Peters deftly binds the medieval monk's new adventure with family ties, moving from issues intensely public to problems determinedly private. Olivier de Bretagne, who (unknown to himself) is Brother Cadfael's son, has been taken prisoner during England's dynastic war between two grandchildren of William the Conqueror. Cadfael is determined to find Olivier, although to do so he must leave the monastery without his abbot's "leave or... blessing.'' The search begins badly when, at an unsuccessful peace conference, Yves Hugonin, Olivier's hot-headed brother-in-law, picks a fight with Brien de Soulis, a commander who may know where Olivier is held-but won't say. When Brien is found murdered, Yves is abducted by one who holds him responsible for the killing, and then Cadfael has two men to find. In the process, he delicately explores puzzles related to Brien's death and to shadowy deeds in the larger political scene. While Cadfael does his usual excellent sleuthing, Peters succeeds at an equally subtle game, demonstrating how personal devotion can turn to enmity-and how such enmity can be forestalled by justice and mercy.
It was published in 1994 and has 292 pages. This is one of the first historical mystery series written and taken seriously and is a worthy one. I shall miss new reads but I can always collect and re-read.
I don't know what to read next. I've got many out of the library so it is just a matter of choosing.
Alice and Buford came over to drop off a present so I had to do some quick cleaning to make the living room presentable -- that is to mainly take off the remaining books from the couch from my alphabetizing project. Everything is stacked in my office now and must be dealt with soon.
So, yesterday when Steve asked what I wanted for Christmas and didn't accept my answer of "nothing" or "a job", now I have a suggestion to offer him: a new bookcase. I've got four but with this project and especially since I do not want to double stack the shelves, I've run out of room to complete the alphabet. So perhaps a new bookcase would be nice. Doesn't even have to be a new one or fancy or anything -- just be able to hold books. Otherwise, I don't need anything. I don't even need books, how about that?
There are a number of new releases I'm interested in in the next few months but that will be taken care of by the library in most cases. It IS almost January, isn't it. Hmmm. Have to start planning for those.
I'm making one of Steve's favorites for dinner, hamburger rice balls. There's always enough left over to have for lunch the next couple days so he'll be set. He has requested SOS for Christmas Eve dinner (yuck) so he'll get that and I'm making pasta with red sauce for myself since he doesn't really like that so much.
I need to run a couple errands in the next days -- pick up Steve's prescriptions and take a look at the sales at Best Buy for a possible gift for Steve. Nothing splashy but something fun, I hope. Can't do big this year, unfortunately. I don't think we'll get a tree now. It's getting pretty late and by now it would be a quick up and have to undo everything.
Haven't really watched my DVDs this weekend so I'll have that tomorrow. I'd like to get to my internet project for the class I'm teaching so maybe I can start researching tomorrow. The project, the project, I know. I only have two shelves left so it won't take many of the perhaps 50 or so I have left to shelve.
Last night I was killing time while the bedding was drying and watched Four Weddings and a Funeral for the umpteenth time but what a well written and performed movie. One of the best comedies. Flipping channels I came across A Fish Called Wanda -- wow, they all looked so young. Another classic comedy. There's a lot of movies opening Christmas Day. I'm going to go with Jody to Frost/Nixon hopefuly between opening and New Years. Others, we'll play by ear.
All right, enough for today. Gotta go look at the book stash for the next read.
Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster
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