The Blue Rose : An English Garden Mystery
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 December, 2004)
list price: $23.95 -- our price: $16.29
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (3)

Hardly Engaging
I've read some of the other reviews, and I couldn't disagree more.This book is not a page-turner.I found myself skipping over whole sections of prose because they were boring and sometimes needless.The story is straighforward.Hardly any surprises.Hardly any twists or turns.Bad guys are always bad guys.Good guys are always good guys.There's no hidden agenda lurking through the story.The blue rose is a natural anomaly.The people who really want it -- the people willing to steal and kill for it -- are conveniently identified as people willing to steal and kill for the blue rose.There's no "mystery" here really.It's just a matter of getting to the end of the book.

Beware the blue rose
When Kate and Alex Sheppard move into their dream house - a 19th century cottage complete with a walled garden - they make an exciting discovery - a rose bush in their garden sports blue flowers! Kate, a gardening enthusiast, knows that this mysterious rose could bring them worldwide fame and fortune. They try to remain calm and decide to seek advice from a botany professor and a lawyer. Despite their best efforts however, the secret is soon out, and the couple find themselves badgered by determined opportunists clamoring for the rose and a nightmare that includes kidnapping and murder.

This is Eglin's debut novel and it is a delightful page-turner. Gardeners will love the horticultural details thrown in and mystery fans will appreciate the well-paced plot and the author's attention to detail and believable dialog. This is an author to keep an eye on!

exciting amateur sleuth
From the moment they saw the Parsonage in the English village of Steeple Tarrant Alex and Kate Sheppard knew they found their dream house.Once they moved in, Alex and Kate work to fix the huge neglected gardens and soon find hidden under other plants a blue rose.Kate knows it must be very valuable because scientists have tried for decades without success to create one.They contact Doctor Lawrence Kingston who is an expert on roses and ask him to provide his expert opinion.

When he sees the rose, he advises them to get a lawyer to handle all the buyers that will want to purchase the flowery gem.They decide to put it up for auction but before that can happen, two businessmen desperate for money call and try to get the rose.The Sheppards refuse to talk to them and refer them to their lawyer.Someone is desperate enough to kidnap Kate and hold her for ransom in exchange for the rose.The only problem is Alex no longer has it because someone has stolen it.

THE BLUE ROSE is an exciting amateur sleuth mystery that will appeal to people who love to garden and those readers who don't like a lot of gore and blood in their who-done-it.The protagonists are beleaguered from every side by folks who will stop at nothing to get THE BLUE ROSE.What nobody knows is that the flower has an unexpected property that makes it dangerous.Anthony Eglin has written a wonderful garden mystery that like many vines takes a lot of unexpected twists and turns.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Isbn: 0312328702
Sales Rank: 162408
Subjects:  1. England    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Gardeners    5. Gardening    6. Mystery & Detective - General    7. Mystery & Detective - Traditional British    8. Mystery/Suspense    9. Rose culture    10. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

Death Pays the Rose Rent
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 February, 2003)
list price: $21.95 -- our price: $21.95
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (5)

A Winner!
Death Pays the Rose Rent is one fantastic mystery!From the very first page I enjoyed Tori Miracle's transition from a struggling author to a successful detective.In this latter role I wanted to help her solve eachcrime. Tori's detective skills become apparent in the quaint little town ofLickin Creek where she delves into the distant past to uncover hidden cluesthat help her solve the crimes.

Some books have many boring pages, butnot this one.Every page is alive and exciting.I highly recommend it.

Tori Miracle is likable and the local history is enjoyable.
I am from Chambersburg,Pennsylvania. Death Pays The Rose Rent is a a very enjoyable book. Both the book and the author are delightful. Great job, Valerie.

this book was a treat !!!!!
It's refreshing to pick up a book by a writer you have never read before and find it to be a terrific surprise.I enjoyed my time in Licken Creek,the characters were full bodied,the story was well crafted. I will be looking for Valerie S.Malmont again ! B.S. Milton ... Read more

Isbn: 0595271480
Sales Rank: 442528
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    4. Mystery/Suspense    5. Suspense   

Once upon a Rose
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (03 October, 2001)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $7.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (16)

Magic and love- A must read!!!
I have read all the Once Upon A series. All the stoies are wonderful fairytales filled with love, magic, suspense, heartache, yearning and happy ending. What else could a girl want?

It has left me wanting to read more!!!
So Nora Roberts and friends, care to do another ....Please?!?!?!?!?!

ehh...ok
It started out well enough with "Winter Rose", but, as many other reviewers have said, it had a lot of eery parallels to "Beauty and the Beast". Also, towards the end, I was confused at how the turnaround came so fast, without reason. How did summer all of a sudden come to the island?

"The Sword and the Rose" I liked, except for the fact that it ended way too fast. I thought that they would have spent more time finding the Rose staff or whatever it's called. And the climax was very short and the story cut off right after. It made me think that they thought they were in love because they went through an ordeal. I wasn't at all sure of their feelings for each other.

"The Roses of Glenross"...wow...that majorly sucked. I really hate to be this blunt, but the storyline could have been much better. First of all, I don't believe that they would have everlasting love from seeing each other for one second on the battlefield. And making love before they're married in a convent?! That was misplaced in my opinion. It just seemed that the concept of roses was too forcefully tied into the main storyline.

"The Fairest Rose" is ok. However, I didn't like the fact that Deirdre died and that Rosaleen didn't get to live like a princess. At least not in the story as written. The bit about them going for the phoenix was too mythological. It weirded me out. I don't get why the King doesn't feel more sad for finding out that the Queen killed his love. That was disappointing. He just stated that Rosaleen was his daughter and that Deirdre's death had something to do with the Queen, but dammit!! There was no punishment, no anger, no expressing his lasting love for Deirdre. And I still wasn't sure if the guy really loved Rosaleen because he seemed VERY infatuated with the princess. But all of a sudden, he finds Rosaleen irresistable. Who knows if he'll decide that that's an infatuation too?

Confusing, a bit flat, but overall enjoyable.

Contrived and rushed
I love romantic anthologies, and while some are naturally better than others, I'm generally not disappointed.Until now, that is.I had no preconceived notions about the "Rose" stories, except that they would all feature roses, obviously.I was a bit taken aback at the "magic and mythology" involved-- not just in one story, but in ALL of them.As one other reviewer noted, the Nora Roberts story is almost a rip-off of the Beauty & the Beast story.(I also remember another fairy tale about a kingdom, complete with beautiful princess,hidden by an impenetrable forest of roses; very similar to the concept of the "ice island" hidden from the rest of the world in Roberts' story... can't remember the name of it, tho.)"The Sword and the Rose" and also the "ROse of Glenross" both started slowly and then suddenly were at a climactic moment (no pun intended).I'm not sure why these stories should be so awkward and contrived....other anthology stories I've read have no problem being well-paced and balanced.Perhaps these well-known authors didn't put in the amount of time necessary to produce a quality story, but instead just wanted to "get it done"-?? ... Read more

Isbn: 0515131660
Sales Rank: 229732
Subjects:  1. Anthologies (multiple authors)    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Romance    4. Love stories    5. Love stories, American    6. Romance - Anthologies    7. Romance - General    8. Romance: Historical    9. Short stories   

The Probable Future (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 June, 2004)
list price: $13.95 -- our price: $11.16
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (9)

Amazing Book!
I thought this was one of Alice Hoffman's best novels(right up there with "The River King") Hoffman is incredible! She creates such amazing charecters and paints such vivid scenes. She weaves magic and myths into all her books and she did a particularly good job in this book. THis story follows the lives of the girls of the Sparrow family. It has secrets and mysteries that aren't unvailed until the very end. It is about love, family, community, and understanding. I recomend this book to any Alice Hoffman lover!

the magic and the metaphor
i am someone who counts on finding books in the library that by letting them fall into me with their titles...and then, reading everything by that author, if i become entranced....it happened when i read turtle moon, years ago: i then read all of alice hoffman's books and began to wait for each new one...i found the probable future as fulfilling as those which came before...as always, the stories which blend together to form the book touch, as well as being touching....there are paths where nothing will grow, because the tragedy is so deeply rooted, there is redemption and hope...and a last line which etches into one's memory as surely as that hope, even if it has been lost....if you are already a fan, you won't be disappointed, if you aren't one yet, this novel will convince you....btw, one of her book's for children, fireflies, (a picture book) is one i use in my work as a children's librarian....it is wise, and a great read-aloud...and full of metaphors and magic for the young and the young-at-heart...

Story as food for the spirit
The Sparrow family have lived in Unity almost since the town has existed, in an old house that's been added on to so many times it's assumed the shape of a wedding cake. The residents of Unity know it as Cake House, and its inhabitants present a mystery the townspeople don't want to solve, or even have much to do with, in spite of the sacrifices the Sparrow women have made to the community through the past two centuries-or perhaps because of them.

Each Sparrow woman develops a unique gift at the age of thirteen, and these gifts aren't necessarily blessings. Elinor Sparrow can tell when someone is lying. Her daughter Jenny can enter others' dreams. Jenny's daughter Stella, in her turn, wakens on her thirteenth birthday with the ability to see how some people will die. Her gift lands Stella's father, Will Avery, in jail when he's wrongly accused of murder after trying to warn the authorities about one of his daughter's premonitions.

This is not a story of how the murder is solved. In fact, that becomes a minor detail. It's a story about a family, a town, and how a much older mystery is brought to rest, of how the Sparrow women first came to live in Unity, the part they've played in its history, and where they're headed. It isn't packed with action, either. The reader enters the life of each character as one would enter the life of a new friend, easing one's way in and beginning to see the world through the other's eyes. The patient reader is rewarded by the full richness of Alice Hoffman's writing. In the world of novelists, Hoffman is the equivalent of the dedicated cook who spends an entire day preparing a meal with love, creating everything from scratch, and possibly by magic. Other cooks open cans and stir up store-bought mixes, some toss everything into the microwave oven. They feed our stomachs, while the gifted cook-and author-feeds our souls. ... Read more

Isbn: 0345455916
Sales Rank: 10053
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    3. General    4. Hoffman, Alice - Prose & Criticism    5. Suspense    6. Fiction / General   

Rose Cottage : A Novel
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (28 September, 1998)
list price: $6.99 -- our price: $6.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Mary Stewart launched a world full of romance readers, and she invented romantic suspense. In this beautifully written gothic, Kate Herrick, a young widow in war-torn London, returns to her family home of Rose Cottage to retrieve family mementos for her Gran. When Kate arrives, she finds that the mementos have mysteriously disappeared. While looking for answers to age-old family mysteries (her single mother supposedly ran off with gypsies) Kate rekindles friendships with neighbors, kinsman, and old childhood companions. The bittersweet memories that Kate examines help her to redefine herself as a widow and as a young woman with a great need for family ties. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A girl, a boy, a handsome chap and a mystery in the UK.
Sounds familiar, but thats why I like it so much. Delicate flowering fields described so carefully you can feel the breeze and smell the pollen... God bless you!
A strong female lead, Kathy this time around has returned to her roots only to find a jimmied safehole and a long lost friend.
Great character chemistry and funny, too. This is a great read.

Halcyon Days
In this third of what I call the cottage trilogy, Mary Stewart abandons the exotic and returns to what she holds dear and with which she is most familiar, life in the north country.Although many readers of these three novels, "Thornyhold", "The Stormy Petrel" and "Rose Cottage", feel that Stewart's storytelling techniques within them had weakened, I do not find this to be the case.I agree that these storylines do not revolve around a situation involving murder or any other sort of mayhem that provides the focal point of her internationally set so-called suspense thrillers.Here, the first person narrators are in a transitional period where the discovery of self becomes the primary mystery and the gentile north country setting provides part of an answer rather than an exotic backdrop. The lack of alien setting or heart-pumping life and death circumstances does not, however, detract from Ms. Stewart's overwhelming ability to place the reader inside the head of the narrator and see the world from her perspective.The same talented hand that wrote "My Brother Michael" and "This Rough Magic" is ever present in the warm and comfortable scenes depicted within the Rose Cottage.As her uncanny ability to reproduce a scene for all five senses works as powerfully here as in any of her other works, I merely think the novel contains a smaller story, yet maintains the same perfection in storytelling.

Specifically, "Rose Cottage" relates the "coming of awareness" of Kate Herrick, a young woman in a state of transition. Born on the wrong side of the blanket in a small northern village, she faces the future alone in London after the death of her young husband during WWII.Her grandmother's illness calls her back to the village of her childhood to close up her old home and retrieve some beloved items of her grandmother's before the cottage is converted into a rental.Here, in her inimitable way, Stewart flourishes as a writer.Her descriptions are beyond comparison and her ability to introduce us to the strong, plainspoken and unforgettable country personalities that she herself must know and love, locks us into her beloved territory where gardens are all secret and incredibly beautiful, cats and dogs make the most satisfying companions and neighbors, however annoying, make the most wonderful apple pie. Expertly, Stewart manipulates the interplay of the village curiosity with Kate's happy but reluctant past, serving to simulataneously rewelcome Kate into the old fold and to alert her to strange goings-on at the cottage that unbeknownst to anyone relate directly to Kate's questions about herself and her future.

I recommend this simple story to all those who love Stewart's way with words.I listened to this book on unabridged audio and found myself not only well-acquainted with all the adorable quirky characters but quite willing to give-up my semi-urban existence for a life in a lovely rose cottage where the milkman still delivers whole milk in a glass bottle and a cup of tea competently takes the place of any prescription drug.

Favorite Author
I think I have everything written by Mary Stewart--at least I try. She so vividly pictures everything for the reader that one feels one is right there in that world. I keep watching for any of her books that I might not have and any new ones. ... Read more

Isbn: 0449000613
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Romance - General    4. Romance - Historical    5. Romance: Historical    6. Fiction / Romance / General   

The Rose Grower
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (26 June, 2001)
list price: $12.95 -- our price: $10.36
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

July 14, 1789, Montsignac, Gascony. The Saint-Pierre family iscaring for American artist Stephen Fletcher after he's fallen from hisballoon and landed in a haystack. Jean-Baptiste de Saint-Pierre is amagistrate with three daughters. Claire, the eldest, is beautiful andmarried (in a way that seems to require little personal involvement) tothe odious and malodorous aristo Hubert. Sophie is plain, single,intelligent, good, competent, and obsessed with growing roses. AndMathilde is 8 and entertainingly precocious: when Stephen remarks onhow he adores children because "they are so ... innocent and yetso perceptive in their apprehension of the world," Matty dismisses himinstantly. "'Oh no--another Rousseauist,' said the child withunconcealed disappointment. 'I'm not like that at all.'" And thenthere's Brutus, a dog that "only bites people whose smell he doesn'tlike."

But the Saint-Pierres' lives, like those of everyone else in thelocality, are about to fracture as the Revolution gathers momentum andthe shock waves from Paris push out into the provinces. The novel'sepigraph--"Small change, small change," Napoleon Bonaparte's reactionto a battlefield full of casualties--signals it to be an exploration ofsmall people caught up in big events. And, indeed, Michelle de Kretsertakes us from the optimistic start of the Revolution as it manifests inMontsignac, through factionalization, fanaticism and Terror,denunciations and betrayals, through love and loyalty to a quiet,damaged aftermath, with a vivid cast of surprising heroes, unexpectedvillains, and not-quite-innocent bystanders. The Rose Grower isa hypnotically engrossing work, illuminating the biggest of issues withthe lightest, most fragrant of touches. --Lisa Gee ... Read more

Reviews (9)

BORING!
I made myself finish this book - couldn't wait until it was over so I could begin a better one.I just couldn't get into it - thought the plot and characters were weak and under-developed.I've read much better novels of this period of history...this one I can't recommend.

Lovely focus
This marvelous first novel is meticulously researched, yet the accuracy of the background remains a light pastel backdrop for an intimate story. The plot's quiet progress allows the characters to evolve subtly and effectively. This requires some patience on the part of the reader, but it is well worth the wait. Stylistically what seemed most important was the almost tunnel-vision-like focus, a precision of description which left the reader unaware of things occurring just outside the frame, much as we move through our own lives focused on the immediate surroundings and oblivious to potential joys or disasters lurking just around the corner. This not only explained the characters' misunderstandings of each other; it also allowed suspense to build to a stunning conclusion.
Upon finishing, I immediately loaned my copy to a friend who grows roses and loves novels with historical settings.She wept when telling me how much she enjoyed it and how many copies she has ordered for friends and family.

Gorgeous Prose, Fascinating Characters
The Rose Grower contains such beautiful prose, such lush and lyrical description and such a wonderful sense of place (Gascony), that I almost feel guilty giving it only three stars.However, one thing The Rose Grower lacks is a clear and compelling storyline.

All through the reading of this lovely book I kept asking myself:"What is the story question around which this book revolves?"Well, there isn't one, and without a story question, there is no story.This is not a novel; it's 323 pages of lovely prose.The problem is, lovely prose does not make a book.

In the hands of a skilled writer, plot can often take a backseat to other literary devices.The Rose Grower, however, contains no such devices.Neither is it a character study.In fact, the author forces us to keep our distance from all of the characters, making it difficult to know them or care about their fate.The ending is particularly dismal.What little emotion and hope this book does contain is invested in the characters of Sophie and Joseph and De Krester sets us up for something she never delivers.

And what about that title?De Krester never lets us experience Sophie (the rose grower) as she struggles in her garden.We know nothing of her hopes or frustrations.I was as puzzled by this as I was annoyed.

In the Rose Grower, De Krester writes extremely beautiful prose.She also begins her book with an unforgettable image, yet she fails to develop that image.She definitely has the skeleton of a lovely and touching story; one she simply failed to develop.I felt like I was reading an outline; nothing was fleshed-out.De Krester seemed to be afraid to write the big scenes, the dramatic set-pieces.

De Krester's mistakes are common among new writers and they are easily corrected once recognized.Any editor or even first reader should have spotted them immediately and worked with De Krester to correct them.It's a shame they didn't; De Krester is talented, but both she and her readers were cheated out of what could have been a fascinating and poignant book. ... Read more

Isbn: 0553381210
Subjects:  1. Americans    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Historical    4. France    5. Gascony    6. Gascony (France)    7. Graphic Novels - General    8. Historical - General    9. Rose growers    10. Fiction / General    11. Reading Group Guide   

The Rose Rent (Brother Cadfael Mysteries)
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 November, 1997)
list price: $5.99 -- our price: $5.39
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (8)

Another Nifty Cadfael Tale
THE ROSE RENT is the thirteenth book in the Brother Cadfael series. As such, it is much like the others in a general way. That is, the mystery isn't difficult to see through, so you'll probably have figured out "whodunit" before the solution is entirely revealed, and twelfth century living conditions are probably a bit idealized. On the other hand, the historical events are "right on", the prose is elegant, and the characterization is outstanding. Indeed, for those who have read most, or all, of the preceeding books in the series, Brother Cadfael and the other Shrewsbury regulars are like old friends.

The Brother Cadfael mysteries aren't (in my opinion, at least) the most intricate or baffling of mysteries, but they work so well on other levels that they're a pleasure to read just the same. An editorial quote on the back cover of THE ROSE RENT mentions the "lively characterization" and "graceful, literate prose". I think that sums these books up pretty well. I have read them all up through this one and I plan on reading the rest, so it's safe to conclude I'm enjoying them. I recommend this one along with all the others. I also recommend reading them more or less in order from the beginning, as later books sometimes refer to earlier ones and personal histories build from book to book.

Another Nifty Cadfael Tale
THE ROSE RENT is the thirteenth book in the Brother Cadfael series. As such, it is much like the others in a general way. That is, the mystery isn't difficult to see through, so you'll probably have figured out "whodunit" before the solution is entirely revealed, and twelfth century living conditions are probably a bit idealized. On the other hand, the historical events are "right on", the prose is elegant, and the characterization is outstanding. Indeed, for those who have read most, or all, of the preceeding books in the series, Brother Cadfael and the other Shrewsbury regulars are like old friends.

The Brother Cadfael mysteries aren't (in my opinion, at least) the most intricate or baffling of mysteries, but they work so well on other levels that they're a pleasure to read just the same. An editorial quote on the back cover of THE ROSE RENT mentions the "lively characterization" and "graceful, literate prose". I think that sums these books up pretty well. I have read them all up through this one and I plan on reading the rest, so it's safe to conclude I'm enjoying them. I recommend this one along with all the others. I also recommend reading them more or less in order from the beginning, as later books sometimes refer to earlier ones and personal histories build from book to book.

A peppercorn rent paid in roses
If you're interested in an audio edition, check that you're getting the unabridged recording narrated by Stephen Thorne. If you're interested in the Derek Jacobi video, I warn you that the BBC rewrote the backstory of both Judith and Niall to make them more melodramatic; as compensation, they came up with one additional clever ploy on the part of the murderer that's worth seeing.

This May of 1142, spring has begun late; winter's prolonged grip has been reflected in human affairs. King Stephen, freed by a prisoner exchange after _The Pilgrim of Hate_, raised the Empress' hopes by falling ill, but her move to Oxford was premature; he's now in fine fettle, picking off the empress' outposts. While these events, and the war at large, have little effect on this story, they'll be relevant in the next book, _The Hermit of Eyton Forest_. Cadfael's worries are more immediate, but easing now that the crops have finally been sown and it looks as though the roses will be out by the 22nd of June, the feast of St. Winifred's translation.

The Widow Perle - 25-year-old Judith Vestier that was - lost her husband to a terrible fever four years ago, despite everything Cadfael could do, then lost her only child in miscarriage shortly thereafter. In the depths of her grief, she couldn't bear to stay in the house where they'd been happy, so she deeded the place to the abbey in exchange for an annual rent of one white rose from her favorite rosebush, to be paid into her hand each June 22nd. (As heiress to the Vestier clothier business, Judith has ample property even without the house; she moved in 'over her shop', as it were, with her widowed aunt and her cousin Miles.)

Since it pays for the lighting of Mary's altar all year around, brother Eluric - the altar's custodian - has always delivered the rent, but this year brings a small crisis. Eluric, given as an oblate to the abbey as a young child, grew up in the cloister; his annual meetings with Judith have been his first prolonged exposure to any woman. Despite his overly sensitive conscience, the inevitable happened, and he's asked Radulfus to relieve him of the duty since he can't help worshipping Judith from afar. Radulfus, not wanting to embarrass the boy publicly or to have a repetition in a few years' time, consults Cadfael and Anselm; Cadfael suggests that the abbey's tenant, Niall Bronzesmith, deliver the rent directly. After all, he's a widower and a decent man...

Unfortunately, other men of Shrewsbury aren't as innocent as Eluric or as decent as Niall, and seek Judith's hand in marriage for mercenary purposes. Godfrey Fuller, whose business complements Judith's very well, proposes marriage as a business proposition. Her chief weaver, Bertred, has an eye out for advancement. Even ne'er-do-well Vivian Hynde is trying to turn his charm into a soft spot for life. Small wonder that Judith has thoughts of the cloister - or that her aunt is gently nudging her in that direction. Both Cadfael and Sister Magdalen advise Judith against it, although from rather different points of view. :)

Then Brother Eluric is found dead in Niall's garden - not a suicide, as the brothers at first fear, but murdered, stabbed by someone who tried and failed to cut the rosebush down with a hatchet. Judith, calling on Niall to pick up a belt buckle he'd repaired for her, stumbles upon the scene - and when Cadfael tells her why Eluric crept out to see the rosebush one last time, she feels guilty that he suffered so much and she never noticed. Turning it over in her mind, she resolves to go to the abbey in the morning and make the house an outright gift - but the word gets out from her servants' gossip, and the next morning she's kidnapped, by someone who'd rather take a chance on forcing her into a marriage and getting *all* her property instead of only half. (Her cousin Miles is beside himself - getting a new boss like *that* isn't something anyone would want, even without a cousin's safety to worry about.)

My compliments to any reader who deduces what happened to Judith before Peters reveals the solution. Eluric's murder - and another later on - are fair puzzles. (Ever the forensics expert, Cadfael takes a wax impression of a distinctive footprint from the damp earth beside the rosebush, to give the town cobblers a chance of catching Eluric's murderer by the heel, for instance.) Niall Bronzesmith, quiet as he is, has problems of his own; after his wife's death in childbirth, he fostered their daughter with his sister Cecily's cheerful family outside town, since he couldn't take care of a small baby alone, although he loves her very much. She's too little to understand why he only comes for frequent visits, and he needs to arrange to bring her back to live with him before she starts thinking he doesn't want her.

Lovely story. ... Read more

Isbn: 0446405337
Sales Rank: 19655
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Historical - General    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery & Detective - Traditional British    6. Mystery fiction    7. Mystery/Suspense    8. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

Brother Cadfael - The Rose Rent
Director: Richard Stroud, Herbert Wise, Sebastian Graham Jones, Ken Grieve, Graham Theakston, Mary McMurray, Malcolm Mowbray
Average Customer Review:
DVD (26 February, 2002)
list price: $19.99 -- our price: $17.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

What's a single woman with beauty and property to do in the medieval world? The mercenary attentions of the single village men send the grieving young widow Mistress Pearle (Kitty Aldridge) fleeing town, and her return a year later rekindles the competition with a vengeance. Call on Brother Cadfael (Derek Jacobi), the spiritual Sherlock Holmes of the Dark Ages, when the young monk tending her rose garden is found dead and the widow herself disappears a day later. Cadfael suspects the brooding bronzesmith (the gruff Tom Mannion) who rents her cottage, but he's not the only man in town with secrets. Jacobi is a delight as the medieval humanist, and he's matched by the worldly Sister Magdalen (Sarah Badel, reprising her role from "The Leper of St. Giles"). Their flirtatious scenes remind us they both led vivid lives before taking the vows.

The DVD features a few minutes of audio comments by Derek Jacobi, who ruminates on the role; a gallery of production stills; brief filmographies on the featured cast; and a biography and booklist for author Ellis Peters. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Features

• Color

Reviews (5)

"We have this moment for good or ill"
The Rose rent is a great mystery and in the course of being solved leads people to evaluate what has worth in life. A young widow must now face the fact that she may have killed her husband and also plan the rest of her life.

I was going to print the quote from the back cover; yet as usual the person who wrote the blurb could not have seen the film or have read the book.

Of course people die and Brother Cadfael uses forensics to determine who the murderer/s is and the motive/s. You get more then sufficient clues on the way.

My favorite quote is in the morning as they are ringing the morning bell; someone asks Cadfael, "Are you awake?" and Cadfael staggering "No. But I am out of bed."

Mostly in light of the faithfulness of the adaptation
Screenwriter Christopher Russell also adapted A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES. As with BONES, Russell has tinkered with events in the story so that most suspects' motives are played in the key "crime of passion" instead of being mixed judiciously with "crime for gain". Little changes have been made in many background details, such as adapting characters' names to modern ears and eliminating some suspects' potential henchmen and non-romantic entanglements (easier on the budget but at the cost of puzzle and characterization). I find all those points of difference irritating, like midges; the really annoying points are where the major characters have been reinterpreted, or shown acting out of character.

Rather than trimming the beginning of the story, Russell has added material, starting 4 years before the opening of the book, upon the death of Edred Perle (here "Edward"). Quite against his nature as drawn by Ellis Peters, Cadfael helps Judith Perle perform a mercy-killing (conveniently, no priest is present). For Cadfael's true opinion on such use of the means of healing, read MONK'S HOOD and THE POTTER'S FIELD. A much smaller nitpick is that the abbot wouldn't have conducted Edred's funeral; that's the job of Holy Cross' parish priest, who at that time would've been old Father Adam.

Judith's character herein differs from the original, who let others see only one gesture of passion and grief: deeding away the house where she'd been happy to the abbey. The charter's wording (here presented when drawn up) is subtly different - rather than being an almost-free gift, prayers for "Edward's" soul are now added to the rose rent, making it a more ordinary transaction. A more persistent reminder of Judith's different characterization as a weaker, weepier woman is that she flinches from pushy suitors, not even meeting their eyes - no aura of calm self-possession here. I find the reinterpreted character exasperating in her own right, adaptation issues aside. Cadfael's remark that she's too strong to take her own life - which he didn't even have to make in the book - no longer seems justified.

In the book, the charter paid for the lighting of Mary's altar, so its impressionable young custodian delivered the rent, with predictable results from his first prolonged acquaintance with a still-young woman. The background of the rose rent was filled in by reviewing the charter, rather than with flashback. Now the monks of Shrewsbury (rather than their tenant Niall) care for the rosebush personally, with Eluric as one of Cadfael's helpers. Eluric's suffering over Judith receives much more play than other aspects of his character (granted, that was predominant anyway).

Each of Judith's suitors has undergone modification. Godfrey Fuller's proposal is more emotional appeal than straight business proposition; Judith's rejection is portrayed with cringing revulsion rather than polite, firm refusal of a long-time business associate. Vivian (now "Thomas") Hynde has lost both his name and his ominous sidekick. Bertred the weaver, paradoxically, is more ingenuous and less of a social climber - but his mother's character has been eliminated and his relationship with Judith's maid emphasized. Even Judith's cousin Miles is now a would-be suitor - although the blood relationship was too close without formal dispensation in those days.

Rather than 4 years - about the length of time Niall's been widowed - Judith's only been widowed for a year or so when murderous events are set in motion. Originally she sought out Sister Magdalen for advice on the cloister before any violence in the story, but now the events are reversed. The attack on the rosebush is now far more subtle - white lead poisoning - but this provides *less* of a motive for a murderer, being less traceable. Judith's thoughts of the convent now are driven by guilt, not only over the rose rent resulting in a death, but a reawakening interest in men.

Prior Robert replaces Anselm in the meet-the-corpse scene, and Radulfus is amazingly careless with the details of Eluric's confession in the hearing of even laypeople like Niall. Niall Bronzesmith's personality bears no resemblance to the original; here his late wife died not in childbirth, but in a suspicious accident with a lover. He's embittered, rather than being a quiet pillar of society.

After Cadfael takes a wax impression of the murderer's footprint in the garden, Cadfael actually objects to Oswin's suggestion of consulting the town cobblers, saying that the murderer would destroy all his footgear. However, Cadfael has more than once snared a killer who couldn't financially afford to destroy incriminating clothing - quite apart from being unable to launder or replace it easily in the 12th century. Even in the 15th century Dame Frevisse novels, the same scenario is plausible.

Last point: Eoin McCarthy (who played Thomas Pitt in the 1998 adaptation of THE CATER STREET HANGMAN) seems miscast as Hugh Beringar, being a big bluff blond type giving an easy-going impression. For Beringar, I prefer Sean Pertwee, the wiry clever-faced actor who first took the role.

Excellent Cadfael, especially for women
One of the best in Cadfael series and my wife's favorite. An excellent story based in the life long romance between the lord of the manor and his wife. The lord succumbs to a toturousillness and his wife bequeaths the estate to the Abby at Shewbury. In return for the manor and its lands, the Abby must provide lodging for the wife and a rather special rent.

The rent? Only a rose cut from the rose bush on the manor grounds. However, this isn't just any old rose bush, but rather the one her husband use to cut roses from for his love in life: a remembrance of the great love they shared.

Well this all sounds great deal for the Abby, so what's the problem? Get "The Rose Rent" and find out. ... Read more

Asin: B00005RIWZ
Subjects:  1. Mystery / Suspense   

Book of Roses (Book Of...)
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 March, 2004)
list price: $12.95 -- our price: $9.71
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (1)

Rosa Rosarum
This charming little book explores the history of the rose, its inspirational role in art and in poetry, its use in food and in fragrances.

The chapter The Secret of the Rose looks at Greek myth, ancient rose paradises, roses and poetry, the mystical roses of Christianity and roses as historical emblems. Portrait Gallery includes information on well-known rose families, modern roses from around the world, garden roses and unusual roses.

Great Rose Gardens takes the reader on a tour through the gardens of England, France, Italy, Spain and Northern Europe. Queens Of Perfumes investigates the growing of roses for perfume and includes sections on making rose oil and rose water.

Flower Of Passion looks at the rose as the inspiration for craftsmen, fashion designers and painters, whilst Menu Of Roses explores the rose in food and includes a variety of recipes. The appendices include information on choosing, planting and regular tasks involved in cultivating roses, plus a list of great rose gardens and of perfume museums.

The book concludes with a bibliography. It contains beautiful full colour and some black and white illustrations that include paintings, portraits and photographs.
... Read more

Isbn: 1844300595
Sales Rank: 1318528
Subjects:  1. Flowers - Roses    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Reference   

Easy and Elegant Rose Design: Beyond the Garden
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 November, 2004)
list price: $19.95 -- our price: $13.57
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (2)

"Gorgeous!" said The Anti-Crafter.
I dare you to open this book and not get sucked in by the creativity and beauty of these ideas. Forget Martha Stewart! Ellen Spector Platt came up with pages of unique, stunning, and simple projects that leap off the page. My mother and I have done several of the projects, our favorite being the floral loom, which now hangs above the bed in her newly redecorated bedroom. The pictures are so beautiful, you almost don't want to try to recreate the projects on your own (for fear they won't turn out as good), but the directions are comprehensive and clear, making all of the projects possible for anyone. I call myself "The Anti-Crafter," but I couldn't resist trying some of this stuff. It's too beautiful and too clever to resist.

More than 30 projects one can undertake
Ellen Spector's Beyond The Garden: Easy & Elegant Rose Design is a beautiful guide illustrated throughout with full-color photographs by Alan Detrick of more than 30 projects one can undertake to add floral color and life to one's home. From simple arrangements to wreaths, topiaries, potpourris, framed roses and more, Beyond The Garden: Easy & Elegant Rose Design is a superb resource for gifts, crafts, hobbies, or simply freshening up one's house. A selection of tips for selecting, growing, and caring for roses as well as preserving them rounds out this first-rate guide which is especially recommended for rose gardening enthusiasts.
... Read more

Isbn: 1555914764
Sales Rank: 563192
Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Floral decorations    4. Flower Arranging    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Rose arrangements    7. Roses   

Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn
Director: Bruce Franchini
Average Customer Review:
DVD (28 April, 1999)
list price: $29.95 -- our price: $26.96
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Color
• Dolby

Reviews (10)

Great series, odd DVD
The "Gardens Of The World" series can't be faulted in any way. The gardens shown are all stunning. Audrey Hepburn is so elegant, charming, and beautiful. On the technical side, though, this DVD is disappointing. It's the only DVD I've ever purchased where you can't see how much time has elapsed while you are viewing, nor can you see which chapter you are watching. And, if you stop the DVD, it doesn't resume playing where you left off. No other DVD I own (and I own quite a few) is like this.

A Relaxing Mental Trip
Gardens is one of the best most inclusive look at various gardens throughout the world.I especially loved the rose garden segment and watch it whenever I need to have a calm break from the world.Hepburn is very passionate about the need for gardens and appreciative of all the beauty found in them.I recommend this for all nature lovers.

Wonderful
I ordered this series because I am an avid Audrey Hepburn fan.The candid footage of her in England and Holland was a joy to watch.I also found myself very entertained by the wonderful Gardens shown as well as the historical info on gardening, different types of gardens (Zen, Flower, Formal, etc), and the interesting information on the development of flowers.A+ ... Read more

Asin: B00000IML3
Sales Rank: 21687
Subjects:  1. Documentary   

Heart of Roses Quilt
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (25 May, 1994)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $14.95
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (1)

Heart of Roses Quilt
Although being a novice at hand applique, this is truly a stuuningproject.I made the smaller wall quilt version and have been deluged withcompliments.I highly recommend this book.The patterns are complete, thepieces are easy to applique, even for a beginner. If you love hand appliqueand fine hand quilting, give this pattern a try. ... Read more

Isbn: 1561481068
Sales Rank: 274064
Subjects:  1. Applique    2. Appliquâe    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Patterns    7. Quilting    8. Quilts & Quilting    9. Roses in art    10. Crafts & Hobbies / Quilts & Quilting   

PASSION FOR ROSES : Peter Beales' Comprehensive Guide to Landscaping with Roses
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (29 March, 2005)
list price: $45.00 -- our price: $29.70
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (1)

A love affair with roses
Peter Beales is one of the most recognized names in the rose world and his previous book "Classic Roses" is still one of the best reference books for roses on the market. His latest, "Passion for Roses" is not a reference book but a good introduction to roses. In the first chapter, Beales writes about how his love affair with roses began and how it has progressed since he first discovered them as a teenager working in a nursery. He has traveled the world photographing roses and many of them are included here. He also remembers some of the most memorable gardens he has visted.

Subsequent chapters describe the different types of roses (species, old roses, modern roses, climbing roses, ramblers and scramblers, etc.) The last section of the book is an encyclopedic directory of roses mentioned in the book. The photographs are lovely and this is a beautiful book to browse through. However, if you are just looking for reference information about individual roses, then you would want to buy his "Classic Roses" instead. ... Read more

Isbn: 0847826937
Sales Rank: 277830
Subjects:  1. Flowers - Roses    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Landscape    6. Gardening / Flowers / Roses