Mystery/Thriller Book Reviews
Page One of TwoAct of Mercy by Peter Tremayne
St. Martin's Press, November, 2001Hardcover, 268 pages
ISBN: 0312268645
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
Sister Fidelma, religieuse, sister to the King of Cashel
and advocate of the Brehon
courts in seventh-century Ireland, sets out on a pilgrimage
from Ireland to the Shrine of St. James in
Spain. Fidelma travels by ship with some of the
most obnoxious pilgrims ever to set out on a pilgrimage.
To make matters worse, one of the passengers, Cian, is an old flame
who broke her heart ten years ago. One night during
a violent storm, one of the pilgrims is apparently washed
overboard, but then a bloodstained robe is found which
raises the possibility that one of the pilgrims is a
ruthless killer. Fidelma must find the killer before he strikes
again -- no easy matter when none of the pilgrims
seems willing to cooperate in her investigation.
Sister Fidelma is a charmer: she's tough, she's intelligent and she has real heart. Peter Tremayne makes the Middle Ages come to life, with fascinating observations about the culture and mores woven into an exciting thriller. Fidelma uses logic and deductive reasoning to solve her cases, and her path to enlightenment is always entertaining to observe, as is her wry humor. This is another top-notch entry in an excellent series.
The Cat Who Went Up the Creek by Lilian Jackson Braun
Putnam, January, 2002Hardcover, 226 pages
ISBN: 039914675X
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
In this twenty-fourth entry into this bestselling
cozy series, wealthy journalist Jim Qwilleran and his
two Siamese casts, Koko and Yum Yum head off for a
mini-vacation at a friend's inn in nearby Black Creek.
Qwill's long-time girlfriend, Polly Duncan, is out of
town and Qwill is left to his own devices. Innkeepers
Nick and Lori Bamba are excellent hosts, but Lori
feels that there is something wrong at the inn. And when
a guest's murdered body shows up in the local creek,
Qwill is forced to agree. With Koko to provide some
helpful clues, Qwill sets out to investigate. During the course
of his inquiries, he also collects more fascinating local
lore for his upcoming collection of Moose County
legends, entitled Short & Tall Tales, and gets involved
in varied local doings which provide fodder for his popular
newspaper column.
The latest adventure of Qwill and his beloved cats shows that Lilian Jackson Braun hasn't lost her deft touch. Qwill has encounters with Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, the opening of an antique mall and lots of eccentric characters. The characterizations, setting and gentle folksy humor are what keep readers coming back for more of Ms. Braun's delightful mix of cats and crime.
Mystery Book Reviews
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Return to the June 2002 issue of The IWJ.
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