One Corpse Too Many

One Corpse Too Many (1979) Ellis Peters

Set in England in 1138.

I enjoyed the second book as much as–if not more than–the first.

Civil War is come to Shrewsbury as Maud and Stephen battle for the throne of England. (I actually had to go back and peruse She-Wolves, to see is Maud was mentioned there.)

When Maud’s supporters are put to death after Stephen wins the battle, Cadfael and the brothers at the Abbey help prepare the dead, and bury any who are not claimed by their families. It is as they are finishing these preparations that Brother Cadfael realized that there are more bodies laid out than were executed, and thus begins the mystery.

One of the things I liked was both the horror of the execution of so many many and the commonplace of the preparation of the dead.

In the house of Father Elias, priest of St. Alkmund’s church, (the man) was reverently stripped, washed, composed and shrouded, all by his sister’s hands, the good father assisting. Hugh Beringar stood by to fetch and carry for them, but did not enter the room where they worked. She wanted no one else, she was quite sufficient to the task laid on her.

It’s a very subtle reminder of how much things have changed–of how death and dying have become a stranger to our lives.

I again enjoyed Brother Cadfael’s wit and way of looking at the world.

“I can hardly question your judgment of men,” said Cadfael drily, “since you’ve confided in me. If I doubted, I’d hardly be likely to own it.”

Again, there were a couple anachronisms–“the plague” wasn’t in use until the 14th century (which I knew because of another historical mystery series I recently read) but as the book was written in the late 70s, I can hardly fault the author for being off by 200 or so years in a work of fiction.

I enjoyed this story very much, and Brother Cadfael’s look on life.
Rating: 8.5/10

Published by MysteriousPress

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