Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice

Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice (USA 2021)

From the Publisher:
Charges of heresy and murder are complicated by the contents of a mysterious treasure chest
In the summer of 1143, William of Lythwood arrives at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, but it is not a joyous occasion -- he's come back from his pilgrimage in a coffin. William's body is accompanied by his young attendant Elave, whose mission is to secure a burial place for his master on the abbey grounds, despite William's having once been reprimanded for heretical views.

An already difficult task is complicated when Elave drunkenly expresses his own heretical opinions, and capital charges are filed. When a violent death follows, Sheriff Hugh Beringar taps his friend Brother Cadfael for help. The mystery that unfolds grows deeper thanks to a mysterious and marvelous treasure chest in Elave's care.

Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice. The Sixteenth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael. Mysteriouspress.com / Open Road Integrated Media, ISBN: 9781504067560 (August, 2021), 257 p., $27.99.

Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice (USA 2014)

Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice. The Sixteenth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael. Mysteriouspress.com / Open Road Integrated Media, ISBN: 9781497671508 (August, 2014), eBook, 8 MB (ca. 257 p.), $12.99.

Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice (USA 1991)

From the Publisher:
In the summer of 1143, William of Lythwood returns to Shrewsbury in a coffin, his pilgrimage at last at an end. William's young attendant, Elave, accompanies the body and sets out trying to secure a burial place on the grounds of the abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul, despite William's once having been reproved for "heretical views." .

Elave, too, has evidently, learned skepticism. After he drunkenly expresses heretical opinions, the mighty prelate Gerbert brings capital charges against him. The beautiful Fortunata, whom Elave adores, becomes a reluctant witness for the prosecution.

When violent death follows, Brother Cadfael is once again called from his herbiary to the aid of his old friend Hugh Beringar, the sheriff. Cadfael's new task is twofold: there are charges of heresy to be rebutted, as well as a murder to be solved.

"Each addition to the series is a joy. Long may the Chronicles continue." -- USA Today
"The marvelous sense of time and place carries everyone along... Cadfael, at odd moments, resembles Travis McGee in a cassock." -- Chicago Tribune

Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice. The Sixteenth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael, of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, at Shrewsbury. Mysterious Press / Warner Books, ISBN: 0446400009 (February, 1991), 230 p., $4.95.

Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice (UK 1990)

From the Publisher:
In the summer of 1143 two important visitors arrive at the abbey of St Peter and St Paul - one dead and one very much alive, and set to wreak havoc within the tiny Benedictine community.

William of Lythwood, the visitor in the coffin, has come to be buried in the abbey's grounds, and it is the dedicated mission of his attendant Elave to carry out his master's final wish. But Gerbert, the mighty prelate and guest of the Benedictines, remembers that William had been 'reproved for heretical views', and so tries to block Elave's plea.

When a violent death ensues, Brother Cadfael is called once again from his herb garden to turn detective and solve the murder - but matters are complicated still further by the marvellous treasure box in Elave's care...

Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice. The Sixteenth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael. A Medieval Whodunnit. Futura, ISBN: 0708844103 (March, 1990), 245 p., £3.50.

Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice (USA 1990)

From the Publisher:
In the summer of 1143, two important visitors arrive at the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul in Shrewsbury. Gerbert, a mighty prelate, arrives with the appropriate pomp and circumstance. But William of Lythwood comes in a coffin, returned at last from pilgrimage and accompanied by his young attendant Elave. Elave's mission is to secure a burial place for his master on the Abbey grounds, despite William's having once been "reproved for heretical views."

Elave, too, has evidently learned skepticism. In a drunken state, among friends (or so he thinks), he says, "There was a father of the church once who said that in the end everyone would find salvation." This is heresy indeed, and a capital charge is brought against him by Gerbert; the maid Fortunata, whom Elave adores, becomes a reluctant witness for the prosecution.

When violent death follows, Brother Cadfael is once again tom from his herbiary to aid his old friend Hugh Beringar, the Sheriff. Cadfael's task is doubly onerous, for there are charges of heresy to be rebutted as well as a murder to be solved. And the mystery that unfolds is embellished by the further puzzle of the contents of a marvelous treasure chest, part of Elave's baggage and Fortunata's dowry...

Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice (UK 1989)

From the Publisher:
In the summer of 1143, two important visitors arrive at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Shrewsbury. Gerbert, a mighty prelate, arrives with pomp and circumstance. But William of Lythwood comes in a coffin, returned at last from pilgrimage, and accompanied by his young attendant, Elave. Elave's dedicated mission is to seek leave for his dead master to be buried in the Abbey grounds. But William had at one time been "reproved for heretical views", a fact that Gerbert seizes upon to try to block the boy's plea. Elave, too, has evidently learnt a kind of heresy from somebody. In his cups - among friends, as he thinks - he says: "There was a father of the Church, once, who said that in the end everyone would find salvation." This is heresy indeed, and a capital charge is brought against him; the maid Fortunata, whom Elave adores, becomes a reluctant witness for the prosecution.

A violent death follows from these conflicts and tensions and thus Brother Cadfael is once again torn from his herbiary to turn detective and assist his old friend Hugh Beringar, the Sheriff. The mystery that unfolds is not just gripping and baffling in its own right, but is embellished by the further puzzle of the contents of a marvellous treasure box, part of Elave's luggage and Fortunata's dowry.

Romance, crime and detection have repeatedly drawn Brother Cadfael from his garden to scenes of human conflict and passion. Here his task is doubly onerous, for there is a charge of heresy to be rebutted, as well as a murder to be solved. This Sixteenth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael is a triumph of skill and medieval scholarship that explores a wealth of fascinating philosophical issues while telling an endlessly intriguing murder mystery.

Ellis Peters: The Heretic's Apprentice. A Medieval Whodunnit. Headline, ISBN: 074720103X (February, 1989), 279 p., £10.95.