A Morbid Taste for Bones
The story is set in 1193, when Richard the Lionhearted and Eleanor of Aquitane ruled Britain. Coming upon a brutal roadside attack, young Justin de Quincy successfully drives away the assailants but not before one of the victims, a wealthy goldsmith called Gervase Fitz Randolph, dies. Fitz Randolph was on his way to the royal court, carrying a letter with the news that King Richard has been captured. Justin delivers the letter and is stunned when Eleanor begs him to find Fitz Randolph's killer. So begins a multilayered plot filled with political machinations. Even readers who find medieval history sleep-inducing will be caught up in this masterfully told tale. Penman's authentic period details, larger-than-life characters, and fast-paced plot add up to great reading for both mystery fans and history buffs.
The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. When his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths, Brother William turns to the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, and the empirical insights of Roger Bacon to find the killer. He collects evidence, deciphers secret symbols and coded manuscripts, and digs into the eerie labyrinth of the abbey ("where the most interesting things happen at night") armed with a wry sense of humor and a ferocious curiosity.
By Ellis Peters
Warner Books, 1994. 197 pages. Mystery
A Welsh Benedictine monk living at Shrewsbury Abbey in western England, Brother Cadfael spends much of his time tending the herbs and vegetables in the garden—but now there's a more pressing matter. Cadfael is to serve as translator for a group of monks heading to the town of Gwytherin in Wales. The team's goal is to collect the holy remains of Saint Winifred, which Prior Robert hopes will boost the abbey's reputation, as well as his own. But when the monks arrive in Gwytherin, the town is divided over the request. When the leading opponent to disturbing the grave is found shot dead with a mysterious arrow, some believe Saint Winifred herself delivered the deadly blow. Brother Cadfael knows an earthly hand did the deed, but his plan to root out a murderer may dig up more than he can handle.Every time the winter season begins, I inexplicably find myself drawn to medieval things. As mystery is my favorite genre, what better than a medieval mystery? Brother Cadfael is an instantly likeable character. His rough history as a crusader and his knowledge of herbs are fascinating aspects of his personality. Ellis Peters writes in a way that is both simple and surprisingly moving. She depicts the medieval world of Shrewsbury in a way that makes you think she's been there. Whether as a standalone novel, or the beginning of a satisfying series, 'A Morbid Taste for Bones' is a great mystery with wonderfully juicy details, and a gamut of interesting and memorable characters.
If you like A Morbid Taste for Bones, you might also like:
The Queen's Man
By Sharon Kay Penman
H. Holt, 1996. 291 pages. Mystery
The Name of the Rose
By Umberto Eco
1st Harvard Edition, 1994. 536 pages. Fiction
MGB
