Reviews

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

erinlcrane's review against another edition

4.0

This was a lovely, cozy time. I watched the show via VHS tapes from the library years ago and enjoyed it. The books have much the same humor and tone. I think this’ll be a great series to slowly move through.

Cadfael is a wonderful character. Dryly funny, pragmatic, kind, and smart. Of course he’s Derek Jacobi in my head.

It took quite a while for the mystery of this story to get going, but I enjoyed the slow beginning. The abbey drama is the kind of petty stuff I find very entertaining. The one monk reveling in the description of St. Winifred’s beheading and then being kind of bored by her miracles was great.

alliedudley's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

thywizard's review against another edition

Another monk mystery 

capercaillie's review against another edition

funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

frances_bjd's review against another edition

reflective

4.25

jamiehovis's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

celiapowell's review against another edition

4.0

Brother Cadfael, a rather cynical middle aged monk with a soldier's past, sets out with other members of his monastery to Wales to retrieve the bones of a saint. The inhabitants of the village where the saint is buried are not particularly pleased by this turn of events, and the ensuing arguments result in a murder. Cadfael is bothered by the placement of the body, and steps in to solve the crime (without upsetting the Prior, of course).

This was such a delightful book - I don't know why I haven't picked up any of this series before. Brother Cadfael is a wonderful character, taking great pleasure in the peace and quiet of his herb garden. Yet because of his past, he has a great knowledge of human nature, and a pleasantly cynical turn of mind. The historical aspects of this novel seem (to me who doesn't know much about the Middle Ages) very accurate, and I particularly like the language and dialogue - it fits in marvelously well with the setting. I do love it when I really enjoy a book that's the start of a long series - the feeling of much reading pleasure stretching out into the future.

faintlymcabre's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

zoer03's review against another edition

5.0

This is my Favourite murder/mystery set in medieval England series, just soo rich in detail and always drags me back in time especially to certain characters who stand out. I love morbid taste for bones because it sets the scene of who Cadfael is and also introduces other characters that are also main in the rest of the series also the mystery is just fabulous and also it was true that a group of monks from the abbey went to acquire the saint from where she was whether it involved any of the shenanigans that assoiled Cadfael's team (Prior Roberts team) is one we will never know but it would be lovely to think of the similarities. If you want to know whether its true this happened check it on shrewsbury abbeys website :P.

cmx's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Audible free, it's great that most of these are freebies through much of the series.

Very enjoyable