Hemlock at Vespers

Sister Fidelma #9

by Peter Tremayne

Sister Fidelma originally made her debut as one of the decade's most interesting sleuths in short story form. The sharp-witted and astonishingly wise religieuse captured the hearts of many readers as she successfully tackled the most baffling of crimes in her other role as advocate of the law courts of Ireland, using the ancient Brehon Law system. The overwhelming response to these stories launched Fidelma as the heroine of a bestselling series of Celtic crime novels. But it also created a demand for further short stories. HEMLOCK AT VESPERS is the first collection of these stories ever to be published. With its breathtaking range of settings and crimes, it is guaranteed to entertain and intrigue - and is an anthology that no lover of Celtic culture or historical crime should be without.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Ireland, Historical Mystery, Short Stories

484 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Peter Berresford Ellis (born 10 March 1943) is a historian, literary biographer, and novelist who has published over 90 books to date either under his own name or his pseudonyms Peter Tremayne and Peter MacAlan. He has also published 95 short stories. His non-fiction books, articles and academic papers have made him acknowledged as an authority on Celtic history and culture. As Peter Tremayne, he is the author of the international bestselling Sister Fidelma mystery series. His work has appeared in 25 languages.

Reviews

[Jaline · Rating 5 out of 5]

With degrees in Celtic studies and several books published on Celtic history and events, Peter Tremayne wrote four short stories to demonstrate the role of women in 7th Century Ireland. These short stories featured Sister Fidelma and brought forward incidents of the time that would illustrate the culture through the eyes and adventures of an interesting character. From those four short stories, the Sister Fidelma series was launched and many other short stories were also written.

This book is a superb introduction to the Sister Fidelma series. For those who are interested in the Celtic religion, laws, and way of life during the mid-7th century in Ireland, these fourteen short stories are full of historical fact and many incidents that only a scholar of those times would be able to write.

Although four of the stories take place chronologically before Book One of the Sister Fidelma series, the others all fall into chronological line from the beginning of the series through the 8th novel. It is fitting then that this book of short stories becomes Book Nine in the series.

Again, I am impressed by the author’s knowledge of the Celtic culture during the 7th Century, and also the legal system, the laws, and how those laws are revised by a council of judges and lawyers every three years to ensure the laws are kept up to date with the changing culture. I am also impressed by the author’s ability to blow the obscuring dust off the pages of history and reveal events in a way that is well-written and feels completely authentic and natural.

So, for those who have asked me where to start with this series, (where chronology is quite important), Book One and forward would be my recommendation. However, this book of short stories can be just as effective as an introduction despite references in some of the later-written stories to events that we only learn about in the series itself.

Either way, I am completely fascinated by this period of history and also admire and respect the author’s intricate knowledge and brilliant writing that bring this time and its people to life. It is also interesting that motives for doing mischief and murder never seem to vary in our human drives: power, love, material gain – and their many mini-manifestations.

What always captivates me is that no matter what the crime, Sister Fidelma is able to obtain the information she needs in order to resolve the mysteries. Here is a woman that we can look up to for her knowledge, skills, and her ability to put them to practical use. And as I read her stories, I become immersed in a time and place that I am strongly drawn to. It is armchair time-travel at its best.

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Should Read as 4.5 Stars!**

Read this book in 2010, and its the 10th volume, chronologically, of the great "Sister Fidelma" series.

This is a short story collection set between the years AD 664-666, and it will tell the first few short outings by Sister Fidelma and later on also with Brother Eadulf.

Wonderful story-telling does this short story real justice, and it will bring some more cases of murder and intrigue where our sharp-minded and clever Sister Fidelma will set her teeth in, and will successfully resolve with determination and by using her wit.

Highly recommended, for this is a splendid amount of short stories, and that's why I like to call this: "A Wonderful Short Story Collection"!

[Morgan Dhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since I finished reading all the Dame Frevisse mysteries by Margaret Frazer (and the Player Joliffe mysteries too), and having read most of Ellis Peters' Cadfael mysteries, I've been a at bit of a loss for historical mysteries with clerical detectives. That gap in my reading life has for the time being been filled with a new series.

I have just encountered (for the first time) the Sister Fidelma mysteries by Peter Tremayne (one of Celtic scholar Peter Berresford Ellis' pseudonyms). Hemlock at Vespers: Fifteen Sister Fidelma Mysteries is a good introduction to the series, consisting as it does of short stories set throughout the earlier years of the seventh century Irish religieuse's crime-solving career.

What makes these stories so much fun is the background - the Irish church is still in full flower and outside cultural influences have not yet swept away a society in which women had a legal, social and economic status that would not be seen again in Western civilisation until the early 20th century.

Sister Fidelma is a dalaigh (her culture's version of a lawyer) one who is authorised to conduct investigations as well as argue legal cases before a Brehon judge. She holds one of the highest rankings possible in the Irish legal system, that of anruth, which gives her a social status equivalent to that of a minor king. While she is clearly Christian - although firmly on the Irish side of the religious divide, including preferring Pelagian to Augustinian philosophy - it is also suggested on several occasions that this is more a matter of following social expectations than a religious vocation. As Tremayne writes, before the arrival of Christianity, members of the professions - doctors, lawyers, educators and so on - were usually Druids. Once the Church supplanted the Druidic orders, those in the professions tended to join the Church instead. This was, of course, much more palatable in this eta, when celibacy was optional and the Irish Church operated religious houses where married clerics could live together and raise their children.

The stories themselves are interesting glimpses into another time and culture, as well as being decent mysteries. Tremayne's skill as a writer develops as one reads through in chronological order, although his phrasing remains vaguely stilted throughout, perhaps as an intentional choice to convey the nuances of what was a highly status-conscious society. He also has a few "tics" that show up mostly in describing Sister Fidelma, notably the ubiquitous references to her "rebellious" red hair.

But Fidelma herself is sufficiently fascinating a character, and the setting of the stories is so interesting, that I did not have much difficulty in ignoring the tics and just enjoying the stories.

[Spuddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An early collection of fifteen short stories about Sister Fidelma, the 7th-century nun and dalaigh (lawyer) in Ireland. I enjoy this series of medieval mysteries so was quite interested in seeing where Fidelma came from and how she developed. I found these stories to be mostly repetitive and unsatisfying, though. Much ground was covered over and over again; in every story, there was mention of the Fidelma's "unruly strands of red hair that escaped from her head-dress," (often using the same exact phraseology) and much time was spent explaining her law degrees and how much authority she had, with appropriate shock from pompous male authority figures when they were told she could boss them around. LOL

Probably read individually with much time between them, these stories would have been pleasant little interludes. Cobbled together into one book, I found them mostly formulaic and yawn-worthy after the first couple, although there was some interesting information about Fidelma's past. I was also disappointed that Brother Eadulf, the Saxon monk who works with Fidelma in the series, was nowhere in evidence yet.

In short, I wouldn't recommend reading this book straight through as I did. If you're a Fidelma fan, you'll enjoy them, but it's probably best if you put the book down for a few days/weeks between stories. I have a couple of other short-story collections that occur later in the series, and that's how I plan to read those books instead of just plowing through them.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once a book makes it to my to-read list, I rarely look at the book blurb – on the cover or on websites – until after finishing the book. Too many blurbs have spoiled significant parts of the book, so I avoid them. I was surprised, therefore, to learn that this is a collection of short stories rather than a regular, full-length novel.

I don’t usually enjoy short story collections, but this one was the exception. The author’s introduction explains where these stories fit into the full-length books in the series, and it’s tempting to go back and read the novels and stories in chronological order, but I’m too much of a realist to believe that will ever happen.

I enjoyed following along with Fidelma as she figured out solutions to the murders, thefts and other puzzles presented to her in these stories. I was only able to figure out a few of them, but once the culprits were identified in the other stories, it made sense – and made me appreciate Fidelma’s abilities even more. I look forward to returning to the series’ full-length novels in the near future.

[Nancy Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of 15 short stories, Sister Fidelma mysteries. Set in mid 7th Century Ireland, Sister Fidelma is a religieuse as well as an advocate of Irish law of a high degree. She also has a gift for solving mysteries and is called upon to solve murders in each of these stories. The atmosphere is great, and the characters are fascinating. I also find particularly interesting the amount of history included of the culture of the times. Peter Tremayne is the fiction-writing pseudonym of leading Celtic scholar Peter Berresford Ellis.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the Sister Fidelma short stories.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fidelma, a seventh century Irish religious and judge advocate is a careful detective. Tremayne paints an (overly?) winsome picture of Irish life at the time and pokes at some Catholic (read Roman practices) that the Irish had not fully adopted (celibacy, predestination, patriarchy being but a few). Probably more interesting in novel form - these stories become a bit repetitive - not quite Encyclopedia Brown, but I became tired of hearing Fidelma's legal qualifications and physical description, including her rebellious red hair and fine figure, in every story.

[Kristin Gleeson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Peter Tremayne brings together several short mystery stories of his well known character Sister Fidelma, a sixth century former nun and daughter of the king of Cashel who acts as a lawyer/investigator in a turbulent time period. His research is known to be meticulous and he gives some very interesting descriptions of various aspects of the time period but they can halt the narrative at times as well as make it stiff. The mysteries are cosy who dunnits and the ending is no surprise most of the time.

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

No as good as the previous mysteries! The beginning was good. The last couple of chapters dragged on even though the stories changed at each chapter which was a disappointment in the end.

[Bud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great exploration of Irish society in the middle ages along with a good mystery read.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't like short stories as much. The repetitive plots are so much more apparent in short stories

[Mark Redman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hemlock at Vespers is a richly atmospheric collection of fifteen short mysteries set in 7th-century Ireland, featuring the sharp-witted and principled Sister Fidelma. Peter Tremayne skillfully blends historical detail with classic detective storytelling, offering tales that highlight Fidelma’s intellect, legal acumen, and strong sense of justice.

The historical setting is undoubtedly one of the book’s greatest strengths. Tremayne’s meticulous research and vivid world-building immerse readers in a time and place rarely explored in crime fiction. Each story is steeped in the complexities of Brehon law and early Irish 7th century society, presenting compact puzzles that reflect both the era’s unique customs and universal human dilemmas. Fidelma, as always, stands out as a compelling, forward-thinking protagonist whose clarity of thought and moral insight drive the narratives.

That said, the collection isn’t without its limitations. The stories often follow a similar structure, which can make them feel repetitive when read back-to-back. Supporting characters sometimes lack depth, and if you are seeking emotional nuance or tonal variety you may find the stories lean more heavily toward procedural logic than character exploration.

Still, Hemlock at Vespers delivers what it promises: intellectually satisfying mysteries set in a vividly imagined past. For fans of historical fiction and methodical sleuthing, this collection offers both insight and intrigue, anchored by a protagonist who continues to captivate.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although published as the 9th book in the Sister Fidelma series, all 15 stories predate the first novel Absolution by Murder. Also, the stories appeared individually from 1993 to 1999 in multiple outlets (magazines and anthologies). So, the descriptions of the good religious' training and physical characteristics only become repetitious when the stories are read sequentially in this collection. In fact, I found them rather endearing.

The mysteries and their solutions are just as good as in the first eight books in the series, though necessarily not as convoluted or buried in the larger and longer story arcs portrayed in the novels. Still, they are well worth reading and puzzling over along with the Brehon herself.

One thing I did find surprising was Tremayne's having a character speak of "mesmerizing" someone in one of the stories. This kind of anachronism is very unusual in this series which is generally very careful to describe things in period language, especially in the dialogue. But, these are early stories.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these short stories are shorter than others, but the volume as a whole contains something for everybody: unrequited love, medieval Church politics, power trippers, vengeance...etc. Tremayne weaves in medieval superstition ("Our Lady of Death"), religious allegory ("At the Tent of Holofernes"), and politics between the Irish Catholic church and Rome (in the seventh century). Favorites include "Hemlock at Vespers", "The High King's Sword", "The Poisoned Chalice" and the relatively concise "Invitation to a Poisoning." In this collection Tremayne displays the variety of scenarios he manages to invent in Fidelma's world, although Fidelma's character takes a back seat in most of the stories. Most interesting is the personal aspect of "At the Tent of Holofernes", where we get a bit of a look at Fidelma's life in the past. Fans of Brother Eadulf will be disappointed by his absence, but Tremayne explains the chronology in the Foreword, which is helpful for those who follow the series order.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

15 short stories

Short stories aren't my favorite reading choice, but I did enjoy these, probably because the central characters are consistent. I didn't read them all at once, instead I read two or three SS between other books. I'm left wondering why Tremayne used these plots for short stories instead of turning them into complete novels.

In most (maybe all) of the stories, he mentions Fidelma's "urchin grin." I don't recall that description (or anything similar) in the novels.

p 134: Hemlock can heal many ailments and yet it can kill. In Ancient Greece we are told that it was given to criminals as a means of execution and among the Jews it was given to deaden the pain of those being stoned to death. I have heard it argued that when Our Lord hung upon the Cross He was given vinegar, myrrh and hemlock to ease His pain.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rate most of the Sister Fidelma books between a 3 and a 4, so I'll call this one a 4.

If you like Sister Fidelma, you will greatly enjoy these short stories. If you don't, you probably won't find anything new here. Fidelma is an odd character. She is highly intelligent, perceptive, and reads people very well. She also isn't particularly likeable - she is often cold, imperious, and a bit of a scold. It is odd that Tremayne often starts the stories by stating that she has a sense of humor; however this sense of humor almost never actually finds its way onto the page.
But you don't need a particularly likeable protagonist to have good mystery stories, and these are mostly good mystery stories. Tremayne's writing is crisp and very clear. He keeps the action moving, and the stories are all very readable.

[Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even though this is labeled as Sister Fidelma 9, it is actually a collection of short stories and not a novel in the sequence of Sister Fidelma mysteries. Admittedly I dislike short stories in general unless they are extremely well-written. These Sister Fidelma short stories are not, in my opinion. The character development in pretty much all the Sister Fidelma novels I have read (1-8) is flat and without much nuance, but the novels have held my attention because the plot lines have been more inventive. These short stories lack both character development and any sort of plot. They merely introduce a mystery, then BAM Sister Fidelma solves it. Very boring! I actually did not finish the book.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best series I’ve read in a long time. I have now read ten books in the Sister Fidelma series. This one differs from the others in that it is a collection of 15 short stories rather than one cohesive narrative. Some of the stories are better than others but the least of them would still rate 4+ stars and for the rest five stars are inadequate. My one and only complaint is that in each of the stories the author describes Fidelma’s appearance and recites her education and experience so that it is repeated anew in each story. This is explained by knowing that the stories appeared individually in different publications and at different times. Still, it is annoying.

[Maggie Anton · Rating 3 out of 5]

As others have commented, the stories vary in quality. It is clear that though the stories were published in a variety of magazines, nobody edited them or tried to make them consistent for this collection. Some have distance in feet and others in kilometers, several use identical wording to describe Fidelma in the beginning, and it is unclear if these are arranged in chronological order.
Still, I tried to overlook these defects and enjoyed most of them. I particularly liked the stories that had non-murder mysteries.

[Beth Haren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this collection of short stories. I had read a couple of them previously in other anthologies. I think the stories fill in some of the temporal gaps between the books. I’ve read other reviews that criticize the repetitive comments that give descriptions of Fidelma and define her position. However, I think perhaps these readers are not realizing that this collection was not written as a whole but as separate narratives that could be read completely independent of any prior knowledge of the character(s) as I originally encountered them in separate publications and anthologies.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hemlock at Vespers, Fifteen Sister Fidelma Mysteries, can be read and enjoyed without concern for spoilers of the other books in the series. Her companion, Eadulf, does not appear. It's all about Fidelma solving the mysteries. It's not necessary to have read the series, either, but it might help in understanding what Fidelma does. Personally, I am a huge fan of the series, so I would urge the reading of all of them. And in sequence to avoid spoilers.

[Joyce Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The problem of reading 2 books by the same author at the same time. This is a review of Our Lady Of Darkness.
Hemlock at Vespers is a book of short stories and as an avid Sister Fidemla fan I am hoading these little gems and savouring them one at a time.

(This book takes place at a crucial juncture of Sister Fidelma's life.
Brother Eadulf has been found guilty of murder and sentenced to hang. Can she prove his innocence before it is too late?)

[Jeff Hobbs]

Read so far:

Murder in Repose
*Murder by Miracle
Tarnished Halo
Abbey Sinister
Our Lady of Death
Hemlock at Vespers
At the Tent of Holofernes
*A Canticle for Wulfstan
The High King's Sword
*The Poisoned Chalice
Holy Blood
A Scream from the Sepulcher
The Horse That Died for Shame
Invitation to a Poisoning
*Those That Trespass
***
*Whispers of the Dead
*The Banshee
*The Spectre of Tullyfane Abbey
*The Spiteful Shadow

[JulieAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly enjoyed the stories set in the mid 600's AD. It made me want to research the type of law that existed in Ireland and how women were able practice law and be respected for their abilities as a professional in the law.

[Doris Mahala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure of what to put for a review.
This is a collection of short stories.
These stories are very defiantly Sister Fidelma!
There is not a Brother Eadulf in these shorts. Very sad for me.
If you like shorts.
I love a full book.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love all the detail. I've been reading these books, and now these short stories, continuously since the first of the year and I think I need a break from Fidelma. She's a strong character and I need a time out.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow I forgot to add this book when I began reading it!

Anyway- I enjoyed all the short stories and details filling in Sister Fidelma's life. I love learning about Dark Ages Ireland!

Sister Fidelma is one of my favorite people in all fiction!

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Tremayne knows whereof he speaks.

The author is an expert teacher of the history of Ireland and the church at the time of Fidelma. And I enjoy his writing. I only wish I knew how to pronounce all the words. Perhaps someday I’ll listen to a book to hear the word said.

[Joanna Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way outside my comfort zone, but I enjoyed it! Could do without the repetitive history lessons. Love a sassy sister sleuth.