Council of the Cursed by Peter Tremayne Series: Sister Fidelma #19
Published by Minotaur Books on November 23, 2010
Genres: Historical Mystery
Pages: 420
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
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In AD 670 Fidelma of Cashel is asked to act as an advisor to the Irish delegation to a church council hostile to the Celtic Church. In an abbey in Burgundy, Bishop Leodegar of Autun has assembled church leaders from all over Western Europe—an assembly that soon descends into chaos. That night one of the delegates is found murdered, his skull crushed, and Fidelma and her companion, Brother Eadulf, are suddenly in the midst of a murder investigation involving some of the most power religious leaders. Between the autocratic Bishop Leodegar and the malignant abbess Mother Audofleda, a web of sinister intrigue soon spreads. The theft of a priceless reliquary box, the disappearance of women and children, and rumors of a slave trade make this one of the most sinister and deadly puzzles Fidelma and Eadulf have ever faced.
When an important council of church bishops meet in the town of Autun and hosted at the abbey by a Bishop who follows the new rules about celibacy, more than a difference of agreement explodes among the representatives. Fidelma and Eadulf’s detecting skills are needed once again. Peter Tremayne has moved the locale of this latest and brought in a broader scope of history beyond Ireland’s shores for my reading pleasure.
Council of the Cursed is the nineteenth installment in a long historical mystery series set in Ancient Ireland, featuring a brilliant and unique detecting team of an Irish princess trained in law and also a religious of the Christian faith and her counterpart husband is a Saxon law investigator and Brother of the New faith.
Fidelma and Eadulf were following the bishop of her brother’s kingdom to be a law advisor for the bishop in case matters of Irish law were important in the deliberations, but on arrival in Autun, they are swiftly reassigned to investigate the murder of one delegate of the council who was found near two other council delegates- who happened to have violently argued not long before.
The murder is shocking, but Fidelma and Eadulf are not in the abbey long before they sense a dark atmosphere there. Bishop Leodegar, a Burgundian aristocrat recently appointed bishop of the abbey has instituted drastic changes so that celibacy is required of all who choose to remain in the work of the abbey. He’s forced men with wives and families to divorce and put them aside and for walls to block off the women’s side of the abbey from the men’s and put a stern female abbess in charge of them. Some left, but many have stayed, wholly committing to the change- or so it seems on the surface. Fidelma, to conduct her inquiry, has to have special dispensation from Leodegare to have guest quarters on the male side and interview all involved or witnessing the incidents that lead to the murder.
And, then there is the local history of the land changing hands as it has been conquered by each new rising power leaving a seething issue of past wrongs under a surface acceptance making political intrigue playing a role in matters.
But, there’s more… one of the brothers at the abbey acts as the scribe and is one of Fidelma’s witnesses. He has a secret- he still keeps clandestine contact with one of the sisters on the other side of the abbey in the women’s side- and, something has happened to her the night of the murder. Fidelma determines to check into this mystery, too.
The dark miasma of evil is real and danger lurks in the shadows of Autun Abbey for Fidelma and Eadulf as their investigation makes someone who has killed once determine they are a threat.
Council of the Cursed was fascinating as its set in what is modern day France, the province of Burgundy. The history of the area from the Roman conquering of Gaul to that point in the seventh century when much is still unsettled and volatile- even the Catholic church is in turmoil as East and West church are at odds which is part of this Council of churches around the western European area meeting at this abbey.
My heart broke for those families who were torn apart- and then to have to be under such hard autocratic rulers who were more interested in power and rising to gain more power than in their supposed faith.
Fidelma and Eadulf were superb as always. Love the way their different personalities interact with each other and when working on their case. She sure was something when confronting those bullying leaders there and I was cheering her on. I thought they were both smart in how they worked this case and loved tracking with them as they gathered testimonies and evidence. Loved the build of tension, the exciting moments, and the big climax.
The Sister Fidelma series remains strong and fresh this many installments in. Definitely recommend to the historical mystery lovers.
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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Wow. This sounds good and intense. Glad it’s still going strong at 19 books. How many are there total? Is the series still being published?
Yeah, it was a real page-turner. Several of the books in this series have been pretty intense while others can feel a little like cozies. I think the series is still being added to since the latest release, #35 was last year. I’ve got a few on my own shelves and some are available at the library so I’m going to plug away at getting caught up.
I’m glad the long running series is still good for you.
Yeah, it was great coming back to it and picking up my love for it right away.
That’s wonderful the series remains smart and fresh even at book 19! I do love smart characters!
I agree. I think that was a big part of why I hung on to the series and came back to it.
So many books!!!! I am curious. What a cool time period.
Yeah, I found this series when there was only three or four released and then I let it get away from me for a while. Still, so good that I don’t mind having so many still to read. 🙂