The Potter's Field by Ellis Peters (Cadfael #17) - SPOILER Thread - (March/April 24)

[Susan]

Welcome to our March/April 24 buddy read of The Potter's Field Book 17 in the Cadfael series was initially published in 1989.

The year is 1143, and once again Brother Cadfael is forced to abandon the tranquility of his herb garden and use his knowledge of human nature to solve a murder- this time frighteningly close to home. When a newly ploughed field, recently given to the Abbey yields that body of a young woman, Cadfael is quickly thrown into a delicate situation. The field was once ownded by a local potter named Ruald, who deserted his beautiful wife to take monastic vows among the Benedictines. The woman was said to have gone away with a lover, but now it would appear otherwise. With the arrival of young Sulien Blount, a novice fleeing homeward from the civil war raging in East Anglia, the mysteries surrounding the corpse start to multiply.

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

[Jill]

For some reason I just wasn't so interested in this one, as I have been with others. Cadfael played some part in this, as did Hugh Beringar, but maybe not as much as usual. Quite a mystery though

[Susan in NC]

I honestly couldn’t remember the end, was afraid the former husband/current monk was going to be guilty, which would’ve been so sad. I thought it was an intriguing twist ending! Tragic, but interesting.

[Judy]

I wondered if it might be the young ex-monk, but then decided it couldn't be when he fell in love. I definitely didn't guess the true solution.

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "I wondered if it might be the young ex-monk, but then decided it couldn't be when he fell in love. I definitely didn't guess the true solution."

Me, either!

[Sandy]

By the time they determined the victim's identity I 'knew' the father was involved because Cadfael had eliminated all other possibilities and I always trust Cadfael's gut feeling. I remembered he had left for war (unnecessarily) about the same time as his son joined the order. The actual ending was quite a surprise and very touching.

I will miss Cadfael.