In the Bleak Midwinter by: Julia Spencer-FlemingGenre: Mystery
Publication Date: 2002
Number of Pages: 556
Geographical Settings: Millers Kill, New York, Adirondack Mountains
Time Period: Contemporary
Series: Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Novels
Plot Summary: Clare Fergusson is at he new priest at St. Alban when a new baby is left on the steps of the church. Clare and the police chief, Russ Van Alstyne, search for the baby's mother. During the search, town secrets keep coming to light. Some of the secrets lead to murders and attempted murders. Is this the work of one person or different people? Is the baby's mother ever found? As Clare's and Russ's friendship grows so does the urgency to find the murder(s).
Subject Heading: Adirondack Mountains (N.Y.) - Fiction
New York (State) - Fiction
Police chiefs - fiction
Episcopalians - fiction
Women clergy - fiction
Appeal - believable, captivating, engaging
Characteristics of Mysteries:
Story Line: The solving of a crime, usually murder drives the plot. Detective and reader understand "whodunit" and why by the book's conclusion.
Characterization: Investigator or investigative team is the focus. In this book, Priest Clare and Chief Russ are the team.
Frame/Setting: The frame in which the story is set play a crucial role in its appeal. Here we are in Millers Kill, NY., a small city, and also in the Adirondack Mountains.
Tone/Mood: Ranges from dark and gritty to lighthearted and witty. Spencer-Fleming is offering a thoughtful side to this gritty, edgy book.
Pacing: is relentless and compelling, sometimes slowed by details of time and places but always moving towards a solution.
3 Read a likes:
The Crossing Place by Elly Griffiths - suspenseful, mystery, compelling writing
All Through the Night by Mary Higgins Clark - suspenseful, abandoned baby, mystery
Crooked Heart by Cristina Summers: Mystery, suspenseful, compelling, Police chief, clergy woman.
This sounds like an interesting read, with an unusual main character [female priest and army helicopter experience]. Your annotation lists Clare and Russ as a team conducting the investigation. I have not read the book, but one review spoke only of Russ as the called in investigator and I was wondering if Clare played an important role in the investigation (finding clues, solving puzzles) or if her role was mainly as the keeper of her congregation, "Since the point of Mysteries is to examine the clues and solve the puzzle, the character of the investigator plays a major role.." (Saricks 199).
ReplyDeleteThank you. Sounds like a notable debut novel with an interesting story-line, noted as "traditional" and well-developed characters, (https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-312-28847-1).
Mary,
ReplyDeleteAs new to the mystery genre, I think this book sounds captivating. I love your summary where you give way to the plot without giving anything crucial away and spoiling the resolution. It also sounds interesting as it is about a female priest which I think is intriguing and different approach to the mystery genre. From the way you described the characteristics of the book it is definitely not a ‘cozy’ mystery-so this may be one that I could work up to reading!
Excellent annotation! Full points!
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