A Prayer for the Damned

Again Peter Tremayne weaves so many threads of plot together into such an intriguing picture. There are plots and sub-plots, and they all make a captivating conclusion. Except, we are left poised to go on to the next.

It would not be outrageous to claim Tremayne's Fidelma of Cashel an original feminist, albeit one on the cusp of an emerging society that will eventually relinquish the Church in Ireland to the overarching dictates of Rome. But in 668, Ireland is yet a confederacy of kingdoms, the Church only recently declaring the laws of celibacy, dictated in part by the need to retain Church property upon the death of clergy, property that otherwise enriches the families of men who have served the Church. Ultan of Cill Ria is a true believer, a venal abbot who has forsaken a life of crime for the forgiveness of religion. Seeking to entrench his power, the abbot has a mission: to demand his abbey be acknowledged the center of the Church in Ireland and to dictate the direction of the Church as subservient to Rome, women ascribed to subordinate roles to men. No longer are women allowed to be priests; now Abbot Ultan seeks to establish the dominance of men in all matters. All of the great kings of Ireland have gathered for the wedding of Fidelma of Cashel and Brother Eadulf after their year of trial marriage, which has produced a healthy son and a desire to formalize the relationship in the eyes of the Church. On the eve of the marriage, Abbot Ultan, who has come to speak his truth to the gathered assembly, is murdered in his room. When the king of Connacht is seen fleeing the dead man's quarters, it is assumed that he is the culprit. Unfortunately, the king of Connacht requests Fidelma as his defense lawyer; the marriage must be postponed until justice is served and the criminal meted the appropriate justice. Determined to get to the heart of the crime, Fidelma applies her considerable talents, aided by Eadulf, but the task becomes more difficult after a second murder. With various characters working at cross-purposes to the investigation, Fidelma's challenge is to sort through events and motives despite the growing unease of the kings who have come to celebrate, not to be trapped in intrigue. Fidelma is undaunted, a woman who demands the respect of her peers, her reputation well-deserved. Sister to the king of Cashel, who must provide security to his honored guests, the situation is rife with pitfalls, various factions pursuing private agendas under the cover of the murders. It is up to Fidelma and Eadulf to unravel this twisted skein, to uncover the motives behind the crimes. There is considerable unrest among the religious community, the dead abbot surrounded by those who remain fanatical in his cause, Fidelma seeking only to resolve the case and enjoy her marriage ceremony. Rich with menace and mystery, Tremayne's Cashel is alive with historical detail, unpronounceable names and the precision of a top legal mind, Fidelma proving once again her ability to stand toe to toe with the kings. Stepping into the pages of history, this mystery is relevant and instructive, a great escape into an Ireland steeped in revolutionary ideas and courageous individuals. Luan

I enjoy this series tremendously, for the historic content and the complex plots - but please, Mr. Tremayne - can we dispense with the eloquent shrugs and the raising and dropping of shoulders! A bit less grimacing would be a relief too (after awhile I'm not sure what a grimace is). Otherwise, a delicious and informative escape from the present day. I would love to see these made into films, starring Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen! Gratefully, JJ

In 668 AD in the Five Kingdoms (ancient Ireland), Abbot Ultan is acting as the emissary for Bishop Segene, the Abbot of Ard Macha. He travels the country seeking to sell the concept that Segene would be lead abbot. Both men adhere to the strict laws of a sub-group of Rome State who believe the church holy cannot marry; they each believes it is their calling from God to do whatever it takes to insure others follow their religion as well including bribes, coercion and force. Ultan and his retinue head to Cashel in the Kingdom of Muman where King Colgu's sibling Sister Fidelma is about to take the vows to make her marriage of a year and a day to Brother Eadulf permanent. The abbot arrives to voice his strong objection to two church officials marrying. Before he can make his displeasure known, someone murders Ultan. The wedding ceremony is postponed while the bride and groom investigate the homicide in which one f the kings of the Five Kingdoms is the prime suspect. Readers who love Middle Ages whodunits will want to read A PRAYER FOR THE DAMNED (as well the previous Sister Fidelma tale) as this series is one of the best being written today. The freshness in Sister Fidelma's latest inquiry is her doubts as to whether she should be releases from her vows as a religeuse. The power struggle between Rome's edicts and the Irish church leaders are meticulously examined even as this serves as a key element to the exciting descriptive plot. Readers gain plenty of insight into seventh century religious and secular politics in Ireland yet the beauty of Peter Tremayne's skill is he does this while entertaining his fans. Harriet Klausner

As I have come to expect with this series, this is another very strong entry in the Sister Fidelma series. In fact, I think that Peter Tremayne should be used as an example of how to write a good historical mystery. His characters are strong and believeable, and his plots are complex. He also spices his books with historical tidbits that put the reader right into the thick of things. In this book Fidelma and Eaudulf are planning theier nuptials, when a murder occurs in Fidelma's brother's keep. The cleric who is murdered is not liked by anyone, and Fidelma finds that she has more suspects than she knows what to do with. But she does put her formidable mental abilities behind trying to solve this mystery. This author is a master storyteller, and I highly recommend this series.