling of the liquid. Cadfael joined the Benedictine order late in life after an active and adventurous one as a soldier in the Crusades and later as a sea captain. We know him as an intelligent and gentle man, more involved with his herbs and preparations made from them to help with illness of his brothers and folks living in the area.Cadfael's gentle questioning of the family members uncovers a tangled tree of relationships and eventually the murderer. What makes this series so special is how he always manages to get to the truth without using fear or injury to come by it.I listened to the audio version of the book read by Johanna Ward who did a wonderful job twisting her tongue around Welsh names.
    • 4/5
      I had a description typed. I lost the description typed. But Brother Cadfael novels are smartly written by Ellis Peters, historically accurate and engaging to read. I cannot remember what this story was specifically about but I do remember it being excellent.  Since I didn't manage to do my own review, here's Wikipedia's. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monk%27s_Hood
    • 3/5
      Gervase Bonel iis poisoned in a Abbey residence. Cadfael investigates as he believes it was one of his potions that was used, and Bonel's wife is a woman to whom he was once betrothed. Historical mystery that I found enjoyable to read.
    • 4/5
      In this third Brother Cadfael mystery, it's Christmas and a new family comes to the Abbey, exchanging their land for a home and lifetime care. The wife's son by a previous marriage has been promised the land but stands disinherited. However, the final papers cannot be signed as Abbot Heribert is off to London for a council and fears he may be replaced, much to the glee of Prior Robert, who expects the appointment. Along the way, there is a dead body. poisoned by a potion made by Cadfael to sooth joints, never to be ingested. Tangled relationships add to the mystery. And in the end, Heribert returns with news that will not please Robert. A top notch medieval mystery!
    • 4/5
      One of the more enjoyable Cadfael books—but I’m not quite sure why. It didn’t offend me—yet I don’t quite know why they should ever do so in the first place!! At any rate, I thought [no spoiler alert] all was handled very humanely, even though it may not have held strictly to the letter of the law.
    • 4/5
      Monk's Hood, the third Brother Cadfael mystery, is set in the fall of 1138 when Shrewsbury is recovering from its participation in the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud. Shrewsbury Abbey is experiencing some changes of its own: the gentle Abbot Heribert has been called to a Legatine Council that will likely strip him of his authority, and the ambitious Prior Robert eagerly takes his place pending the Council's ruling. Meanwhile, a wealthy landowner, Gervase Bonel, cedes his estate to the abbey in return for a comfortable place to live out his days... only, those days aren't very long. After eating a delicacy sent him by Prior Robert, Bonel dies in the agonies of poison. In the course of his investigations, Cadfael comes into contact with a variety of people in Bonel's household — among them an old flame, Richildis, who is now Bonel's widow. This gives rise to various musings on what might have been and the life Cadfael has chosen instead. Peters skirts the edges of cynicism without quite brushing up against it: hard to do, to achieve that resignation that is actually quite content without casting aspersions on the reality of romantic attachment.Like several other well-known literary sleuths, Cadfael uses his own discretion when it comes to unveiling and punishing the murderer. In this case he does not expose the murderer to public justice, choosing instead to set a lifelong penance that will, he hopes, do the world more good than would justice according to the letter of the law. Cadfael is already set apart from the other characters by his uncanny wisdom in getting to the bottom of murder, but does this give him the right to administer justice as he sees fit? I'm not sure how I feel about this; despite Cadfael's brilliance, he's still a fallible human being. Only one other character, Hugh Beringar, dimly guesses at how Cadfael has disposed of the case.Peters' writing is so smoothly effortless that it would be easy to take it for granted. Most readers don't look for great literature in the murder mystery genre, but that doesn't mean that the technical brilliance of the plotting should outweigh the style of the prose. Peters writes characters who are believable in their historic setting and personal relationships, with an unfaltering narrative voice that is both lively and original. She is also noted for the historical faithfulness of her work.Peters takes two of my favorite genres, historical fiction and mystery, and marries them to produce an engaging tale of medieval murder. If you're a fan of either genre, you should give this series a try! Cadfael's a great character, the mysteries are well plotted, and the prose is excellent. I look forward to reading more of Cadfael's monkly murder adventures.
    • 4/5
      Still enjoying this series a lot. I love the way the Welsh/English issues are woven in. This one is less political than the previous book, but it's still fully grounded in its historical setting. If you're looking for books that go straight to the mystery, it isn't these.

      One thing I'm appreciating a lot, though, is that from the very first page, I'm trying to figure out what the crime will be, and who the suspects could be. I've mostly got it right, even from early on, but it's lovely to read on and find myself mostly right.

      I didn't enjoy the characters in this book as much, but Cadfael remains wonderful, and the comedown for Prior Robert was amazing. And I'm quite fond of Brother Mark, if he sticks around, and of course, still fond of Hugh.
    • 4/5
      Six-word review: Monastic sleuth investigates murder by poisoning.Extended review: By the third installment in the series, Brother Cadfael's approach to matters both sacred and profane is becoming predictable; which is to say, we are getting to know him. This development does not detract from the pleasure in watching him apply logic, skill, and a sizeable helping of intuition to a puzzling crime and also dispense his own measure of justice and mercy according to his understanding.These books are small and do not delve deep, but they are not trivial either, examining as they do both the temporal and eternal questions that the good brother faces, both in his cloistered life following a soldierly career and in his missions into the secular world.I enjoy the author's treatment of setting, secondary characters, and aspects of medieval life. In this story I particularly liked the glimpses of the lives of shepherds and their flocks, homely, fragrant details that contribute to atmosphere and verisimilitude. I never doubt the author's attention to authenticity and historical fidelity. The emerging picture of life in the Middle Ages is a significant element of the appeal of this series.My rating of 3½ stars in the overall scheme of things does not really reflect my appreciation of the Cadfael mysteries. Within the genre I give it 4 stars.
    • 4/5
      The Brother Caefael series never disappoints; the historical aspect always adds to the enjoyment, the subtle humor is always welcome and the characters in the story are always engaging. The plot this time is better than at other times and everything except Cadfael's decision regarding the killer flows out of everything we have already learned about not just Cadfael but about the whole Abbey at Shrewsbury. In fact that is the strength of the Bother Cadfael series. The reader does not just come to know Bother Cadfael, but comes to know all of the monks at the Abbey as the series progresses. Many of the best mystery series have recurring characters that become our friends and we enjoy reading about them in each new book in the series. It is not just the main character that we come to know and identify with but come to know and care about all the other characters as well. In fact , the characters often times come to be like a small family within the sereis. But in the Brother Cadfael series the author, Ellis Peters, has all the monks of the Abbey to draw from and what the reader gets is not just a sense of family throughout the series but a sense of a whole community as well. It is somewhat odd that a female author, Ellis Peters, would choose to write about a communtiy of men in which there is going to be little or no romance for most of them throughout the sereis. But what Peters does get and uses repeatedly to great effect is the moral implications of what is occurring in the story that she is telling. Some of these moments are small such as when Cadfael is admonished by Prior Roberts for his relationship with the newly widowed Mrs. Bonel. The Prior then bans Cadfael from leaving the abbey until Mistress Bonel has moved and the temptation of the relationship is removed. Having taken a vow of obedience, Cadfael must live by the mandate of Prior Roberts though it severely restricts his ability to find the real murderer, "Vows of obedience, voluntarily taken, cannot be discarded whenever they become inconvenient."The larger moral issue that has even greater impact on the story and helps to identify the person that Cadfael really is comes when he confronts the killer. Cadfael not only must discover who the killer is but then he must understand not only the psychology that is underlying the killers actions, but also understand the moral core of the killer. Cadfael sets up a test to show both the killer and himself what the true moral nature of the killer is. Cadfael makes decisions based on what he percieves the killers moral center to be and those decisions are not the ones that the legal authorities would have made. But by having her detective as a monk, Ellis Peters gets to do this and confront the morality of humans instead of just looking at the crime and the solving of the crime.
    • 4/5
      Monk's Hood, the third Brother Cadfael mystery, is set in the fall of 1138 when Shrewsbury is recovering from its participation in the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud. Shrewsbury Abbey is experiencing some changes of its own: the gentle Abbot Heribert has been called to a Legatine Council that will likely strip him of his authority, and the ambitious Prior Robert eagerly takes his place pending the Council's ruling. Meanwhile, a wealthy landowner, Gervase Bonel, cedes his estate to the abbey in return for a comfortable place to live out his days... only, those days aren't very long. After eating a delicacy sent him by Prior Robert, Bonel dies in the agonies of poison. In the course of his investigations, Cadfael comes into contact with a variety of people in Bonel's household — among them an old flame, Richildis, who is now Bonel's widow. This gives rise to various musings on what might have been and the life Cadfael has chosen instead. Peters skirts the edges of cynicism without quite brushing up against it: hard to do, to achieve that resignation that is actually quite content without casting aspersions on the reality of romantic attachment.Like several other well-known literary sleuths, Cadfael uses his own discretion when it comes to unveiling and punishing the murderer. In this case he does not expose the murderer to public justice, choosing instead to set a lifelong penance that will, he hopes, do the world more good than would justice according to the letter of the law. Cadfael is already set apart from the other characters by his uncanny wisdom in getting to the bottom of murder, but does this give him the right to administer justice as he sees fit? I'm not sure how I feel about this; despite Cadfael's brilliance, he's still a fallible human being. Only one other character, Hugh Beringar, dimly guesses at how Cadfael has disposed of the case.Peters' writing is so smoothly effortless that it would be easy to take it for granted. Most readers don't look for great literature in the murder mystery genre, but that doesn't mean that the technical brilliance of the plotting should outweigh the style of the prose. Peters writes characters who are believable in their historic setting and personal relationships, with an unfaltering narrative voice that is both lively and original. She is also noted for the historical faithfulness of her work.Peters takes two of my favorite genres, historical fiction and mystery, and marries them to produce an engaging tale of medieval murder. If you're a fan of either genre, you should give this series a try! Cadfael's a great character, the mysteries are well plotted, and the prose is excellent. I look forward to reading more of Cadfael's monkly murder adventures.
    • 4/5
      My second helping of the Brother Cadfael series wasn't quite as good as the first, but it was still an enjoyable read. Ellis Peters's medieval monastery and its inhabitants are described so well that I feel like I'm right there among the brothers as I read. However, the modern world seemed to insert itself toward the end of the book.***Spoiler*** I was disappointed that Cadfael was able to rationalize allowing the murderer to escape the penalty of law. His argument for doing so sounded very much like modern arguments against the death penalty. Or, if you prefer, like the Wild West “he needed killing” justification for murder. Cadfael didn't wrestle much with his decision, or suffer regrets once the decision had been made. Instead of ambiguity, there was a “happily ever after” ending - for everyone except the dead man.
    • 3/5
      Monk’s Hood is “The Third Chronicle of Brother Cadfael, of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, at Shrewsbury.” Although there is some continuity in this cozy-historical mystery series, so far, at least, it seems that any one of these books can be read without the benefit of having read those preceding it.It is close to Christmas in 1138, and a family has moved into a house on the abbey property. At that time in history, one could turn over one’s estate to monasteries or convents in exchange for room and board until death. Thus a Master Bonel and his wife and stepson begin to occupy the house. Brother Cadfael, who is a monk come late to the cloistered life after a checkered career and stint in the Crusades, is now in charge of herbs and remedies at the Abbey. He is called to Master Bonel’s house when the latter is taken ill. As Cadfael tries to treat Master Bonel (to no avail, since he has been poisoned by a mixture of herbs containing monk’s-hood), he recognizes in Bonel’s wife his fiancé of forty years ago, Richildis. Richildis married someone else when Cadfael took too long to return from the Crusades. Bonel is her second husband, and now he is dead. Her fourteen year old son Edwin is accused of the murder, and she begs Cadfael for his help.Cadfael is convinced of Edwin’s innocence as well, and resolves to help them by finding the real murderer. He is aided by his young assistant in the herbarium, Brother Mark. Cadfael likes Edwin very much, and ponders what it would have been like to have married Richildis and had children:"Brother Cadfael heaved a deep sigh that might have been of regret, but might equally well have been of relief.”He solves the mystery and even dispenses justice, using his talent for detective work, his knowledge of the ways of men, his generosity of spirit, and his trademark senses of humor and justice.Evaluation: This cozy-historical mystery is short and engaging, and a pleasant way to pass the time. The “mystery” is not so well-hidden that you can’t figure it out, but the pleasure is in seeing how Brother Cadfael, a very likeable character, goes about it.
    • 4/5
      Again Ellis Peters weaves a tale of murder and intrigue into the fabric of medieval culture and customs in this third chronicle of Brother Cadfael of the Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul in Shrewsbury. In this episode we are introduced to Richildis, the long-ago love of Brother Cadfael, affianced when they were 17 but until now, separated when Brother Cadfael left on the Crusades. While living in a grace house at the Abbey, the present husband of Richildis is murdered with the blame placed upon Richildis' son. Brother Cadfael, resident herbalist and sleuth at the Abbey, recognizes the poison, Monk's Hood, as being the means of the murder and sets out to find the truth wherever it leads him. The author has a gift for imagery as when she describes thusly the sounds of pneumonia in a monk, "He has it hard Cadfael, you hear the leaves of his heart rustling as he breathes, like a man's feet in the woods in autumn." Another fine addition to this immensely popular and acclaimed series.
    • 4/5
      In general I'm not a big fan of detection/murder mystery novels and haven't read much in the genre, but I found this to be very well-written, with great characters and a well-realized historical setting. I will be reading more in this series.
    • 4/5
      I love the Cadfael chronicles.This is one of my fave stories. I also like the series.Cadfael meets Rischildies. They would have been married if he came back earlier from the crusades. Now, Brother Cadfael must help her find her husbands murderer and bring them to justice.
    • 4/5
      Respite from the civil war between Maud and Stephen, however temporary, has been restored to Shrewsbury as Christmas approaches. Life in the abbey proceeds as usual when suddenly Brother Cadfael is called to the bedside of Gervase Bonel, who has recently nearly completed the process of turning over his lands to the abbey in return for a guaranteed living under its care. To make matters more interesting, Bonel's wife--to Cadfael's complete surprise ins none other than Cadfael's first love, Richildis, whom Cadfael left behind when he went on the First Crusade. Bonel dies--poisoned with monk's hood. Monk's hood is valuable in relieving aches and pains when applied externally but deadly in small amounts when taken internally. Someone has stolen from Brother Cadfael's own supply and murdered Bonel.Suspicion immediately falls on Richildis' son (by her first marriage) Edwin, who has the most to lose if the Bonel lands go to the abbey and the most to gain if Bonel's original will, in which Edwin inherits, stands.This is a more or less straightforward 12th century police procedural with Brother Cadfael in the role of private detective assisting the short-sighted forces of law and order. The reader learns a great deal about Welsh land law and the operation of the court system as a crucial part of the plot.The climax is very good, although the final outcome may strain the credulity of a modern reader. In this cynical age, it's hard to understand the power of the religious beliefs of that time. Yet it certainly was real by all historical accounts.The writing, plotting, and characterization are all standard Ellis Peters, which is to say very good. We're glad to see the recurring characters, both Benedictine and secular; Brother Mark, Brother Jerome, Prior Robert, High Beringar, Abbot Heribert. while we are delighted to see jerome and robert get their noses tweaked, it's still with affectionate laughter.An entertaining read. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      A guest of the Abbey is murdered with an arthritis treatment of Brother Cadfael's.
    • 4/5
      The third chronicle of Brother Cadfael of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul of Shrewsbury
    • 4/5
      A guest of the Abbey is murdered with an arthritis treatment of Brother Cadfael's.
    • 4/5
      A guest of the Abbey is murdered with an arthritis treatment of Brother Cadfael's.

    Book preview

    Monk's Hood - Ellis Peters

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