The Leper of Saint Giles (1981) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1139. Brother Cadfael is taking medicines to the leper hospice when the trains of the soon to be married older man and young woman come by. The man leaves much to be desired. He had drawn close enough now to observe what manner […]
Saint Peter’s Fair (1981) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1139 The Abbey is having it’s annual horse fail–Saint Peter’s Fair–and the merchants of the town of Shrewsbury are unhappy, for unlike the abbey, the town took damage the previous year when King Stephen took the town, and the Abbey takes the revenue and taxes […]
Monk’s Hood (1980) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1138. A blind eye is the easiest thing in the world to turn on whatever is troublesome. Too much trust is folly, in an imperfect world. He felt in his heart that that was sin, the sin of despair; not despair for himself, but despair of […]
One Corpse Too Many (1979) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1138. There is war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud, over who is the rightful ruler of England, and Stephen has come to Shrewsbury to flush out some of Maud’s strongest supporters. After the battle, and the hanging of those seen as traitors […]
A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977) Ellis Peters Cadfael is a brother at Shrewsbury abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Unlike most of his brethren he came to his calling late, having spent his younger years as a Crusader–and perhaps also an adventurer. Nothing troubled his peace but the necessity to take himself indoors […]
The Killings at Badger’s Drift (1987) Caroline Graham Miss Emily Simpson was found dead in her home. An elderly woman, her death didn’t seem suspicious, but her best friend, Miss Lucy Bellringer insists that something was wrong and the death should be investigated. I had very very vague memories of this book. First, that Inspector […]
At Bertram’s Hotel (1966) Agatha Christie Several years ago when I had the flu I started to re-read the Miss Marple mysteries (which I hadn’t done in a couple decades). I read through all my favorites, then stopped once I felt better. Since I’ve been reading books set in the time of her later mysteries, […]
The Holy Thief (1992) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1144. Two very different groups have stopped by the Benedictine abbey: a troubadour and his entourage, and a brother and a novice from Ramsey–seeing funds and help to rebuild the abbey and the city there, destroyed by Geoffrey de Mandeville, Earl of Essex. But a […]
The Summer of the Danes (1991) Ellis Peters Set in Wales in 1144. This story is quite different from others in this series. Like the first, it is set in Wales, but instead of a peaceful search for a saint, there is a possibility of a fight between brothers and then invasion (by the Danes […]
The Potter’s Field (1989) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1143. The war between King Stephen and Empress Maud continues, and raiders have attacked East Anglia, sending the residents and the local Benedictines fleeing. The novice Sulien Blount is sent back to Shrewsbury both to escape the raiders and to consider whether he truly wants […]
The Heretic’s Apprentice (1989) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1143. William of Lythwood has returned from his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in a coffin. He died of illness on his return home, and his attendant Elave has brought his body back to his family. However, a visiting cleric raises doubts as to whether […]
The Confession of Brother Haluin (1988) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1143. Brother Haluin came to the abbey as a novice, and as a brother did penance beyond what it was believed he owed. But there are some born to do penance by nature. Maybe they, lift the load for some of us who […]
The Hermit of Eyton Forest (1987) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1142. The 14th Brother Cadfael book sees the Civil War still causing problems, and sees further reversals between the two contestants for the throne. Back at the Abbey, Cadfael has a new helper, another young novice. “Yes, I should think he might do […]
The Rose Rent (1986) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1142. The 13th Brother Cadfael mystery revolves around a property that had been donated to the Abbey by a widow, with an unusual stipulation. One white rose from that bush in her old garden, to be delivered to her on the day of Saint Winifred’s […]
The Raven in the Foregate (1986) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1141. The 12th Brother Cadfael mystery finds a new priest come to the local parish–a priest sent by bishop Henry of Winchester. Although he is educated and pious, it soon becomes clear that he is not well suited to being a parish priest. […]
An Excellent Mystery (1985) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1141. The town of Winchester has been destroyed in the war between Maud and Stephen, and the people–as well as the Benedictine brothers and nuns–have scattered across the country to wherever they can find refuge. Two monks arrive at the Abbey of Saint Peter and […]
The Pilgrim of Hate (1984) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1141 The 10th Brother Cadfael novel finds the Abbey preparing for the celebration of Saint Winifred, and pilgrims arriving in hopes of a miracle. This celebration is a reprieve from the civil war that has been tearing up the country for three years. I […]
Dead Man’s Ransom (1984) Ellis Peters Set in England and Wales in 1141. The civil war continues to tear through England, reaching back towards Shrewsbury, where Hugh and the local sheriff are sent off to fight against the Earls of Chester and Lincoln as well as a marauder from Wales. When the sheriff is taken, […]
The Devil’s Novice (1983) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1140. The 8th Brother Cadfael mystery beings with a discussion of taking on of two oblates–youth given by their father’s to the abbey. One youth is an infant, the other an older teen. It’s a reminder of just how different things were that the idea […]
The Sanctuary Sparrow (1983) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1140. The seventh Brother Cadfael mystery begins with a mob howling for the blood of a young man chased into the abbey, seeking sanctuary. They claim a man has been killed, and want vengeance. The abbot holds no truck with violence in the sanctuary, and […]
The Virgin in the Ice (1982) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1139. It is winter, and along the border with Wales, this time can be deadly, especially for the poor or travelers caught unaware. When bandits leave a Benedictine brother for dead in the cold, Brother Cadfael is called to come help, due to […]
The Leper of Saint Giles (1981) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1139. I found I hadn’t purchased book four, so I skipped to book five of the Brother Cadfael series. Brother Mark has gone to Saint Giles, to minister to the lepers there, and Brother Cadfael misses his former assistant, but does get to […]
Monk’s Hood (1980) Ellis Peters
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 […]
A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977) Ellis Peters Set in England and Wales in ~1137. I picked this up on sale–and by accident. I’d confused Ellis Peters with Peter Tremayne (whose real name was Peter Berresford Ellis, so it’s not that ridiculous of a mistake) and so picked up a bunch of these books when […]
Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (2013) Agatha Christie From The Thirteen Problems (1953) The Tuesday Night Club The Idol House of Astarte Ingots of Gold The Bloodstained Pavement Motive v. Opportunity The Thumbmark of St. Peter The Blue Geranium The Companion The Four Suspects A Christmas Tragedy The Herb of Death The Affair at […]
The Lighthearted Quest (1956) Ann Bridge I picked up a bunch of books in this series when they were on sale, and then they sat, unread, while I read other things. The book started off well. It’s set post WWII, a time period I’m fond of due to Agatha Christie, and it was amusing. “Where […]
Miss Buncle’s Book (1936) D. E. Stevenson This book was a fun read. First published in 1936, it’s set in England, in that strange time period between the two world wars. Miss Buncle is at wits end as to what to do for money. Her dividends are no longer supporting her, so she has to […]
The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag (2010) Alan Bradley This is the second Flavia de Luce book. Flavia is eleven and fascinated by chemistry and poisons. And murder, although that was a recent discovery. She has two older sisters who dislike and torment her, and a father who is wrapped up in his stamps, […]
A Caribbean Mystery (1964) Agatha Christie This has always been my favorite Miss Marple mystery, probably because I got to watch part of it on TV, with Jameson Parker as Tim Kendal, which is important, because I was a HUGE Simon & Simon fan. (And I just now realized that Brock Peters played Dr. Graham!) […]
A Caribbean Mystery (1964) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) This was my first Miss Marple, and remains on of my favorites. This is Miss Marple at her fluffiest and most dithering, yet still able to cause action to be taken. And still a product of her time. “Sex” as a word had not been mentioned in […]
The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side (1962) Agatha Christie This is probably the Miss Marple mystery that has embedded itself most firmly in my mind. There are so very many thing from here that randomly pop up. Out flew the web and floated wide; The mirror crack’d from side to side; ‘The curse is […]
They Do It With Mirrors (1952) Agatha Christie Another Miss Marple mystery–comfort reading for when I’m sick. Miss Marple is asked by her friend Ruth to look into the circumstances of Ruth’s sister, Carrie Louise. Jane Marple and Ruth and Carrie Louise were school mates, and remained in touch through the years. Ruth feels there […]
A Pocket Full of Rye (1953) Agatha Christie Rex Fortescue dies in his office, immediately after drinking his morning tea. Besides the strange poison used to kill me, police are confused by the fact he coat is full of cereal–rye. Miss Marple doesn’t make her appearance until almost halfway through the story, but Inspector Neele […]
4:50 from Paddington (1957) Agatha Christie Mrs. Elspeth McGillicuddy is taking the train from London to visit her friend Miss Marple, when she looks into the windows of a passing train and sees a woman being throttled–she alerts the conductor, the station master, and the local police, but–strangely–no body is discovered. Her curiosity piqued, Miss […]
A Murder Is Announced (1950) Agatha Christie Next up on my Miss Marple reading binge was A Murder is Announced. The residents of Chipping Cleghorn are startled when their weekly paper has a strange personal announcement: ‘A murder is announced and will take place on Friday October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6:30 p.m.’ And […]
The Thirteen Problems (1928, 1929, 1930, 1933) Agatha Christie (Also published as The Tuesday Club Murders) I read several stories in this collection, but not all, so I don’t think I’d previously read this collection as is. After dinner seems a good time to sit around and discuss crime, and see how clever everyone is, […]
The Body in the Library (1942) Agatha Christie Colonel and Mrs. Bantry are quite shocked to discover a body in their library–a very young blonde body. The Colonel calls the police, but Mrs. Bantry knows better, and calls Miss Marple. Again, like Murder at the Vicarage, I noticed that much of the story seemed timeless. […]
The Murder at the Vicarage (1930) Agatha Christie It’s been years since I’ve read an Agatha Christie, but she’s always been on of my favorites, and so I decided it was the perfect thing to read while I’m sick and feeling somewhat miserable. This is the first Miss Marple mystery, and is told from the […]
Defending Angels (2008) Mary Stanton Brianna Winston-Beaufort has inherited her uncle’s clients after he died in a terrible fire in his law office. As she attempts to find a temporary office, she starts to discover that strange things are occurring, and her uncle’s clients might be far more unusual than first expected. It’s very—cute. I […]