The Hermit of Eyton Forest

by Ellis Peters Narrated by Patrick Tull

Overview

Brother Cadfael's pastoral life is upended by the disappearance of a young boy and the arrival of a saintly hermit
The year is 1142, and England is in the grip of civil war. Within the cloisters of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, there begins a chain of events no less momentous than the upheavals of the outside world.
It starts with the sad demise of Richard Ludel, Lord of Eyton, whose ten-year-old son and heir, also named Richard, is a pupil at the Abbey. The boy refuses to surrender his newly inherited powers to Dionysia, his furious, formidable grandmother. A stranger to the region is the hermit Cuthred, who enjoys the protection
of Lady Dionysia, and whose young companion, Hyacinth, befriends Richard. Despite his reputation for holiness, Cuthred's arrival heralds a series of mishaps for the monks. When a corpse is found in Eyton forest, Brother Cadfael must devote his knowledge of human nature to tracking down a ruthless murderer.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Brother Cadfael, the 11th century Benedictine monk who functions admirably as healer, matchmaker and sleuth, marshals his considerable talents to solve two murders in this well-plotted but somewhat slick mystery. Ten-year-old Richard Ludel, a bright and independent student entrusted to the abbey's care by his father, has just inherited a large estate upon his father's death. His formidable grandmother, Dame Dionisia, insists that the unwilling boy be returned home and marry the heiress to the adjoining property. Two mysterious tenants on Dame Dionisia's land, a devout hermit, Cuthred, and his young aid, Hyacinth, are in league wtih the domineering dowager, who is unaware that Hyacinth is actually a runaway villein and that Cuthred's background is particularly heinous. When Richard disappears from the abbey, Dame Dionisia is immediately suspect. Other ominous events follow rapidly: an inquisitive nobleman is murdered in the forest; Hyacinth vanishes; and Cuthred is stabbed to death. Brother Cadfael must summon all his talents to solve the crimes, simultaneously playing matchmaker, doctor and high political games. Unfortunately, most of the characters are glibly superficial: lovers are fair and pure; villains cruel and swarthy. In his 14th appearance, however, Brother Cadfael remains as shrewd and unpredictable as ever. (March)

Library Journal

Little peace is to be found in England in the year 1142 as civil war continues to rage. The effects of the violence reach even into the cloistered world of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul. Richard Ludel, the father of one of the abbey's students, has recently died of wounds received in battle. His ten-year-old son, also called Richard, has now become Lord of Eaton. Richard's formidable grandmother, Dionysia, wants the boy released from the abbey's custody, where his father placed him, into her own. She has contracted a child marriage for young Richard that will gain the Ludels control over a large neighboring estate. No one is exactly what they seem, and more than one character has a past that bears closer examination. Add to this several subplots and a large amount of political intrigue, and you have a great story. Although Brother Cadfael is more an observer than an actor in this work, bodies and red herrings pile up in a satisfying way before all the puzzles are solved. In a departure from most of the Cadfael books, the reader here is female, Roe Kendall. The gender change does not diminish the listener's pleasure; Kendall has a fine touch with accents, and it is easy to tell the characters apart. Recommended for public library collections where works by Peters and historical mysteries are popular. Barbara Rhodes, Northeast Texas Lib. Syst., Garland Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

From the Publisher

"Charmingly and humorously told.” —The Times Literary Supplement
 
“The joys in the Peters mysteries lie in the telling—the historical detail, the view of medieval life in town and monastery, the lively characterization and the author’s graceful, literate prose.” —The Washington Post

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170966790
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	12/11/2009
Series:	Brother Cadfael Series , #14
Edition description:	Unabridged

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