The Heretic's Apprentice

By Ellis Peters

In the Summer of 1143, two visitors arrive at the gates of the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul bearing a corpse. But another violent death follows in their wake, and Brother Cadfael is called upon to investigate the connection between these two gory events.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Head of Zeus
• Release date: Jun 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781784080662

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.

Reviews for The Heretic's Apprentice

[angelag86 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A young man brings his former master to the Abbey for burial, after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He soon finds himself in trouble, for having views that don't follow the Catholic party line. When a member of his master's household is found murdered, he is also held accountable for that.

[mrsrk-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another lovely read by Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter’s nom de plume). Make sure you keep close attention to the story, for you will be certainly mislead to guess the killer in a character who did not commit the crime. I loved the ending with Bishop Roger de Clinton’s wisdom portrayed in an exchange with the young “Heretic’s Apprentice,” Elave. Also the minute description of a psalter is absolutely fantastic, breathtaking! Mrs. Pargeter had such way with words… Beware that Cadfael does not appear as much as in other prior stories, but that did not detract from the whole. Highly recommend.

[busterrll · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

More excellent than all other Ellis Peters books - I figured out who was the murderer was, but never figured out who or how the change was made. Good read.

[angelab86 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A young man brings his former master to the Abbey for burial, after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He soon finds himself in trouble, for having views that don't follow the Catholic party line. When a member of his master's household is found murdered, he is also held accountable for that.

[fdholt · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In The heretic's apprentice, Elave brings the body William of Lythwood, his master, who has died while making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He also brings a dowry for a young grand-niece. Elave is accused of having heretic opinions as did his master. Accusations are made by a clerk who is then found murdered. So is Elave a murderer? Cadfael needs to use his detective skills to find the murderer before any more are committed.Ellis Peters has always used morality and justice in her Cadfael books, but, to the good brother, only God is the judge of human actions. Here the author discusses infant baptism and original sin as well as predestination and works versus deeds. There is the official church position and there is God's position and they may be widely separated. An interesting look into the theological world of the 12th century.

[phoenixcomet · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love the details Ellis Peters includes in her Brother Cadfael novels. Set in the Middle Ages, her books are historically accurate and give you a feel for the times. When Elave returns from a pilgrimage to the Middle East as William's scribe and assistant, he returns with a gift of a exquisitely detailed box and William's dead body. The box was meant as a form of dowry for Fortunata. Elave runs into issue with visiting Canon Gerbert when he is accused of heresy by Aldwin, a member of Fortunata's household and the current scribe who feared for his position. When Aldwin turns up murdered, things are looking even worse for Elave and Brother Cadfael and Hugh Beringar must figure out who actually did murder Aldwin and why?

[walterhistory · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A companion of a dead man has come home from the Middle East to request burial for the nobleman at the abbey. After he visits his old haunts, a jealous man accuses him of heresy. When the accuser ends up dead, everyone suspects the companion but Cadfael suspects someone else. As he searches, he discovers a priceless treasure meant for the church has disappeared. Cadfael searches for the treasure box, believing that the killer has already killed once & would kill again to protect the object.

[meredy_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Six-word review: Priceless treasure kindles romance, precipitates murder.Extended review:In the sixteenth chronicle of Brother Cadfael, our favorite twelfth-century monastic gumshoe yields the foreground to the inevitable thwarted young couple. Perhaps shifting the focus away from her series character refreshed the author's enthusiasm for her task; I'd call this one of the better episodes, and definitely one of the best of the later ones, which had lately seemed to give off a faint whiff of staleness while becoming a bit too predictable.In any event, Cadfael seems to yield the spotlight graciously, while the well-matched pair of lovers takes center stage. The clever deductions and the setting of the final trap fall to them, and they carry off their parts with spirit.At the same time, the author gets in a full complement of asides on various religious, political, and social topics together with plenty of time-and-place atmosphere and well-researched detail. I thought the information about the making of parchment and fine books was interesting and well integrated into the story.God bless cozy mysteries, an antidote to many an ill.

[adeeba_zamaan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After watching the Brother Cadfael series on Netflix, I checked out a few of the books from my local library, and became an instant Ellis Peters fan. What beautiful writing! Her sentence structures release meaning with perfect timing; the rhythm of their details produces real feeling. I don't care if I can guess the solution to the mystery; these are worth reading just for the pleasure of reading.

[anntstobbs · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A young pilgrim arrives in the town bearing a box containing the dowry for the young man's master's daughter. No one looks in the box to see what it contains to await the arrival of the master of the house. The young pilgrim is soon charged with heresy and when his accuser is found murdered, is also charged with that crime. Brother Cadfeal has to use his wits to unravel the charges and help the young man claim his bride.

[librisissimo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Substance: As with all of the later books in the series, the mystery is fairly given, the young people are charming, and the romance is sweet. Notable mostly for clear (and sympathetic) statements about the "heretical" view of the doctrines of original sin, infant baptism, and the trinity (depressing, unfair, and inherently confusing). Features the Patripassion heresy, which follows most logically the "truth" of consubstantiation.NOTES: p. 163: why twelfth-century heretic hunters hated each other.

[seoulful · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I would venture that this is the most theological of Ellis Peter's Brother Cadfael series as we learn of some early disputations on the thorny issues of predestination vs free will, the fate of unbaptized babies, the nature of the trinity and the doctrine of grace vs good works as a means of salvation. We have Elave, a young man from the town of Shrewsbury who is back home from accompanying his now dead master on a pilgrimage to Palestine. During this seven year adventure, the master shares with his young companion his thoughts on these contentious issues many of which were at odds with orthodox Catholic doctrine. Elave, with more spunk than wisdom, gives vent to his theological doubts and ends up in custody to be tried as a heretic. The murder of a family member further complicates his case but brings Brother Cadfael from the Abbey with his array of detection skills into the picture. Cadfael, along with the competent sheriff of the shire, Hugh Beringer, untangles the unhappy basis for heretical accusations and murder. The rigidity of the writings of St. Augustine and early church doctrine divides theologian and lay alike into two camps. Cadfael's position represents the more moderate view, "Nor could he accept that the number of those predestined to salvation was fixed, limited and immutable, as Augustine proclaimed, nor indeed that the fate of any man was sealed and hopeless from his birth, or why not throw away all regard for others and rob and murder and lay waste, and indulge every anarchic appetite in this world, having nothing beyond to look forward to?" The other side professed that Catholic doctrine must not give an inch and be vigorously defended to keep the church from sure fragmentation. All of this anguished wrangling transpires within the rhythm of medieval life in town and Abbey so well described by an author who is a master of character development and medieval culture. A gentle love story threads its way through the violence and bitterness to give the expected and welcome mellow ending.

[griff_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The usual formula, but always a delight. I am nearing the end of this series...sadly.

[dwwilkin_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As i read these I want to be able to be transported away to the period and feel the depth and richness that it has to offer. Here Peters has done so. We get from the Heretic's Apprentice a great deal of the church, both it's politics and workings and the philosophy that was prevalent at the time.The mystery of course is paramount and the outcome, a happy ending is clear as Peters seems to unite some couple in love in each of these stories, but what is not clear as has been so these last few books is the culprit. Not only do we find a story that takes a complex turn as it delves into heresy, a very real proposition of the time, but we find a mystery having a complex twist to it also.This twist is the redemption of so many of the previous adventures. Though there is no herbology involved, Cadfael the investigator, the man who is always near the center to momentous events once again helps solve the mystery and brings about our happy ending. Here is a mystery worthwhile.

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have read this before, but I intend to read all of the Cadfael books repeatedly, they are excellent, and my memory doesn't seem to retain who the bad guy/gal is, so the mystery is always fresh.This story deals with the subject of heresy in the 1100s, England. An issue that was beginning to heat up. I enjoy the characters thoughts as they work through the issues at stake. Of course, the mystery adds suspense and excitement.

[landofashes · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The cover calls this a medieval whodunnit, and that's what it is - a delightful blend of historical setting, believable characters and a mystery to solve.

[armyangel1986 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A young man brings his former master to the Abbey for burial, after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He soon finds himself in trouble, for having views that don't follow the Catholic party line. When a member of his master's household is found murdered, he is also held accountable for that.