An Excellent Mystery (Brother Cadfael Series #11) - The Eleventh Chronicle of Brother Cadfael — A Mediaeval Whodunnit

Ellis Peters, Edith Mary Pargeter

Mysterious Press

1997

224 páginas

7h 28m

ISBN-10: 0446405329

The Eleventh Chronicle of Brother Cadfael, Of The Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, At Shrewsbury - England Midlands - by Ellis Peters alias Edith Mary Pargeter* --

[Overview] In 1141, two monks have arrived in Shrewsbury from Winchester, where their abbey was destroyed. Now Brother Humilis, who is very ill, and Brother Fidelis, who is mute, must seek refuge at Shrewsbury. And from the moment he meets them, Brother Cadfael senses something deeper than their common vows binds these two brothers. And as Brother Humilis's health fails, Brother Cadfael faces a poignant test of his discretion and his beliefs as he unravels a secret so great it can destroy a life, a future, and a holy order.
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(*) Edith Mary Pargeter, OBE, BEM (28 September 1913 – 14 October 1995), also known by her nom de plume Ellis Peters, was an English author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translations of Czech classics; she is probably best known for her murder mysteries, both historical and modern.
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http://mysteriouspress.com/authors/ellis-peters/default.asp
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[Editorial Reviews]
--Washington Post: Enchanting...medieval England comes marvelously alive.
--USA Today: Each addition to the series is a joy.
--Washington Times: As usual, Miss Peters creates her magic, resurrecting a long-gone age and its people for our delight.
--Library Journal: The celebration of St. Winifred, in The Pilgrim of Hate, is usually a time of great rejoicing at the Benedictine abbey in Shrewsbury. Even in 1141, with the political factions of Empress Matilda and King Stephen engaged in bloody civil war, the faithful come to Shrewsbury to honor the Saint and pray for miracles. Unfortunately, the shadow of a distant murder hangs over the festival. Several weeks earlier in Winchester, a good and loyal knight was foully slain. The motive for the killing could have been either political or personal, and the murderer may be lurking among the pilgrims. It falls to Brother Cadfael to ferret out the killer. He is curious about two young men who are traveling together to fulfill a bizarre vow. Cadfael cannot rest until he uncovers their story. A colorful cast of well-drawn secondary characters adds richness and depth to a plot that examines joys of faith, as well as the evils of guilt and vengeance. An Excellent Mystery, also set in 1141, is a close sequel to Pilgrim of Hate. When the Benedictine abbey at Winchester is ravaged by fire, two Brothers of the order seek sanctuary at Shrewsbury. Brother Humilis was a famous knight crusader before a nearly fatal wound led to his retirement from the secular world. His mute companion, Brother Fidelis, serves as Humilis's caretaker and nurse. Young Fidelis is like a shadow, his inability to speak makes him the keeper of many secrets. Stephen Thorne, who reads both novels, has a feel for Peters's distinctive prose style, making her use of medieval phrasing and vocabulary sound genuine and natural rather than "historical." Thorne voices the large number of characters and accents in each book with precision, making each unique. Librarians with long-established audiobook collections should note that both of these titles were originally issued in 1993. These recent reissues have been packaged in flimsy and irritating cardboard boxes, which are difficult to open and almost impossible to close. They are decorative but will not be useful for library checkout. Recommended nevertheless, for public library collections where Peters and/or historical mysteries are popular. Barbara Rhodes, Northeast Texas Lib. Syst., Garland Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Resenhas (2)

3 (Bom)

Mistérios nem tão misteriosos, mas boas surpresas mesmo assim

Confesso que com esse livro fiz algo diferente do meu padrão: fiz uma leitura esperando odiar.

O livro me pegou com a bravata da comparação com "O Nome da Rosa", talvez meu livro favorito de todos os tempos. Tive que pegar pra ler, quis que fosse uma cópia barata e maltrapilha de uma obra fantástica. Fui surpreendido.

Esse livro tem muito pouco a ver com "O Nome da Rosa". As poucas características compartilhadas resumem-se ao cenário de uma abadia no interior de um país em guerra civil. Os temas explorados em "Mistério na Abadia" não conversam em quase nada com a obra de Umberto Eco. Ao mesmo tempo que o texto ressalta a humildade, fidelidade e servidão como temas centrais, se trata de um thriller, um suspense quase que de um romance policial clássico, que gira em torno da chegada de dois misteriosos irmãos beneditinos em paralelo ao desaparecimento de uma mulher que se pensava estar servindo em um convento.

A escrita de Ellis Peters não chega a ser rebuscada, mas, especialmente no início da história, pode ser bastante maçante e pouco fluida. A trama demora a engatar, mas segura intriga o suficiente para manter um leitor atento interessado em desvendar o enigma.

Em relação ao mistério em si, não foi algo difícil de adivinhar, a autora usa de foreshadowing e dá dicas vagas, mas assertivas o suficiente para que se pesque a questão. Mais interessante que isso são os red herrings, as pistas falsas ou que jogam dúvidas sobre a certeza que o texto empregava anteriormente sobre a solução do mistério.

Em geral, foi bastante interessante acompanhar, especialmente a reta final, após os sutis momentos de revelação da identidade do irmão Fidelis. A relação dele com Adam Heriet, o fiel criado, destaca ainda mais os temas de lealdade e servidão que já estavam presentes em sua relação com o irmão Humilis. É um livro coeso, apesar de maçante no começo. Uma boa surpresa para quem não esperava nada além de uma cópia mal feita de uma obra-prima.