The Devil's Novice cover art

The Devil's Novice

The Eighth Chronicle of Brother Cadfael

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The Devil's Novice

By: Ellis Peters
Narrated by: Vanessa Benjamin
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About this listen

 Outside the pale of the Abbey of Saint Peters and Saint Paul, in September of the year of our Lord 1140, a priestly emissary for King Stephen has been reported missing. But inside the pale, what troubles Brother Cadfael is a proud, secretive 19-year-old novice.
Brother Cadfael has never seen two men more estranged than the Lord of Aspley and Meriet, the son he coldly delivers to the abbey to begin a religious vocation. Meriet, meek by day, is so racked by dreams at night that his howls earn him the nickname the Devil's Novice. Shunned and feared, Meriet is soon linked to the missing priest's dreadful fate. Only Brother Cadfael believes in Meriet's innocence, and only the good sleuth can uncover the truth before a boy's pure passion, not evil intent, leads a novice to the noose.©1983 by Ellis Peters (P)1997 by Blackstone Audiobooks Amateur Sleuths Cosy Detective Historical Mystery Traditional Detectives Fiction

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Critic reviews

"Each addition to the series is a joy. Long may the Chronicles continue." ( USA Today)
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Excellent story and it was well read, but it is a shame the sound levels were all over the shop.

Excellent story well read shame the sound levels were all over the shop

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The pronunciation of Cadfael - Cād-vile. Welsh f is pronounced v
The pronunciation of Compline - Cōmp-lynn
but it is a great yarn and well-told.

Great Story

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excellent story, well told, enjoyed but the spell broken at times with some of her male impersonations

Well worth a listen

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The story seemed to be dragged out! The narrator was ok but some of the voices were god awful, especially Cadfael’s voice! It was just ridiculous!

Went on a bit!

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Loved this story! People from the past are revealed as folk we can care about and identify with. The characters were so real that I could not wait for the story to unfold. Beautifully read!

The world of Britain long ago comes alive.

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