Suffer the Little Children is both set in a refreshing time period for a mystery (7th century Ireland) and provides a rich environment of violence, intrigue, scholarly pursuit, and ecclesiastical change. I’ve personally just discovered this series of historical mysteries and I am fascinated by t...
I'm not usually a fan of short stories, but this sounded interesting, and it was. Sister Fidelma is, in addition to a sister in the Celtic church and the sister of a King, also an advocate in the Brehon courts. She goes where she is needed to investigate and where necessary, represent those accus...
I've enjoyed some of Tremayne's early horror novels but this was the first Sister Fidelma story I'd tackled. For those who don't know, the Sister Fidelma books are historical murder mystery novels set in ancient Ireland.This is a fun read. There's no faulting Tremayne's scholarly approach to the ...
I have to say, I was a little bored with this one. Mainly because the villain and setting were so strikingly similar to the book immediately previous. And I had the suspects narrowed down to two (one correct) near the very beginning and for the right reasons. On another note, I wish to point o...
Smoke in the Wind (Sister Fidelma Mysteries)
The second in a series featuring Sister Fidelma, a 7th century female detective/lawyer (a dalaigh) from Ireland. The setting is Rome with its politicians, merchants, clerics, politicians, soldiers, and pilgrims. The murder takes place in the guest rooms of the Lateran Palace in Rome. There are a ...
Originally published on my blog here in January 2001.The seventh Sister Fidelma mystery is to be the last, as far as I am concerned. I had hoped that with the setting moved away from Ireland the novel would be an improvement on the previous couple in the series, which had got into something of a ...
In A.D. 664, King Oswy of Northumbria has convened a synod at Whitby to hear debate between the Roman and Celtic Christian churches and decide which shall be granted primacy in his kingdom. At stake is much more than a few disputed points of ritual; Oswy's decision could affect the survival of ei...
A mystery story set in medieval Ireland and featuring a lawyer/sleuth noblewoman, Peter Tremayne's The Leper's Bell is a fascinating and satisfying novel. I enjoyed the setting very much, especially Tremayne's use of actual Irish terms to describe things (he defines them in the text, too) which h...
Sister Fidelma-an Eognacht princess and sister to the king of Cashel, a religieuse of the Celtic Church and an advocate of the Brehornn court-is one of the most interesting and compelling figures in contemporary mystery fiction. In this collection of short mysteries, Tremayne fills in many of the...
Peter Tremayne doesn’t play fair in The Subtle Serpent, the fourth installment in the Sister Fidelma series. In Agatha Christie fashion, he doesn’t introduce important potential suspects until late in the game and ultimately fails in communicating the motive for the killing. Yes, he spells out th...
A Prayer for the Damned is the 17th book in Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma series of murder mystery novels set in 7th century Ireland. In this story, an abbot is killed on the eve of Fidelma's wedding to Eadulf. The murder has significant political repercussions, that could in the worst case lea...
I've read four of the Sister Fidelma mysteries now. I don't read serial novels very much, and when i do I like to be able to read them out of order. I read this one after the first one because it was the "Christmas" offering in the series. No. 11 in the series, it turned out to be spookier, gritt...
6th in the Sister Fidelma series.[return][return]I have complained in reviews of Tremayne s characterization of Fidelma, which is the really serious flaw in this series. She comes across as a more or less wooden figure when she s not angry. There s almost nothing about her that is likeable, actua...
No. 7 in the Sister Fidelma series.[return][return]I sometimes (no, often) ask myself why I keep up with this series, since it s not particularly well written and its protagonist, Sister Fidelma, is one of the most uninteresting in the genre. What few (and far between) expressions of emotion she ...
The young apothecary had been accurate in his prognosis. The shock of near death by drowning must have caused the reaction of the stupor that had come over him. Even his headache had gone, thanks to the potion that he had been given. He rose from the chair in front of the fire and took a swallow ...
While clumps of trees stood here and there, it was clear that the valley had long been cultivated for the woodlands which encircled the bald mountain tops had been cut back and a boundary of yellowing gorse stood between the cultivated fields and pastureland and the converging trees. The ribbon o...
‘I can now assume that there was, indeed, a boat that passed upriver last night.’ The woman’s eyes widened as she realised her mistake. Her husband, Echna, rose and went to her, laying his hand on her arm. ‘These are the King’s men; we must tell them the truth.’ ‘Even if we come to harm?’ the wom...
‘It is indeed myself, Eadulf,’ he replied with a chuckle. The words were exchanged in their own language but Fidelma knew enough of it to understand. ‘I believed you to be dead, these many years,’ Eadulf said with emotion. ‘Far be it for me to shatter your beliefs, dear brother,’ replied the othe...
It had been a slow but hard ride from the port of Genua, climbing up into the mountains along the winding tracks. Fidelma noticed that the route they followed was broad and well used. Now and then, they encountered little bands of merchants leading pack mules in the opposite direction. They passe...
the elderly steward announced unnecessarily.What else could a stab wound in the back mean but murder? It would hardly be self-inflicted. The fact that Malcolm, the son of Bodhe, prince of the House of Moray, lay stretched on the floor of his bedchamber with the blood still seeping across his whit...
‘You look pleased with yourself,’ she greeted him. ‘What have you been up to?’ Eadulf told her about his trip to the market and his meeting with the blacksmith. ‘So it was Cuan who had the key made,’ Fidelma said with satisfaction. ‘We must find him before he gets suspicious. What took you to thi...
‘This is some plot to attack and slander Abbess Fainder. I will not tolerate it.’ ‘I have no plot to involve Abbess Fainder any more than she is involved,’ replied Fidelma quietly. ‘I did have suspicions, especially when I gathered that, since coming to the abbey, Fainder has acquired much wealth...
They saw Brother Lugna facing a band of men, whom they immediately recognised as the builders. Among them was Saor. Brother Lugna was standing in a belligerent posture that seemed curiously grotesque for a man of the Faith. Even as they looked, the builders turned their backs on him and walked th...
Then Fidelma took charge. ‘Tell us what you know of Liamuin,’ she instructed. Aibell was trembling uncontrollably so Della went to get a beaker of corma and motioned her to sit down again. She cast a reproving look at Fidelma before turning back to the girl. It was some time before Aibell was cal...
He seemed anxious. ‘Bishop Leodegar requests that you attend him in his chambers as soon as possible.’ The steward’s tone matched the tense expression on his features. ‘Abbess Audofleda has protested,’ muttered Eadulf. They found the bishop in an angry mood. ‘I have received a complaint from Abbe...