"strong mid-seventh century South Wales mystery"
In the kingdom of Dyfed in what is now South Wales, Brother
Cyngar stops at Llampadern, a religious community of twenty-
seven brothers, expecting a good meal only to find the
place deserted. There are no signs of a struggle but it
looks like the brothers departed in the middle of their
meal and all the livestock is missing. The traveler rushes
to the Abbey of Dewi Saint to inform Abbot Tryffin. The
abbot and the king of Dyfed, whose son is one of the
missing brothers, prevail upon Sister Fidelma and Brother
Eadulf to investigate the vanishing. Fidelma and Eadulf agree to help though both realize the
Britons who occupy most of Dyfed hate the Saxons. They
stop briefly at the town of Pen Cair, accompanied by a
judge, who is presiding over a murder trial. The two
visiting sleuths help their companion investigate the
situation until it is time to travel to Llampadern where
they are kidnapped by outlaws who have a distinctly royal
bearing. When they escape, they find the judge murdered.
Fidelma investigates both cases with some very interesting
results. Peter Tremayne makes the culture of that period come alive
in the mind's eye and snares the interest of the reader
from the outset. Fidelma observes that mid-seventh century
South Wales is very similar to her homeland since the Celts
also settled there. This who done-it has many layers and
the two cases have threads in common which makes for a
brilliant puzzle that is almost impossible to solve. As
usual a Fidelma mystery is always fun to read and SMOKE IN
THE WIND is no exception. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted June 5, 2003
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