The Rose Rent by Ellis Peters

I think this is the third Ellis Peters book I read. I read Monk's Hood, I know because I reviewed it in my early blogging days. I am not sure if I read The Leper of St.Giles. I could have read the book or got it from library and returned it before completing as the book was due.

This is the thirteenth chronicle of Brother Cadfael, the herbologist Monk detective. But he doesn't do much detection here. The story takes place in 1142 in Shrewsbury, England. Young widow Judith Perle has given the use of a house to the abbey in return for one White Rose as rent from the garden to be remitted on a particular day every year. Such is the beauty and grace of Judith that there are suitors abound. But it is not just her beauty and grace alone that make suitors flock it is her wealth too. Judith is the proprietor of a flourishing clothier business which she runs successfully with the help of her cousin. Few days before the rent is to be remitted Brother Eluric is found dead and part of the Rose bush hacked. Who did it and why? Judith goes missing. What happened to her? Was she killed? Or an unscrupulous suitor hold her hostage to make her marry him?

There is only one solution to the puzzle and why does it take so long for Brother Cadfael to find it? I wish there were some twists and turns and a real surprise in the end.

WWW: Wednesdays

I am playing WWW: Wednesdays hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading

To play along just answer the following three questions....

*What are you currently reading?
*What did you just recently finish reading?
*What do you think you'll read next?

What are you currently reading?
I just started The Rose Rent by Ellis Peters. It is Brother Cadfael's thirteenth chronicle. I read Ellis Peters Monk's-Hood which features herbologist detective Brother Cadfael before and I liked it. This story takes place in 1142.

What did you just recently finish reading?
I finished Blue Heaven by C. J. Box and the Yellow Claw by Sax Rohmer. Blue Heaven is a thriller. Twelve year old Annie, and ten year old William watch an execution in the woods. The killers identify the kids and are watching their home. They have nowhere to go. How long will they survive in the woods? Where will they go? Will anybody help them? A roller coaster ride with bad cops and some good guys. A great thriller.

Yellow Claw by Sax Rohmer is a mystery featuring French detective Gaston Max. A strange woman is killed in the apartment of writer Henry Leroux in London. There is a paper with the name Mr.King in her hand. Who is Mr. King? Who killed the woman? Why is Gaston Max a French detective investigating this case in London? Of Chinamen and opium dens. Didn't expect to be so caught up with the book. I even had a nightmare about a locked room and a golden dragon. A good thriller. Now I will have to read the next book in the series, Golden Scorpion.

What do you think you'll read next?
I am still planning to read Violets are Blue by James Patterson which is a sequel to Roses are Red. I am also planning to read Vault by Ruth Rendell. Vault is the latest book by Ruth Rendell featuring Inspector Wexford.