The confession of Brother Haluin

While this is volume 13 in Peters' marvelous series of murder mysteries featuring the wonderfully drawn character of Brother Cadfael as amateur sleuth, the power of these novels to entertain has not diminished one degree. Brother Cadfael is the medieval herbalist monk in residence at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul at Shrewsbury in England. He always has some murder to solve, and in this case he comes face-to-face with the nefarious deed because he has generously accompanied Brother Haluin on his pilgrimage to pray at the tomb of a former loved one. Cadfael is drawn deeper into Haluin's past, and then a murdered body falls in their path. As always, Peters makes not one misstep in her depiction of the political, social, and religious nature of twelfth-century England. In addition, the plot suffers not one moment of contrivance. To be enjoyed without reservation. BH.

The worldly-wise and compassionate Brother Cadfael makes a welcome, 15th appearance. On his deathbed, Brother Haluin confesses to the abbot and Brother Cadfael that 18 years previously he had fallen in love with Bertrade de Clary, whose mother had forbidden their marriage. The girl had later died as a result of herbs he had given her mother, Adelais de Clary, to abort their baby. Haluin unexpectedly recovers from his fall, however, and he now is determined to make a pilgrimage to the girl's tomb. But when he and Brother Cadfael arrive at Hales, they find Adelais de Clary strangely indifferent and no tomb for Bertrade at the church. Haluin insists on traveling to Elford, the chief seat of the de Clarys, in search of Beltrade's final resting place. The two monks find more than the tomb there, and on their homeward journey through Staffordshire they encounter forbidden love, a hastily arranged marriage, violent emotions and murder. It is up to Brother Cadfael to untangle the threads that bind the past to the present to avert another tragedy. Though the plot is somewhat obvious, Peters knows her period well and does not strike one false note in this thoroughly entertaining medieval mystery. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

A new adventure for canny, urbane Brother Cadfael, herbalist monk at Shrewsbury's Benedictine Abbey in 1142, that provides more romance than detection. Brother Haluin, the Abbey's gifted illustrator, has suffered a near-fatal accident and, in what seems to be a deathbed confession, tells of his love 20 years ago for Bertrade, daughter of Adelais de Clary of Hales. His plea for marriage denied, Haluin entered the monastery, then learned from Adelais that Bertrade was pregnant. He gave her herbs from Cadfael's store for an abortion and was later told. by Adelais that both Bertrade and the child were dead. Following this confession, however, Haluin does not die. Crippled and on crutches, with Cadfael at his side, he sets out on a pilgrimage to Bertrade's tomb to make a nightlong vigil of atonement. The two make their tortuous way to Hales--with Cadfael witnessing another seemingly doomed love affair; delving into old mysteries; solving a new one for his own satisfaction; righting old wrongs, and changing some lives forever. As always with Peters, an absorbing passage to another world, but this one lacks some of the swift pacing, tension, and excitement of her best work (The Rose Rent, etc.). Nevertheless, a must for fans--and refreshment for all. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.