2025 #22 St. Peter's Fair (Peters) - Brother Cadfael #4

 

Saint Peter's Fair by Ellis Peters
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Perhaps fairs just aren't my thing, but this particular installment in the series felt like a real slog. It did not hold my interest, but I'm too stubborn to DNF, so thank goodness my library does automatic renewals. I'd be tempted to give it two stars, but I want to honor the writing here, which is, as always, excellent. Only the last 30 pages or so sparked my interest (no pun intended and that is a very weak spoiler). Emma made for an interesting character at the end -- a good balance to the angelic Aline.

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2025 #7: The Discarded Image (Lewis)

 

The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The subtitle of this book is misleading in some respects. If you are not already well-versed in literature (not just medieval and Renaissance lit, but Hellenic antiquity as well), you might find yourself frustrated by Lewis's consistent references to items he believes should make up a core knowledge. That said, there is so much to be gained here and one should avoid distraction by getting too bogged down in the individual references. To do so is to miss the proverbial forest for the trees. Ultimately Lewis is building a case for a medieval model, and his epilogue addresses the complex and layered meaning behind that word. Ultimately he proposes more of a model-process: "The new Model will not be set up without evidence, but the evidence will turn up when the inner need for it becomes sufficiently great." (222-23).

Somehow, Lewis manages to bring us from talk of angels and daemons (not always demons), to an investment in the exercises of the human soul, such as Intellectus and Ratio:

"We are enjoying intellectus when we 'just see' a self-evident truth. We are exercising ratio when we proceed step-by-step to prove a truth which is not self-evident. A cognitive life in which all truth can be simply 'seen' would be the life of an intelligentia, an angel." (157).

It cannot be forgotten that Lewis was a literary scholar, a theologian, a poet, and himself a writer of science-fiction and fantasy. One gets the sense when reading Lewis, particularly in this book, that none of these are actually distinctively parsed for him. His acknowledgement and study of tropes seems to play out in real time, with statements that could be one or more layers of his intellectual onion. He critiques how we consider the past--as a 'costume play.' "This superficial (and often inaccurate) characterisation of different ages," he writes, " helps far more than we suspect towards ur later and subtler discriminations between them." (183). Indeed, I often remind my students (and myself) that history is more about patterns and tropes than pigeonholing figures, events, and art into narratively defined styles and genres.

The sum of the micro-literature reviews, the subtle 'digression' about digressions, and the encyclopaedic tone (something Lewis manages as an art), is an over-arching treatise on our human condition as it relates to literature (and art as a whole):

"Literature exists to teach what is useful, to honour what deserves honour, to appreciate what is delightful. The useful, honourable, delightful things are superior to it: it exists for their sake; its own use, honour, or delightfulness is derivative from theirs. In that sense the art is humble even when the artists are proud..." (214)

This book could be read in multiple ways. Perhaps when I have more time for curiosity, unhampered by the obligations of a career, I will sit again with this book and look up every treasure that Lewis cites. I will see the details of the collective contributions toward the medieval Model, and I suspect I will be richer for it. Lewis is not without his detractors, notably Philip Pullman (an author whose books I love), and others who have critiqued some of his works as sexist, and depictions in Narnia, in particular, as racist. Not having read any of those books since I was a child, I'm not equipped to comment on that at present, but I keep it in mind as I read Lewis's non-fiction works.

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Follow the Leader Challenge 2A ---> Enacting Musical Time by Marius Kozak

2025 #6: Dancing with Demons - Sister Fidelma #18 (Tremayne)

 

Dancing with Demons by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This particular installment of the Sister Fidelma series digs into the tensions between the "old ways" and the "New Faith" with much more detail than the previous books. While occasionally tedious to hear it explained via audiobook, the additional context adds a complexity and richness to the world of Fidelma that is more than just Druids vs. Christians. The plot, however, is very slow, and the reveal (in typical Fidelma fashion) takes almost 40 minutes in the audiobook. The motive itself does provide some twists and turns, but the answer to "whodunnit" was so complex and full of weird afterthoughts that I wasn't that interested in the end. This is often the case when there's an "obvious" murderer at the outset -- in this case Dubh Duin, chieftain of the clan Cinél Cairpre, who cannot unfortunately provide any defense or otherwise since he seems to have taken his own life after seemingly killing the High King Suchnussach in his bedroom. All is, as you might guess, not what it seems. This is the situation in which Fidelma finds herself.

Happily, in terms of character development, we start to see an increase in Fidelma's self-awareness, particularly of her treatment of Eadulf, who also seems to be coming more into his own.

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Series About Series Challenge 2025 no. 2 February

2024 #50: Monk's Hood - Brother Cadfael #3 (Peters)

 

Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was so excited to see Derek Jacobi as the reader, I failed to notice that this edition is abridged. Still, worth it to hear Jacobi's reading (and no doubt fans of the TV series will enjoy it even more). I much preferred Monk's Hood to the previous One Corpse Too Many as it returns to the cast of characters at Cadfael's abbey, including the imperious and somewhat comical Prior Robert. I'm very pleased to know that Hugh Beringar, introduced in the second book, will be a recurring character in the series. I understand that this second book was the first in the TV series to allow them to introduce Beringar, and I can see why. The subtle quips and dry humor makes this series particularly engaging.

As the book was abridged, I won't comment too much on the pacing or the plot. We do get more of Cadfael's backstory in the form of a new character, Richildis. The reveal was not hugely surprising, but still complex enough to be interesting! Sadly, while I will miss Jacobi's reading, I will return to the unabridged audiobooks read by narrated by Patrick Tull, as I enjoyed his reading of the first in the series.

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2024 #48 One Corpse Too Many - Brother Cadfael #2 (Peters)

 

One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I might go back to the audiobook format for the series, but I did enjoy this read. The characters are great, including the foe who becomes a friend. The political aspects between Stephen and Maud are left a bit blurry, with King Stephen getting more airtime, but the introduction of Godric near the beginning makes for a fun ride. This is definitely character-driven, although I found Cadfael's manipulation a bit tedious at times. Aline Siward is hard to picture in my mind, and I found it difficult to sympathize with her character, but I did love Godric, Torold Blund, and especially Hugh Beringar, one of the more interesting characters.

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2024 #42: A Morbid Taste for Bones - Brother Cadfael #1 (Peters)

 

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Given that I'm generally a fan of monastic medieval mysteries, I'm not sure why it has taken me this long to finally read Cadfael! Perhaps I was unduly biased against Derek Jacobi's rarely smiling face in the promotions for the TV series in the 90s. My mother pushed me toward Peter Tremayne's (aka Peter Ellis -- now THAT's confusing/strange) Sister Fidelma series, which I love, but somehow did not seem interested in Cadfael. I'm going to guess renegade Celtic nun beat out male Crusader-turned-monk in my mother's hierarchy of protagonists/sleuths.

I adored it--the audiobook, narrated by Patrick Tull, was wonderful in picking up the subtle wit of Cadfael's thoughts and generally didn't feel it necessarily to inject gendered artifice into the voicings, relying more upon character differentiation. Many of the characters were surprisingly loveable -- including the good-natured and impish Brother John, and Father Huw--the parish priest at Gwytherin. I also appreciated that it was four chapters before anyone died (it is a mystery, so that's not a spoiler!) It did make it a bit predictable as to who would be the victim, but it was refreshing to have so much character building first. I might quibble with the end -- a bit too much effort to ensure we get closure on the various subplots, but it is a small quibble. The pro-Welsh quips and writing of scenic detail more than make up for it. I'm excited to read the rest of the series (finally!)

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2024 #24 A Prayer for the Damned -- Sister Fidelma #17 (Tremayne)

 

A Prayer for the Damned by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

People have gathered far and wide for a wedding in Cashel.
The story is fairly political at the outset--we learn about a group of Saxon brothers (Noavan, Berrihert, and Pecanum) seeking asylum and refugee status and Eadulf is asked to vouch for them. The main antagonist is Bishop Ultan, a misogynistic zealot who is very much against conhospitae and any other more progressive interpretations of Christianity. Most interesting is that we learn more about Fidelma's own views of her faith and choice to be a Sister. There are more elements of character development and intrigue than in some of the earlier installments of the series.

Tremayne also fills in details of medieval Celtic law that he has introduced in earlier volumes, such as the troscud, the ritual fast "to ensure the defendant accepts judgement." We are given details about the nuanced process--if the defendant agrees to settle and the plaintiff is notified and continues to fast, that forfeits the claim! These little legal details actual come to play an important part in the story. Funeral rites are also explained in detail as are cultural details tied to the Fenechus, the Brehon law system.

As Fidelma herself notes, it is an interesting case because there are so many suspects with a motive, at least for the first murder. That said, the actual culprit seemed a bit far-fetched for me and it relied upon a lot of information not revealed in the book. Still, definitely a good read and rewarding for those who are reading the entire series.

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2024 #23 The Servant's Tale - Dame Frevisse #2 (Frazer)

 

The Servant's Tale by Margaret Frazer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A good second installment in the Sister Frevisse series, probably more of a 3.5 or 3.75 for me. The servant, Meg, works for the nuns at St. Frideswide as a scullery maid. Her husband, the drunken Barnaby, is allegedly killed in an accident when his cart collides with a troupe of actors. Soon to follow are two more deaths, and the acting troupe is in the frame. Frazer highlights the social and class biases at play against the troupe and we get more character development of Sister Frevisse and the head of the convent, Domina Edith, as well as Dame Claire, the apothecary/medical person for the convent. I found the development slow, as many pages are given over to sitting around dead bodies, although this does prove important to the story. It is probably best read in just a few sittings to keep track of some of the smaller details, not all of which necessarily lean toward the "whodunnit" aspect, but provide a lovely and clever sense of connectivity. Motives seem weak for all possible suspects, and that is a bit frustrating as we don't learn the actual motive until the very end, which always seems a bit of a cop-out to me. There are not a lot of clues in this one--but plenty of deception.

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2024 #14: Whispers of the Dead (Tremayne) - Sister Fildema #15

 

Whispers of the Dead by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this second collection of short stories in the Sister Fidelma series (Hemlock at Vespers is the first), we get three original stories, and the rest have appeared elsewhere. This can be frustrating for the already-initiated. I'd love to have a "dossier" or bio of Fidelma in the beginning -- she's a dalaigh, qualified to the level of anruth, etc, etc. so that these details could be left out of every story. But, I get it -- most short story collections are like this, but when they all involve the same character, it can feel tedious to go through it each time, in each story. I understand it in the books--that way they can be read out of sequence.

That aside, Fidelma fans may appreciate the appearance of characters such as Abbot Laisran, Fidelma's distant cousin/friend (not sure? varying descriptions), who appears in three different stories in the collection (see also "A Canticle for Wulfstan" in Hemlock at Vespers). Abbot Colmán, too, appears elsewhere in the Fidelmaverse. One of the more interesting stories for those wanting more of Fidelma's backstory is "The Blemish"--it is a bit of slog unless you love socratic debate, but it is nice to see Fidelma as a young law student in examination with THE Brehon Morann (of whom we hear in almost every book). Eadulf only makes one appearance in the last story, "The Lost Eagle" (and strangely, he doesn't speak). I enjoyed "The Banshee" because one of the most interesting aspects of Fildema's character is how she has to negotiate Christianity and the old religion, without dismissing the latter wholly as "superstition" and acknowledging the powertripping aspects of the former. "The Fosterer", new to the collection, is particularly sad, as no one really "wins" at the end.

The collection would work well for someone not that familiar with the series--it definitely stands alone, and readers who follow the chronology of the series might not appreciate the disruption. It is interesting to see all the different contexts, however, and amusing to see that the stories have previous appeared volumes ranging from Great Irish Drinking Stories to The Mammoth Book of Ancient Roman Whodunits.

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2024 #12 Badger's Moon (Sister Fidelma #13)- Tremayne

 

Badger's Moon by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

NOTE: Small spoiler ahead.



"...you would do well to remember that this land is not separated from the rest of the world, but shares the sins of humanity in equal proportion. "(137)

These words, uttered by the character of Brother Dangila, are but a sample of the increased depth in this installment of the Sister Fidelma series. Brother Dangila and two of his colleagues are three "strangers" from the Kingdom of Aksum, which reached its greatest power in the sixth century, and had begun to decline in the time of Fidelma. The Kingdom occupied what is now Northern Ethiopia and Eritrea, and parts of modern Sudan, if internet maps are correct. The book (rather gently) brings in themes of racism and xenophobia, and it the quote above is one moment where even Fidelma must confront her implicit biases.

The plot develops rather slowly, but there's a lot more nuance built into Fidelma's character, not only in the way she uses her role as a dálaigh as a coping mechanism as she is experiencing postpartum depression but also how she really is interrogating her multiple identities as an emblem of jurisprudence, sister to the king, and now, a mother (apologies if you read the series out of order). There are perhaps a few too many characters and families to keep track of, but most intriguing are Liag the apothecary and Conrí, war chief of the Uí Fidgente. And there are, of course, the customary hothead soldiers/warriors that seem to feature in all the books. The plot has many twists and turns, but generally was not enough to hold my interest. Luckily, I was so surprised by the next-level themes in this particular book, that I kept going. The book ends (the epilogue, anyway) on a cliffhanger...the mark of a true and secure serial!

It has been rewarding to read the series in order because one gets the sense that Tremayne is trying things on for size. I hope the greater character development and depth continues to be part of this series.

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2023 #31 The Haunted Abbot (Sister Fidelma #12) - Tremayne

 

The Haunted Abbot by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For anyone not reading the series in order, there is a mild spoiler below.



Fildelma, now Eadulf's ben cahrrthach, accompanies him to his Saxon homelands to Aldred's Abbey, where Eadulf has received an urgent summons from his old friend Brother Botulf. While warned that the abbey is home to great evil, they journey through perilous weather to arrive at the abbey only to find Botfulf dead and the abbot in charge to be a tyrannical misogynist.

The first half might be more aptly called a "Brother Eadulf" mystery than a Sister Fildema mystery, and some may find that more pleasing than others. Sadly, given than readers have waited eleven prior installments for Fidelma and Eadulf to be more than companions, this book does little to develop their relationship (one might argue until the very last sentence of the book). In what is probably the most chaste representation of a couple I've ever encountered, the final page seems almost to say: "I'll get to them in the next installment, promise!". I guess I will find out.

There's a supernatural tinge here, which of course faithful Fidelma readers will know always holds some other explanation. The characterization is a bit more complex across the board than in some of the other books. Allies can't be trusted, there are several folks who aren't quite antagonists, but neither are they allies, and as always there are mistaken identities. Aldhere, an outlaw, has a rich backstory that provides him with a certain depth and nuance of character. Women get very little airtime (partially due to the setting of Abbot Cild's vehemently male-only abbey), save for a peasant girl named Lioba, the Abbot's wife (in memoriam), and Bertha, the "woman" of Aldhere.

What is most refreshing in this particular book is that we get more sense of Anglo-Saxon history in the Heptarchy: the kingdom of Mercia, vs. East Anglia, etc. Much is made of the different systems of justice, not just between Christian and pagan, but more specifically between that of Eireann and Saxon. As I cannot speak to authority on either culture, I will simply say that there is a clear implication as to which is more enlightened (which will not come as a surprise).

The story benefits from a few different locations--the abbey, outside the abbey, and the farmhouse of 'Mad' Mul. There are some labyrinthine passages--both actual and metaphorical--that help keep the narrative alive. The arrival of Sigeric, high steward to Ealdwulf, King of East Anglia, provides a bit of a jumpstart just as things start to lag a bit, as does a murder just before the end of the book.

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2023 #29: Our Lady of Darkness (Sister Fidelma #10) - Tremayne

 

Our Lady Of Darkness by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

cw: sexual assault

Tremayne seems to have hit his stride with this tenth installment of the Sister Fidelma series. Brother Eadulf faces the noose for a crime he did not commit and Sister Fidelma must race against the clock to prove his innocence. The red herrings are plentiful here, some more obvious than others. As with Valley of the Shadow, if memory serves, evil is spread far and wide, not just focused on one person. There are helpers, of course, along the way, but sometimes they are a bit too implausible, such as the Apollo-like entrance of the Cashel guards near the end. Where these book still falter for me is the ever-present "court" scene being the centerpiece and method for Fidelma's revelations. I get that she's a dalaigh, but in this particular instance it was particularly frustrating because she does an "almost" reveal in a different location (with an audience far more interesting than the typical peanut gallery), but then no...we have the formal (and formulaic) grandstanding that appears in every novel. I'm just waiting for something more interesting to happen, but I think I will be disappointed.
Outside the Fidelma-a-la-Perry Mason aspect, however, this is probably the strongest book of the first ten in the series. I will say that more recent audiences should be aware that sexual assault plays a very big role in this book, so consider that a content warning.

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2023 #16: The Novice's Tale - Sister Frevisse #1 - (Frazer)

 

The Novice's Tale by Margaret Frazer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As much a fan as I am of Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma series, I think it has met its match with Frazer's Sister Frevisse. Frazer's sense for character development is obvious at the outset, and she manages to create a colorful cast of characters who are not caricatures. Pious Thomasine becomes a murder suspect when her aunt Lady Ermentrude--who I pictured like the Red Queen from Alice and Wonderland--succumbs to her own "strange and sudden death" (that's from the back cover, so I'm not counting it as a spoiler!). There is also Dame Claire, the herbalist and someone who deserves a large bit of credit, as does the entire convent of St. Frideswide, and their leader Domina Edith. One of the contrasts with Tremayne's series is that Sister Frevisse, while a major player, is not the only player. Granted, given the fifteenth-century setting and the Benedictine context, Frazer has less to explain than Tremayne with his seventh-century tensions between the Roman and Irish churches. Those who like fast-moving plots may be a bit frustrated here, but Frazer does an artful job of making everything matter! Take your time with this one--enjoy each and every character as they are all important here and there. Quite a great first book in the series--I'll be reading the rest!

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2023 #9: Hemlock at Vespers (Tremayne) - Sister Fidelma #9

 

Hemlock at Vespers by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some of these short stories are shorter than others, but the volume as a whole contains something for everybody: unrequited love, medieval Church politics, power trippers, vengeance...etc. Tremayne weaves in medieval superstition ("Our Lady of Death"), religious allegory ("At the Tent of Holofernes"), and politics between the Irish Catholic church and Rome (in the seventh century). Favorites include "Hemlock at Vespers", "The High King's Sword", "The Poisoned Chalice" and the relatively concise "Invitation to a Poisoning." In this collection Tremayne displays the variety of scenarios he manages to invent in Fidelma's world, although Fidelma's character takes a back seat in most of the stories. Most interesting is the personal aspect of "At the Tent of Holofernes", where we get a bit of a look at Fidelma's life in the past. Fans of Brother Eadulf will be disappointed by his absence, but Tremayne explains the chronology in the Foreword, which is helpful for those who follow the series order.

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2023 #2 The Monk Who Vanished (Tremayne) - Sister Fidelma #7

 

The Monk Who Vanished by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this seventh installment, Fidelma seems to have come into her own. Tremayne doesn't need to remind us as often that she is a dalaigh, sister to the King, etc., etc. The mystery here has all the right ingredients: a robbery, an assassination plot, political intrigue, multiple locations, shady-but-not-really characters and wholesome-but-not-really characters. It was a good time, and I'll admit being a bit surprised at the end, which is a bonus! The violence seems to be greater than in previous books, but not particularly gory. The relationship between Fidelma and Eadulf grows (slowly) more complex, and there are good passages wherein Eadulf clearly has to grapple with the pagan ideas that inform and are present in medieval Irish Christianity (for some, it turns out), but Tremayne never gets too heavy-handed with the theological musings, so they are important bits of context, not the story itself. I still get mildly frustrated (as do some of the characters) with the final court/tribunal scene (in many of the books) wherein Fidelma relishes the slooooooooooow reveal, but there's enough elsewhere to make this a worthwhile and engaging read.

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2022 #37: Valley of the Shadow (Tremayne) - Sister Fidelma #6

 

Valley of the Shadow by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is much improved character development for both Fidelma and Eadulf here (in contrast to The Subtle Serpent (Book #4)). Still, there are some issues of editing. The same EXACT sentence is used to describe a woman on two occasions: “face was slightly rounded, almost heart-shaped and not unattractive.” (P.4, then again on 33-34). If not for the big reveal at the end, this might be dismissed as just poor editing, but in light of the conclusion, it is even more aggravating.

Also tiresome is Eadulf’s hangover. The less said about that the better.

While I realize there is an attempt to make each book readable without the series chronology, there are far too many mentions of Fidelma’s status as a dálaigh qualified to the level of anruth, and all that entails. It becomes tiresome over the course of a single book.

Still, the mystery here is bold and complex. The twists and turns wind their way to the edge of our frustration, yet we continue to turn the page in the hopes that it will all make sense when our sleuth unravels the Celtic knot. There is a worthwhile subtext as well, regarding religion, that is as relevant to our current times as it was in 7th-century Ireland. Fans of Fidelma will enjoy the deep shadows and dark secrets, and can swiftly move past the bits of repetition.

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2022 #35 The Subtle Serpent (Tremayne) - Sister Fidelma #4

 

The Subtle Serpent by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Still early in the series, Peter Tremayne's The Subtle Serpent gives us a not-yet-fully developed Sister Fidelma, and a strange intermingling of Brother Eadulf. Something is definitely amiss at the Abbey of the Salmon of the Three Wells, one of which has recently hosted a beheaded corpse! The whodunit aspects stretch out a bit longer than necessary, and the twists and turns feel a bit more like loose threads, but it is a solid installment in the series. Most enjoyable is Sister Fidelma's facing off with the cantankerous (that's generous) Abbess Draigen. There are rather a lot of sisters to keep track of, and so empathy for some of the characters doesn't really have a chance to develop. As always, however, Tremayne weaves in medieval Irish history of both pagan and early Christian origins and it is well worth allowing yourself to be lured in to a land of yesteryear wherein the contexts may be old, but the motives are just as relevant today.

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2017 #7: St. Mungo's Robin (McIntosh)

St Mungo's Robin by Pat McIntosh
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Well, if you like to read about people standing in a room talking to each other in a variety of dialects, this book is for you! If, however, you feel mysteries should have a modicum of suspense and intrigue, this book may disappoint. I understand that this is the fourth book in the series, so there is clearly an audience for it. The character development is minimal, although I'm willing to grant that I may be feeling the distance as I haven't read the first three books in the series. Alys seems like a smart woman and a far more interesting human being than Gil Cunningham (the protagonist), yet she is given a ridiculous subplot (which I will not spoil for you here). I was torn in giving this two stars, as the last 20% of the book did seem more interesting both in terms of narrative and character development, but that isn't enough to give it three stars. I love medieval mysteries (e.g. Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma mysteries, Eco's The Name of the Rose), and was looking forward to investing in medieval Glasgow, but I'm afraid this book really didn't give me that glimpse into history.

50BC09 #1: The Leper's Bell (Tremayne) - Sister Fidelma #14

The Leper's Bell by Peter Tremayne rating: 3 of 5 stars While the Sister Fidelma series does not have to be read in series order, I do recommend it. I clearly skipped some major biographical details between Leper's Bell and the last one I read, and it detached me from the main character more than if this has been my first Sister Fidelma book. I'd also recommend ignoring the list of "Principal Characters" that prefaces the book, unless you want some clues very early on in the story. That said, Tremayne is masterful enough to throw a curve ball just when you think you've figured it out. In a way, this particular book seems more a Brother Eadulf mystery than a Sister Fidelma mystery, as we are given much more insight into his character and he propels the plot forward. Fidelma is weakened by the tragic kidnapping of her own son, but Eadulf is at odds with seemingly just about everyone as he is an outsider, a Saxon. Tremayne tries to use these weaknesses to develop his characters, but there is something missing, particularly when it comes to Fidelma. We never actually see her during her time of mourning, but instead only hear of it from Eadulf. When she does appear, she is the stoic, logical Sister Fidelma of the series, but given the story line, she seems mismatched. She wonders (somewhat obtusely) about the fiery outbursts of Eadulf and has only glimmers of introspection at her own excessive reliance upon logic. That aside, the book is full of intrigue, duplicity, and all the other essential ingredients of a good mystery. Readers familiar with the series may find the religious-political historical commentary a bit redundant, but in this book we get a better glimpse of Eadulf's theology, rather than Fidelma's. In that sense, this is one of the more engaging books in the series, as Brother Eadulf's religious views challenge some of Sister Fidelma's, making for much more interesting interaction between the characters.

Suffer Little Children (Tremayne) - Sister Fidelma #3

 Suffer Little Children by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One of the earlier books in Tremayne's Sister Fidelma series, Suffer Little Children reflects a certain lack of finesse found in later books. We don't feel emotionally connected to Fidelma and she seems more of an archetype of a fiery red-headed rebel-nun.

Although there is a technical reading order, the books can stand alone. The problem is that every book recaps the same information (for new readers). For this reason, readers of the series may find elements like Fidelma's guilty pining for Eadulf--well, tedious.

The mystery itself, however, is very good. Tremayne throws twists and turns right up to the end. My frustration with this particular book is the dependency on code (Ogham, Irish language), making it impossible for the reader to even try to figure it out. I prefer his later works, like Act of Mercy.

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