[1] Another review considered that while "Murder abounds in these early chronicles", the "predictable plotting is amply compensated for by the author's wonderful re-creation of the period".
[2] In summer 1139, England is torn by strife between King Stephen and his cousin Empress Maud, during The Anarchy.
From abroad Empress Maud is building support for a renewed attempt on the throne, with Earl Robert of Gloucester.
He appeals unsuccessfully to Abbot Radulfus for a share of the money raised by the fair to repair the damages from the siege the prior year.
Corbière stumbles across his drunken archer, Turstan Fowler, and leaves the search to carry him to the abbey for a night in the punishment cells.
The search ends when a barge arrives with the naked body of Thomas of Bristol, murdered with a dagger and dumped in the river.
The theory now is that Thomas and Euan of Shotwick were partisans who had come to the fair to conduct secret business, involving an item of great value.
Cadfael, Hugh, Sheriff Prestcote and Corbière confront Ewald, who shows his neatly bandaged arm.
Cadfael and Hugh work out Corbière's scheme to save himself by fooling Ewald and ordering Turstan to kill him.
Aline updates Cadfael and Hugh at the Abbey; Emma and Corbière left three hours earlier and Philip is gone.
Emma removes the letter from her hair, unseen by Corbière, and then pushes it into the fire at the expense of burning her hand.
The novel ends with the news that on 30 September 1139, Empress Maud invaded England, establishing herself at Arundel Castle in West Sussex.
Saint Peter's Fair is a historical mystery set in 1139 during The Anarchy, a nineteen-year period in English history.
They noted the "colorful, convincing details on the workings of a medieval fair" and concluded it was "a graceful and informative, if not particularly mysterious, case for Peters' engaging, herb-gardening monk.
"[1] Publishers Weekly reviewed a 1991 audio book of this and the next novel in the series in one article, liking the historical setting more than the plots.
They felt that readers "are likely to solve these mysteries long before the insightful Benedictine monk, but predictable plotting is amply compensated for by the author's wonderful re-creation of the period".
The first two victims are merchants with goods to sell, who hold similar political views, favouring the Empress.
The story takes place in the year 1139, during The Anarchy, a term referring to the 19-year civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud.
His cousin, the surviving legitimate child of the prior King Henry, Empress Maud is in Anjou attempting to build support for her invasion, aided in England by her half-brother Robert of Gloucester.
The contention arose from Henry's effort to gain support from the nobility to honour his daughter as Queen on his death, as his only legitimate son had died in an accident on the White Ship in 1120.
When Henry died, Stephen acted quickly to gain the crown while Maud stayed in Anjou with her husband and children.
[7] Perhaps England was not ready for a queen; perhaps her second marriage with Geoffrey of Anjou (arranged by her father) rankled; perhaps the affable Stephen was more popular and Maud too strident; perhaps the barons wanted to be more certain of their own lands; perhaps other reasons set off the long period of strife, which was not settled until King Stephen died.
[8] The novel concludes with Empress Maud invading England on 30 September 1139 and taking Arundel Castle in West Sussex.
The Charter fair was a primary method of buying and selling trade goods in this century (the 12th) as part of the growing economy, as well as a benefit to the Abbey, from rents, fees, tolls.
It was the second episode of the third season, filmed on location in Hungary in 1996 and produced in Britain by Central Independent Television for ITV.