Getting into the habit…
Since it’s Reading Ireland Month, how about a detective who’s also a nun in 7th century Ireland? Strictly speaking, Peter Tremayne is an Englishman, but since he is a Celtic historian and was made a life member of the Irish Literary Society in 2002, I hereby declare him an honorary Irishman for the purposes of this post. There’s no doubt about Sister Fidelma’s nationality – she was born into the royal family of Munster, and is both a lawyer and a Celtic nun. The Sister Fidelma series appears to be on book 26 – however, it’s new to me. This short story was originally published in 2005, so let’s see if Fidelma merits the title of…
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The Spiteful Shadow
by Peter Tremayne
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Sister Fidelma has arrived at the Abbey of Durrow on a visit, only to be told by her old friend Abbot Laisran of a horrible murder that has taken place in the abbey. A young Sister is accused of killing one of the men in the community. But Abbot Laisran is worried…
“There are some things in life that appear so simple that you get a strange feeling about them. You question whether things can be so simple and, sure enough, you often find that they are so simple because they have been made to appear simple…”
Sister Scathach is a troubled young woman, who hears voices which she believes come from the Otherworld. These voices give her messages of doom – usually general ones about the destruction of the world and so on – and instruct her to give these messages out to the world. But one day, the message is more specific – that Brother Sioda is doomed to die by having his heart ripped out. And, just as she prophesied, the next day his bloody corpse is found spreadeagled on his bed. When the Abbot goes to Sister Scathach’s room, he finds a bloody robe and an even bloodier dagger, and the room is locked from the inside. So simple, indeed – and yet something doesn’t feel right. For a start, assuming the voices are not from the Otherworld, how could Sister Scathach have known about the girl Sioda had seduced some years ago? And what would be her motive for killing him? It’s up to Sister Fidelma to find the truth…

Sister Fidelma may be a nun, but she’s not about to be taken in by the whole hearing voices thing…
“I believe in the Otherworld and our transition from this one to that but… I think that those who repose in the Otherworld have more to do than to try to return to this one to murder people. I have investigated several similar matters…there is always a human agency at work.”
However, one can’t help but wonder if, just occasionally, Sister Fidelma also hears voices from the Otherworld – in this case, the bit of the Otherworld that is situated in 221b Baker Street…
“My theory is that when you subtract the impossible, you will find your answers in the possible.”
When Sister Fidelma visits Sister Scathach in her cell and hears her own story of the mysterious voices, she is even more convinced that this is a very human murder, and sets out to find the culprit and the motive…

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Given the short length of this story, it’s interesting, though not really a solvable mystery for the reader. Basically each interview that Fidelma holds leads her one step further towards the solution until she reaches the culprit. However, it’s well written and the historical setting intrigued me a lot. Given Tremayne’s credentials as a historian, one assumes his depiction is reasonably accurate, and this early Christian society seems very different to the later monasteries and abbeys we might be more used to in historical fiction. For example, there is no rule to prevent marriage between the male and female members of the abbey, so they are not quite as we imagine nuns and monks, which throws open the whole question of possible motives.
There isn’t really enough room here to develop too much sense of place or characterisation, but it gives enough of a flavour of Fidelma and her way of life to make me interested enough to try out one of the full length novels. A decent introduction to what looks like it might be an enjoyable, fairly cosy series.
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Little Grey Cells rating: ❓
Overall story rating: 😀 😀 😀 😀
Eeek! EEEEeeekkk! I was suspicious at the tag line but then my worst fears were confirmed… this is about NUNS! Due to my innate fear of the beastly creatures I shall NOT be reading this story, or any like it, unless they are all dispatched with by the end of the first chapter. *shudders* Now I need wine.
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Hahaha! Good heavens! Is this phobia due to some awful childhood incident? If so, do share!! 😉
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No, not at all – I have no idea where it comes from. I asked my mum but she isn’t sure, only that I have always been terrified of them!
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I suspect it’s probably because they don’t wear bowler hats. You have to admit that would jazz up their outfits considerably!
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Yes, some proper headgear might improve matters and maybe something sparkly to make them less menacing *shudders*
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Sequined habits… I think there’s a business opportunity there…
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Yes, they would be good for stripper nuns!
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Hahahahaha! You are an extremely wicked person!
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And you just realise this now..? 😉
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No comment…
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I’m glad you enjoyed this story, FictionFan. Tremayne is, by all accounts, a very knowledgeable historian, so yes, I agree the stories have a solid sense of authenticity. And I like Sister Fidelma’s character. It’s well-developed without, in my opinion anyway, being too anachronistic. If you do try the series, I’ll be keen to know what you think of it.
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He certainly seems to be considered an authority. I always enjoy when historians write historical fiction – you find out quite a lot about a given time in passing. Yes, Fidelma wasn’t terribly well-developed in this one – too short – but I got the feeling she would be an enjoyable character in the full-length books. Good to hear you think they’re worth investigating further…
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I totally want to read one of Tremayne’s books. Love the idea of a crime-solving nun! It had to happen, since Father Brown and Brother Cadfael books abound!
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Ha! Yes, it seems only fair! This story made me think the books would be quite similar to the Brother Cadfael ones in tone. I like that style – not totally cosy, but not overly gritty either…
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I actually wanted to be a nun when I was about 10-11. Although I wasn’t Catholic. And I would definitely have been a crime-solving one… May have to check this series out!
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Haha! It was something that always quite appealed to me too, till I found out about the dawn prayers! Maybe modern nuns pray at more civilised hours… 😉
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Maybe we had the false blissful picture of quietly sitting in our cells and reading all day long…
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Sounds good, doesn’t it? But perhaps a spa hotel would provide the same, with added comfort… 😉
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I’m a big fan of this series – properly constructed mysteries complete with a gathering of the suspects. I’ve a page of spoiler-free reviews on my blog – https://classicmystery.wordpress.com/classic-bibliographies/peter-tremayne/ – thanks for reminding me to get back to the series.
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Thanks for the link – your blog looks like great fun! And glad to hear you endorse this series – must make an effort to get hold of one of the books… 🙂
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Nuns! The bane of my school days! Reading Ireland Month feels complete now that we have nuns involved ☺
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Haha! Yes, I don’t see how we could really ‘do’ Ireland without at least one nun! And Sister Fidelma sounds like a bit more fun than some of the more modern ones you hear about… 😉
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I never wanted to be a nun, but neither do I have any aversion to nuns. If I HAD to be a nun (no one is likely to want to insist on this) I think being called Sister Scathach would be a jolly name. Remarkably silly. As long as the silliness of the name isn’t somehow linked with the hearing of voices, Unless they were saying remarkably pleasant things……Sister Scathach, I think its time you went and got some of your favourite chocolates. Sister Scathach, I think you deserve a nice lie in, rather than getting up for matins. Sister Scathach, its a lovely sunny afternoon, why don’t you put on your swimming costume, take a picnic hamper and go down to the beach.
Hmm. I think I’m right, no one is likely to insist I become a nun. Not to mention all the other stuff which makes me unnunnyno
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I always quite fancied the solitude and the room to myself (sisters, you know). But when I learned about the getting up a hundred times a night to pray, I kinda went off the idea. Plus the frocks aren’t very flattering…
Now you mention it, it is a little annoying that the voices always seem to be about doom and gloom! I think your kind of voices would be much more fun. Actually, I think I do have a voice in my head that makes me eat chocolate… it can’t be my own fault…
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Sounds good if a little less than useful in keeping the grey cells functioning but I love your review especially when you point out that the sister is ‘not about to be taken in by the whole hearing voices thing…’ and then link to Baker Street – great review as always and this looks like (another) author to look out for!!
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Yes, the detection technique didn’t allow for much armchair mystery-solving but I suspect that was just because the story was so short. Haha! I couldn’t help but imagine her in a deerstalker when she said that! But I did like the style and the setting – must try one of the novels some time…
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I’m a big fan of Sister Fidelma and I know a little about the period, so I always keep an eye out for a new one. I know this story though, but I missed the Holmes quote!
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I’ve never come across them before, but they seem as if they might be fun. Haha! Yes that was a bit of a deerstalker moment… 😉
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I’ve never read any of this series, but it sounds pretty good to me. I just might have to check out at least one, you know. The Irish setting and the mystery genre sound right up my alley. Poor PorterGirl, she’s terrified of nuns. Must be all that black, swirling garb!
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Yes, they sound good, don’t they? They remind me of the Brother Cadfael books which I used to really enjoy. Haha! Poor PorterGirl indeed! Maybe if I read and review some of these books I’ll have to pretend Fidelma is actually a nurse or something… 😉
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I like the little gray cells rating. (Grey/gray. Color/colour.) But all this talk of Ireland Month, I’m awaiting a certain Irish/American writer…I think you know who! 😸
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Haha! The pressure! The pressure! Every single one of these Irish books is a minefield because somebody loves them… I may need to pacify people with doughnuts (donuts)! Reading it now…
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Hah! Chocolates will do. 😉
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A friend of mine is a big fan of the Sister Fidelma books and gave me one of her books ages ago – looks like I should read it sometime.
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This story was too short to really get a proper feel for the books, but it was certainly enough to intrigue me…
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Celts are pretty cool. One of the best teams to be in Civilizations III–if you ever find yourself playing. Just thought I should mention that.
A detective nun is an interest. I always got the impression nuns would make awful detectives, you know.
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Yes, we are! *preens* Thanks for the tip – I’ll bear that in mind!
Oh? Why? I suspect nuns know all about the wickedness of human nature…
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You’re a celt? Wow. That’s cool. But they’re supposed to have red beards.
You know, they probably do. But then again, so does the professor. *is proud*
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Indeed – The Scots, Welsh and Irish are known as the Celtic Fringe – oh, and Cornwall, musn’t forget them! If I had a beard, it might well be red – my sister (not BUS) had red hair…
Ah, but nuns know it because of observing other people, whereas the Professor is just wicked… *nods admiringly*
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Oh boy! That’s so cool. I can now brag about having a Celt for a friend! Can you believe? Everyone will be impressed, and scared, of course. That’s cool. Blond and red hair…very cool. *nods*
*laughs* I’m not that wicked.
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They should be scared! *paints face blue and screams “Freedom!!!!!”* Hmm… yes, that blond thing… you see, that might… might… not exactly be completely and wholly my natural colour… maybe… *hides hair dye*
*raises quizzical eyebrow*
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*laughs* Ah, it’s brown! Or…black?
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Purple!
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Aha! Red! #prettycool
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*laughs* Maybe… but then again…
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Red hair is awesome. *nods*
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*laughs lots* I kinda wish I had it now…
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