The Recurring Cast
Character · Shrewsbury Abbey and town · 20 books

Brother Cadfael

Benedictine monk and herbalist, a former crusader · Ellis Peters

Brother Cadfael is a Welsh Benedictine monk at Shrewsbury Abbey, a former crusader, soldier and sailor who tends the herb garden and has a deep understanding of people.

Spoiler-free profile written for The Recurring Cast.

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Character facts

First appearance
A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977)
Latest appearance
Brother Cadfael’s Penance (1994)
Books
20 (20 as lead)
Series
Brother Cadfael
Author
Ellis Peters
Circle
Shrewsbury Abbey and town

Where to meet Brother Cadfael

Brother Cadfael first appears in A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977), as the lead, book 1 of the Brother Cadfael series.

Buy A Morbid Taste for Bones

Every book with Brother Cadfael

In publication order, with the size of their role in each.

  1. 1977LA Morbid Taste for Boneslead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  2. 1979LOne Corpse Too Manylead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  3. 1980LMonk’s Hoodlead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  4. 1981LSaint Peter’s Fairlead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  5. 1981LThe Leper of Saint Gileslead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  6. 1982LThe Virgin in the Icelead · Brother CadfaelMeets his sonBuy
  7. 1983LThe Sanctuary Sparrowlead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  8. 1983LThe Devil’s Novicelead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  9. 1984LDead Man’s Ransomlead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  10. 1984LThe Pilgrim of Hatelead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  11. 1985LAn Excellent Mysterylead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  12. 1986LThe Raven in the Foregatelead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  13. 1986LThe Rose Rentlead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  14. 1987LThe Hermit of Eyton Forestlead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  15. 1988LThe Confession of Brother Haluinlead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  16. 1989LThe Heretic’s Apprenticelead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  17. 1989LThe Potter’s Fieldlead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  18. 1991LThe Summer of the Daneslead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  19. 1992LThe Holy Thieflead · Brother CadfaelBuy
  20. 1994LBrother Cadfael’s Penancelead · Brother CadfaelLeaves the abbey to free his sonBuy

Appears most often with

CharacterBooks together
Brother JeromePrior Robert’s sanctimonious clerk20
Prior RobertAmbitious prior of the abbey20
Hugh BeringarDeputy sheriff, later sheriff of Shropshire19
Abbot RadulfusAbbot of Shrewsbury18
Aline SiwardYoung noblewoman who marries Hugh16
Brother MarkCadfael’s young assistant4