From Booklist
In Millers Kill, New York, Episcopal priest and former army helicopter pilot Clare Fergusson has a problem. The roof of St. Alban's Episcopal Church is leaking badly, and the budget can't cover the extensive repairs necessary. Clare is relieved when vestry member Mrs. Marshall offers to liquidate the Ketchem Trust to pay for the repairs, but it turns out that interest earned from the trust must goes to the local free clinic for the working poor. Then the clinic's doctor disappears, and Clare investigates, along with Millers Kill's married police chief Russ Van Alstyne, with whom Clare shares a strong mutual attraction. Early spring in the Adirondacks is vividly described in this third installment in the series, and both the main and secondary characters are well developed. Church practice, police procedures, army tactics, and the vaccination of children frame the central mystery as the plot jumps from past to present. A comfortable mix of police procedural and village cozy. Sue O'Brien
The library did not have the second in the series, so I went with the third. I'm afraid this one didn't work as well for me as the first one did. The attraction of the two main characters (Clare, an Episcopal priest and Russ, a married man) makes me uneasy. Clare is committed to her calling and Russ is committed to his marriage--so unless something drastic happens the star-crossed lovers are just going to be miserable.
The mystery, moving back and forth from past to present, wasn't as involving either. Although I liked the first book, I'm not sure if I will continue this series.
Library copy. Minotaur Books
Mystery. 2007. 336 pages.
I'm sorry this novel didn't measure up to the rest of the series. Maybe the next one will be better?
ReplyDeleteYou never know, and I may check the library for more of this series, but I'm not terribly fond of the star-crossed lover theme. This one didn't work for me on more than one level, and a resolution of the relationship between the main characters would be a factor in continuing.
DeleteI read the first, third, and fourth since I also couldn't find the second (I had bought these at a used book store). I liked the first book pretty much, and found it interesting to get a view into a religious person's private life. The following stories were good for me-- not great but good-- especially at used book prices.
ReplyDeleteI can understand your mixed feelings about a religious person being attracted to a married man. The Episcopal priests can marry and divorce, but as with anyone in a religious order, they should lead a more pious life. I don't know where this relationship is going.
I like the idea of the Episcopal priest as a character, and even more so since the priest is a woman. I'm interested in knowing if Clare and Russ can ever become a couple, but find the romantic tension (given the circumstances) a little troubling.
DeleteI'm sorry this book didn't work well for you. As Irene said, hopefully the next book will be better.
ReplyDeleteIf the library has the second book, I'll probably check it out. If they have it, it was checked out the day I looked, and I didn't check the computer to see if they actually had a copy. Maybe next time I'll check the computer first.
ReplyDelete