Dancing with Demons by Peter Tremayne Series: Sister Fidelma #18
Published by Minotaur Books on October 27, 2009
Genres: Historical Mystery
Pages: 289
Format: eBook
Source: Library
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The Monk Who Vanished In the late 7th Century, the High King of Ireland is killed at night in the middle of his compound. Who killed him is not in question - there are unimpeachable witnesses that point directly to the clan chieftain responsible. Dubh Duin is, after all, found by the High King's guards in the High King's bed chamber holding the murder weapon. But with impending civil war in the balance, the motive for the murder becomes of paramount importance. The Chief Brehon of Ireland asks Fidelma of Cashel - sister to the King of Muman and a dailagh - to investigate. What her investigations reveal is an intricate web of conspiracy and deception that threatens to unbalance the five kingdoms and send them spiralling into a violent and bloody civil war and religious conflict. And it's up to Fidelma to not only see to justice but to private the violent fracturing of an increasingly fragile peace.
In late 7th century Ireland, a murder of the High King rocks the Five Kingdoms even as a religious war tears through the lands as old pagan ways clash with the new Christianity. Fidelma has been called upon to investigate and solve the murder before a new High King can be crowned. Peter Tremayne brings Ancient Ireland to life and provides a cunning mystery, as well.
For our Series on Sundays “challenge”, I added the Sister Fidelma books to my list. I devoured many books of the series in order as they came out for many years and then when our closest bookstore closed, I was unable to get the next books (pre-Amazon years). It wasn’t until I noted my library was carrying the most recent releases that I got excited about continuing with the series again.
Dancing With Demons is the eighteenth installment to the Sister Fidelma historical mystery series. It could be read standalone, though I’ve enjoyed the series in order from the moment Fidelma and her now Saxon husband meet and solve many mysteries along the way. The earlier books really did need to be read in order as relationships and character development were building.
At this point, there is much that is already established and the standalone murders don’t necessarily need to be read in order. However, the author is a historian and sets these within the actual timeline of Irish history and across the series many actual events and people are portrayed so that even later books in the series really do work best in order to get the chronological aspect of the series story.
The High King is killed and the man who killed him then killed himself is also found in the king’s bedchamber. Due to political ramifications, no one at court including the Chief Brehon (law advisor and lawyer of the King) can investigate the assassination. The Assembly insist on a neutral part of high rank and ability as a Brehon so Fidelma of Cashell, sister to the King of Muman, a sister of the New Faith, and holding the second highest Brehon degree in law now widely-known for her investigative abilities along with her Saxon Roman Catholic husband are called to Tara.
Along the way, Fidelma, Eadulf and their two guard encounter an interesting death because the old man seems to have been a rare Druid and Eadulf learns something of the older pagan faith and that in remote corners of the Five-Kingdoms is still being practiced. Only, they learn when they come across a burnt-out monastery that there are roving bands of brigands destroying and killing any of the New Christian Faith they find trying to bring back the worship of old gods.
Arriving in Tara, they are struck by hints and evidence that there may be a connection to the growing religious unrest in the assassination. Though, this is court and there are plenty personal enmities and ambitions abounding to provide further motives and suspects for Fidelma and Eadulf. Fidelma is methodical in her investigation and interviewing of witnesses even while some try to use rank to put her off while others have their reasons for holding back information and lying to her. The crowd at court soon learn she’s not easily cowed and has a royal demeanor to match their own when she needs to wield it. Shrewdly she reads the evidence and the witnesses. Eadulf is of different personality and, as a quiet and humble foreigner, gets at helpful details in his own way. They make a good team even as time is running out for them to find answers- the High King throne cannot continue to sit vacant.
Dancing With Demons is part historical cozy mystery in the way the first part plays out, but then the situation changes and the tone of the story becomes a thrilling adventure before returning for the Ancient Ireland version of courtroom drama and reveals for the very end.
Usually, Fidelma is the keen thinker and cool head of the two and it’s Eadulf who goes haring off into trouble, but I found a decision Fidelma makes to go into a volatile situation without enough manpower fell into the TSTL category and needless deadly danger resulted. While, it was added excitement and, there were aspects of her decision that explained her choice, I still shook my head over it.
The big reveal that Fidelma delivered actually had me highly entertained. I don’t want to spoil so I’ll not explain exactly why. I figured out all the aspects of the murder mystery so Fidelma’s big reveal wasn’t a surprise to me, but the way the plot played out with the ‘who’ behind it all was interestingly complicated and what one comes to expect with court intrigue.
All in all, this return to the Sister Fidelma world was a success and I’m jazzed to keep going with the remaining books in the series. Ancient Ireland and the historical events of the time are fascinating and exciting. Peter Tremayne does an excellent job of pairing the history with the mystery and I can recommend the series.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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Great review. I think I’d enjoy these, it kind of reminds me of Agatha Raisin.
I still need to tackle the Agatha Raisin series. These are definitely worth a go, Kimberly!
A mystery set in ancient Ireland sounds good!
Yes, I love the setting and all I learn from the historical backdrop, but the characters of Fidelma and Eadulf are great, too.
Ancient Ireland would be fun!!
I’ve learned so much from this series. It was an exciting time. 🙂
I’m glad this was a good one for you.
Yes, it was great getting back to this series.
This sounds good, but with so many books, I don’t know that I’ll find time to ever pick it up. Glad you are finally able to finish it!
If I wasn’t already this far along, I’m not sure I’d bother, either. But, I do love the historical backdrop, the characters, and the mysteries so I’ll chip away at it little by little. 🙂