"A monk leads a simple life. He studies his books late into the evening and searches for truth in their pages. His cat, Pangur, leads a simple life, too, chasing prey in the darkness. As night turns to dawn, Pangur leads his companion to the truth he has been seeking."--
In this retelling of the anonymous Irish poem Pangur Bán, a monk draws parallels between his pursuit of knowledge with his cat's nighttime activity.
Brother Cadfael encounters his first case on a journey to his Welsh homeland. Acting as translator, he attempts to help his prior to obtain the bones of St. Winifred, but the villagers are unwilling to part with the relics they believe are capable of miracles. During negotiation…
Brother Cadfael, a medieval detective of sorts, investigates when one too many prisoners is slain.
Brother Cadfael, Benedictine monk and self-appointed detective of Shrewsbury Abbey, defends a young man accused of poisoning his stepfather, a guest at the abbey, and pursues several seemingly obscure clues to expose the murderer.
At Shrewsbury in 1138, Brother Cadfael has medication for all ills except poison.
A wealthy landowner is poisoned while staying at the abbey, and when Brother Cadfael is called upon to identify the poison, he is shocked to discover the victim's wife is his own childhood sweetheart.
A wealthy landowner is poisoned while staying at the abbey, and when Brother Cadfael is called upon to identify the poison, he is shocked to discover the victim's wife is his own childhood sweetheart.
St. Peter's Fair is a grand, festive event, attracting merchants from across England and beyond. There is a pause in the civil war that is racking the country in the summer of 1139, and the fair promises to bring some much needed gaiety to the town of Shrewsbury.
When a wealthy merchant and two other men are murdered during the fair in the summer of 1139, Brother Cadfael helps the merchant's niece Emma search for the killer before everyone realizes that she knows more than she is telling.
