The Rose Rent

Six-word review: Slight departure refreshes Cadfael narrative formula.

Extended review: There's a young woman, but she isn't a blue-eyed seventeen-year-old virgin with golden tresses. There's a man, but he isn't a dashing lad of twenty who's wrongfully accused of something and being hidden by Cadfael until his innocence can be shown.

There's a killing, but it isn't of a middle-aged merchant with few enough redeeming qualities and some secret tie to the fate of kingdoms. There's a mystery, but its solution doesn't hang on some special knowledge that only Cadfael has or on a single thread or hair tellingly caught on a doorpost or a riverbank shrub.

So although the setting and the continuing cast of characters are familiar and the story moves show more rapidly through a well-traveled arc, there's a feeling of novelty about this installment in the series.

And very well timed for me, too, since I picked this one up prematurely, needing a break from much heavier fare.

May the god of reading bless all cozy mysteries.

(Rating: 3½ stars; within genre: 4 stars)

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A visit to any of the Cadfael books is a journey home. Even though they deal with death (and often other mysteries), they are peaceful, graceful and gentle. Ellis Peters did her research well enough that you truly enter another century. Her descriptions of everyday life take you there. The Rose Rent is no exception to either the accuracy or the gentleness of its brethren books. The plot is a bit different, but welcome. I love the Cadfael series, especially when Cadfael is left on his own to discover the secrets waiting for him, whether they are in his own abbey, or in the village beyond. I highly recommend the series, and The Rose Rent in particular.

The Rose Rent is 13th of the Brother Cadfael Mysteries series by Ellis Peters. It works just as well reading it as a stand alone book. I have not read any of the other books in this series, and I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was a good old cozy murder mystery to be enjoyed while relaxing by the fireside and sipping a cup of tea. The setting was ideal--a Benedictine monastery in Shrewsbury in 1142 with all the appropriate and well fleshed out inhabitants of both abbey and Shire in general, from the bronzesmith, Niall to the Sheriff and other inhabitants of the town. The star of this book and series is the shrewd Brother Cadfael, who characteristically of the quiet listener, makes the perfect sleuth.

The scenario revolves around a show more wealthy young widow, Judith Perle. She runs the family's prosperous clothing business which gives her an independent status highly unusual to women in this time period, outside of cloisters. She has donated a house to the abbey, free of charge with the exception of an annual rent to be paid once a year--delivery to her of a white rose from her favorite rosebush given her by her deceased husband.

Judith has a number of suitors and in addition one of the young Brothers at the monastery has been infaturated by her. After confessing such to his confessor, he if relieved of his duty of delivering the annual rose. However, not long after this confession his body is found near the rosebush, which has been seriously vandalized. It is at first thought to be a suicide, but after comtemplating the scene and looking over the evidence as such, Brother Cadfael and the others determine it was murder, as they piece together signs of foul play.

It is the first in a series of sinister events that transpire revolving around Judith and the rosebush upon which the annual rent, and therefore the contract that gifted the home to the abbey, depends. Next, Judith herself disappears during an early morning walk. It is soon determined that she was kidnapped, likely to prevent the payment of the rose rent, thereby negating the contract and freeing up the property. It is also assumed that it is likely one of her number of suitors who by besmirching her reputation could force her hand in marriage and lay his hands on her business and riches, a perfect motive. Brother Cadfael, along with her other loyal friends, begin their investigation and ongoing search for Judith.

More plot twists ensue, with another body mysteriously washing up with a couple of wounds to the head visible. Judith herself barely escapes the hands of the murderer, being rescued by a newly acquired suitor, one who she is beginning to have fond feelings for, and one who hasn't even admitted to himself yet that he indeed is a suitor.

The only remaining casualty is the rose bush itself, which is blown to bits by the murderer still at large in order to prevent the rose rent from being paid. Everyone is on edge, with the fiend still on the loose. But Brother Cadfael has finally uncovered the last evidence he needed pointing to the culprit who is then confronted and arrested.

We end the story on a happy setting with things finally beginning to look up for the young widow as it seems there is a budding romance growing between her and her rescuer. As I said, it's an enjoyable who-done-it! show less

A little better than average, and I like Cadfael in general. The problems of agency for a woman with property in feudal england, plus love and the usual bad / trapped actors make for a fun story.

What a delight to be drawn into the world of Brother Cadfael in the medieval town and Abbey of Shrewsbury, England. The author, Ellis Peters, is a medieval scholar, a master of the English language and a shrewd observer of character just like her worldly-wise, but now tonsured character, Brother Cadfael. This is the thirteenth in a series of mysteries surrounding the folk of Shrewsbury all of which are deftly solved by the herbalist and former Crusader, Brother Cadfael. There is always a touch of romance, an assurance of everyone in his proper place in society, reverence for those things Holy, and respect for men and women of honour and courage with a wide latitude of allowance for the weaknesses of humankind. Ellis Peter's characters show more speak with the cadences and words of the middle ages and are immensely likeable. show less

The rosebush in the garden of a house a well-off widow has given to the abbey is mutilated. And then the widow herself vanishes. Cadfael investigates.

Judith Perle, the widow, is a wonderful character to add to the gallery of characters in this series. But she deserves a better story.

Another fun story

I enjoy the Brother Carwell series and this was certainly a good one—a murder mystery with nice twists! I do think that these are best read on order.