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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN num: 9780312362751
ISBN number: 0312362757
Label: St. Martin's Griffin
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 288
Printing Date: October 17, 2006
Publishing house: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: October 17, 2006
Sale Popularity Level: 203557
Studio: St. Martin's Griffin
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Product Description:
In November of 667 A.D., Fidelma of Cashel has returned home to her brother's castle to discover that a servant, her son's nurse, has been found brutally murdered in the woods near town, and her son is missing, presumed kidnapped or worse. Sister Fidelma, sister to king of Muman in Ireland, an advocate of the Brehon courts, and a religieuse of the Celtic Church, and her husband Brother Eadulf now must face their most personal and baffling case ever. Is there a traitor at her brother's court? Are the Ui Fidgente, the old blood enemies of Fidelma's family, involved? And what is the role of the mysterious dwarf seen leaving the kingdom carrying a leper's bell? With few clues and precious little time, Fidelma must unravel this complicated puzzle in time to rescue her missing child.
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Rated by buyers 
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In 7th century Ireland, Sister Fidelma has returned to her brother's castle in Muman (Munster) to find her baby stolen and the nurse found murdered. Her Saxon Husband, Brother Eadulf, is helping her to find the killer of the nurse, and the baby at the same time.
I found this book extremely good and at times amazing, however this was from a historical viewpoint. The author is at pains to explain what things are and how they happen to be structured like they are. The intricacies of how the judicial system worked, the burials, the culture and so on are painstakingly described in conversations between characters. However, while this explains why things are as they are, I found it at times dull to read characters talking about things they would not talk about under normal circumstances, the author using them as a tool to explain why things were as they were.
The mystery was reasonably good. I found Sister Fidelma strained. The story is most often told from the viewpoint of Eadulf, a saxon outsider and her temporary husband - and much easier character to relate to and feel affection for.
I think I would have to read more of these to really know if I liked them or not, but it was certainly a reasonably good general read, which I enjoyed. I just really don't know if I would enjoy more of the same.
Rated by buyers -
I love this series, even though Sister Fidelma is rather crusty and reactive. In this one, she does a good bit of soul searching, and Eadulf does a lot of the sleuth work. A nice balance.
Rated by buyers 
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The Leper's Bell is one of the best of the overall excellent Sister Fidelma mysteries. It is quite different from most of the series because Fidelma and Eadulf are personally involved in the mystery instead of just being the investigating dalaigh and her companion. The change is quite enjoyable because you get to see the main characters change and grow a bit more than can normally be seen. The mystery itself is also interesting and, as usual, Peter Tremayne's helps us glimpse more of the Early Medieval Irish world that he makes so real and fascinating.
Rated by buyers -
This fascinating series of the history of Ireland and it's orderly, fair ancient laws combined with mystery, adventure and a romantic duo has kept me intrigued for years. The Leper's Bell takes Fidelma and Eadulf into a new relationship and Fidelma begins to question her priorities, her allegiances and her ambivalence to motherhood. While the mystery in this book leads us down intriguing paths, it is easy to see where the real villian resides. No matter. It's not so much the mystery that ensnares the loyal Fidelma reader in this book as it is the way Tremayne weaves history, law, travelogue and romance.
Rated by buyers -
In the seventh century, dalieh Sister Fidelma of Cashel, travels around Eire as an advocate of the law courts accompanied by her lover and trial marriage partner Brother Eadulf of Seaxmund's Ham. After their current trek in which they left their young son home with his competent nurse Sarat, they return home to tragedy. Sarat has been murdered and their child is missing, probably kidnapped, but no ransom or any message has been delivered by the perpetrators.
Fidelma's brother King Colgu of Muman is irate over the abduction of his nephew. He meets with his advisers and Eadulf on how to proceed. All agree on one thing not to allow the normally logical Fidelma to investigate especially since she holds herself culpable for going on her last assignment while leaving her child behind. However, Fidelma remains determined to get involved regardless of the commands from her brother the king and her spouse.
Peter Tremayne refreshes the delightful long running medieval who-done-it by bringing the case home and making it personal for the normally rational Fidlema. However, this time she must keep calm in order to follow the clues to rescue her beloved son even though her brother and husband think she is incapable of performing such a detached investigation. The Leper's Bell is Peter Tremayne at his very best (which is incredible).
Harriet Klausner
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