A Morbid Taste for Bones

The First Chronicle of Brother Cadfael, of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, at Shrewsbury; Library Edition

by Edith Pargeter

audio cd

Published Sept. 20, 2010 by Blackstone Audio Inc.

ISBN:: 978-1-4332-5826-8

View on OpenLibrary

(28 reviews)

In February of 1141, men march home from war to Shrewsbury, but the captured sheriff Gilbert Prestcote is not among them. Elis, a young Welsh prisoner, is delivered to the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul to begin a tale that will test Brother Cadfael’s sense of justice—and his heart.

By good fortune, it seems, the prisoner can be exchanged as Sheriff Prestcote’s ransom. What no one expects is that good-natured Elis will be struck down by cupid’s arrow. The sheriff’s own daughter holds him in thrall, and she, too, is blind with passion. But regaining her father means losing her lover. The sheriff, ailing and frail, is brought to the abbey’s infirmary—where he is murdered. Suspicion falls on the prisoner, who has only his Welsh honor to gain Brother Cadfael’s help. And Cadfael gives it, not knowing the truth will be a trial for his own soul.

28 editions

ajft reviewed A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

I feel its not as good as later books in the series

3 stars

Must have read this decades ago, then stumbled across a very cheaply made copy in a street library a few months ago and picked it up. Rubbish paper, binding is falling apart, on re-reading it I'm wondering if I ever did read this, the first of the series? Enjoyable enough, I think too much of my memories of the series and characters are from later books that I've read more than once over the years

Library Orb reviewed A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

A Debut That's Hard to Beat

4 stars

The first outing for medieval mystery monk Brother Cadfael has everything: religious tensions, vying vendettas, and a murder that can only be solved in a truly bizarre fashion.

ManyRoads reviewed A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

Review of 'A morbid taste for bones' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

This first novel in the Brother Cadfael series is both good entertainment and a worthwhile read. Although the novel is not 4-star quality, it provides a good introduction into the mind of Cadfael and his mischievousness.