Dead Man’s Ransom, Ellis Peters. New York: Open Road Media, 2014 (Originally published in 1984.)

Summary: Following the Battle of Lincoln, Hugh and Cadfael arrange a prisoner exchange between a young Welsh nephew of Owain of Gwynedd for Sheriff Prestcote, which becomes a murder investigation when Prescote is smothered before the Welsh can depart.

Rebel lords in the north of England betray their loyalty to King Stephen, joining forces with some renegade Welshmen. Stephen leads a force, joined by Sheriff Gilbert Prestcote and Hugh Beringar. The Battle of Lincoln is a disaster. King Stephen is captured along with Prestcote, who is badly wounded. Hugh barely escapes to bring news to Shrewsbury. Meanwhile, a band of Welsh who had joined the battle, raid the convent at Godric’s Ford but are turned back by stout foresters. A young Welshman, nearly drowned, is captured and sent to Shrewsbury. He is a landed nephew of Owain of Gwynedd, who was not involved in the raid and has remained neutral. Elis ap Cynan becomes Hugh’s hope for a prisoner exchange for Prestcote. Brother Cadfael helps arrange the exchange.

Only a problem develops. Elis, while held prisoner, meets and falls in love with Melicent, the daughter of Prestcote, even though he is betrothed back in Wales to Cristina, a spirited young woman toward whom he has never felt more then friendly affection. While in Wales, Cadfael meets Eliud ap Griffith, to whom Elis is a foster brother, though they are brothers in affection and Cadfael notes the “chemistry” between Eliud and Cristina, though Eliud would never betray his foster brother.

Things get more complicated when Prestcote recovers enough for the exchange to go forward. Still very weak, he is escorted by Einon ab Ithel, Owain’s captain, and an entourage that includes Eliud, tending the horses. Prestcote can barely make it to bed, tended by Cadfael. Eliud and Elis unite with Elis telling his plans to see Prestcote, who they expect to oppose a match with Melicent, to plead for her hand. Despite counsel that this is unwise with the man’s weakened condition, Elis goes.

Hours later, Prestcote is found dead, but not, as they first thought, from his wounds and the journey. He had been smothered. Cadfael observes two key pieces of evidence. A pin is missing from atop a cloak lent by Einon and folded nearby. And there are distinctively colored fibers in the victim’s nostrils and beard. Find the cloth they came from and the pin and these may point to the murderer. Since Elis was the only known suspect, he is taken into custody. But neither the pin nor the cloth can be found on him, or indeed anywhere in the precincts of the Abbey. Eliud remains behind as well as hostage. Melicent, believing Elis to be the murderer, disavows her love for Elis and decides to enter the convent at Godric’s Ford. Another suspect, Anion ap Griffri had been staying in the infirmary in the Abbey, feet away from Prestcote’s room. He was recovering from a broken leg that had mended and nursed a grievance against Prestcote and has gone missing.

As you can see, this is a convoluted story with many characters–you have to work to keep them all straight. Hugh has to divide his attentions between the investigation and securing his borders from further attacks and raids, allying with Owain. Cadfael joins him to investigate the murder, pursuing Anion. Beringar leaves inexperienced Alan Herberd to defend Shrewsbury and surrounding areas, including Godric’s Ford, from further raids. They come, with Melicent at the convent.

All this leads to an exciting climax, the discovery of the murderer, and the murderer’s escape from Hugh’s custody through a subterfuge in which Cadfael plays a “wink-wink, nod-nod” role, not actively involved but helping make it possible. It is an interesting plot turn and I wonder how other readers felt about it. As an interesting sidenote, he is assisted by the former Avice of Thornbury, now the resourceful Sister Magdalen. It will be interesting to see if Peters develops this relationship in future stories.

All told, an engrossing story that leaves us wondering how Hugh will fare with Maud in the ascendent and what this will mean for the stability of Shrewsbury and life at the Abbey.