The Rose Rent

The newly widowed Judith Perle has new suitors vying for her affections at her husband's funeral.

Even a young monk who grows the rose bushes is tempted by her beauty. Her rent from the abbey to whom she has given over her property is a single white rose.

When the young monk is found dead, the monks think he was conflicted and committed suicide. Cadfael thinks differently as the rose bushes has been poisoned.

Later Judith has been abducted by one of her suitors and the bodies still pile up. A footprint is an important clue for Cadfael.

It was good to see the monks have their tonsure being shaved. We hardly see this when monks are featured in any television show. Although I have noted the star of the series Derek Jacobi has a small one.

As for the story, it just about stays in the right side of camp. It is something that can be so easily parodied. All the men in the town are mesmerised with Judith Perle. I was surprised Brother Jerome did not suddenly start to sing sonnets.

It is the start of the third series. I have to say the new actor playing Sheriff Hugh Beringar since series two is really anonymous.

Derek Jacobi plays an excellent Brother Cadfael I can think of on actor better for the role.

The Rose rent is a great mystery and in the course of being solved leads people to evaluate what it is 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.

Of course, people die, and Brother Cadfael uses forensics to determine who the murderer(s) are and the motive/s. You get more than 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."

The widow Perle has inspired a crew of would-be husbands (and suspects). But what a strange performance! She blames herself for all the deaths, even that of the rose bush, although she's done nothing to cause them. She tries to flee into a convent. She consults Brother Cadfael and then ignores his advice. Wonder why she and her dead husband had no children despite having such a blissful marriage?

The usual solid performance from Cadfael. Other pluses: Niall Bronzesmith and Master Fuller. Hugh Beringar does well with his bit part. Prior Robert isn't quite as odious as he was in "A Morbid Taste for Bones," but Brother Jerome is his usual insufferably smarmy self. Not so strong: the "kidnapper" who brags about his ability to satisfy women, but quails at a noise heard outside his door.

Cadfael is badly misled here and for a long time does indeed "persecute" an innocent man. It's only by luck that he sees the truth when it's almost too late for it to do any good. It's the acting that makes this worth watching, not the plot.