Smoke in the Wind

Peter Tremayne is the fiction pseudonym of a well-known authority on the ancient Celts, who has utilised his knowledge of the Brehon law system and 7th-Century Irish society to create a new concept in detective fiction. The Sister Fidelma novels are taking on almost cult proportions and are becoming ever more popular with each offering from the author, whose obvious knowledge of the times and subjects he writes about shines out like a beacon on the shore. Fidelma and her friend and companion, the Saxon, Brother Eadulf are on a journey to visit the new Archbishop of Canterbury, when their ship is blown off course and they have to land on the coastline of the Welsh kingdom of Dyfed. They are given the hospitality due to them by Gwlyddien and Abbot Tryffin of the Dewi Sant Abbey and once their identities are established are asked if they could help to solve a mystery. The entire monastic community of the Abbey, including the King's eldest son have literally vanished into thin air. Fidelma and Eadulf are soon faced with one of the baffling puzzles they have ever had to deal with.

I gave this book a rating of 5 stars, but I didn't read it.. how can I possibly rate a book that I didn't read? I bought it as a gift for my daughter-in-law.Unless I give a rating, you don't accept my review.

In the kingdom of Dyfed in what is now South Wales, Brother Cyngar stops at Llampadern, a religious community of twenty-seven brothers, expecting a good meal only to find the place deserted. There are no signs of a struggle but it looks like the brothers departed in the middle of their meal and all the livestock is missing. The traveler rushes to the Abbey of Dewi Saint to inform Abbot Tryffin. The abbot and the king of Dyfed, whose son is one of the missing brothers, prevail upon Sister Fidelma and Brother Eadulf to investigate the vanishing.Fidelma and Eadulf agree to help though both realize the Britons who occupy most of Dyfed hate the Saxons. They stop briefly at the town of Pen Cair, accompanied by a judge, who is presiding over a murder trial. The two visiting sleuths help their companion investigate the situation until it is time to travel to Llampadern where they are kidnapped by outlaws who have a distinctly royal bearing. When they escape, they find the judge murdered. Fidelma investigates both cases with some very interesting results.Peter Tremayne makes the culture of that period come alive in the mind's eye and snares the interest of the reader from the outset. Fidelma observes that mid-seventh century South Wales is very similar to her homeland since the Celts also settled there. This who done-it has many layers and the two cases have threads in common which makes for a brilliant puzzle that is almost impossible to solve. As usual a Fidelma mystery is always fun to read and SMOKE IN THE WIND is no exception.Harriet Klausner

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I have been reading all of the Sister Fidelma mysteries (in order), and I have enjoyed following her and the faithful Brother Eadulf in their many travels and adventures. In this book they have made an unsceduled stop in Wales and are thrown into investigating the mysterious disappearance of a whole abbey full of monks. The king of Wales has asked them to journey to this area and try to determine what has happened. When they arrive there they find a truly appalling situation. Unease and unrest are rampant in the area, and they also discover that a murder has been committed that seems unrelated to their investigation. But the further they get into the puzzle they determine that the two situations are indeed related and the plot is more devious than could be imagined. A truly delicious medieval thriller!