Ellis Peters books

Anthologies

Brothers of Gwynedd Reading Order

Chronicles of Brother Cadfael Reading Order

Heaven Tree Reading Order

Inspector Felse Reading Order

Murderous Christmas Stories Reading Order

Non-Fiction

Second World War Trilogy Reading Order

Short Story Collections

Standalone Novels

Ellis Peters was the pen name of Edith Pargeter, a British author who wrote prolifically across mystery and historical fiction from the 1940s until her death in 1995. She is best remembered for the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, a series of twenty-one novels set in 12th-century Shrewsbury featuring a Welsh Benedictine monk who solves murders.

Before creating Brother Cadfael, Pargeter had already built a career writing historical novels about medieval Wales, including the Heaven Tree trilogy and the Brothers of Gwynedd quartet. She also wrote the Inspector Felse series, thirteen detective novels featuring a modern police detective. Her Second World War Trilogy, published under her real name in the 1940s, drew on her wartime service.

The Brother Cadfael novels, published between 1977 and 1994, brought Peters international fame. The series was adapted for television with Derek Jacobi in the lead role. Peters won the Edgar Award and the Gold Dagger from the Crime Writers’ Association. Her ability to combine accurate medieval detail with fair-play mystery plotting earned her a devoted following that remains active decades after her death.