78-544: An Excellent Mystery is a mystery novel by Ellis Peters , the third of four set in the year 1141, when so much occurred in the period known as the Anarchy . It is the 11th in the Cadfael Chronicles , published in 1985. The siege of Winchester sends monks streaming across England seeking safe haven. Two arrive at Shrewsbury Abbey. A young man seeks out the older of the two monks, wanting his approval to marry
156-438: A supernatural mystery in which the solution does not have to be logical and even in which there is no crime involved. This usage was common in the pulp magazines of the 1930s and 1940s, whose titles such as Dime Mystery , Thrilling Mystery , and Spicy Mystery offered what were then described as complicated to solve and weird stories: supernatural horror in the vein of Grand Guignol . That contrasted with parallel titles of
234-600: A Scheduled Ancient Monument. It has recently been restored and renovated to provide apartments available for rent. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536, the Abbey was granted by Henry VIII to Francis Goodere of St Albans , Hertfordshire in 1544; Goodere dismantled many of the Abbey buildings to provide stone for a new manor house (Polesworth Hall) which he built on the site. Later Sir Henry Goodere
312-589: A castle cell. Alone with Cadfael and Hugh, Brother Humilis asks about the valuables that disappeared with Julian. Hugh describes them. Brother Urien overhears and thinks one item is worn by Brother Fidelis, giving Urien reason to approach again. Angered by rejection, Urien pulls the chain to see what hangs on it. Urien threatens to accuse Fidelis of theft, and leaves. Rhun witnesses this. Rhun suggests to Brother Edmund that Fidelis sleep in Brother Humilis's room. That night, Humilis wakes to discover his friend on
390-518: A crime scene with no indication as to how the intruder could have entered or left, i.e., a locked room. Following other conventions of classic detective fiction, the reader is normally presented with the puzzle and all of the clues, and is encouraged to solve the mystery before the solution is revealed in a dramatic climax. Polesworth Abbey Polesworth Abbey was a Benedictine nunnery in Polesworth , North Warwickshire , England. In 925,
468-406: A division of Crosstown Publications. The detective fiction author Ellery Queen ( pseudonym of Frederic Dannay and Manfred B. Lee ) is also credited with continuing interest in mystery fiction. Interest in mystery fiction continues to this day partly because of various television shows which have used mystery themes and the many juvenile and adult novels which continue to be published. There
546-474: A famous knight crusader before a nearly fatal wound led to his retirement from the secular world. His mute companion, Brother Fidelis, serves as Humilis's caretaker and nurse. Young Fidelis is like a shadow, his inability to speak makes him the keeper of many secrets. Stephen Thorne, who reads both novels, has a feel for Peters's distinctive prose style, making her use of medieval phrasing and vocabulary sound genuine and natural rather than "historical." Thorne voices
624-519: A mystery to be solved, clues , red herrings , some plot twists along the way and a detective denouement , but differs on several points. Most of the Sherlock Holmes stories feature no suspects at all, while mystery fiction, in contrast, features a large number of them. As noted, detective stories feature professional and retired detectives, while mystery fiction almost exclusively features amateur detectives. Finally, detective stories focus on
702-595: A new angle on the investigation, so as to bring about a final outcome different from the one originally devised by the investigators. In the legal thriller, court proceedings play a very active, if not to say decisive part in a case reaching its ultimate solution. Erle Stanley Gardner popularized the courtroom novel in the 20th century with his Perry Mason series. Contemporary authors of legal thrillers include Michael Connelly , Linda Fairstein , John Grisham , John Lescroart , Paul Levine , Lisa Scottoline and Scott Turow . Many detective stories have police officers as
780-418: A night watchman at best. Naturally, the constable would be aware of every individual in the town, and crimes were either solved quickly or left unsolved entirely. As people began to crowd into cities, police forces became institutionalized, and the need for detectives was realized – thus the mystery novel arose. An early work of modern mystery fiction, Das Fräulein von Scuderi by E. T. A. Hoffmann (1819),
858-450: A sociological bent, exploring the meaning of his characters' places in society and the impact society had on people. Full of commentary and clipped prose, his books were more intimate than those of his predecessors, dramatizing that crime can happen in one's own living room. The PI novel was a male-dominated field in which female authors seldom found publication until Marcia Muller , Sara Paretsky and Sue Grafton were finally published in
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#1732787921444936-455: A solution achieved by intellect or intuition rather than police procedure, with order restored in the end, honorable characters, and a setting in a closed community. The murders are often committed by less violent tools such as poison and the wounds inflicted are rarely if ever used as clues. The writers who innovated and popularized the genre include Agatha Christie , Dorothy L. Sayers and Elizabeth Daly . The legal thriller or courtroom novel
1014-516: A true vocation so went instead to Sopwell Priory without taking vows. Hearing the rumors that she was 'done to death for gain,' she asks for an escort to fetch her to Shrewsbury. Reginald is joyous that his sister is alive and repentant of having wronged Adam Heriet. Nicholas is stunned and pleased. Brothers Rhun and Urien are both at the river side, one in grief and the latter in despair. Urien speaks of confessing and facing retribution for what he did. Rhun persuades him to keep Fidelis's secret between
1092-748: A visit with his family. Searching for news of Julian, Nicholas rides past the scene of that same battle, sharing the news with the Abbott, the Sheriff and Cadfael in Shrewsbury. The Abbey is in Shropshire in England. The real towns of Shrewsbury and Winchester (in Hampshire) are used as locations for much of the story's action. The manor of the de Marescot family was set upriver of Frankwell along
1170-556: A young woman once meant for another, and she cannot be found. His quest begins. News comes slowly to the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul from the battles in the south between the imprisoned King Stephen and the Empress Maud besieged in Winchester . Empress Maud wants to regain the support of Henry, Bishop of Winchester , but the canny bishop will not side with her again after the failure of his legatine council. Rather he
1248-447: Is also related to detective fiction. The system of justice itself is always a major part of these works, at times almost functioning as one of the characters. In this way, the legal system provides the framework for the legal thriller as much as the system of modern police work does for the police procedural. The legal thriller usually starts its business with the court proceedings following the closure of an investigation, often resulting in
1326-522: Is building up his own stores at Wolvesey Castle in Winchester in case he is besieged, and rebuilding his alliance with Queen Matilda , now leading King Stephen's armies. In Winchester, battle begins, with the Bishop's forces shooting fire arrows. The Abbey of Hyde-Mead in Winchester is laid waste, dispersing the surviving monks. In this hot, dry August 1141, Cadfael brings Brother Oswin to his term at
1404-570: Is found in Spanish and also in Polish (above) on the shelves of libraries listed in WorldCat. Mystery novel Mystery is a fiction genre where the nature of an event, usually a murder or other crime, remains mysterious until the end of the story. Often within a closed circle of suspects, each suspect is usually provided with a credible motive and a reasonable opportunity for committing
1482-681: Is held in Rochester . In the rout, the Empress escapes with her life. Hugh finds Heriet at his sister's home. Heriet let Julian travel the last mile on her own at her request. He has no knowledge of her in the three years since. Hugh returns to Shrewsbury with Heriet. Heriet recalls Julian's happy expectation of her marriage to Godfrid, in her youth. Brother Humilis is in the infirmary where Cadfael and Brother Fidelis tend him. Hugh tells Humilis what he has learned and Heriet recounts his story. Heriet denies robbing and killing Julian, and agrees to stay in
1560-436: Is laid to rest in the Abbey transept. Reginald Cruce recalls another ring that meant much to his sister, Godfrid's betrothal gift, a gold ring from his family. She wore it on a chain around her neck. This is what Godfrid saw just before his death. Just after the ceremony, Sister Magdalene of Godric's Ford Benedictine cell arrives with a letter addressed to Hugh from Lady Julian, now at Polesworth Abbey . Lady Julian had not felt
1638-603: Is one of the first examples of the modern style of fictional private detective. This character is described as an "'Everyman' detective meant to challenge the detective-as-superman that Holmes represented." By the late 1920s, Al Capone and the Mob were inspiring not only fear, but piquing mainstream curiosity about the American crime underworld. Popular pulp fiction magazines like Black Mask capitalized on this, as authors such as Carrol John Daly published violent stories that focused on
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#17327879214441716-422: Is some overlap with "thriller" or "suspense" novels and authors in those genres may consider themselves mystery novelists. Comic books and graphic novels have carried on the tradition, and film adaptations or the even-more-recent web-based detective series, have helped to re-popularize the genre in recent times. Though the origins of the genre date back to ancient literature and One Thousand and One Nights ,
1794-427: Is still in love with her. Julian asks him to visit her at her brother's manor. Cadfael is relieved to avoid the scandal it would have been to the order, both Abbeys, and Lady Julian, had the truth come out. Hugh reflects on Heriet's true devotion. Cadfael recalls his journey to Sister Magdalene with Fidelis/Julian. Sister Magdalene notes that the letter she wrote for Julian had no lies, just a few deceptions, and praises
1872-610: Is unique among the Brother Cadfael series in that no one of the major characters is killed - although it is believed through most of the novel that the Lady Julian has been murdered. It is set in a time of brutal killing of non-combatants in the conflict over who should rule England, setting fire to a monastery and convent at Winchester and the convent at Wherwell while their residents yet lived there. Although there have been BBC Radio adaptations and TV adaptations of many of
1950-559: The Abbey of Hyde-Mead because it had burned completely in the start of the battles in Winchester. Hugh Beringar's pursuit of Adam Heriet is made easy because it occurs in the time after the Rout of Winchester , when armies are scattered, a lull in the battles while negotiations begin for the exchange of the King imprisoned seven months, and the newly-taken Robert of Gloucester. Heriet is on leave for
2028-598: The English Renaissance and, as people began to read over time, they became more individualistic in their thinking. As people became more individualistic in their thinking, they developed a respect for human reason and the ability to solve problems. Perhaps a reason that mystery fiction was unheard of before the 19th century was due in part to the lack of true police forces. Before the Industrial Revolution , many towns would have constables and
2106-713: The Medieval Warm Period , Wine from the United Kingdom and one other source. The novel's title comes from the Book of Common Prayer and the specific prayer, the solemnisation of matrimony, is quoted directly at the novel's conclusion. The author who avoids irony adds a touch of it with this quote, as the Book of Common Prayer came after Henry VIII split from the Roman Catholic church that dominated in
2184-670: The River Severn . Harnage's travels seeking the Lady Julian take him to Romsey Abbey , about 200 miles south on modern roads from Shrewsbury, and near Winchester. He journeyed to Wherwell Abbey in Hampshire, about 175 miles on modern roads from Shrewsbury. He stops twice at Lai, one of several manors of the Cruce family in the shire, presumably close to Ightfield (another of the family's manors) about 20 miles northeast of Shrewsbury on modern roads. The last stopping place before reaching
2262-409: The "deduction" of Sherlock Holmes, who was disparagingly included in some Lupin stories under obvious pseudonyms. The genre began to expand near the turn of the century with the development of dime novels and pulp magazines . Books were especially helpful to the genre, with many authors writing in the genre in the 1920s. An important contribution to mystery fiction in the 1920s was the development of
2340-445: The 12th Century, the setting of the novel. The quote is found in the 1559 version but not in more recent versions made available on line. It is found in this 1662 version said to apply in the era of Jane Austen's novels in the early 19th century. "Oh God, Who hast consecrated this state of matrimony to such an excellent mystery, look mercifully on these Thy servants." Marriage is the major theme of An Excellent Mystery as reflected in
2418-528: The Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul for the two monks from Hyde-Mead Abbey is Brigge , a market town with a bridge over the River Severn, about 20–27 miles from Shrewsbury on modern roads. Lady Julian Cruce waited at Polesworth Abbey , the mother house for the Godric's Ford cell of nuns. That real nunnery (until the dissolution of the monasteries ) is about 60 miles on modern roads from Shrewsbury, so it
An Excellent Mystery - Misplaced Pages Continue
2496-757: The Cadfael stories, An Excellent Mystery has not been featured amongst them. Following is a list of four editions in hardback, eight in paperback, and nine audio books, published in the UK and the US in English. A Kindle edition is also available, issued in July 2013, ISBN B00DUPVR7C, Publisher Velmon Books. The novel has been translated and published in French, Italian, German, Dutch, Portuguese, and Polish, listed at Goodreads. It
2574-632: The Orient Express (1934), Death on the Nile (1937), and the world's best-selling mystery And Then There Were None (1939). The massive popularity of pulp magazines in the 1930s and 1940s increased interest in mystery fiction. Pulp magazines decreased in popularity in the 1950s with the rise of television , so much that the numerous titles available then are reduced to two today: Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine —both now published by Dell Magazines ,
2652-572: The Queen's army, to visit his leader in the Crusades. He wants to propose marriage to Julian Cruce. She was once betrothed to Humilis/Godfrid, but freed by him upon his return as a wounded man. Nicholas met her once, when he delivered this news three years earlier. Humilis consents, so Nicholas begins his quest for the lady. Nicholas's quest brings him first to her family home; then to the convent at Wherwell , which she planned to join after Godfrid ended
2730-436: The best-selling author Michael Connelly,"Chandler credited Hammett with taking the mystery out of the drawing-room and putting it out on the street where it belongs." In the late 1930s, Raymond Chandler updated the form with his private detective Philip Marlowe , who brought a more intimate voice to the detective than the more distanced "operative's report" style of Hammett's Continental Op stories. Despite struggling through
2808-418: The betrothal; back to the family home to learn of the men who escorted her; to Winchester, with the Bishop's blessing, to seek the goods she carried as a gift to the convent that never heard word of her; each time returning to Shrewsbury Abbey with his news. He fears for her life when Wherwell Abbey is burned, and again when the jeweller who purchased her personal jewelry from the servant says the servant reported
2886-414: The clever sleuthing of warm, wise Benedictine monk Brother Cadfael ( The Sanctuary Sparrow , etc.). . . . How the lost is found, with numerous surprising ramifications that bear on the puzzle, tests Cadfael's wits and ingenuity to the limit and provides the reader with unflagging tension, which builds to a sweeping, satisfying climax. Peters never disappoints--her absorbing, superbly crafted stories are one of
2964-439: The cot. He sees an old gold ring on the chain around his neck. Thus Brother Humilis confirms the truth about his faithful mute companion. Humilis asks Cadfael to protect Brother Fidelis after Humilis dies. Humilis then asks that he and Fidelis visit his childhood home. They travel by the river, for less exertion. Cadfael enlists Aline's assistance for his plans. Then Cadfael recruits Madog and his skiff for their journey next day to
3042-502: The crime scene. The genre was established in the 19th century. Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841) is considered the first locked-room mystery; since then, other authors have used the scheme. John Dickson Carr was recognized as a master of the genre and his The Hollow Man was recognized by a panel of 17 mystery authors and reviewers as the best locked-room mystery of all time in 1981. The crime in question typically involves
3120-410: The crime. In the 1940s the police procedural evolved as a new style of detective fiction. Unlike the heroes of Christie, Chandler, and Spillane, the police detective was subject to error and was constrained by rules and regulations. As Gary Huasladen says in his book Places for Dead Bodies , "not all the clients were insatiable bombshells, and invariably there was life outside the job." The detective in
3198-504: The crime. The central character is often a detective (such as Sherlock Holmes ), who eventually solves the mystery by logical deduction from facts presented to the reader. Some mystery books are non-fiction . Mystery fiction can be detective stories in which the emphasis is on the puzzle or suspense element and its logical solution such as a whodunit . Mystery fiction can be contrasted with hardboiled detective stories, which focus on action and gritty realism. Mystery fiction can involve
An Excellent Mystery - Misplaced Pages Continue
3276-533: The detective and how the crime was solved, while mystery fiction concentrates on the identity of the culprit and how the crime was committed, a distinction that separated And Then There Were None from other works of Agatha Christie . A common subgenre of detective fiction is the Whodunit . Whodunits experienced an increase in popularity during the Golden Age of Detective Fiction of the 1920s-1940s, when it
3354-459: The detective's attempt to solve the mystery. There may also be subsidiary puzzles, such as why the crime was committed, and they are explained or resolved during the story. This format is the inversion of the more typical "whodunit", where all of the details of the perpetrator of the crime are not revealed until the story's climax. Martin Hewitt , created by British author Arthur Morrison in 1894,
3432-422: The early 20th century, many credit Ellis Peters 's The Cadfael Chronicles (1977–1994) for popularizing what would become known as the historical mystery. The locked-room mystery is a subgenre of detective fiction. The crime—almost always murder—is committed in circumstances under which it was seemingly impossible for the perpetrator to commit the crime and/or evade detection in the course of getting in and out of
3510-483: The form again with his detective Lew Archer . Archer, like Hammett's fictional heroes, was a camera eye, with hardly any known past. "Turn Archer sideways, and he disappears," one reviewer wrote. Two of Macdonald's strengths were his use of psychology and his beautiful prose, which was full of imagery. Like other 'hardboiled' writers, Macdonald aimed to give an impression of realism in his work through violence, sex and confrontation. The 1966 movie Harper starring Paul Newman
3588-423: The genre. True crime is a literary genre that recounts real crimes committed by real people, almost half focusing on serial killers . Criticized by many as being insensitive to those personally acquainted with the incidents, it is often categorized as trash culture . Having basis on reality, it shares more similarities with docufiction than the mystery genre. Unlike fiction of the kind, it does not focus much on
3666-518: The hands of one who does not understand this, is a major theme. The perversion is shown in the confusion of the mind of Brother Urien, consumed by the passion of love, seeking his own needs and not those of the one he purports to love, from the wife who left him to the young brothers in the Abbey he approaches. The power of love shared for the benefit of the loved one is shown in many characters, including Brother Fidelis, Nicholas, Hugh and his wife Aline, Brother Ruhn, and always, Brother Cadfael. This novel
3744-578: The identity of the culprit and has no red herrings or clues, but often emphasizes how the culprit was caught and their motivations behind their actions. Cozy mysteries began in the late 20th century as a reinvention of the Golden Age whodunit; these novels generally shy away from violence and suspense and frequently feature female amateur detectives. Modern cozy mysteries are frequently, though not necessarily in either case, humorous and thematic. This genre features minimal violence, sex and social relevance,
3822-537: The juvenile mystery by Edward Stratemeyer . Stratemeyer originally developed and wrote the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries written under the Franklin W. Dixon and Carolyn Keene pseudonyms respectively (and were later written by his daughter, Harriet Adams , and other authors). The 1920s also gave rise to one of the most popular mystery authors of all time, Agatha Christie , whose works include Murder on
3900-445: The lady Julian's murder. Heriet sticks to his story. News of the river deaths interrupts the interrogation. Hugh and Nicholas see Brother Humilis's body being carried to the Abbey. Madog recounts the accident to Abbott Radulfus, who sorrowfully accepts all he says. Hugh notices Cadfael's absence. Once home, Aline tells Hugh what has happened. Cadfael will return their horse; Hugh sets Adam Heriet at ease about Lady Julian. Brother Humilis
3978-490: The lady as dead. On that news, her brother Reginald agrees to aid Nicholas. Hugh agrees to seek the missing escort Adam Heriet, a man-at-arms since the overlord called for more men from Reginald. In his travels, Nicholas witnesses the rout of Winchester . The Empress broke out of the siege, marching out at dawn along the Stockbridge road, now pursued by the Queen's army, which takes Robert of Gloucester at Stockbridge. He
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#17327879214444056-470: The large number of characters and accents in each book with precision, making each unique. Northeast Texas Lib. Syst., Garland CBS Interactive Business Solutions reprints a review of An Excellent Mystery written by Linda Bridges, originally published in "National Review" 5 December 1986. The review is on the whole favourable, praising Ellis Peters' use of strong yet feminine characters and the character of Cadfael as an original detective. The review closes with
4134-438: The late 1970s and early 1980s. Each author's detective, also female, was brainy and physical and could hold her own. Their acceptance, and success, caused publishers to seek out other female authors. These works are set in a time period considered historical from the author's perspective, and the central plot involves the solving of a mystery or crime (usually murder). Though works combining these genres have existed since at least
4212-472: The leper house at Saint Giles. Two monks arrive at Shrewsbury Abbey, Brother Humilis and the mute, young Brother Fidelis as refugees from Abbey of Hyde-Mead. Humilis came so far because he was born nearby. Cadfael recognizes Humilis as local man Godfrid Marescot, who joined the Crusades years earlier, gaining a reputation for valour. Hugh Beringar sees that the man is ill and not long for this world. Cadfael finds Humilis collapsed over his writing desk. Cadfael sees
4290-447: The main characters. These stories may take a variety of forms, but many authors try to realistically depict the routine activities of a group of police officers who are frequently working on more than one case simultaneously, providing a stark contrast to the detective-as-superhero archetype of Sherlock Holmes. Some of these stories are whodunits; in others, the criminal is known, and the police must gather enough evidence to charge them with
4368-429: The manor upriver at Salton. At the manor, Humilis speaks warmly to Fidelis of his gratitude and love for all the care in his last years. Returning to the Abbey, they are caught in heavy rains. They are undone by lightning that strikes a huge willow, which falls to knock their skiff to pieces. Fidelis comes up for air, sees Humilis, holds him up. Madog takes Humilis to shore, tries to revive him, as Fidelis washes up alive at
4446-453: The mayhem and injustice surrounding the criminals, not the circumstances behind the crime. Very often, no actual mystery even existed: the books simply revolved around justice being served to those who deserved harsh treatment, which was described in explicit detail." The overall theme these writers portrayed reflected "the changing face of America itself." In the 1930s, the private eye genre was adopted wholeheartedly by American writers. One of
4524-516: The modern detective story as it is known today was invented by Edgar Allan Poe in the mid-19th century through his short story, " The Murders in the Rue Morgue ", which featured arguably the world's first fictional detective, C. Auguste Dupin . However, detective fiction was popularized only later, in the late 19th century, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 's Sherlock Holmes stories, considered milestones in crime fiction . The detective story shares some similarities with mystery fiction in that it also has
4602-461: The oases in a desert of mediocrity. Library Journal , reviewing an audio version read by Stephen Thorne, has praise for the narrator in making medieval language sound natural: An Excellent Mystery , also set in 1141, is a close sequel to Pilgrim of Hate . When the Benedictine abbey at Winchester is ravaged by fire, two Brothers of the order seek sanctuary at Shrewsbury. Brother Humilis was
4680-417: The police procedural does the things police officers do to catch a criminal. Writers of the genre include Ed McBain , P. D. James and Bartholomew Gill . An inverted detective story, also known as a "howcatchem", is a plot structure of murder mystery fiction in which the commission of the crime is shown or described at the beginning, usually including the identity of the perpetrator. The story then describes
4758-499: The primary contributors to this style was Dashiell Hammett with his famous private investigator character, Sam Spade . His style of crime fiction came to be known as "hardboiled", which is described as a genre that "usually deals with criminal activity in a modern urban environment, a world of disconnected signs and anonymous strangers." "Told in stark and sometimes elegant language through the unemotional eyes of new hero-detectives, these stories were an American phenomenon." According to
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#17327879214444836-645: The recommendation that the book be read as part of the Cadfael series. The events in An Excellent Mystery take place in August 1141 during the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud , known as the Anarchy . The burning of Winchester, the abbey at Wherwell and of Andover, are real events important to the plot of the novel. King Stephen is imprisoned. His wife Queen Matilda leads his armies (the Queen's army in this novel) with good skill and presses for his exchange. Henry Bishop of Winchester
4914-406: The same names which contained conventional hardboiled crime fiction. The first use of "mystery" in that sense was by Dime Mystery , which started out as an ordinary crime fiction magazine but switched to " weird menace " during the later part of 1933. The genre of mystery novels is a young form of literature that has developed since the early 19th century. The rise of literacy began in the years of
4992-441: The same place. Realising Humilis is dead, Fidelis keens in deep pain. Madog meets Cadfael alone at the mill. Relating how Humilis died in the river, he asks how to deal with the surprise uncovered in the disaster. Cadfael says their story is that Fidelis died in the river with Humilis, body never found. Cadfael proceeds to Aline. They ride along the river on horseback to care for the survivor. Hugh and Nicholas accuse Adam Heriet of
5070-412: The severity of the old wound, which left him unable to father children. Brother Urien makes a sexual advance towards young Rhun, but is rejected. Rhun is thus aware of the troubled Brother Urien. Two days later, Rhun begins formally as a novice with a tonsure, a Brother. A week or so later, Brother Urien makes an advance towards Brother Fidelis. Fidelis rejects him. Nicholas Harnage arrives on leave from
5148-427: The sister of Ethelstan, and repudiated wife of Sihtric, king of Northumbria, came to live at the Abbey. In 1066, Sir Robert Marmion expelled the nuns from Polesworth, but after seeing a vision of St. Edith, he allowed them to return; in 1242, King Henry III granted the abbey a weekly market, as well as an annual fair for St Margaret. It was founded in the 9th century by St. Modwena and King Egbert . The first abbess
5226-432: The start of August. The first of August did mark the expected time of the wheat harvest before the calendar change in the 18th century. The success of the three-day Saint Peter's Fair of this year is also mentioned. In this and other novels of the series, Cadfael makes wine for his guests. In the 12th century, this was possible, vineyards in southern England. This reflects the warmer climate in northern Europe, described in
5304-740: The task of plotting a story, his cadenced dialogue and cryptic narrations were musical, evoking the dark alleys and tough thugs, rich women and powerful men about whom he wrote. Several feature and television movies have been made about the Philip Marlowe character. James Hadley Chase wrote a few novels with private eyes as the main heroes, including Blonde's Requiem (1945), Lay Her Among the Lilies (1950), and Figure It Out for Yourself (1950). The heroes of these novels are typical private eyes, very similar to or plagiarizing Raymond Chandler's work. Ross Macdonald, pseudonym of Kenneth Millar , updated
5382-411: The title, which is taken from a prayer used at wedding services. Although the marriage of Godfrid and Julian could not be consummated because of his wounds and her disguise, she had "his company, the care of him, the secrets of his body, as intimate as ever was marriage - his love, far beyond the common claims of marriage." The power of love shared in goodness for the other, and the perversion of love, in
5460-462: The two of them for the sake of Fidelis. Rhun realises that Fidelis is Julian Cruce, in many ways back from the dead. Two days later, Lady Julian arrives for the Mass said in honor of the lost brothers, walking unrecognized past the men with whom she had lived for weeks. She wore the gold ring on her finger, and was dressed by Aline and Sister Magdalene to hide her tonsure. Nicholas and Julian meet. Nicholas
5538-473: The wisdom of Julian's decision to assume muteness in her time as Fidelis, as one who cannot speak, cannot lie. The novel concludes with a quote from the solemnization of matrimony, taken from the Book of Common Prayer. Kirkus Reviews finds this a superbly crafted story, with a mystery that tests Cadfael and keeps the reader's attention to the resolution: Eleventh of the author's civilized, imaginative forays into 12th-century England and, once again, we have
5616-403: Was Edgytha (daughter of King Egbert, now St. Editha ). The site of the Abbey is a Scheduled Ancient Monument , although apart from the church and the gatehouse and the restored ruins of the cloister very little remains visible. The 12th-century Abbey church, now the parish church of St Editha, is a Grade II* listed building . The 14th-century gatehouse is both a Grade II* listed building and
5694-698: Was a patron of the arts and leader of the Polesworth Group of poets, which included his protégé Michael Drayton . Polesworth Hall was demolished before 1868 and the Vicarage was built on the site. The abbey now functions as the Church of England parish church of Polesworth . The church contains a three manual pipe organ by Taylor of Leicester. It was originally installed in 1912 in St Michael & All Angels' Church, Leicester. A specification of
5772-585: Was an influence on The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe (1841) as may have been Voltaire 's Zadig (1747). Wilkie Collins ' novel The Woman in White was published in 1860, while The Moonstone (1868) is often thought to be his masterpiece. In 1887 Arthur Conan Doyle introduced Sherlock Holmes , whose mysteries are said to have been singularly responsible for the huge popularity in this genre. In 1901 Maurice Leblanc created gentleman burglar, Arsène Lupin , whose creative imagination rivaled
5850-541: Was based on the first Lew Archer story The Moving Target (1949). Newman reprised the role in The Drowning Pool in 1976. Michael Collins, pseudonym of Dennis Lynds , is generally considered the author who led the form into the Modern Age. His private investigator, Dan Fortune, was consistently involved in the same sort of David-and-Goliath stories that Hammett, Chandler, and Macdonald wrote, but Collins took
5928-525: Was prudent for her to request an escort to return to her family home. Lai appears in Domesday Book and is now one of the lost manors of Shropshire; its actual location is uncertain. Ightfield also appears in the Domesday Book for Shropshire. At the opening of the novel, Lammas Day and Loaf Mass are mentioned as having been well-timed to the actual harvest from the good growing weather up to
6006-399: Was the primary style of detective fiction. This subgenre is classified as a detective story where the reader is given clues throughout as to who the culprit is, giving the reader the opportunity to solve the crime before it is revealed. During the Golden Age, whodunits were written primarily by women, however Wilkie Collins ' The Moonstone is often recognized as one of the first examples of
6084-439: Was younger brother to King Stephen, and like him, cousin to Empress Maud. Fortunes turned at the rout of Winchester with the taking of the Empress's strongest ally by Queen Matilda's army. Robert of Gloucester was taken at Stockbridge, then held in Rochester . In the rout, the Empress escaped with her life and her forces were scattered. Fictional events rely in detail on the historical. The two monks arrive in Shrewsbury from
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