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The Raven in the Foregate
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The Raven in the Foregate (Cadfael #12) - SPOILER Thread - (Sep/Oct 22)
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The replacement of a kind and understanding priest by a hard and overly zealous one, means we are not sorry when he is found dead. Obviously there are a number of suspects as to the murderer, but it is soon learnt that the young man who came with the victim is not what he appears to be, and so becomes the main suspect. As always there is a romance but it doesn’t take up too much of the book, as it has in others in the series. I liked that both Cadfael and Hugh are willing to overlook the ever changing politics of the times
Jill wrote: "The replacement of a kind and understanding priest by a hard and overly zealous one, means we are not sorry when he is found dead. Obviously there are a number of suspects as to the murderer, but i..."Yes! I felt they realize the tide could turn yet again, so safer and wiser to turn a blind eye, as no matter who wins eventually, there must be reconciliation for life to carry on.
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The solution came as a real surprise to me - did anyone guess this outcome? Usually I find accidental death a bit of a copout, but in this book I thought it worked well, as it stemmed from the victim's obnoxious personality.
Judy wrote: "I've finished this now - my book suddenly finished at 75%, so must have a big preview at the end! I agree with your comment, Jill, that the romance didn't take up too much space this time, so I enj..."That’s exactly what I thought - the solution seemed very much like karma catching up with him! And I really didn’t want to see any of the poor characters that had to deal with him in life be saddled with a murder charge. Seemed the best result.
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Finished it today, and found the end a bit disappointing. Of course as he was such a bad man, he deserved a death that didn´t fall on his victims, but I was astonished that letting someone die like Cynric did, wasn´t punishable. It would be today, but perhaps not then, especially when it were too dangerous for any helpers. Knowing Peters, I didn´t expect Ninian to be the culprit nonetheless, but it would have been a surprising solution.
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Judy wrote: "Did anyone have a suspect to be the killer? I wondered if it might be the mother of the woman who drowned."She was on my list too, but as she was so much in the centre for a while I gave up on it. At first I thought there would appear some figure we hadn´t met before with a political implication.
Judy wrote: "Did anyone have a suspect to be the killer? I wondered if it might be the mother of the woman who drowned."I thought possibly her, or the very quiet and serious verger (?), can’t remember name, sorry. He took the old priest’s death hard, and seemed appalled at the repercussions of the harsh new priest’s leadership.
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I also wondered if the priest might be a hypocrite who had committed some secret sin that he was being punished for - but in the end it was the sins we see him committing that brought about his downfall!
It is Christmas, A.D. 1141, Abbot Radulfus returns from London, bringing with him a priest for the vacant living of Holy Cross, also known as the Foregate. The new priest is a man of presence, learning, and discipline, but he lacks humility and the common touch. When he is found drowned in the millpond, suspicion is cast upon a young man who arrived with the priest's train and was sent to work in Brother Cadfael's garden. Indeed, he is soon discovered to be an impostor. To Brother Cadfael, now falls the familiar task of sorting out the complicated strands of innocence and guilt.
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