What do You think about St. Peter's Fair (1992)?
St. Peter's Fair is an annual three-day event which draws great crowds to the Abbey to spend money on fine food and goods and a time to celebrate. Except for the fact that a wealthy merchant with a booth at the fair is found dead in the river. Cadfael can tell that the man didn't drown, but was murdered and the body then dumped in the river. Over the three days of the fair more violence occurs, but all of it pertaining to this one particular merchant's stall and helpers. It takes work from Cadfael, Hugh Beringar, and Philip Corviser - a merchant's son who had been held on suspicion of murder and was trying to clear his name - to get to the truth. Re-read in 2012. This is the third one I've read in close succession and it makes the historical sequence of events a bit easier to follow I think. I'm really enjoying the series and the quiet sleuthing done by Brother Cadfael.
—Sue
The end of July of 1139 finds the Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul at Shrewsbury readying for the annual 3-day summer fair, which will bring to its environs traders from all over England and even the continent, and buyers eager to sample the luxury goods they sell. There is a lull in the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maude, with the latter in France.[return][return]Enter an important merchant, Thomas of Bristol with his lovely daughter, Emma. Thomas almost immediately becomes involved in a brawl involving some of the town's youths over what the latter see as injustice in the paying of rents and tolls to the abbey with nothing for the town to help repair the damage done in the siege of the previous year, when the civil war arrived at Shrewsbury. Not too long afterwards, Thomas is found murdered; the leader of the young men, Phillip Corviser, is immediately suspect, since he has no alibi for the time of the murder. But when other disturbing occurrences around Thomas of Bristol's goods and another murder occur, none of which can be laid at Phillip's hand, Brother Cadfael begins his own investigation. [return][return]This is one of the best of the Brother Caedfel series, well written in Peters' gentle style, but with a more muscular plot and a really fine climax. As usual, her young "heros" are pretty ingenious but likeable characters. Brother Caedfel is a little less omniscient and wise than usual--and more believable for all that.[return][return]Very entertaining read. Highly recommended.
—Joyce Lagow
Everybody knows about this fabulous writer of historical cozy mysteries, murders and crimes, so what can I add? Just that, don't read the first of the Brother Cadfael series and think, that isn't SO impressive, and stop there! This was better than A Morbid Taste for Bones, the very first in the series. I am no fan of mysteries, be they cozy or not, but the characters in this series draw you in. You cannot help but enjoy learning a spot of history among these good-souled people. Being in their company is comforting. You sigh with relief - there are nice people out there! What I particularly like is how it is not the historical events themselves that are stressed, but rather how these events play out in the lives of normal people. This is what draws me into reading about history, not the titles and dates and battle skirmishes. No, it is how life was for ordinary people living at the time. I like that the mystery itself is clearly explained. Brother Cadfael and Hugh Beringar explain how they reason, how they have come to their conclusions. Others may find this repetitive, but I love it. I hate tricky mysteries where I do not totally understand what is going on! Oh, and thirdly, the description of medieval life is superb!Wow, a mystery novel series that I will be returning to. My dear GR friends have explained it is not necessary to read them in order. I loved listening to the audiobook, and given the generosity of Audible (see below), I will very soon continue with The Leper of Saint Giles and then The Sanctuary Sparrow and then Monk's Hood. What next? I guess Dead Man's Ransom or An Excellent Mystery, but the last is not set in lovely Shrewsburg! I would choose One Corpse Too Many, the second in the series, IF it were available. That is where you are first introduced to Hugh Beringar! Thanks, Gundula, for persistently stating that this series is wonderful. I must thank both Gundula and Shomeret for guiding me toward the next choices!THIS IS IMPORTANT: I purchased from Audible the audiobook format of this book. It had release date: 010197. Narrator Johanna Ward. This version had a different cover. The recording was bad, although I could hear it. There was a background rumble and sometimes you heard an echo where there should be silence. You heard voices in the background. So I complained. Audible has another audiobook (release date 070510). It costs the same, has the same length and narrator, but the cover looks like the one above. I suggested to Audible that they exchange the two. First they offered to repay what I had paid for the book, but because I had bought it on sale the reimbursement would not cover the price of the other version since the sale is now over. What did they do? They gave me a credit to buy the other version AND repaid what I spent AND gave me a 30USD coupon! Now tell me if Audible isn't fantastic!!!! I love working with Audible. I want people to know how wonderful they are.So, if you get this as an audiobook, buy the one that has release date 071510! IMPORTANT.BTW - this is good! I love the description of the medieval times. I am not fussing about all the details, just enjoying the story. I am not going to get all stressed up and worry about the incriminating evidence. I am doing exactly as Gundula has advised me. You know what? I actually understand everything anyway! So far at least! This mystery is in fact very, very good. Thank you, Gundula, for recommending this one of the series! It is my third.
—Chrissie
