The Monk Who Vanished

A Sister Fidelma Mystery of Ancient Ireland

In September of AD 666, an aged monk and a set of relics disappear during the night from the Abbey of Imleach. The missing monk is a matter of great concern for the abbey. But the relics are a disaster of a much higher order. They are the priceless holy relics of St. Ailbe, the man who, in the fifth century, brought Christianity to the Irish kingdom of Muman, converted and baptized its king, and founded the abbey. The relics are the political symbol of the entire kingdom, and their disappearance threatens to disrupt its continued peace and stability.

On a visit to the Abbey of Imleach, Sister Fidelma, sister to Colgu, the current king of Muman, and an advocate of the Brehon Courts, is asked to investigate. With the help of her friend and traveling companion, the Saxon monk Brother Eadulf, Fidelma begins slowly to unravel the mystery behind the twin disappearances. But there are dark forces at work, which will stop at nothing - even murder - to achieve their aims.

©1999 Peter Tremayne (P)2015 Audible Inc.

Excellent!!

I love this series! Filled with history and mystery, these books have become one of my favorite series. They are well written and the plots, though sometimes twisted, are easy to follow and creative. The narrator does such an excellent job that listening is a pleasure. Highly recommend!

Threat to the Kingdom

Fidelma and Edulf untangle deep intrigue in a plot to bring down the kingdom of Cashel. As the two draw closer in their own relationship, the entire framework of the Celtic kingships is undermined and most poignantly the ancient yew of unity comes under the vicious attack of warriors’ axes. Will Fidelma save Cashel or be responsible for its downfall?

Fidelma investigates an assassination attempt

This book is the seventh in the Sister Fidelma series and follows the standard pattern. In this story, there is an apparent assassination attempt that fails and a missing monk that has disappeared along with some important relics. One of Cashel’s chief rivals for the kingship of Moen appears to be to blame and Fidelma must solve the mystery with her friend Eadulf. As with other Fidelma stories, this book is well-paced and the mystery is interesting and complex. The author nicely lays out the plot in a thoughtful way. I do find the characters a little bit wooden though, and Fidelma seems to be a 20th century Mainline Christian, with a very non-spiritual and secular view of life, thrust back into the Ireland of the 600s. In the end, however, despite its flaws, this book - and the series - is a great read.

So Good!

I'm so glad Sister Fidelma is on Audible! I've read all of these books before, but it is so nice to listen to them too. Well written and well narrated!

Deception

Struggles for power often lead to deception. But how much is there and who? Another great mystery that pulls you end with so many directions it is hard to figure out the true enemy! Excellent narrative as usual