Author – Donna Fletcher Crow
Publisher – Lion Fiction
Date of publication – April, 2013
Number of pages – 384
*Litfuse Publicity Group has provided me with an advanced, complimentary copy of "An Unholy Communion" to read in order to write my unbiased review.*
The newest offering in The Monastery Murders series (Lion Fiction).
This is the excerpt from the back cover of the book which enticed me to want to read it! I LOVE a good mystery, especially when battles between good and evil are afoot!
First light, Ascension morning. From the top of the tower at the College of Transfiguration, voices rise in song. But Felicity's delight turns to horror when a black-robed body hurtles over the precipice and lands at her feet.Her fiance Father Antony recognizes the corpse as Hwyl Pendry, a former student, who has been serving as Deliverance Minister in a Welsh diocese. The police ignore the strange emblem of a double-headed snake clutched in the dead man's hand, labeling the death a suicide. But Hwyl's widow is convinced otherwise, and pleads for Felicity and Antony to help her uncover the truth.Matters grow murkier as Felicity and Antony, leading a youth pilgrimage through rural Wales, encounter the same sinister symbol as they travel. Lurking figures follow them. Then a body is found face-down in a well...
About The Author...
Donna Fletcher Crow is the author of 43 books, mostly novels of British history. She has twice won first place in the Historical Fiction category from the National Association of Press Women, and has also been a finalist for "Best Inspirational Novel" from the Romance Writers of America. She is a member of The Arts Centre Group, and Sisters in Crime.
Donna and her husband live in Boise, Idaho. They have 4 adult children and 12 grandchildren. Donna is a former Queen of the Snake River Stampede, Miss Rodeo Idaho and runner-up for Miss Rodeo America. She is an enthusiastic gardener.
The synopsis of the book is very enticing! And sure enough 4 pages into chapter one it happens! A body! We are thrust right into the action with a mystery in the opening pages. Murder or Suicide is now what we must read on to figure out! The book is full of religious history and it is obvious that the book, times, methods, ordinals, and sacraments have been thoroughly researched. The author did a superb job of describing the rolling hillsides of the pilgrimage as well as giving the reader an in-depth look at the Catholic/Welsh history. Research is very well done! Bravo! some of the character development is sparse but the way the group interacts together is well written. The author did a very good job of blending Catholic history with the welsh countryside, leaving the reader with very scenic imagery!
Unfortunately, this is where my praises end for this book. After the grand work up in the synopsis and despite the dead body in chapter one, the story is VERY LONG, and VERY OBTUSE! The descriptions of the NEVER-ENDING scenery is very wordy, verbose, and extremely long winded! I am a very fast reader and can read a book in a week or two depending on what is going on in my life at the time. It took me almost 2 MONTHS to get through this book. I actually put it down several times and I read three other complete books and came back to this one with dread! There was no ACTION, and no real MYSTERY! I found the heroine Felicity to be slow and un-knowledgeable about all things spiritual and I found Father Antony to be overly passive and stoic and slow to act, or even know when he should act! There are 30 chapters in this book and Father Antony did not really start actively investigating until chapter 24! And the body face down at the well was unneeded in chapter 27 because I was already brain dead from boredom by chapter 10! As a lover of mysteries it takes more then occasional whispery voices, and devil-like winds, to make a good mystery!
But do not just take my word for it! Buy your own copy... Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/keus1
I tried hard to like this book but sadly, I just could not.... It was long, and painful to read and I am actually glad it is over.
See what other reviewers had to say about "An Unholy Communion" HERE
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Blessings,
Regina
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