Monk's Hood

Written by Ellis Peters

Book #3 in the The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael series

A monk must clear an innocent boy's name in a deadly poisoning at the abbey.

4.1 Goodreads · 13,669 ratings

286 pages

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Bookroo's summary

Brother Cadfael, a monk and herbalist, faces a deadly mystery when a guest at the abbey is poisoned with monk’s-hood oil from his own stores. The victim's wife, Richildis, is Cadfael's former love, and her son, Edwin, is accused of the crime. Convinced of Edwin's innocence, Cadfael must unravel the truth using his herbal knowledge and insight into human nature. Can he uncover the real murderer before it's too late, or will his past cloud his judgment in this medieval whodunit?

From the publisher

Silver Dagger Award Winner: In this medieval mystery, Brother Cadfael faces suspicion when one of his herbal ingredients is used to kill a man. Gervase Bonel is a guest of Shrewsbury Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul when he suddenly takes ill. Luckily, the abbey boasts the services of the clever and kindly Brother Cadfael, a skilled herbalist. Cadfael hurries to the man’s bedside, only to be confronted with two surprises: In Master Bonel’s wife, the good monk recognizes Richildis, whom he loved before he took his vows–and Master Bonel has been fatally poisoned by monk’s-hood oil from Cadfael’s stores. The sheriff is convinced that the murderer is Richildis’s son, Edwin, who hated his stepfather. But Cadfael, guided in part by his concern for a woman to whom he was once betrothed, is certain of her son’s innocence. Using his knowledge of both herbs and the human heart, Cadfael deciphers a deadly recipe for murder.

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