Adventures of Brother Cadfael

Rating:
Summary: The best, and not-so best, of Ellis Peters
Review: Ellis Peters has made the medieval mystery novel what it is today, setting high standards not only for historical accuracy but for believable characters, well-thought-out plots, and exquisite writing. Unfortunately, she doesn't always live up to these standards herself.
This package comprises some of the high points of the series: Monk's Hood, St. Peter's Fair (which has a far more satisfying conclusion than the rather simplistic TV movie), The Heretic's Apprentice, and especially The Potter's Field, which begins quietly but turns into a powerful tale of youthful idealism and middle-aged passion.
The Summer of the Danes has memorable characters and a beautifully described excursion outside the confines of Shrewsbury, and Peters cleverly links the fortunes of Cadfael et al. to significant events in Welsh history (which she has also made into a series of novels). But, a couple of chapters into the story, the author forgets that Brother Mark can't speak Welsh and Cadfael is supposed to be there as his interpreter (well, maybe it's a miracle, but in that case she forgot to credit St. Winifrid!).
Likewise, in Brother Cadfael's Penance, our hero unravels a murder using physical evidence plus a fishy explanation offered by the perpetrator; later on he discovers that the murder was avenged by someone who identified the murderer without access to any of the evidence! Again, the characters and the setting are vivid, the "real" history is an integral part of the story, and Brother Cadfael's conflict between his duties as a monk and as a father makes for an engaging tale -- but the implausibility of the "payoff" seriously weakens the novel.
I feel that, in general, this has the highest consistent quality of any contemporary mystery series. All the novels are worth reading, but some require tongue placed firmly in cheek first.