The Haunted Abbot: A Mystery of Ancient Ireland (Sister Fidelma)
Sister Fidelma, seventh-centuryreligieuseof the Celtic Church and advocate of the Irish Brehon Courts, continues her travels in search of spiritual and personal fulfillments. Together with her beloved companion, Brother Eadulf, she journeys to East Angliato visit Aldred's Abbey. Arriving in the middle of a snowstorm on the eve of the winter solstice, Fidelma and Eadulf are shocked to find Brother Botulf, the steward of the abbey and Eadulf's childhood friend, with his skull brutally smashed in. Although the abbey itself appears to be haunted and Christians and pagans are engaging in armed conflict, Fidelma probes beneath the surfaceto uncovera decidedly unexpected motive formurder. Interwoven intothe suspenseful plot is the intimate story of Fidelma and Eadulf as they decide whether to permanently bind themselves to one another--a commitment sanctioned by the ancient church before celibacy became a requirement. Tremayne displays his usual meticulous attention to historical detail in this intelligent and artfully crafted whodunit.Margaret FlanaganCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved