The year is 670 AD and wise Fidelma of Cashel has been called to the city of french city Autun to act as advisor to the Irish delegation to a Christian council normally hostile to the Celtic Church. This council decided the religious rule of Saint Benedict to be of Roman church practices. Like Absolution for Murder, Fidelma and her now husband Eadulf encounter a murder upon their arrival to Autun. Because of her reputation as a "crime solver" Bishop Leodegar asks Fidelma to investigate the death, giving her full access to investigate despite the fact a year earlier Leogedar ordered a full segregation of the sexes. Male members of the church were ordered to be celibate or, if already married, give up their families and divorce their wives. Women were simply forbidden in almost all areas. Some women disappeared altogether. Additional to this stumbling block, the death occurred a full week before Fidelma and Eadulf's arrival. They have no chance to examine the body of Abbot Dabhoc or seek clues from the crime scene in real time. No one seems to want the couple to solve this crime. Is it because Fidelma is a woman? Witnesses are hostile, other individuals mysteriously disappear or are found dead outside the gates of the city. It is only after Fidelma and Eadulf experience near-death "accidents" that they begin to wonder if they are uncovering a much larger scandal.
Also like Absolution for Murder readers are treated to a little lesson on religion. One example among many Tremayne outlined: God is either the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost or he is the Trinity and Trinity in Unity. Both mean the same thing so which is right?
Since Absolution for Murder Fidelma and Eadulf have gotten married and have a son. This makes sense because Council of the Cursed is eighteen books later. ( )

The Council of the Cursed is the 17th Sister Fidelma novel. This one has kept up with the great writing and a wonderful mystery we have come to know in the previous tales of this tenacious red-head and her partner.

Fidelma and Eadulf are traveling to meet with Abbot Segdae at a conclave of the church in Burgundy (the Council of Autun) to discuss matters of the faith and what the churches will follow. Before they arrive a murder is committed and the Council might dissolve and fail in it's task. Two violently opposing members of the council are under suspicion since they are found in the same room as the murdered victim, both having been incapacitated. On top of this the ex-wives and children who are kept separate in the Domus Femini (Women's Dorm) seem to be running away at an alarming rate in the middle of the night. For every question Fidelma finds answers to 3 more questions rear their head. Will she solve the mystery before one of the attempts on her life are successful?

Overall a great mystery and while reading previous books in the series isn't required it certainly wouldn't hurt. I enjoy reading these books with their glimpse into 7th century Europe. Tremayne does an excellent job bring the past to life. ( )

For those of you who are trying to find a different historical series to fall in love with since the Brother Cadfael series, take a look at Peter Tremayne. Tremayne is an historian and an expert on the era that he writes on. (670A.D.) and in Ancient Ireland, and his Sister Fidelma series is a winner. This is something like the 18 book in the series, so if you haven't read any of these books yet, start at number one (Absolution by Murder), and begin a wonderful journey to an enchanted time. In this book Sister Fidelma and her husband Brother Eadulf are in Burgundy where there is a Catholic Church conference. Strange things are happening in the city of Autun. People are dying and women and children are going missing. Fidelma and Eadulf are tasked with getting to the bottom of it. These books are truly wonderful, and I cannot say that enough. I am also truly fortunate because I live in Canada. I get these books a full year earlier than their American release date. ( )