Felicia J. (FeliciaJ) reviewed on 8/12/2005 + 136 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

If you'd like to make the acquaintance of Brother Cadfael, Ellis Peters' beloved 12th-century sleuth, start here. "A Morbid Taste for Bones" provides the perfect introduction to the worldly wise monk, who entered the cloistered life after sailing and soldiering in the Crusades.

In the novel, a party of monks from Shrewsbury's Benedictine abbey travel to Wales to retrieve the sacred remains of St. Winifred. They find many of the local villagers opposed to moving the bones of their patron saint. When an especially vocal villager is found murdered, Cadfael, a native Welshman brought on the expedition to translate, finds himself caught between his prior's ruthless ambition and the anger of his Welsh countrymen.

Of course, Cadfael solves the mystery of who killed the villager and, in a delightful twist, manages to satisfy both sides in the debate over the saint's bones.

I highly recommend this first chronicle of Brother Cadfael. It brings the Middle Ages to life, introduces wonderful characters and presents the reader with an intriguing puzzle.

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