A Sainted Murder
by Jo A. Hiestand
Published by Hillard & Harris
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Reviewed by Connie Anderson
This American author was introduced to all things British during a college trip, and many since then.
I don't usually read mysteries, but this woman's descriptive writing was so beautiful I just had to read on. Here's how she tells me about the sounds of the church:
"It was the hinges that first startled me--great, metal things groaning into the stillness like an atmospheric prerequisite of a gothic novel. The disturbance echoed against cold stone and hard wood; it multiplied into a dozen voices that tumbled down the aisles or rolled up the tower steps, dying as they nudged a bell into song. A deep tone, soft as an angel's voice, sighed from the tower and cajoled sympathetic ripples from neighboring bells. In the ringing chamber below, their ropes swayed as if pulled by invisible hands, the sallies dancing ghost-like in the dark." (Now isn't that grand?)
The story is set in what seemed like an ancient English village. A dead body is found in St. Nicholas Church--on December 6, St. Nicholas Day.
These villagers really get into this St. Nicolas Day thing, baking bread for the poor and the elderly, wrapping gifts to give with the bread. This December 6, however, the police cancelled the bread and gift distribution and church celebration.
My favorite line in the book is by the church's secretary, talking to Sgt. (Miss) Taylor, about the bad winter road conditions: "I always say, for all the fancy gadgets the police has these days, a car's a car. And you still can't drive on ice."
One murder, one fire, and then more deaths and fires in this small town where there has been a lot of "inter-breeding" of lives, loves, fortunes and secrets. Oh, yes, there's a love/lust between two police officers and a lot of other flirting. I'm going to be watching for the next mystery--for the story and for her wonderful way with words.
Armchair Interviews says this is a good writer, intriguing characters and a lot of confusing clues that will keep you guessing wrong. What more can you ask?