Search - Monk's Hood (Brother Cadfael, Bk 3)

Kibi W. (Kibi) reviewed 3/20/2006...
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Wasn't this a tasty dish?, December 28, 2005
Reviewer: Beverley Strong (Australia)

Brother Cadfael is both pleased and displeased when his old love, Richildis, arrives at the Abbey with her husband, to take up residence as a permanent lodger. In return for permanent food, shelter and all things comfortable, Richildis's husband, Gervase Bonel, proposes to deed the ownership of his manor to the Abbey, a fact which does not sit well with his stepson, Edwin, to whom was promised ownership of the manor. In old age, Gervase had grown cantankerous and had taken a spiteful pleasure in goading Edwin into a rage about reneging on his promise of passing on the ownership of the manor to him. After eating a highly spiced and sauced dish of partridge, Gervase dies, and suspicion immediately falls on Edwin. The dish was poisoned with monkshood, an oil made of which, was brewed by Cadfael to use as a liniment for the old and arthritic monks. As usual in a Cadfael story, there are several characters who have equal reason and opportunity to have committed the murder, so it's up to Cadfael to sort out the mystery. It's another fascinating story, set in the 12th century, with a wealth of detail about mediaeval life and with Brother Cadfael sorting out the clues.

Susan H. (symphonie) reviewed 6/7/2006...
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Gervase Bonel, with his wife and servants, is a guest at the Shrewsbury Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul when he is suddenly taken ill. Luckily, the abbey boasts the services of the shrewd and kindly Brother Cadfael, a skilled herbalist. Cadfael hurries to the man's bedside, only to be confronted by two very different surprises.

In Master Bonel's wife, the good monk recognizes Richildis, whom he loved many years ago, before he took his vows. And Master Bonel himself has been fatally poisoned by a dose of deadly monk's hood oil from Cadfael's own laboratory.

The Sheriff is convinced that the murderer is Richildis' son, Edwin, who had reasons aplenty to hate his stepfather. But Cadfael, guided in part by his tender concern for a woman to whom he was once betrothed, is certain of her son's innocence. Using his knowledge of both herbs and the human heart, Cadfael deciphers a deadly recipe for murder.

Joan V. reviewed 6/16/2006...
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Gervase Bonel, with his wife and servants, is a guest at the Shrewsbury Abbey when he is taken ill. Brother Cadfael, a skilled herbalist, hurries to his bedside only to be confronted by two surprises. Master Bonel's wife is the woman Cadfael loved many years ago before he took his vows. And Master Bonel has been poisoned by a dose of oil from Dadfael's own laboratory. Another in the series of fascinating deductive tales featuring the1 2th century monk.