'A Morbid Taste for Bones' by Ellis Peters is the first novel in this witty historical series about the medieval sleuth Brother Cadfael. Cadfael, a Benedictine monk, has his tongue always firmly planted into his weathered cheek.



Fifty-seven-year-old Brother Cadfael is a giant Intellect among pigmies. That said, he is more than satisfied to help people without their knowing it if it is at all possible, but usually if people do know how he has come to their aid, the circumstances are such it is in

'A Morbid Taste for Bones' by Ellis Peters is the first novel in this witty historical series about the medieval sleuth Brother Cadfael. Cadfael, a Benedictine monk, has his tongue always firmly planted into his weathered cheek.



Fifty-seven-year-old Brother Cadfael is a giant Intellect among pigmies. That said, he is more than satisfied to help people without their knowing it if it is at all possible, but usually if people do know how he has come to their aid, the circumstances are such it is in their interest to be quiet. In other words, he's the first secret super hero! However, he never has any intensions of being the grownup in the room, but often he finds himself being that guy.



Cadfael needed a quiet place to retire. He had sown wild oats and he had been a warrior for half of his life, soldering for Christian King and Country in the Holy Land. Before that, he worked for a merchant and learned about money (such as there was in the twelfth century). However, when his crusading was done and he once again was on English soil, a chance meeting with an abbot set him on course to become a Benedictine monk after retiring from military service.



Cadfael cannot quite fit in because unlike the other monks he did not commit to a life of a monastery until he was in his fifties. It has given him much doubt about trusting the affairs of men to come out well without a bit of human intervention. He also is aware more than the others how perfidious and foolish the human heart can be. Plus, I'm very certain that while he may be religious, he has seen too much war and death to have any faith in rituals or direct interest from any gods. On many occasions in this series, when others are quaking and afraid because of mysterious 'ghosts', 'devils', 'signs' or 'miracles', Cadfael calmly begins a search for the flesh and blood person or persons he knows must actually be behind these manifestations, and the motives driving such magical tricks. The usual dark emotions - hate, ego, avarice, aggrandizement, sex, envy, revenge - are as clear to Cadfael as they are unrecognized by the provincial monks and local inhabitants, most who have never traveled more than a few miles from where they were born. But as usual with small communities of people who have known each other for generations and who must live and depend on each other for many generations to come, he knows better than to burn bridges or waste lives necessary for everyone's peace and survival. He'd rather help provide peace and continuity, along with, hopefully, giving people a small push towards acting with charity and affection instead of cruelty and selfishness.



Cadfael prefers happy endings.



Cadfael had built up a herbarium in the enclosed garden within the walls of the Shrewsbury abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in 15 years of labor. While he worked hard at growing a herb for every need, the ones which alleviated pain he gave the most care. After all, there always was a need for relief of agonies.



Reluctantly, he abandons his garden temporarily when a young monk suffering from occasional religious ecstatic fugues, Brother Columbanus, sets in motion two pilgrimages to Gwytherin in Wales, the land of Cadfael's birth. As he can speak both Welsh and English, Abbot Heribert asks the multilingual Cadfael to join the second expedition set on liberating the bones of Saint Winifred from her tomb in Wales and install her instead in the Shrewsbury abbey where she will be appreciated. Besides, she explicitly commanded the monks to move her to England through a dream experienced by Brother Jerome, who had taken a confusion-afflicted Brother Columbanus to Saint Winfred's spring initially where Columbanus had been miraculously healed. Once the duo returned from their first journey, and revealed Winifred's wish to leave her tomb, the monks quickly get all of the required approvals to ask the people of Gwytherin to listen to the Winifred inspired dreams of the Shrewsbury monks and obey her commands.



As the reader can guess, the Welsh locals are not as certain as are the Shrewsbury monks that Winifred wants to leave. The natives become restless, particular a farmer gentlemen, Rhisiart, who vigorously opposes the desecration of Saint Winifred's grave. Everyone decides further meetings are necessary, but there is general and ongoing community disruption. Cadfael accidentally becomes aware of romantic strife and jealousies between rivals for a young daughter of Rhisiart, while wandering around the town, enjoying the views and land, and observing the farmers plowing. Meanwhile Prior Robert, his superior, continues his dispute of possession with the community's leaders.



Another important meeting between the Welsh locals and the visiting monks is set - but Rhisiart is late when the appointed time arrives. In fact, he never will attend any meeting again. After a search, Rhisiart's body is found, an arrow buried in his chest.



A lot of bad revengeful possibilities are now facing the rival communities of monks and farmers. Cadfael and Rhisiart's daughter Sioned are going to have to work fast if they are to find the murderer and prevent further bloodshed!



I highly recommend this series!



