Absolution By Murder: A Sister Fidelma Mystery

Peter Tremayne

Dec 1995 · Mysteries of Ancient Ireland Book 1 · Sold by Minotaur Books

About this ebook

In A.D. 664, King Oswy of Northumbria has convened a synod at Whitby to hear debate between the Roman and Celtic Christian churches and decide which shall be granted primacy in his kingdom. At stake is much more than a few disputed points of ritual; Oswy's decision could affect the survival of either church in the Saxon kingdoms.

When the Abbess Etain, a leading speaker for the Celtic church, is found murdered, suspicion falls upon the Roman faction. In order to diffuse the tensions that threaten to erupt into civil war, Oswy turns to Sister Fidelma of the Celtic Church (Irish and an advocate for the Brehon Court) and Brother Eadulf of the Roman church (from east Anglia and of a family of hereditary magistrates) to find the killer. But as further murders occur and a treasonous plot against Oswy matures, Fidelma and Eadulf soon find themselves running out of time.

Ratings and reviews

Very well written with the author keeping in mind that the readers are mostly ignorant of this time period. I enjoyed the political intrigue and would suggest that the intro to the history of its time be placed as a forward. I guessed the outcome early but thought the storyline excellent. The names of the various Northumberlands was not only exasperating for the heroine. l concur. I look with anticipation to the next book of the series. MA Asten

this book was pretty good

About the author

Peter Tremayne is the fiction pseudonym for Peter Beresford Ellis, a world-reknowned Celtic scholar with over 20 non-fiction books on various aspects of the ancient Celtic World. He lives in London, England.