The Dove of Death

You know that point when reading a series that you realise that you're no longer quite so keen on it as you once were? Well that covers what I feel about this. As a boo, there's nothing wrong with it. It's got a mystery with Fidelma being her usual concise, conscientious, diligent legal self, with Eadulf sort of lagging along behind. IN this book they're on a ship heading back to ireland when it is attacked by pirates and Fidelma's cousin, the ship's captain and a couple of the crew are killed. Fidelma & Eadulf are threatened, so jump overboard. They're rescued by a monk on a small island off the shores of Brittany. It is in that region that the rest of the story unfolds. There have been some raids, there's general disquiet, there's show more concealment and a certain amount of theological discussion about the role of the church and celibacy within that institution. And there's nothing wrong with any of it, it just failed to grab me. I ended up not really caring what the solution was, nor what happened to Fidelma and Eadulf. Just one too many book and we're grown apart, I presume. show less

When returning home, Fidelma and Eadulf board a ship along with Fidelma's cousins and diplomat. Then the ship is attacked by pirates and her cousin killed, she and Eadulf jump overboard and find themselves rescued by a monk and taken to an island.

Fidlema is duty-bound to find her cousin's killer, with few clues other than the ship's cat and odd comings and goings, she strings together a large collection of seemingly unrelated facts to not only discover the killer, but to uncover a conspiracy to seize power.

This is book 18 is Peter Tremayne's series of Sister Fidelma. The series still holds my attention, this story is well-told and enjoyable.

This is the 19 book in this wonderful series and it is no wonder that there is a strong cult following for Sister Fidelma and for Ancient Ireland as portrayed by Mr. Tremayne. These books are set in and around the British Isles. The time for this particular book is 670 AD. The book is set in the province of Britany and Sister Fidelma and her husband Eadulf are returning home to Cashel in Ireland when their ship is attacked by pirates. They narrowly escape with their lives and it lands them smack in the middle of planned coup that places them both in danger over and over once they actually reach shore. Tremayne is an historian, and his books are wonderfully written. The characters are very well portrayed and there is always a gripping show more plot and a difficult mystery. I think it’s the way he develops his background detail in each book that makes these books so special. These books are truly wonderful! show less

Fidelma and Eadulf seem to attract trouble like iron shavings to a lode stone. Just trying to travel back home from Council they are attacked by pirates. Fidelma's cousin is killed and she and Eadulf happen to escape by jumping overboard. They are rescued by monk from a nearby island who witnessed the whole thing.

The monk brings them back to the mainland, to help them try and find passage back home. Fidelma is appreciative, but she has other ideas. Her cousin was murdered and her friend and captain of the ship along side him.

Fidelma finds a rather twisted and interesting mystery and it is a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top!

Another excellent book the Fidelma mysteries. While I don't think you need to start at the beginning, show more I would suggest reading a couple previous books before jumping into this one. show less

This is the 18th book in this series about Sister Fidelma. If you like historical mysteries you will love this series. Peter Tremayne (pseudomyn of Peter Berresford Ellis), the author, is very knowledgeable about this period in Irish history. The stories are well written against a background of the social order of the time. At this time period Celtic christianity is being challenged by Roman christianity. The heroine, Sister Fidelma, Is a Religious, a Law Advocate, she has a significant other and she is a mother. She sounds like a very modern woman. Apparently the women of this period in Ireland had as many/more rights under the celtic laws as women have today in the USA.

Lo-o-o-ong.

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