This collection of excerpts introduces Ellis Peters' "One Corpse Too Many," the second Brother Cadfael chronicle. The text immerses the reader in 1138 Shrewsbury, England, amidst the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud. We follow Brother Cadfael, a Benedictine monk and herbalist, as he becomes entangled in a murder mystery following the siege of Shrewsbury Castle and the subsequent hanging of its garrison. The narrative centers on Cadfael's efforts to identify a young man who was murdered and disguised among the executed soldiers, revealing layers of political intrigue, personal loyalties, and hidden agendas involving characters like Godith Adeney and Hugh Beringar.