A Rare Benedictine

Edith Pargeter · first published 1988 · ISBN 9780446400886

Set in 1120 and functioning as the introduction to Brother Cadfael, this novella depicts the medieval monk's arrival at Shrewsbury Abbey. The story shows how a former soldier and sailor finds his calling in monastic life and begins his career as an investigator guided by compassion rather than law alone. This work establishes the foundation for the beloved Cadfael Chronicles.