Category: Mystery
Publisher: Warner Books
ISBN-13:9780446400152
Series: Brother Cadfael, #1
Pub. Date: January 1994 (reprint)
Date Read: April 2009
"He doubted if there was a finer Benedictine garden in the whole kingdom, or one better supplied with herbs both good for spicing meats, and also invaluable as medicine. The main orchards and lands of Shrewsbury abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul lay on the northern side of the road, outside the monastic enclave, but here, in the enclosed garden within the walls, close to the abbot's fishponds and the brook that worked the abbey mill, Brother Cadfael ruled unchallenged."
The year is 1137 and in Shrewsbury Abbey a young monk is having visions of the martyred Saint Winifred. These visions will only help reinforce Prior Robert's goal to acquire the relics of the saint for the abbey and in doing so of course achieving more glory for the Abbey.
However, the relics are in the remote village of Gwytherin in Wales and the villagers won't be too happy to let the relics go. Brother Cadfael, the abbey's herbalist, is a Welshman and so he gains a spot on the excursion to get the relics.
As Brother Cadfael tries to pave the way for both the villagers and the monks to come to an understanding, Lord Rhisiart of Gwytherin is strongly opposed and adamant that the remains will stay in Wales. After all, why would they want to give them over to an English Abbey and then what would become of their village without their Saint Winifred to protect them?
When Lord Rhisiart is found shot dead with an arrow it seems that the monks will no longer have someone standing in their way but who could have done such a foul deed? Lord Rhisiart was not without enemies and Brother Cadfael is determined to find out what happened.
This wonderful mystery introduces the reader to the wise and kind Brother Cadfael. He is no stranger to trying times, having spent time in the crusades, but he's learned the lesson of doing what is right above all else.
From the lovely descriptions of the land to fully developed characters, the first in the Brother Cadfael series is off to a great start and this reader is looking forward to the 19 more books that follow in the popular series.