This medieval mystery follows Brother Cadfael, a monk on a dangerous quest to find three missing travelers, including a young Benedictine nun and two orphans from a noble family. Set during the raging civil war of winter 1139, Cadfael must navigate a chill and terrible murder on his journey, revealing the best and worst of humanity.

The Virgin in the Ice

The character of Cadfael himself is a Welsh Benedictine monk living at Shrewsbury Abbey, in western England, in the first half of the 12th century. The historically accurate stories are set between about 1135 and about 1145, during "The Anarchy", the destructive contest for the crown of England between King Stephen and Empress Maud.As a character, …

The Virgin in the Ice

Ellis Peters