Shroud for the Archbishop - an engaging story
922254
The fictional story is set within the history of the early church(es), rulers and events surrounding the people living in Ireland, England and Europe during the mid-century AD. Excellent because the characters are so real that readers can relate to them, the detail of the writing captures and holds the reader's attention, plot twists are riveting and exciting.  It's the kind of book that is hard to put down and when it is done you want to read another one.  Not full of graphic descriptions of violence.
3977264
Parliament for Owls is a great book, weaving together a complex story of human trafficking in Romania, political intrigue in Washington and scandal in a TV mega-church.  I certainly enjoyed it a heck of a lot more than John Grishman's latest book, and I say that as a John Grishman fan.  I like the way the author moves the story right along while weaving in the complex question of how faith should guide peoples decisions.  And I, for one, learned something about the cross currents going on within the evangelical world.  This really wasn't something on my radar screen until I read the book.
504293
This novel by Ian Caldwell is compelling, mysterious, and taught me much about the Vatican, and the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Ten years in the making, The Fifth Gospel (referred to in the book as the summary of the gospels compiled by a single author or Diatessaron) took me along with the narrator through St. Peter's basilica in search of a murderer and the truth about the most significant of Christian relics. It also spoke a beautiful narrative about love, family, obligation, truth, and hope for the reunification of the Catholic and eastern churches. I am, admittedly, not a typical reader of "heady" novels and stick to simpler satires. This story was not the least bit amusing and yet I still enjoyed it immensely and feel grateful for having experienced it. Bravo to the author and to those who assisted him in bringing the book to us all to enjoy.
4697104
In the Soul Saver, Dineen Miller has managed to weave together a compelling story; one that combines elements of spiritual warfare, the issues Christians face in a spiritually mismatched marriage, as well as, an enchanting description of what it's like to be a talented sculptor (with special inspiration from God). Though most of us feel a less direct feeling of inspiration, Dineen pulls off making her character's gift of foresight regarding the faces of those she needs to help feel believable - mostly because this isn't written as her character, Lexie Baltimore's, first time on this merry-go-round. As a reader, we are introduced to the idea of her unusual gift as though she probably found it unbelieavable too ... until  the process repeated several times. Lexie deeply wishes she could share her gift, and her faith with her husband - yet she fears he won't believe her . . .  and the truth would only push them even further apart.

I know Dineen personally, and I also reviewed her previous non-fiction book regarding spiritually mismatched marriage. Although her non-fiction book was very well written by she and her co-author - I feel this work of fiction really brought the issue home for me, as a reader, in a way non-fiction can't. As a reader you don't just read about Lexie's trials in her marriage, and in her mission to help hurting souls ... we actually live it with her in real-time.

I believe this book would appeal to many Christian fiction readers. There are several strong male characters, and an intriguing story line regarding temptation and spiritual warfare, that both sexes can relate to.
2333332
"A Psalm for Falconer" is the fourth in the "Falconer" Medieval Mystery by Ian Morson, and it is one of the better ones to date.  Oxford's Regent Master William Falconer leaves 13th Century Oxford in order to travel to the remote Conishead Priory on Lancaster Bay with the intention of studying the scientific manuscripts in the remote Priory's Library.  While crossing the shifting sands of Lancaster Bay with a local guide, he witnesses the recovery of a body from the sandbanks, all of which leads to a 15 year old mystery and the body of a missing monk.  Meanwhile, back in Oxford, a nun is discovered murdered at the nearby Godstow Abbey.  Falconer's old friend Constable Peter Bullock is faced with investigating the murder without even being allowed into the Abbey to question witnesses.  He enlists the help of Ann Segrim who is able to gain entrance into the Abbey. Strange things are occurring within the Abbey's walls at night, and together Bullock and Segrim must attempt to use Falconer's methods to solve the mystery at Godstow Abbey.  Meanwhile, back at the Priory, Falconer discovers a Priory full of secrets and mystery and death.

Ian Morson has a strong gift for characterization and developing local color.  The inner workings of the Abbey and the community of monks at Conishead Priory were interesting and realistic. The plot for "Psalm for Falconer" was fairly involved as is moved back and forth between the two mysteries. The mystery itself is intriguing, and the description of the remote abbey adds to the mysteriousness of the story.  It is a delightful historical mystery, and I do recommend the series.  I will be reading more.
3267233
I enjoyed this book quite a lot because it gives readers that information we secretly clamor for:  what goes on behind the scenes.

In this instance the information is how the Vatican deals with extremely difficult subjects, namely religious relics, Marian sightings, The Shroud of Turin, satanic or demonic possession, angels, prophesies, end times, and aliens.  That is a lot of subject material to cover, but author John Thavis divides them up into six easy to read chapters with examples of the specific topic addressed and how those working for the Vatican respond, investigate, and report.  Even members of a religious community can have differences of opinion so getting a definitive answer concerning most things verging on the supernatural will be handled with the utmost care.  Often a conscious decision of doing nothing will be the final decision.  It almost made me tired as a reader to contemplate all the things the Vatican is actively avoiding making any decision on.

I enjoyed the style of writing Mr. Thavis has; an easily understood narrative with factual evidence given along with descriptions of events which took place long ago.  As a non-Catholic I had heard the basic information about issues like The Shroud of Turin or the happenings at Medjugorje, Lourdes, and Fatima but had never independently investigated the entire stories of the sightings of Mary at those three locations.  As a reader of mystery novels set in Medieval times I was well aware of the importance of religious relics in the history of the Catholic church.  Often you can learn much about a subject by reading good fiction novels written by authors who love their subject and do their research well.  John Thavis is not writing fiction, though, he is giving facts regarding these religious questions which come up often enough within the Catholic religion that the Vatican has experts who specialize in the various phenomena.  Mr. Thavis also relates the information in a completely non-judgmental manner so the reader can make up their own mind about each subject covered.

My one comment would be that there was no concluding chapter to bring all the information together.  Because of that fact I went back and read the Introduction a second time to make sure I fully understood what points the author was making.  One of the things I will remember most about this book is how the Vatican has perfected the ability to investigate and then wait and wait and wait.  An unexpected positive reaction for me was to see the individual personalities of various Popes emerge  according to their methods of dealing with these difficult subjects.  That I enjoyed a great deal.
3674550
Dr. Felix Rossi is a devout Catholic and as this amazing novel opens, about to examine the holy Shroud of Turin. While science has been unable to prove that the ancient burial cloth wrapped his body at death, Dr. Rossi has always believed that it covered the body of Jesus Christ. He has contemplated trying to take a sample from the cloth and using his experience and skills, attempting to clone Jesus Christ. Theoretically it is possible and as he stares at the burial cloth he knows that given the opportunity he would be successful. With the knowledge of a painful family secret having just been revealed to him moments earlier, he makes the impetus move to steal two blood stained threads from the holy cloth.
While he is successful with the theft, he soon discovers that the theft was the easy part. Not only does he have to culture the DNA to the point where he can use it, he also must begin a search for his very own Virgin Mary. At the same time, he must fend off a nosy reporter who suspects the truth from the beginning and deal with powerful forces here and abroad that want to put a stop to his cloning efforts. Along the tumultuous journey, he must also confront his own belief system as well as the repercussion his action set into motion as it shatters those closest to him.
Following up on her novel "The Crowning Circle," J. R. Lankford brings another novel where deeply intense character development moves the work forward. This is an intellectual novel which will bore those looking for a quick read. This is an intriguing novel that repeatedly raises questions of faith and humanity while providing suspense and complicated plotting. How does one define God, the point that life begins, cloning, and what it means to be human are just a few of the many questions raised with no easy answers. There are numerous themes and parallel storylines running throughout the work, which leads to a remarkable ending. This is not a simple work and not easily put down or dismissed after reading it.
4850500
Father Tim, Episcopal priest in the little North Carolina town of Mitford, approaches his 60th birthday exhausted. He loves his work, his people, and his town. But he's worn out, and thinking seriously about leaving the priesthood. His bishop and friend since young manhood tells him that he needs to start taking care of himself, that he's burning out from lack of time off; and he knows Stuart may be right, because Father Tim doesn't even take a day off every week. His last vacation? Years and years ago. He's barely left Mitford, giving his car up for Lent 8 years ago and not using it since. But there may be something physical going on, too, as well as psychic burnout. He doesn't have time for any of this. An 11-year-old boy whom no one wants falls into his care when the child's grandfather, the church sexton, becomes seriously ill; his new parishioner informs him that she's dying, and the town's widowed and still grieving doctor starts falling in love with her; his new neighbor, a beautiful artist and author who works at home, wants to be friends (she's single!); and something odd is going on at the church. Where food disappears, and jewels turn up in a cremation urn.

I've resisted this series for a long time, because I can't abide a lot of today's Christian fiction. Having a spiritual theme can't, for me, excuse a book from being well written. But this one is! It's not a bit preachy, either. Even when Father Tim is praying a conversion prayer with a seeker, he's simply behaving in character for Father Tim. The story is a gentle one, moving through a year in the protagonist's life and taking the reader along through its many changes and crises. Yet there's nothing gentle about the things that happen to the characters, Father Tim's friends and parishioners, as their lives also change - sometimes in good ways, and sometimes as those lives go tragically wrong. This is real. These things happen to people. And although situations do tend to resolve well, which isn't always realistic, coping doesn't come easily - faith isn't a panacea.

Definitely, I'm going to read more in this series. I needed a lift, and from this book I got it without a dose of saccharine included!

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 science fiction EPPIE winner "Regs"
2771445
I remember the chest-tight thrill I experienced while reading Umberto Eco's monastery mystery "The Name of the Rose," and the hope of triumph, but fear of failure in Antonio Garrido's birth-of forensics novel "The Corpse Reader." I kept flashing on one or the other as I devoured E.M. Powell's story of the 12th-century murder of Thomas Beckett.

Like Rose, this novel is a mystery wound around the intersection of the Church with medieval politics. Unlike Eco's ponderous, slow-paced tale, though, this is a gallop through the chilly winter streets of Canterbury and the countryside between the cathedral town and the port of Southampton.

In pace and suspense, it is much more similar to Garrido's novel of the Chinese gravedigger-scholar C.I. Song. Powell's presentation of real life for peasants and the poor in a medieval culture provides further reminders.

The story opens with the confession of Canterbury anchorite Sister Theodosia to the grim monk, Brother Edward, who is also assistant to Archbishop Thomas Beckett. The nun has a terrible temper, and fights with it daily, using constant prayer, and denying herself food and sleep to meet her own expectations of becoming meek and humble.

Theodosia's attempted piety will be put to naught by the arrival of five knights who have come to murder the Archbishop. We know the story to this point; we've seen the 1964 movie with Burton and O'Toole. In Powell's telling, the story diverges; these knights are here for Sister Theodosia and her mother. Beckett's murder is a sideline.

Theodosia must escape the murderous group or she will be tortured to discover the whereabouts of her mother. And aid will come from an unlikely source: one of the five knights who arrived to murder Beckett.

The writing has authentic flavor; characters develop along realistic lines for their time and culture. The story is gripping, with a well-written mystery or three underlying the action. In fact, although I read it straight through without a pause, I could hardly bear to finish the novel. Fortunately, there is a sequel, "The Blood of the Fifth Knight," so I could learn what happened to Theodosia and her knight after the end of the first book.

One of the few books that has made me wish to be able to award a sixth star, this. You don't have to know the history; even if you've never heard of Beckett before this, you won't be able to put it down. It's just that good.
3317290
I really enjoyed Dont Kiss the Vicar. I feel I should point out to potential readers that the novella is set in England and is written by an English author, and with that being said, it is a VERY English novel. So if you are a reader who has problems with British terminology, this probably won't be the book for you. Fortunately, despite my wholly American upbringing, I adore English authors and their novels (well, at least the contemporary ones) and Dont Kiss the Vicar was not only an enjoyable story, but also an informative one as I learned about another religions views on homosexuality among its clergymen.

In an effort to find his place in his role as vicar in a new parish, Dan has kept a lid on his homosexuality as he does not believe it will be well-received news in the small Hampshire village. He has done such a good job of it, that he had no idea that the parishioner he is attracted to feels the same way. The fact that Steve can be quite combative verbally didn't hurt either. Honestly, were it not for an accident, the two men might have never learned that the other was gay. While the precipitating event was unpleasant, and led to an equally unpleasant revelation on Steves part about the poison pen letters he was receiving, the incidents gave them the much needed opportunity to clear the air, so to speak. With this being a novella, things do move rather quickly once their mutual attraction is revealed, but considering all that each man is dealing with at the time, it is understandable and believable. But when the letters continue and Dan is unsure of what to do, his hesitation causes a riff in the new relationship.

Cochrane strikes a nice balance between the religious issues, the romance, and the romantic suspense elements. I kind of enjoyed that Dan and Steve were so intent on not outing themselves, that they nearly missed out on each other. The small circle of parishioners we meet over the course of the book were, for the most part, quite delightful  as much as I liked Harry, it was Mavis who had me chuckling. I was surprised by the few reactions we were privy to once Dans secret was out. Even though their relationship was a bit of a rollercoaster ride, with things happening relatively quickly, I found its progression believable. What did surprise me was the romantic suspense angle because far more happened in the thread than I would have expected for a novella. Dont Kiss the Vicar was an enjoyable read and I look forward to checking out more of Cochranes writing.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
4363611
The Body in the Transept is the 1st book in the Dorothy Martin series. Dorothy, an American widow, decided to follow her and her late husband's dream of retiring in England. She moves to a small English village called Sherebury. She lives in a historical house next door to the Sherebury Cathedral. She attends the Christmas eve service at the cathedral and discovers the body of Canon Billings. Dorothy starts to investigate as to who committed the murder. There were quite a few suspects and I didn't know who committed the crime until near the end of the book.

Dorothy is struggling with her new status of widowhood. She finds herself feeling like an outsider due to moving to a new country and village. Part of the interest of the book is Dorothy moving on with her life, making new friends and  and having new experiences. Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt is drawn to Dorothy and her spunky personality. They strike up a friendship. Dorothy is easily recognizable and remembered due to  her fondness for flamboyant hats.

While I liked the England village location very much, the detail of the church services and the local church hierarchy did slow the book down for me. I did learn terms and architecture information about old cathedrals. Will read the next book The Trouble in Town Hall to find out what adventures Dorothy gets into next.
1752216
The story takes place in the months when the fate of King Richard I was not known in England: he disappeared after leaving the Holy Land by ship. Naturally, Prince John and the French sought to make the most of it, while Eleanor of Acquitaine, the mother of both Richard and John, tried to continue to govern England on Richard's behalf. This was a stormy period in English history. The mystery revolves around the murder of a courier with the definitive news about Richard's fate and this is where the author's exceptional knowledge of the country and the period comes in. Thrugh the many twists of the story we are given a detailed look at life in English towns, at the Court and in aristocrats' homes.

The hero is a 19 year old on his way to become an agent of the Queen. I thought that he was exceptionally mature for a medieval 19-year old, but it is just plausible The book is an excellent read, especially for a long flight. I rated it four stars because it is not as polished as Sharon Penman's historical novels, another 30 pages would have helped, especially for character development of some of the major actors.
2409487
I listened to The Child by Fiona Barton and found it to be a very engaging story, one I enjoyed very much. The readers were exceptional. I highly recommend listening to this novel.

Despite figuring out the mystery in advance, I thought the book was well done. The skeleton of a newborn was discovered while demolishing a London residence. The book was told in alternating perspectives, Kate, the journalist covering the identity of the baby, Angela, the mother of a child whose baby was stolen from a hospital shortly after delivery, Emma and Jude, single mother and daughter who lived at the residence around the time the baby was buried.

This is a well-crafted, intriguing mystery. The story unfolds slowly, clues are scattered throughout culminating with a satisfying ending. 4 1/2 stars
3863519
Simon Beaufort's "Murder in the Holy City" is the first in yet another historical mystery series--and it's a welcomed entry.  Set in the early 1100s, it features Sir Geoffrey de Mappestone, an English man educated in France, and is now a knight on a crusade to Jesusalem, a city of great contention, dominated at this time by a consortium of religious interests, all eager to make their mark and lay claim to "their" city.  Religious causes work in strange circumstances, sometimes.  However, religious and internecine strife aside, the city is caught up in a series of kilings---two knights and three priests.  One of the knights is a friend of Geoffrey, who was found stabbed to death in the home of a Greek widow. All appear to have been killed by the same jeweled dagger! Geoffrey takes the commission to investigate and uncovers the plot to destabilize what is already an unnerving scenario and Beaufort's narrative, style, and literary skill take over.
This is an exciting "first of a series," as the author goes to great effort and detail--with some interesting glimpses of humor!--to portray the time, the place, and the characters.  Beaufort's attention to detail--even if he does employ literary license liberally at times--is a good read.  Sir Geoffrey is one protagonist who's got a good future! (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)
2871883
This is an interesting tale which draws on religion, ethics, morals, justice, retribution, and finally: forgiveness.  I picked up this book with no expectations but was quickly engaged as the story's mystery unfolded and led to a tale of forgiveness of oneself and one's enemies.
1304290
I read a few reviews of TEN LORDS A LEAPING before accepting a free copy in exchange for an honest review. While the reviews were mostly positive I noted several with a common complaint - the book moved too slowly. But I thought it sounded good and so I went ahead and requested it.

I am glad I did. This the third book in the series but the first that I'd read. I had no trouble picking up the premise - Tom Christmas, tragically widowed Anglican priest and single father to 10(?) year old Miranda, serves at St. Nicholas and solves mysteries on occasion.

On this occasion Tom has arranged a fundraiser for the church. The "ten lords a-leaping" do parachute jumps for various charities.  Those who are involved with the charity are encouraged to participate as well. Father Tom (don't call him Father Christmas!) sprains his ankle upon landing and is stuck at the country home of one of the lords for the weekend. Tom is soon painfully aware of the enmity between certain family members. One family member that is particularly good at making trouble is found dead in the center of the labyrinth on the estate the next morning.

This is a classic British cozy with a complex mystery. It does move a bit slowly at times but the sly humor, and fine writing more than make up for that. I even found myself underlining g a few passages and I rarely write in my books. The best part of this book is the character of Tom Christmas himself - devoted father, still grieving widower and a true believer in his faith - that set this book apart from others in the genre.  I would highly recommend it and plan to go back and read the previous books in this series.
1727751
This was a compelling story written with multiple, approachable characters taking turns at first-person narratives, back and forth over time.
The narrative and story line were engaging and thought provoking, and many of the twists and turns were revealed like little gifts throughout the tale.
i would recommend this book!