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Sister Fidelma #1
Absolution by Murder
ABSOLUTION BY MURDER is the brilliant and evocative first novel in Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma series, bringing 7th-century Ireland vividly to life.
As the leading churchmen and women gather at the Synod of Whitby in 664AD to debate the rival merits of the Celtic and Roman Churches, tempers begin to fray. Conspirators plot an assassination, while mysterious, violent death stalks the shadowy cloisters of the Abbey of St Hilda. When the Abbess Etain, a leading speaker for the Celtic Church, is found murdered suspicion inevitably rests on the Roman faction.
Attending the Synod is Fidelma, of the community of St Brigid of Kildare. As an advocate of the Brehon Court, she is called on to investigate the murder with Brother Eadulf, of the Roman faction. However, the two are so unlike that their partnership is described as that of a wolf and a fox - but which is which?
More gruesome deaths follow and the friction among the clerics could end in civil war. Can the solution to the mysteries avert such a conflict?
As the leading churchmen and women gather at the Synod of Whitby in 664AD to debate the rival merits of the Celtic and Roman Churches, tempers begin to fray. Conspirators plot an assassination, while mysterious, violent death stalks the shadowy cloisters of the Abbey of St Hilda. When the Abbess Etain, a leading speaker for the Celtic Church, is found murdered suspicion inevitably rests on the Roman faction.
Attending the Synod is Fidelma, of the community of St Brigid of Kildare. As an advocate of the Brehon Court, she is called on to investigate the murder with Brother Eadulf, of the Roman faction. However, the two are so unlike that their partnership is described as that of a wolf and a fox - but which is which?
More gruesome deaths follow and the friction among the clerics could end in civil war. Can the solution to the mysteries avert such a conflict?
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
409 people are currently reading
5,683 people want to read
About the author
Peter Tremayne
212books453followersPeter Berresford Ellis (born 10 March 1943) is a historian, literary biographer, and novelist who has published over 90 books to date either under his own name or his pseudonyms Peter Tremayne and Peter MacAlan. He has also published 95 short stories. His non-fiction books, articles and academic papers have made him acknowledged as an authority on Celtic history and culture. As Peter Tremayne, he is the author of the international bestselling Sister Fidelma mystery series. His work has appeared in 25 languages.
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February 3, 2019
”No wild beasts are so cruel as the Christians in their dealings with each other.� –Ammianus Marcellinus, c. AD 330 - 95
The mid 7th century was a time of many conflicts, both religious and political. Although Europe was becoming more universally Christian, there were conflicts between Rome and other factions. In this novel, the leaders of the Celtic Church of Ireland and the leaders of the Church of Rome meet in the land of the Saxons for a synod to clear up some points of contention.
On the opening day of the synod, an Abbess on the Columbra side (Iona, Ireland, and other Celtic nations) is murdered. She was well known for her oratory skills and the synod was nearly derailed at this point as rumours began to break out that it was a power play by the Rome delegation, or the attempt to make it look like one by the Columbra delegation.
Oswy, the King could see not just the disintegration of the synod, but also the possibility of this being used as a political power play to destroy his hard-earned kingdom. Abbess Hilda and King Oswy requested Sister Fidelma’s assistance to discover the murderer. The King also imposed the condition that Sister Fidelma work together with Brother Eadulf of the Saxons.
So, why would Sister Fidelma be asked by such high ranking people to sort this mess out? Some background information might help here. During this time, and for a few centuries prior and later, under Brehon Law, women had more rights and protection than any other western law code at that time or since.
Although this time is referred to as the “Dark Ages� for Europe, in Ireland it was a period of “Golden Enlightenment.� Schools and universities thrived as Ireland was the center of knowledge and students from all over Europe, including royalty and through to the highest ranks of other scholars went there to become educated.
Students included both sexes and women accelerated as quickly through the levels of educational hierarchies as did men with the same abilities and intelligence. Sister Fidelma was one of these and she achieved the level of anruth, which is just one degree from the top level of ollamh, or professor. This qualified her to investigate all situations of law and to advise the highest levels of politics and religion on all matters of law � as an equal.
As Sister Fidelma and Brother Eadulf continue to investigate the murder the synod limps along - loudly and with passionate outbursts on both sides. There follows another murder, and soon the pressure is mounting to resolve these before a permanent break-down occurs in the synod and/or a civil war takes place.
This is a fascinating book about a time in history that is equally fascinating. As the opening quote suggests, we must remember that these were known as the “Dark Ages� for a reason. Many Angles, Saxons, and other factions of people at the time were completely ignorant. Many could not read or write and many never learned to reason. They were ruled by and through fear. Make the punishments severe and grotesque enough, and surely people will stay on the path laid out for them. Of course, if that reasoning really worked, there would not have been the many bodies killed and strewn about for other people to ‘witness�.
Although some of that does occur in this book, there are also people who care enough about the barbarity to recognize that changes need to be made, and are willing to dedicate their lives to effecting those changes. In other words, although there are times in this book that are not pretty, there is hope.
I have read several books in this series but I also missed several as the Library didn’t have access to many of the earlier ones, and many times I would also have to read them out of order. I am looking forward to proceeding through the ‘gaps� and reading as many more of this series as I can in the coming year.
The mid 7th century was a time of many conflicts, both religious and political. Although Europe was becoming more universally Christian, there were conflicts between Rome and other factions. In this novel, the leaders of the Celtic Church of Ireland and the leaders of the Church of Rome meet in the land of the Saxons for a synod to clear up some points of contention.
On the opening day of the synod, an Abbess on the Columbra side (Iona, Ireland, and other Celtic nations) is murdered. She was well known for her oratory skills and the synod was nearly derailed at this point as rumours began to break out that it was a power play by the Rome delegation, or the attempt to make it look like one by the Columbra delegation.
Oswy, the King could see not just the disintegration of the synod, but also the possibility of this being used as a political power play to destroy his hard-earned kingdom. Abbess Hilda and King Oswy requested Sister Fidelma’s assistance to discover the murderer. The King also imposed the condition that Sister Fidelma work together with Brother Eadulf of the Saxons.
So, why would Sister Fidelma be asked by such high ranking people to sort this mess out? Some background information might help here. During this time, and for a few centuries prior and later, under Brehon Law, women had more rights and protection than any other western law code at that time or since.
Although this time is referred to as the “Dark Ages� for Europe, in Ireland it was a period of “Golden Enlightenment.� Schools and universities thrived as Ireland was the center of knowledge and students from all over Europe, including royalty and through to the highest ranks of other scholars went there to become educated.
Students included both sexes and women accelerated as quickly through the levels of educational hierarchies as did men with the same abilities and intelligence. Sister Fidelma was one of these and she achieved the level of anruth, which is just one degree from the top level of ollamh, or professor. This qualified her to investigate all situations of law and to advise the highest levels of politics and religion on all matters of law � as an equal.
As Sister Fidelma and Brother Eadulf continue to investigate the murder the synod limps along - loudly and with passionate outbursts on both sides. There follows another murder, and soon the pressure is mounting to resolve these before a permanent break-down occurs in the synod and/or a civil war takes place.
This is a fascinating book about a time in history that is equally fascinating. As the opening quote suggests, we must remember that these were known as the “Dark Ages� for a reason. Many Angles, Saxons, and other factions of people at the time were completely ignorant. Many could not read or write and many never learned to reason. They were ruled by and through fear. Make the punishments severe and grotesque enough, and surely people will stay on the path laid out for them. Of course, if that reasoning really worked, there would not have been the many bodies killed and strewn about for other people to ‘witness�.
Although some of that does occur in this book, there are also people who care enough about the barbarity to recognize that changes need to be made, and are willing to dedicate their lives to effecting those changes. In other words, although there are times in this book that are not pretty, there is hope.
I have read several books in this series but I also missed several as the Library didn’t have access to many of the earlier ones, and many times I would also have to read them out of order. I am looking forward to proceeding through the ‘gaps� and reading as many more of this series as I can in the coming year.
March 15, 2022
This proved to be an interesting book if you wish to know about British history in the 7th century. The author cannot be faulted for his historical knowledge. Unfortunately he leaned on it a mite too heavily and it overwhelmed the apparent intention of the book which I believed to be that of an historical mystery.
is set at the Synod of Whitby where leaders, both religious and not, met to discuss the merits of the Roman religion over the Saxon. Apparently at this time Ireland was a centre for modern thought hence the existence of the main character, Sister Fidelma. She is an amazing woman who has achieved such legal merit in her homeland that she is called upon to investigate serious crimes elsewhere.
There is a mystery and several nasty deaths and Fidelma, with her offsider Eadulf, does investigate. However I thought too much time was spent attending the Synod and listening to the discussions of the merits of the various religious parties. I needed more story and more character development. I see though that the series gets better and better ratings as it progresses so my issues may just be due to it being the first book. I will have to try the next one:)
is set at the Synod of Whitby where leaders, both religious and not, met to discuss the merits of the Roman religion over the Saxon. Apparently at this time Ireland was a centre for modern thought hence the existence of the main character, Sister Fidelma. She is an amazing woman who has achieved such legal merit in her homeland that she is called upon to investigate serious crimes elsewhere.
There is a mystery and several nasty deaths and Fidelma, with her offsider Eadulf, does investigate. However I thought too much time was spent attending the Synod and listening to the discussions of the merits of the various religious parties. I needed more story and more character development. I see though that the series gets better and better ratings as it progresses so my issues may just be due to it being the first book. I will have to try the next one:)
October 20, 2017
The author wants us readers to know everything about the 7th century. He leaves no name unmentioned which is very distracting in the beginning. In the second half of the book there's more room for the story, which I enjoyed.
August 4, 2019
After the death of the incomparable Ellis Peters and of course with her death, also the end of her Brother Cadfael series of Mediaeval mysteries (which is truly my absolutely favourite historical mystery series of all time), I have since then been on a constant quest to find an adequate and worthwhile replacement. And while I do have a few series that come close even if they are still not quite on par with Ellis Peters' brilliance (namely Paul Doherty's Hugh Corbett, Susanna Gregory's Matthew Bartholomew and Edward Marston's Nicholas Bracewell series), for the most part I have been rather disappointed with the historical mysteries I have tried as Brother Cadfael alternatives and have often actually stopped after perusing the first instalment of a to be considered series (often finding especially the authors' writing styles and tones of voice either annoyingly pedantic or inauthentic and sometimes indeed a combination of both).
And indeed, this has most definitely been the case for me with Peter Tremayne's (rather well known and famous) Sister Fidelma series. For while I do enjoy and appreciate Sister Fidelma as a character and historical sleuth and have found the author's historical and ecclesiastical knowledge of early Mediaeval Ireland both interesting and also quite massively impressive, sorry, but when I was reading the first Sister Fidelma novel, when I was reading Absolution by Murder, I have generally felt that Peter Tremayne's writing style was at best too much info-dumping, was too much like reading a non fiction textbook on Irish history and Irish Christianity, with the storyline itself seemingly lost in the constant lectures that especially Sister Fidelma has the tendency to give.
Therefore, while Mediaeval history certainly is of much personal and academic interest to me, if I am reading a Mediaeval mystery, I first and foremost want to be entertained and read an engaging account of a given mystery. And no, this has not really been the case for me with Absolution by Murder (where sadly and in my opinion, pedantry and too much information seems to far outweigh Peter Tremayne telling us an entertaining and engaging historical mystery, as I do find Sister Fidelma, Brother Eadulf and indeed most of the presented characters often lost under the author's need to constantly show and teach but not really relate this in any manner as smoothly incorporated into his narrative framework and structure). And while Absolution by Murder also has not been in any fashion a totally terrible and horrible personal reading experience, I did find the novel rather tedious and often really quite massively boring and am therefore also not planning to consider any more of Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma series (although I have also heard from friends that some of the later series instalments are supposedly not quite as heavy-handedly into teaching Irish history and Irish religious history).
And indeed, this has most definitely been the case for me with Peter Tremayne's (rather well known and famous) Sister Fidelma series. For while I do enjoy and appreciate Sister Fidelma as a character and historical sleuth and have found the author's historical and ecclesiastical knowledge of early Mediaeval Ireland both interesting and also quite massively impressive, sorry, but when I was reading the first Sister Fidelma novel, when I was reading Absolution by Murder, I have generally felt that Peter Tremayne's writing style was at best too much info-dumping, was too much like reading a non fiction textbook on Irish history and Irish Christianity, with the storyline itself seemingly lost in the constant lectures that especially Sister Fidelma has the tendency to give.
Therefore, while Mediaeval history certainly is of much personal and academic interest to me, if I am reading a Mediaeval mystery, I first and foremost want to be entertained and read an engaging account of a given mystery. And no, this has not really been the case for me with Absolution by Murder (where sadly and in my opinion, pedantry and too much information seems to far outweigh Peter Tremayne telling us an entertaining and engaging historical mystery, as I do find Sister Fidelma, Brother Eadulf and indeed most of the presented characters often lost under the author's need to constantly show and teach but not really relate this in any manner as smoothly incorporated into his narrative framework and structure). And while Absolution by Murder also has not been in any fashion a totally terrible and horrible personal reading experience, I did find the novel rather tedious and often really quite massively boring and am therefore also not planning to consider any more of Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma series (although I have also heard from friends that some of the later series instalments are supposedly not quite as heavy-handedly into teaching Irish history and Irish religious history).
March 11, 2022
I was impressed with the smooth way Tremayne worked the religious and political background into this historical mystery, set in 7th century Northumberland, England. Though I will confess that as with pretty much everything I read these days, I found parallels to our current condition (potentially violent confrontation between opposite sides of cultural issues; war; and a plague).
Sister Fidelma, a sort of attorney in addition to being a religious, is an appealing character. Her Saxon counterpart Eadulf, a monk who joins her in investigating a series of murders, is also engaging. I appreciated the fact that there was just enough of a budding relationship between them to bring a smile to my face, but not enough to distract from the plot.
The one thing that disappointed me a bit was that the author telegraphed the killer very early on. If he had been a bit less heavy-handed with the clues, the red herrings would have been more fun.
Overall it was entertaining, and a welcome break from some of my more intense reading of late.
Sister Fidelma, a sort of attorney in addition to being a religious, is an appealing character. Her Saxon counterpart Eadulf, a monk who joins her in investigating a series of murders, is also engaging. I appreciated the fact that there was just enough of a budding relationship between them to bring a smile to my face, but not enough to distract from the plot.
The one thing that disappointed me a bit was that the author telegraphed the killer very early on. If he had been a bit less heavy-handed with the clues, the red herrings would have been more fun.
Overall it was entertaining, and a welcome break from some of my more intense reading of late.
September 28, 2007
This is the first a eighteen books in this series. They are historical mysteries set in Ireland in the mid-seventh century AD. Sister Fidelma is the protagonist. She is a religieuse and a qualified dalaigh - in other words a lawyer in that system of law. Tremayne is an excellant writer and an Irish historian, one of the best. As well as thoroughly enjoying the stories I am almost in awe of the Irish system of law in that historical period. I have found myself more than once wishing that that system of law was current and active in our day. I highly reccomend this series of books to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries and/or to anyone interested in a law system that makes human sense.PS: Most of the books have historical notes that go even deeper into the law and history of that period in Ireland.
May 21, 2008
hmmm...looked interesting at the library; and since I do love Cadfael (and miss Ellis Peters), I was willing to give it a shot. I'm glad a few other readers let me know that the writing style has its hiccups...but I have to admit, finding it a really hard slog. The main character is interesting but the author had decided we need to know everything he knows, instead of dropping in just enough historical detail for background and to let me (the reader) explore it too. I keep going (not sure why-hope for something better?) but find myself scanning and mentally editing paragraphs to see what would make it smoother to read...that's not the most fun. Plus, this might be the edition I'm reading, but the dialogue set-up somehow makes it very hard to tell who's speaking. And since every character seems to expound the same kind of details, you can't even tell by what they're saying... Maybe when I get to the end, I'll believe it's worth it...I hope...
Well, got to the end...and while the denouement was reasonably good...just not convinced it was worth the work it took to get there. I would consider using it to teach writing and/or editing exercises in a creative writing class. Or to show students why some simple patterns don't work!
Oh well, you win some, you lose others...I'm definitely sticking with Cadfael!
Well, got to the end...and while the denouement was reasonably good...just not convinced it was worth the work it took to get there. I would consider using it to teach writing and/or editing exercises in a creative writing class. Or to show students why some simple patterns don't work!
Oh well, you win some, you lose others...I'm definitely sticking with Cadfael!
January 23, 2020
I haven't read too many historical detective stories, especially those set in such old times. But I must admit that it was a very nice experience.
I admit that I know nearly nothing about this period of British Isles history and the Christian church. Therefore, it is difficult for me to say to what extent the events of the book took place in history and to what extent they correspond to reality. But maybe that's why this story was even more interesting to me. I have some general knowledge about the beginnings of Christianity in Europe and a difference in old rites in comparison to those present. But thanks to this book I learned a lot more.
And here we have a really well told story of the murder of the superior mother. There are many suspects and many wrong clues. And more than enough motives, and each of them casts suspicion on different person. This is definitely a well-written story.
The characters are also interesting. My only complaint regards the amount of characters who are suspicious and have some hidden and wicked intentions. It is a bit unnatural, there are no ordinary simple and nice characters that would naturally balance the potentially evil ones. As for the main characters Fidelma and Eadulf, they are fine. Eadulf's involvement in the investigation could have been a little bigger, though. I was hoping that I could watch him cooperate with Fidelma despite their differences. It was a bit lacking here. In fact, Fidelma could do everything alone if Eadulf was missing from the book.
This is definitely a good story, and I am very happy with the end, although I was not surprised as I suspected this person already for some time. But still, I had a good time. And one day I plan to read other books in this series.
I admit that I know nearly nothing about this period of British Isles history and the Christian church. Therefore, it is difficult for me to say to what extent the events of the book took place in history and to what extent they correspond to reality. But maybe that's why this story was even more interesting to me. I have some general knowledge about the beginnings of Christianity in Europe and a difference in old rites in comparison to those present. But thanks to this book I learned a lot more.
And here we have a really well told story of the murder of the superior mother. There are many suspects and many wrong clues. And more than enough motives, and each of them casts suspicion on different person. This is definitely a well-written story.
The characters are also interesting. My only complaint regards the amount of characters who are suspicious and have some hidden and wicked intentions. It is a bit unnatural, there are no ordinary simple and nice characters that would naturally balance the potentially evil ones. As for the main characters Fidelma and Eadulf, they are fine. Eadulf's involvement in the investigation could have been a little bigger, though. I was hoping that I could watch him cooperate with Fidelma despite their differences. It was a bit lacking here. In fact, Fidelma could do everything alone if Eadulf was missing from the book.
This is definitely a good story, and I am very happy with the end, although I was not surprised as I suspected this person already for some time. But still, I had a good time. And one day I plan to read other books in this series.
July 21, 2016
The writing is uniformly dreadful. Medieval characters ask suspects to "contact" them. One of the suspects is a gay stereotype of jaw-dropping offensiveness, sort of like a Stepin' Fetchit character wandering around in Roots. You can spot the murderer within the first 30 pages, so it is basically thud-thud-thud along until the Big Reveal. And while Absolution by Murder is set at the Synod of Whitby, early medieval scholars --- to say nothing of the Venerable Bede --- will be surprised at a couple of events that allegedly took place. Characters spew ungodly (sorry) amounts of information about the Northumbrian succession. As in, Holy Mother of God, could you just shut your pieholes and get on with it?! Alas, they cannot.
The lead character of the series, Sister Fidelma, is a modern stereotype, and it is a pity that Maureen O'Hara is dead, because she could have phoned this part in during her prime (actually, she did in The Quiet Man). I won't give away the identity of the murderer, but let me point out that it is wholly incredible as written, and if anyone wants to know why, just pm me and I will be happy to explain.
So why bother? Because Tremayne really has stumbled onto a new setting --- 7th century Christendom --- for the series, and if you are a history buff, it is irresistible, no matter how many howlers he commits when the characters talk to each other. The plot is completely uninteresting, but the place in which it unfolds is anything but, and therein lies the salvation for this series.
I went ahead and bought the second book, so let's see how this goes. Tremayne seems to have churned them out. I hope he gets better at the actual mechanics of writing a mystery.
The lead character of the series, Sister Fidelma, is a modern stereotype, and it is a pity that Maureen O'Hara is dead, because she could have phoned this part in during her prime (actually, she did in The Quiet Man). I won't give away the identity of the murderer, but let me point out that it is wholly incredible as written, and if anyone wants to know why, just pm me and I will be happy to explain.
So why bother? Because Tremayne really has stumbled onto a new setting --- 7th century Christendom --- for the series, and if you are a history buff, it is irresistible, no matter how many howlers he commits when the characters talk to each other. The plot is completely uninteresting, but the place in which it unfolds is anything but, and therein lies the salvation for this series.
I went ahead and bought the second book, so let's see how this goes. Tremayne seems to have churned them out. I hope he gets better at the actual mechanics of writing a mystery.
January 25, 2022
**Should Definitely Read as 4.5 Stars!**
Read this book in 2008, and its the 1st volume of the amazing "Sister Fidelma" series, created by the author, Peter Tremayne, his real name is Peter Berresford Ellis.
This series starts off in the year AD 664, at the Synod of Whitby, and where Sister Fidelma from the community of St Brigid of Kildare will meet her partner for the future, Brother Eadulf of Seaxmund Hamm in the South Folk.
At this Synod leading men and women figures of the Celtic and Catholic Churches are debating, at the Abbey of St Hilda, the rival merits between those churches, when all of sudden tempers begin to rise.
When the Abbess Etain, leading speaker of the Celtic Church is found murdered, suspicion falls on the Roman faction.
Sister Fidelma as a Brehon, which is an advocate of the Brehon Court, will start this investigation, and soon will get the assistance of Brother Eadulf of the Roman faction, and during this investigation a romance between the two will develop.
Together they will discover more deaths, and while trying to uncover the truth behind these deaths they will have to overtake quite a few obstacles, before they are able to reveal the culprit behind these murders.
What is to follow is an excellent first Irish mystery, featuring Sister Fidelma assisted by Brother Eadulf, and one that will set the tone for a lot more fantastic and intriguing mysteries, produced by this great and knowledgeable author.
Highly recommended, for this is a terrific first outing to this marvellous series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Wonderful Sister Fidelma Begin"!
Read this book in 2008, and its the 1st volume of the amazing "Sister Fidelma" series, created by the author, Peter Tremayne, his real name is Peter Berresford Ellis.
This series starts off in the year AD 664, at the Synod of Whitby, and where Sister Fidelma from the community of St Brigid of Kildare will meet her partner for the future, Brother Eadulf of Seaxmund Hamm in the South Folk.
At this Synod leading men and women figures of the Celtic and Catholic Churches are debating, at the Abbey of St Hilda, the rival merits between those churches, when all of sudden tempers begin to rise.
When the Abbess Etain, leading speaker of the Celtic Church is found murdered, suspicion falls on the Roman faction.
Sister Fidelma as a Brehon, which is an advocate of the Brehon Court, will start this investigation, and soon will get the assistance of Brother Eadulf of the Roman faction, and during this investigation a romance between the two will develop.
Together they will discover more deaths, and while trying to uncover the truth behind these deaths they will have to overtake quite a few obstacles, before they are able to reveal the culprit behind these murders.
What is to follow is an excellent first Irish mystery, featuring Sister Fidelma assisted by Brother Eadulf, and one that will set the tone for a lot more fantastic and intriguing mysteries, produced by this great and knowledgeable author.
Highly recommended, for this is a terrific first outing to this marvellous series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Wonderful Sister Fidelma Begin"!
January 26, 2019
7. Jahrhundert im Königreich Northumbrien: Die Kirchenpolitik ist Grund für eine große Zerrissenheit und Uneinigkeit. Die Anhänger der Kirche Roms können sich mit den Anhängern der Lehren des Kelten Columban von Iona nicht einig werden. Um den Kirchenstreit endlich beizulegen, wird eine Synode einberufen. Doch dort kommt es zum Mord an der Äbtissin Ètain und es sollen noch weitere Morde folgen! Schwester Fidelma, eine irische Nonne königlichen Geblüts und gleichzeitig Anwältin bei Gericht in ihrer Heimat, nimmt die Ermittlungen auf.
Mein Leseeindruck:
Ich lese sehr gerne Historische Kriminalromane und habe auch schon einen Teil der Reihe um Schwester Fidelma gelesen. "Nur der Tod bringt Vergebung" ist der erste Band dieser mittlerweile fast 30-teiligen Serie.
Die ersten Seiten waren für mich zwar durchaus interessant, aber irgendwann auch ein bisschen langatmig. Zunächst geht es viel über die damalige Kirchenpolitik, was auch sinnvoll ist, damit man die damaligen Verhältnisse besser verstehen und nachvollziehen kann. Ich muss aber zugeben, dass ich froh war, als es dann zum Mord an der Äbtissin kam und es dadurch deutlich an Spannung gewann.
Die Ermittlungen und Nachforschungen fand ich sehr spannend und mitreißend, und die Geschichte konnte mich richtig packen.
Man spürt beim Lesen, dass der Autor ein anerkannter Historiker ist, der sich auf die versunkene Kultur der Kelten spezialisiert hat. Ich bin froh, dass ich noch viele Bände dieser Buchreihe vor mir habe!
Mein Leseeindruck:
Ich lese sehr gerne Historische Kriminalromane und habe auch schon einen Teil der Reihe um Schwester Fidelma gelesen. "Nur der Tod bringt Vergebung" ist der erste Band dieser mittlerweile fast 30-teiligen Serie.
Die ersten Seiten waren für mich zwar durchaus interessant, aber irgendwann auch ein bisschen langatmig. Zunächst geht es viel über die damalige Kirchenpolitik, was auch sinnvoll ist, damit man die damaligen Verhältnisse besser verstehen und nachvollziehen kann. Ich muss aber zugeben, dass ich froh war, als es dann zum Mord an der Äbtissin kam und es dadurch deutlich an Spannung gewann.
Die Ermittlungen und Nachforschungen fand ich sehr spannend und mitreißend, und die Geschichte konnte mich richtig packen.
Man spürt beim Lesen, dass der Autor ein anerkannter Historiker ist, der sich auf die versunkene Kultur der Kelten spezialisiert hat. Ich bin froh, dass ich noch viele Bände dieser Buchreihe vor mir habe!
September 4, 2013
Great setting, and a time and place I knew next to nothing about. It was fun to hear the echoes of . And it's a fairly competent mystery; although the minor characters are cutouts, and like others I suspected the perp all along, I didn't really put it together until the denouement.
But I agree with other two- and three-star reviewers. The stylistic problems in Tremayne's prose are distracting, given the high quality of others in the genre. For example: he loses his grip on the point-of-view character, shifting haphazardly and unnecessarily from one to another. It would be better to stick with Sister Fidelma. Therefore you can't see the set of her mouth or the (oh, not again) flash of her green (of course) eyes.
Description is weak as well. For this period we need the sounds and smells of the place. It's too little too late, in the second half, to know that the kitchen smells of rotten cabbage. Except that the rooms are named in Latin, most of the action could just as well be in a Holiday Inn.
But I agree with other two- and three-star reviewers. The stylistic problems in Tremayne's prose are distracting, given the high quality of others in the genre. For example: he loses his grip on the point-of-view character, shifting haphazardly and unnecessarily from one to another. It would be better to stick with Sister Fidelma. Therefore you can't see the set of her mouth or the (oh, not again) flash of her green (of course) eyes.
Description is weak as well. For this period we need the sounds and smells of the place. It's too little too late, in the second half, to know that the kitchen smells of rotten cabbage. Except that the rooms are named in Latin, most of the action could just as well be in a Holiday Inn.
January 23, 2009
That "Peter Tremayne" (pseudonym of an unnamed medieval scholar) can't write his way out of a cloister. I got halfway through before giving it up as a waste of reading time. Wooden prose that could have used an editor. Too many references to Sister's green eyes (or blue?), as well as to the Brother's "deep baritone voice". As opposed to a thin, reedy baritone voice? The murder mystery is almost incidental to academic discussions of Roman vs. Irish Catholicism in the 7th Century. One cover blurb compared this to Brother Caedfael. I agree; didn't like those either.
July 9, 2012
It was ok. I am willing to give Tremayne the benefit of the doubt and just assume he hadn't yet quite figured out his fiction voice yet, since this WAS the first fiction book he'd written. His history books are better, and he is clearly more comfortable with that genre since he was simply unable to refrain from adding in somewhat irrelevant historical facts to this book. It wasn't terrible, just not very good.
I think he also needs a better editor. I found numerous grammatical errors, and a few times he would use one word when clearly he meant a different word, like using indifferent instead of diffident. And his characters grimaced a lot. So his fictional writing style needs some polishing.
It was a predictable plot as well. I figured out who did it almost first thing, and it was confirmed in the immediate aftermath of Etain's murder.
I did like Sister Fidelma, though, and will most likely be reading more of this series. I have a weakness for medieval mysteries AND Ireland, so between the two, the series does have a continuing hold on me. I just won't be running out (logging on, really, but whatever) to buy the next one. But I am sure I will eventually.
I think he also needs a better editor. I found numerous grammatical errors, and a few times he would use one word when clearly he meant a different word, like using indifferent instead of diffident. And his characters grimaced a lot. So his fictional writing style needs some polishing.
It was a predictable plot as well. I figured out who did it almost first thing, and it was confirmed in the immediate aftermath of Etain's murder.
I did like Sister Fidelma, though, and will most likely be reading more of this series. I have a weakness for medieval mysteries AND Ireland, so between the two, the series does have a continuing hold on me. I just won't be running out (logging on, really, but whatever) to buy the next one. But I am sure I will eventually.
May 17, 2021
A satisfying 'who done it'. I enjoyed the red herrings (yes plural) as they were engrossing, plausible and everything a red herring should be. The importance of religion during this era cannot be understated nor can the dismissal of most women as inferior so Sister Fidelma Lady Nun Detective is a refreshing heroine and Peter Tremayne imparts any missing background deftly so the reader never feels stupid for not knowing any bits of arcane period oddities.
I'll certainly read more Sister Fidelma books.
--Anna Eriksson Bendewald
I'll certainly read more Sister Fidelma books.
--Anna Eriksson Bendewald
December 18, 2015
I thought it was about time I tried this series as it's been on my to be read for over a year.
I am a big fan of medieval mysteries and this is well on it's way to being a favorite just from the first book.
When the Celtic and Roman Church followers gather in Whitby to try and iron out their differences, the tension is palatable. When Abbess Etain is found murdered before she can speak for the Celtic church the tensions rise to an almost unbearable level and King Oswy turns to Irish lawyer Sister Fidelma and Saxon Brother Eadulf to find the murderer before the gathering dissolves into a war.
The feisty Sister Fidelma is no doubt the best part of this story for me. The church politics, ocean side castle setting and Brother Eadulf were just icing on the cake for this ancient Irish murder mystery.
I am a big fan of medieval mysteries and this is well on it's way to being a favorite just from the first book.
When the Celtic and Roman Church followers gather in Whitby to try and iron out their differences, the tension is palatable. When Abbess Etain is found murdered before she can speak for the Celtic church the tensions rise to an almost unbearable level and King Oswy turns to Irish lawyer Sister Fidelma and Saxon Brother Eadulf to find the murderer before the gathering dissolves into a war.
The feisty Sister Fidelma is no doubt the best part of this story for me. The church politics, ocean side castle setting and Brother Eadulf were just icing on the cake for this ancient Irish murder mystery.
July 30, 2013
The writing style just killed this dead and I didn't finish. If you use a foreign language word, you really don't need to define it twice on two pages. YOU REALLY DON'T.
November 24, 2014
The first 50 pages were extremely challenging. I picked up this detective novel featuring a female detective (really, a nun-lawyer), expecting escapist literature. Tremayne makes some demands on the reader by setting this mystery in 7th C. Northumbria during a meeting between Roman-influence Catholics and Irish-influenced Catholics of Britannia.
An historian by training, Tremayne gives a lot of background about people from various backgrounds (Irish, Saxon, Franks, Picts, Romans) and various religious orders and various political alliances in order to set the stage. But once he set the stage and the murder takes place, then I was more engaged and didn't have to force myself to plod on.
It was a wonderful read once I accepted the author's demands and gave up my expectation of a fluff read. I looked up geography, architecture, church history, etc. online as I read. It took me days longer to read, but I was enriched by the process. I believe that his subsequent novels will be easier to read now that I have a toe hold.
An historian by training, Tremayne gives a lot of background about people from various backgrounds (Irish, Saxon, Franks, Picts, Romans) and various religious orders and various political alliances in order to set the stage. But once he set the stage and the murder takes place, then I was more engaged and didn't have to force myself to plod on.
It was a wonderful read once I accepted the author's demands and gave up my expectation of a fluff read. I looked up geography, architecture, church history, etc. online as I read. It took me days longer to read, but I was enriched by the process. I believe that his subsequent novels will be easier to read now that I have a toe hold.
September 30, 2014
My first of, hopefully, many Sister Fidelma books! What a revelation. Not only is the mystery well-written, (although I had my suspicions all along!), I learned even more about the Christian church in ancient Ireland and the politics and life in Britain as well. I found the fact of the "Dark" Ages was actually the Age of Enlightenment in Ireland and the lingering influence of the Roman Empire through the Church to be more compelling and interesting than the murder mystery itself. It certainly gave me a bit of an education about a time period I know little about and hope to learn more. Going right now to get the next in the series!
November 16, 2014
It got three stars because it is the first in a series, it's not terrible, and I'm sure Mr Tremayne (a pseudonymous historian) improves his fiction writing. In the meantime he forgets the point of his story - it's a whodunnit (with a bit of innocent romance thrown in) not a lesson in history with heavy emphasis on why Celtic Catholicism was better than the Roman variety and how childish both sides were in arguing the merits or otherwise. Hopefully this will reverse the usual trend and the second will be better than the first.
March 11, 2017
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I enjoyed the main character, Sister Fidelma. She's smart and inquisitive and strong-willed and doesn't put up with crap from anyone. She's a little too perfect at times -- I prefer characters to at least have some flaws -- but still, she was engaging and I ended the book interested in reading more about her. I also liked the main plot: the murder mystery had a nice "cozy" feel to it, with enough danger to add a bit of tension but not enough to slip into horror or gore. I also enjoyed the interactions between Fidelma and the monk assigned to help her, and the hints at a possible romance (in the days before celibacy in their respective orders). The setting was definitely interesting, and gave lots of insight into the society of the time. The main problem I had with the book was the amount of "historical" that I got in my "historical fiction" novel.
The story takes place during a famous debate between representatives of the Celtic and Roman churches in AD 664. How this debate progresses is treated not just as a backdrop to the main storyline about Fidelma solving the mystery, but as a major plot line on its own, which took up a good deal of time in the early chapters to establish, and was revisited throughout the book. I didn't keep close track, but it felt as though at least as much time was spent listing the names of all the people who were there (and sometimes, the names of people they were related to, who weren't there), outlining the various positions being argued, and discussing the effects of these religious issues on the Celtic people as on the main story. It's an interesting debate, and I wouldn't mind reading a history about what actually happened there. But this narrative is obviously highly fictionalized, so I couldn’t view it as educational because I couldn't tell which parts of the debate-plot were true and which were made up for this book. Also, this meant that only half the book remained to flesh out the main story, about Fidelma and the mystery -- time was used up for the debate that could have been spent making the characters and their dilemmas more three-dimensional. The debate itself had no discernible impact on the main story, either. It was an event that brought together people from various factions, and perhaps the murder victim was killed to keep her from speaking there -- but that could be true of any number of events. Also, even if I accept the idea of the debate as a reasonable plot line of its own, the exposition dumps in the early chapters felt excessive, especially the long lists of names, precious few of which turned out to be relevant. It smacked of a writer who had done a ton of research and wanted to prove it, and couldn’t stand leaving out a single detail.
A related gripe was what I saw as an overuse of Latin words. I usually appreciate getting lots of cultural details, and for the most part, this book does a great job of that. And if a language uses a term for a cultural concept we don't have in English, it makes sense to use the foreign word -- like when he uses an Irish word for the specific kind of legal role Sister Fidelma holds. But it distracted me and slowed my reading to see "officium," "cubiculum," "sacrarium," etc. in italics on so many pages, which was unnecessary since these terms didn't convey anything different than office, cubicle, sanctuary, etc.
Overall, I liked the character of Sister Fidelma, what I got to see of her, and would like to think that she's developed more in future installments. I'm definitely curious about what happens, if anything, between her and Brother Eadulf. I thought the book was strongest when it stopped telling us all about the history and culture of these people and focused on showing us how people from the different cultures clashed because of their disparate expectations and norms. If there's more of that in later books, and less of a slog through questionable history, I'd be interested in reading them.
The story takes place during a famous debate between representatives of the Celtic and Roman churches in AD 664. How this debate progresses is treated not just as a backdrop to the main storyline about Fidelma solving the mystery, but as a major plot line on its own, which took up a good deal of time in the early chapters to establish, and was revisited throughout the book. I didn't keep close track, but it felt as though at least as much time was spent listing the names of all the people who were there (and sometimes, the names of people they were related to, who weren't there), outlining the various positions being argued, and discussing the effects of these religious issues on the Celtic people as on the main story. It's an interesting debate, and I wouldn't mind reading a history about what actually happened there. But this narrative is obviously highly fictionalized, so I couldn’t view it as educational because I couldn't tell which parts of the debate-plot were true and which were made up for this book. Also, this meant that only half the book remained to flesh out the main story, about Fidelma and the mystery -- time was used up for the debate that could have been spent making the characters and their dilemmas more three-dimensional. The debate itself had no discernible impact on the main story, either. It was an event that brought together people from various factions, and perhaps the murder victim was killed to keep her from speaking there -- but that could be true of any number of events. Also, even if I accept the idea of the debate as a reasonable plot line of its own, the exposition dumps in the early chapters felt excessive, especially the long lists of names, precious few of which turned out to be relevant. It smacked of a writer who had done a ton of research and wanted to prove it, and couldn’t stand leaving out a single detail.
A related gripe was what I saw as an overuse of Latin words. I usually appreciate getting lots of cultural details, and for the most part, this book does a great job of that. And if a language uses a term for a cultural concept we don't have in English, it makes sense to use the foreign word -- like when he uses an Irish word for the specific kind of legal role Sister Fidelma holds. But it distracted me and slowed my reading to see "officium," "cubiculum," "sacrarium," etc. in italics on so many pages, which was unnecessary since these terms didn't convey anything different than office, cubicle, sanctuary, etc.
Overall, I liked the character of Sister Fidelma, what I got to see of her, and would like to think that she's developed more in future installments. I'm definitely curious about what happens, if anything, between her and Brother Eadulf. I thought the book was strongest when it stopped telling us all about the history and culture of these people and focused on showing us how people from the different cultures clashed because of their disparate expectations and norms. If there's more of that in later books, and less of a slog through questionable history, I'd be interested in reading them.
April 29, 2021
I think this is the new worst-written book club read to date (made me weep for that terrible Ruth Ware book we read a couple years ago). For much of the book I was enjoying the shitty-ness of it all because it kinda reminded me of fanfiction. Half-baked plotting, painful pacing, terrible characterization, and so much clumsy writing all around define both most of the fanfiction I read AND this book. But, hey, my tolerance for all that has been built up by years of reading fanfiction (because it gives me more stories with characters I enjoy).
But this went from amusingly terrible to terribly terrible when the author doubled down on the "bury your gays" trope. Ugh. There were huge warning signs early on (yes, the writing was so terrible that even I figured out who the murderer was early in the book) but I naively held out hope that the author wasn't going to be that horrible. So, I guess I was wrong about that.
Anyway, I learned more about that part of the world at that time than I ever really wanted; although, the Irish cultural bits were particularly interesting. Plus, the setting made me look at a lot of maps of Britain (or whatever the hell they were calling that collection of space at the time) in the 600s CE and I marveled at that mess. Finally, I was, despite myself, amused at all the unreadable, unpronounceable names in the book (I don't know how vowels were pronounced before the Great Vowel Shift, I just know they were different).
So, even though I ended up hating it, and I will not be reading any of the next 30 (THIRTY!!!!) books in the series, at least I squeezed some enjoyment out of the experience.
But this went from amusingly terrible to terribly terrible when the author doubled down on the "bury your gays" trope. Ugh. There were huge warning signs early on (yes, the writing was so terrible that even I figured out who the murderer was early in the book) but I naively held out hope that the author wasn't going to be that horrible. So, I guess I was wrong about that.
Anyway, I learned more about that part of the world at that time than I ever really wanted; although, the Irish cultural bits were particularly interesting. Plus, the setting made me look at a lot of maps of Britain (or whatever the hell they were calling that collection of space at the time) in the 600s CE and I marveled at that mess. Finally, I was, despite myself, amused at all the unreadable, unpronounceable names in the book (I don't know how vowels were pronounced before the Great Vowel Shift, I just know they were different).
So, even though I ended up hating it, and I will not be reading any of the next 30 (THIRTY!!!!) books in the series, at least I squeezed some enjoyment out of the experience.
August 22, 2020
Recognizably a first novel. The exposition lumbers. The characters don't develop; their appearance and their thoughts are just described in full at their first appearance. Any woman meant to be sympathetic is guaranteed to be stunningly beautiful. The scenes, some of them enjoyable, roll past one by one, and eventually we reach the shameful conclusion.
The charge that a book is poorly written is vague enough to be meaningless, so let's close by categorizing a few passages.
Disagreeable verbs, not absolutely wrong, matched set of two
"...marriage and procreation was not regarded as a sin." (p. 42)
"The crowd were taunting him...." (p. 95)
Misdirected ruefulness
"Sometimes, though not very often, he would regret that, had he not forsworn Woden and Seaxnat, he too would have become gerefa to the thane of Seaxmund's Ham." (p. 37)
An action similar to itself
"As the sister turned to leave, Abbess Hilda raised a hand as if to stay her." (p. 30)
Transitivization
"Then she relented her anger almost as soon as she recognized it." (p. 267)
I contain multitudes
"But to work together one should have an understanding of one another...." (p. 94)
Valley-girl stutter
"Wighard's cherubic-like features...." (p. 35)
Oh well. I got a stack of these quite cheap at a used book store, so I'll probably read the sequel.
The charge that a book is poorly written is vague enough to be meaningless, so let's close by categorizing a few passages.
Disagreeable verbs, not absolutely wrong, matched set of two
"...marriage and procreation was not regarded as a sin." (p. 42)
"The crowd were taunting him...." (p. 95)
Misdirected ruefulness
"Sometimes, though not very often, he would regret that, had he not forsworn Woden and Seaxnat, he too would have become gerefa to the thane of Seaxmund's Ham." (p. 37)
An action similar to itself
"As the sister turned to leave, Abbess Hilda raised a hand as if to stay her." (p. 30)
Transitivization
"Then she relented her anger almost as soon as she recognized it." (p. 267)
I contain multitudes
"But to work together one should have an understanding of one another...." (p. 94)
Valley-girl stutter
"Wighard's cherubic-like features...." (p. 35)
Oh well. I got a stack of these quite cheap at a used book store, so I'll probably read the sequel.
March 11, 2019
A good mystery set in 7th century Northumbria (during the synod of Whitby), but it comes with an info dumping warning. This book is the first in a series so I understand the author's need to set the scene and to present his characters but still the amount of background information offered to the reader was excessive and non essential to the mystery itself.
I felt that the attitudes and actions of the characters were too modern for the times .
I found Sister Fidelma too cool and not particularly likable, moreover the author was a bit too heavy handed when it comes to describing the many virtues of the progressive Irish vs. the barbarian Britons or even the Romans. On the other hand, this novel is only the start of a very popular series, I might try another book in the hope that the best is yet to come. 2.5 stars
I felt that the attitudes and actions of the characters were too modern for the times .
I found Sister Fidelma too cool and not particularly likable, moreover the author was a bit too heavy handed when it comes to describing the many virtues of the progressive Irish vs. the barbarian Britons or even the Romans. On the other hand, this novel is only the start of a very popular series, I might try another book in the hope that the best is yet to come. 2.5 stars
May 8, 2021
“Absolution by Murder� Earns 5/5 Shadowy Prophecies...Engaging Epic!
I am a fan of Ellis Peters� Brother Cadfael series with a fascinating look at the twelfth century integrating well the historical with the fictional, so it was very fortuitous finding Peter Tremayne’s Sister Fidelma series. Although set further back in time to the seventh century, book one, “Absolution by Murder,� is a well-researched drama blending an engaging fictional mystery with a fascinating history when the line between politics and religion was ill-defined, and a difference of opinion or insult could get you executed.
For thirty years, the Kingdom of Northumbria had been provided religious training in Celtic Christian traditions along with lessons in reading and writing by the Irish monks from the Isle of Iona, but King Oswiu, moved by one of his sons, has brought together religious advocates from Briton, Rome, Saxons, and Ireland to debate their position. A decision, then, would be made about the path Northumbria would take for their religious needs and practices. The decision would ultimately have serious implications for the surrounding Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The peace is interrupted by a beggar’s warning—“Doom is in the air. Blood will flow at Streoneshalh before this week is over,� and later he references an eclipse. The warning turns out to be prophetic when the sun temporarily disappears, and then Abbess Etain, a leading advocate for the Celtic traditions, is found brutally murdered. Sister Fidelma is a member of the same delegation from Kildare and a friend of the Abbess Etain, and due to her background in law as an advocate and a reputation of solving crimes, she is a valuable asset, and accepts King Oswiu’s request to explore the murder. Rumors abound that the murder is a political move by those supporting the Roman practice, then again, some say it is a way to implicate Rome in favor of the Celtic position. The King therefore expects the investigation to portray impartiality. Therefore, Sister Fidelma is to be partnered with a young Saxon monk, Brother Eadulf, who is a member of the Roman caucus. He also shares her knowledge of the law and skill with puzzles. Together they must uncover the truth.
I am fascinated by history rarely touched on, and incorporating it into a well-written mystery. So, along with enjoying the historical narrative, I goggled additional information about Anglo-Saxon England, Northumbria, the Synod of Whitby, Streoneshalh (Whitby) Abbey, Isle of Iona, and Hilda of Whitby. It did provide some important background and prepared me for Tremayne’s novel. The first few chapters referred to so many historical and fictional figures I was almost overwhelmed, but it all came into focus. Tremayne’s drama is brilliant, filled with fascinating characters, a strong willed and clever protagonist, and a delightful dynamic between Fidelma and Eadulf—“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.� His descriptive style isn’t so flowery that it overpowers the story, yet the tone and dialogue depict well the poetic cadence of the time period. My experience was greatly enriched by Caroline Lennon’s talented narration. Her soft Irish accent was entertaining along with a few variations of other British dialects. She performs well the emotions and changes tone to depict age and gender. I loved it...totally a fan, and the audio version is the perfect way to enjoy Peter Tremayne’s work.
I am a fan of Ellis Peters� Brother Cadfael series with a fascinating look at the twelfth century integrating well the historical with the fictional, so it was very fortuitous finding Peter Tremayne’s Sister Fidelma series. Although set further back in time to the seventh century, book one, “Absolution by Murder,� is a well-researched drama blending an engaging fictional mystery with a fascinating history when the line between politics and religion was ill-defined, and a difference of opinion or insult could get you executed.
For thirty years, the Kingdom of Northumbria had been provided religious training in Celtic Christian traditions along with lessons in reading and writing by the Irish monks from the Isle of Iona, but King Oswiu, moved by one of his sons, has brought together religious advocates from Briton, Rome, Saxons, and Ireland to debate their position. A decision, then, would be made about the path Northumbria would take for their religious needs and practices. The decision would ultimately have serious implications for the surrounding Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The peace is interrupted by a beggar’s warning—“Doom is in the air. Blood will flow at Streoneshalh before this week is over,� and later he references an eclipse. The warning turns out to be prophetic when the sun temporarily disappears, and then Abbess Etain, a leading advocate for the Celtic traditions, is found brutally murdered. Sister Fidelma is a member of the same delegation from Kildare and a friend of the Abbess Etain, and due to her background in law as an advocate and a reputation of solving crimes, she is a valuable asset, and accepts King Oswiu’s request to explore the murder. Rumors abound that the murder is a political move by those supporting the Roman practice, then again, some say it is a way to implicate Rome in favor of the Celtic position. The King therefore expects the investigation to portray impartiality. Therefore, Sister Fidelma is to be partnered with a young Saxon monk, Brother Eadulf, who is a member of the Roman caucus. He also shares her knowledge of the law and skill with puzzles. Together they must uncover the truth.
I am fascinated by history rarely touched on, and incorporating it into a well-written mystery. So, along with enjoying the historical narrative, I goggled additional information about Anglo-Saxon England, Northumbria, the Synod of Whitby, Streoneshalh (Whitby) Abbey, Isle of Iona, and Hilda of Whitby. It did provide some important background and prepared me for Tremayne’s novel. The first few chapters referred to so many historical and fictional figures I was almost overwhelmed, but it all came into focus. Tremayne’s drama is brilliant, filled with fascinating characters, a strong willed and clever protagonist, and a delightful dynamic between Fidelma and Eadulf—“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.� His descriptive style isn’t so flowery that it overpowers the story, yet the tone and dialogue depict well the poetic cadence of the time period. My experience was greatly enriched by Caroline Lennon’s talented narration. Her soft Irish accent was entertaining along with a few variations of other British dialects. She performs well the emotions and changes tone to depict age and gender. I loved it...totally a fan, and the audio version is the perfect way to enjoy Peter Tremayne’s work.
December 23, 2022
664-ieji metai. Nortumbrijoje, Whitby mieste renkasi sinodas. Keltiškosios ir Romos bažnyčių atstovai spręs pačius svarbiausius pasaulyje klausimus � kada reikia švęsti Velykas ir ar vienuoliams dera išsiskusti pakaušį, ar kaktą? Aistros čia verda nemenkos, juolab kad ir politinio atspalvio sinodui nestinga. Žibalo ugnin šliukšteli dar ir tai, kad abatė Etain, turėjusi sinode ginti keltiškąją bažnyčios tvarką, randama nužudyta. Natūralu, kad kyla įtarimas, jog nagus bus prikišę Romos frakcijos atstovai. Bet anie irgi turi įtarimų, kad čia keltai sužaidė nešvariai � pakišo juos. Priešiškumas tarp stovyklų auga, tad nusikaltėlį reikia surasti kuo greičiau. Bet sprendimo reikia objektyvaus, o nepasitikėjimo iš abiejų pusių nestinga. Tad randamas saliamoniškas sprendimas � tyrimu užsiims sesuo Fidelma iš keltiškosios frakcijos ir Romos atstovas brolis Eadulfas. Idėjiniams priešininkams teks dirbti petys į petį. Ir kol jie mokosi pasitikėti vienas kitu, nutinka dar kelios žmogžudystės. Dar truputis ir sinodas pavirs kautynių lauku. Fidelmai ir Eadulfui reikia paskubėti.
Toks visais atžvilgiais vidutiniškas istorinis detektyvas. Negniaužė kvapo nei iš susižavėjimo, nei iš pasipiktinimo. Gal tik retsykiais kreivą šypsenėlę iššaukdavo autoriaus manipuliavimas Eadulfu � tai jis proto guvumu nenusileidžia Fidelmai, tai stabdo taip, kad supranti žmogus saugos diržų naudą.
Trys iš penkių. Visai tvirti trys.
Toks visais atžvilgiais vidutiniškas istorinis detektyvas. Negniaužė kvapo nei iš susižavėjimo, nei iš pasipiktinimo. Gal tik retsykiais kreivą šypsenėlę iššaukdavo autoriaus manipuliavimas Eadulfu � tai jis proto guvumu nenusileidžia Fidelmai, tai stabdo taip, kad supranti žmogus saugos diržų naudą.
Trys iš penkių. Visai tvirti trys.
January 17, 2022
I absolutely loved this story. I don't know why: it is pretty straightforward. Sister fidelma arrived at the Synod as soon as discussion are open, someone gets killed. She is charge with the investigation, she is a nun but also a lawyer/judge in Ireland. (The story is set in Northumbria).
She is helped by a Roman Brother Eadulf. You can sense that between them they is a connection, and both of them question themselves on it. But nothing happens.
The writing is gripping, clear and Evoque a far away land. The author is a professor of Celtic and Irish culture and he want to show the figure of female in Ireland. Here in this book, there alway the dialism of what fidelma dows and how the Saxon view it. By the end, Eadulf is the one the reminds her "you are not in Ireland", "here the laws are different".
Enjoyed it and I'm eager to read the other and see the developing of their relationship (I read "blood moons" last year, so I know they are married and have a child).
She is helped by a Roman Brother Eadulf. You can sense that between them they is a connection, and both of them question themselves on it. But nothing happens.
The writing is gripping, clear and Evoque a far away land. The author is a professor of Celtic and Irish culture and he want to show the figure of female in Ireland. Here in this book, there alway the dialism of what fidelma dows and how the Saxon view it. By the end, Eadulf is the one the reminds her "you are not in Ireland", "here the laws are different".
Enjoyed it and I'm eager to read the other and see the developing of their relationship (I read "blood moons" last year, so I know they are married and have a child).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2022
Loved it!
Read
March 4, 2021Ei mäletagi, millal sai raamat pärast esimesi lehekülgi puhtalt selle pärast pooleli jäetud, et tekstis on vigu nagu sigu.
July 30, 2019
Historical mysteries are a tricky balancing act. On one hand, the author should paint a realistic portrait of the period and needs to include the necessary details to describe the setting in which the mystery takes place. On the other hand, the author should also write a compelling and interesting mystery. Often, historical mysteries fall into either the category of a history book with a run-of-the-mill mystery or the category of an interesting mystery with insufficient or inaccurate historical detail.
This book falls into the former category. The author is clearly well-informed about the period (664 AD during a split between the Roman and Celtic churches) and writes about the shifting political alliances and complex religious issues with confidence and authority. But when I am able to guess who the murderer was within 10 pages of the murder, I know the mystery is not compelling. If you want to learn more about this relatively unknown period, the Sister Fidelma mysteries seem like a good way to absorb the information painlessly and easily. And I really like that the main character is a woman. But there are better historical mystery novelists out there--ones who can write knowledgeably about the period and produce a compelling mystery at the same time.
This book falls into the former category. The author is clearly well-informed about the period (664 AD during a split between the Roman and Celtic churches) and writes about the shifting political alliances and complex religious issues with confidence and authority. But when I am able to guess who the murderer was within 10 pages of the murder, I know the mystery is not compelling. If you want to learn more about this relatively unknown period, the Sister Fidelma mysteries seem like a good way to absorb the information painlessly and easily. And I really like that the main character is a woman. But there are better historical mystery novelists out there--ones who can write knowledgeably about the period and produce a compelling mystery at the same time.
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