Dove of Death by Peter Tremayne Series: Sister Fidelma #20
Published by Minotaur Books on October 26, 2010
Genres: Historical Mystery
Pages: 386
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
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AD 670. An Irish merchant ship is attacked by a pirate vessel off the coast of the Breton peninsular. Murchad, the captain, and a prince from the kingdom of Muman, are killed in cold blood after they have surrendered. Among the other passengers who manage to escape the slaughter are Sister Fidelma of Cashel and her faithful companion, Brother Eadulf. The prince was Fidelma's cousin and she is determined to bring the killers to justice...
After the dark events in Council of the Cursed, Fidelma and Eadulf are sailing home to Ireland. They are barely at sea when a pirate attack brings danger and death to them once again. Peter Tremayne continues to illumine 7th century life in Ancient Ireland and beyond while providing a rousing good murder mystery.
Dove of Death is the twentieth entry in a fantastic Sister Fidelma historical mystery series that works best read in order, but could be gotten out of order in a pinch.
Fidelma’s cousin has recently completed a trade treaty between her brother’s Kindgom of Cashel and the Kingdom of Warloch on the Breton peninsula and he gladly shares passage home with them. The salt is in the hold and the ship cruising along the coast of western Europe when a pirate vessel overtakes their own and Fidelma must stand in horror to see her cousin and friend, the ship’s captain cut down by the mysterious masked pirate captain. She and Eadulf barely escape the ship with their lives and her only clue to chase them down, recover the Irish ship and crew and get justice for the dead is the white dove symbol on the pirate ship and its flag.
This leads to a seafaring and shoreside adventure as Fidelma and a reluctant Eadulf follow the clues that lead to something bigger than a single act of piracy. Many deaths follow before Fidelma is ready to share her summation with the wary, weary residents of the region.
As with the most recent book, Dove of Death is set outside of Ireland along the Breton coast of modern France. The book focused on the Rhuys peninsula and the inland sea tucked just north of it. Peter Tremayne colored in the details of the period setting with the migration of Britons out of Britain when the Saxons were pushing in and some landed here among the Veneti tribe and others. Slowly, the tribal kingdoms are being united into something bigger, but for now this local kingdom and region was the site of piracy, attacks on land, religious conflict, political intrigue, and the multiple murders that Fidelma is tenaciously tracking. She and Eadulf don’t speak the local language or know the customs so are out of their depth, but they find a way to track evidence and witnesses and be in the right places to observe what is needed to crack the case.
I had Dove of Death figured out to a certain extent well before the reveal, but that didn’t take much away from the tension and excitement as Fidelma and Eadulf engaged with powerful, ruthless, and cunning opponents. Fidelma had the bit between her teeth a few times and hared off into trouble dragging poor Eadulf along with her, but I appreciated that she was remorseful and understood the consequences when confronted with it. There was a sad, melancholy tone to Dove of Death that I appreciated since there was a great deal of death. So much wanton death that I was slightly disappointed about the villain’s fate.
Each book in the series leaves me well-satisfied and eager for the next. Those who love a strong dose of history and historical setting with their murder mystery and a great deal of excitement and suspense throughout should take up the Sister Fidelma 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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Sounds like there was a lot going on in this one. I’m glad you’re liking this series.
Oh yeah, pirates at sea and a murder mystery on land. It was sensational. 🙂
You read so many excellent sounding historical mysteries. I wish I had more time!
This is a series I came across long ago and let it slip aside. I’m so glad I could come back to it. It really is exciting.
With so much death I like the villain to pay for their deeds in a just way. Glad to see you’re loving this series and happy to hear you could read as a standalone in a pinch!
I find myself rather blood-thirsty when someone murders this many people and also does additional harm. I was a little intimidated at how many are still left for me to read when I first picked the series back up, but now I’m rather glad I won’t be finished anytime soon. 🙂
Lovely review Sophia. I do love the blending of history & mystery.
Thanks, Kimberly! I agree wholeheartedly to that. 🙂
Not my typical genre but this series sounds fun #20…that is amazing.
Yes, its a little off the beaten path, but I’m glad it could tempt you, Robin.
20th!? Nice! Glad the series seems to be going well.
Quite the successful series, right?