I have been ploughing through these this last few weeks. Ploughing being an intentioned pun. I have told sometimes of the sequencing of a body, of a suspect, of a result if it was too obvious. Well here we have the body in the very first chapter. It works wondorously well. Throughout the series we have the vocabulary that Cadfael uses lend further to the depth that these stories give the times. Perhaps not what really took place, but giving the entire series a character.

We see that well fleshed out here. Cadfael and Hugh the Sheriff embark on solving the mystery and whilst doing so we have our red herrings, we have our Peters provided romance, and this time out we have a conclusion that is not so obvious, but is well within the realm of the possible that it satisfies. Certainly, given some of the faults that could have taken place and have had with the previous few novels, this was a solid novel and well worth the time.

We find that the civil war provides some background to the mystery but not as in the past books that without it, there would be no story. We also see a good mix of the perception of the church, and how the church interacts with its flock. This story provides a good return on the investment with Cadfael.

After the Abbey does a deal with another monastery that results in a local field being exchanged, Cadfael is on hand to oversee the first day's work to it when the body is uncovered. As it was previously worked by a new brother to the Abbey of Saint Peter and Paul, suspicion falls on this good man that it is the wife he left behind before taking orders. From there we have a well paced haul to the truth. ( )

Mostly exposition about a dead woman found in a field formerly owned by one of Cadfael’s fellow monks. ( )

Cadfael is called in when a body is found in a field recently bequeathed to the monastery after it's tenant becomes a month. It's the body of a woman, the potter was married but his wife was supposed to have left, but did she. Why is this woman dead and who did it is the focus of Cadfael's investigation. This is the seventeenth story in the series and it is quite familiar territory for fans. ( )

One of the more memorable resolutions in this 12th century mystery series involving Brother Cadfael. Surprising twist, with a variety of moral and ethical questions posed as the mystery is solved. One of the best in this excellent series of books. ( )

Opinion, not review, this bears re-reading, which is why it is on my shelves. ( )