Cadfael - The Holy Thief

This Cadfael story are said to be darker in character and not as much as lighter earlier mysteries. This is not my favorite Hugh Beringar (Anthony Green.) I prefer Eoin McCarthy. However he works well in this Cadfael. In The Holy Thief while most people were using trial by water to catch the guilty, Cadfael (Derek Jacobi) uses forensics to track down the murder.

The abbey in Ramsey is bunt down by rebel soldiers. You may recall the time of the civil war between King Stephen and Queen Maude. As is the custom they clam the loan of St. Winifred's holy relics, to help build their monastery. You may also recall in "A Morbid Taste for Bones" the trouble Shrewsbury had obtaining St. Winifred. So in stead Brother Cadfael and Abbot Radulfus offer precious gems.

A stormy night comes up and in the disarray Winifred is pinched. In the process there is a murder. Only the balance and counter balance of Cadfael and Beringar can solve this, if any one can.

Fans of Ellis Peters' most intriguing monk, Brother Cadfael, will certainly enjoy this dramatic presentation of The Holy Thief. Derek Jacobi was made to be Brother Cadfael, a soldier of the Crusades, who laid down his sword and pledged himself to holy orders leaving behind the ways of the world. Alas, the ways of the world inhabit the monastery of Shrewsbury. Our dear monk is called on time and time again to solve mystery upon mystery that befalls the monastery.

Sigh, this time a greedy self-centered abbot from Ramsey lays claim to the relics of St. Winifred. Ramsey has been burned down and her presence would enable that monastery to be built anew. Abbot Radulfus' bases his claim on the vision of his young novice who was told by the saint to come and retrieve her.

Pardon the expression,"as all hell breaks loose", everybody stakes their claims for the bones. To make matters worse Winifred gets stolen and someone gets murdered. It is a Holy Mess and Cadfael is called upon to clean it up. From their our story goes through various twists, turns and detours. Cadfael gets to a point of him blowing his top. Wonderful. What a great story. One major flaw is the cinematic production strays quite away from the book but of course this is expected. You still get the fundamentals of the conflict and find yourself wondering who done it. By the way, it's not who you think even if you did read the book. I love a video that will keep you guessing. So will you.