The Cadfael Chronicles Books in Order
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The Cadfael Chronicles is a series of historical murder mysteries written by Edith Pargeter under the pseudonym Ellis Peters, comprising 21 books published between 1979 and 1994. Set in 12th-century England during the period known as the Anarchy, the series follows Brother Cadfael, a Benedictine monk of Welsh origin who served as a soldier before entering monastic life. Each novel presents a standalone mystery involving crimes, often murders, within his monastery or surrounding communities. Cadfael uses his knowledge of people, medicine, and the natural world to solve these cases, exploring themes of justice, faith, and human nature. The stories are grounded in historical detail and reflect the social and political conditions of medieval England, with the first book, The Hermit of Eyton Forest, published in 1987.
Publication order
In the order the books were originally released.
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Buy on Amazon1977 · Ellis Peters
A 12th-century group of Shrewsbury monks travel to Wales to retrieve the relics of a 7th-century saint. They face resistance from the local people…
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Buy on Amazon1979 · Ellis Peters
The year is 1138, and England is caught in a struggle for the crown between King Stephen and the Empress Maud. After Stephen captures the castle of…
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Buy on Amazon1980 · Ellis Peters
A stiff-necked old man leaves his estate to Shrewsbury Abbey in his will, then dies after eating a meal sent by the abbey. Brother Cadfael must…
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Buy on Amazon1981 · Ellis Peters
St. Peter's Fair is a grand, festive event attracting merchants from across England and beyond, held during a pause in the civil war racking the…
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Buy on Amazon1981 · Ellis Peters
Brother Cadfael is sent to the Saint Giles leper colony outside Shrewsbury to uncover the truth behind a savage murder. He arrives as a wedding…
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Buy on Amazon1982 · Ellis Peters
Cadfael tends to a brother who has been beaten and left for dead. He also investigates the disappearance of some siblings and their nun escort.…
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Buy on Amazon1983 · Ellis Peters
The Devil's Novice is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters, set in autumn 1140. It is the eighth novel in the Cadfael Chronicles, first published…
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Buy on Amazon1983 · Ellis Peters
An itinerant entertainer is accused of theft and assault but finds sanctuary in the abbey, where he is given 40 days to prove his innocence. Brother…
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Buy on Amazon1984 · Ellis Peters
In February 1141, men return from war to Shrewsbury, but the captured sheriff, Gilbert Prestcote, is not among them. A young Welsh prisoner, Elis, is…
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Buy on Amazon1984 · Ellis Peters
A 1984 novel by Ellis Peters. The abbey's celebration of Saint Winifred becomes the setting for duplicitous characters, including Cadfael, tied to…
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Buy on Amazon1985 · Ellis Peters
Shrewsbury is the setting for a novel by Ellis Peters, also known as Edith Pargeter. The story involves two refugee brothers whose past could create…
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Buy on Amazon1986 · Ellis Peters
In 1141, Abbot Radulfus returns from London with a priest to fill the vacancy at Holy Cross in the Foregate. The priest is intelligent and…
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Buy on Amazon1986 · Ellis Peters
The Abby has been giving one rose each year as rent for a wealthy widow's property. This year, the rose is hacked to pieces, and the rent cannot be…
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Buy on Amazon1987 · Ellis Peters
This 1987 Cadfael mystery by Edith Pargeter is more about medieval law and crime, and the first civil war in England between Empress Matilda and King…
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Buy on Amazon1988 · Ellis Peters
A 1988 work by Edith Pargeter comprising three short stories that serve as a prequel to the Brother Cadfael series. The first describes the…
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Buy on AmazonThe Confession of Brother Haluin
1988 · Ellis Peters
A medieval mystery novel set in the winter of 1142-1143 by Ellis Peters. It is the fifteenth novel in the Cadfael Chronicles, first published in…
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Buy on Amazon1989 · Ellis Peters
This book, a 1989 novel by Edith Pargeter, examines the nature of true piety. The main character is the apprentice of a man who has died and is later…
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Buy on Amazon1989 · Ellis Peters
In October 1142, a local landlord gives the Potter's Field, previously owned by potter Ruald and his wife, to the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and…
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Buy on Amazon1991 · Ellis Peters
In the summer of 1144, England experiences a rare calm as the conflict between King Stephen and Empress Maud lessens. Brother Cadfael, a monk from…
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Buy on Amazon1992 · Ellis Peters
A medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters set in 1144-1145. It is the 19th and penultimate volume of the Cadfael Chronicles, first published in 1992.…
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Buy on Amazon1994 · Ellis Peters
In the fall of 1145, Philip FitzRobert, the younger son of Robert of Gloucester, switches sides in the eight-year struggle for the English crown,…
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Frequently asked questions
What order should I read the The Cadfael Chronicles books in?
Read them in publication order, starting with “A Morbid Taste for Bones”. Start with “A Morbid Taste for Bones.”
How many books are in the The Cadfael Chronicles series?
We list 21 books by Ellis Peters , published between 1977–1994.
Where can I buy the The Cadfael Chronicles books?
Each title above links to Amazon. See our affiliate disclosure.
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Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.