Potter's Field

Author: Ellis Peters

Category: Fiction

Reviewer: Amanda Crosby

Department/Position: Social Studies Teacher

Summary : This mystery novel is one in a long series of books set in and around an English Benedictine Abbey during the Middle Ages. Peters’ protagonist is Brother Cadfael, the monastery’s herbalist and resident detective. Cadfael’s duty in this story is to figure out who killed the woman whose body was accidentally discovered in a field donated to the monastery. Complicating the situation is the fact that the man who once lived on the donated property left his wife in order to take monastic vows at Cadfael’s abbey. Although Cadfael does not want to believe that a fellow monk could have committed murder, many clues point in that direction.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction because it provides the reader with an interesting look at medieval monastic life. For those accustomed to John Grisham and Dan Brown-style page-turners this book might seem rather slow-paced, but I think that nicely fits a novel set in 1143.

Recommended Audience: This book is recommended for high school and adult readers.

Rating: 3