A ship has run aground, an abbess has been killed, the nuns traveling with her disappeared and an elderly scholar has been killed. Although at peace, some members of the Ui Figente seem to be rebellious, several scholarly text are missing and destroyed. It is up to Fidelma, with Aedulf’s help, to understand these mysteries and weave them into a single tapestry.
This is the 22nd book in the Sister Fidelma mystery series. Set in 664 AD, Sister Fidelma is returning from a trip to Rome. She finds herself on an island where she encounters an old mentor who is dying. But he had stumbled onto something that opened the door to murder, intrigue and conspiracies.
Not speaking the language, Fidelma is limited and manipulated but unknown agents. The story is very well told and compelling to the end.
When returning home, Fidelma and Eadulf board a ship along with Fidelma’s cousins and diplomat. Then the ship is attacked by pirates and her cousin killed, she and Eadulf jump overboard and find themselves rescued by a monk and taken to an island.
Fidlema is duty-bound to find her cousin’s killer, with few clues other than the ship’s cat and odd comings and goings, she strings together a large collection of seemingly unrelated facts to not only discover the killer, but to uncover a conspiracy to seize power.
This is book 18 is Peter Tremayne’s series of Sister Fidelma. The series still holds my attention, this story is well-told and enjoyable.
This story begins with an attempted assination of two princes, one being the brother of Sister Fidelma. It appears to be an attempt from a neighboring kingdom, one with which they have poor relations. In another event, a monk disappears with a holy relic. As Fidelma investigates, things get much more complex. In a story full of conspiracies, feints, and hidden agendas, it is difficult to discern exactly what is going on. During a court session, in a classic ending, Sister Fidelma clarifies and explains all the events.
These stories are good at teaching about life and the times of 7th Century Ireland. This story explores life in a small town, a monastery, and a little about courts and legal processes. In addition to being a great story, this is a good book for any mystery lover, and particularly those interested in historical settings.
This is a mystery set in 7th century Ireland. Sister Fidelma is dálaigh, an advocate for the law of Ireland. The nurse for her child was killed and the child is missing. It looks like a ransom, but things in mysteries are rarely as they first seem. This investigation leads down several paths with some good twists.
Overall, the mystery is well told and well thought out. The climax is very traditional, where Sister Fidelma gathers all the suspects together and walks us through the clues. And the results are solid.
Peter Tremayne presents a very good picture of ancient Ireland. He often uses ancient terms, but is good about explaining their meaning. The culture and practices suggest that he has a thorough knowledge of ancient Ireland, he even includes a brief historical note and a pronunciation guide.
There is also a useful list of characters and their roles at the beginning of the book. Since this was my first book of the series, I found it very useful.
Overall, the book is a pleasant and easy read, as long as you don’t have to actually solve it. My one complaint is that the gaelic terms are difficult to read and do slow down the reading. The pronunciation guide is at the end and may have worked better at the beginning, or at least let the reader know it’s there. I guess I don’t read ahead in my mysteries.
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