Shoulder the Sky

Starred review from July 26, 2004
In this excellent sequel to 2003's No Graves As Yet
, bestseller Perry continues the exploits of the Reavley children, who lost their parents in a devastating car crash that proved to be no accident on the eve of WWI. The implications of that double homicide continue to dog Joseph, a military chaplain in the thick of trench warfare at Ypres; his sister, Judith, a volunteer driver/translator for the general in command of that front; and their brother, Matthew, an intelligence officer. While justice of a sort was meted out to the man directly responsible for the murder of their parents, the Reavleys believe a master manipulator and traitor they have dubbed the "Peacemaker," who seeks a radical alliance between king and kaiser to end the bloodshed, was the prime mover. When Joseph finds the corpse of an arrogant, bullying journalist in no-man's land, he soon realizes that a British hand was responsible, and that even in the midst of war's savagery, his conscience demands that he seek out the truth. This classic puzzle is nicely paralleled by Matthew's dogged search for the Peacemaker's identity. Perry cleverly resolves some plot lines while reserving the solution of others for future mysteries. Though her depiction of the ravages of war is not at the level of a Charles Todd, she does a superb job of bringing the grimness and waste to life, in a nice shift of gears from her two 19th-century historical series. Agent, Donald Maass.

June 1, 2004
In 1915, British chaplain Joseph Reavley is horrified to discover the corpse of a hated war correspondent, clearly not done in by enemy fire. Second (after No Graves As Yet) in this mystery writer's acclaimed new World War I series.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2005
Adult/High School -In the trenches of Flanders, the Reverend Joseph Reavley goes about the task of trying to keep up the morale of the British soldiers, extending his duties to assisting in bringing men back from the barbed-wired and mud-mired "no man's land." When he retrieves the body of an egotistical correspondent, Eldon Prentice, every person who knew him confesses to being glad he was killed. However, it wasn't the Germans who murdered him, but one of their own, and Reavley decides to investigate. Perry's eye for historical detail masterfully places the main characters in settings exactingly correct for the era, whether London, the trenches, or the English countryside. The characters' emotions and thoughts capture the confusion, frustration, and determination of those fighting the war. Without describing too graphically the horrors of the front, the author presents memorable tableaux of a soldier, an ambulance driver, a doctor, a field nurse, and those in positions of leadership and trust. The murder investigation and espionage greatly enhance the action and interest in the complex plot." -Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2004
With a title drawn from a poem by A. E. Housman, this picks up Perry's new World War I mystery-espionage series, which began with " No Graves as Yet" (2003). Here, Joseph Reavley lends his strength and commitment to battle-fatigued and wounded soldiers in the trenches at Ypres. Still large in his thoughts are the murders of his parents and the secret document his father was carrying to Joseph's brother, Matthew, an agent in Britain's Secret Intelligence Services. Strangely enough, the murder of a war correspondent covering the action on the front lines provides Reavley with a piece in the puzzle that surrounds his parents' deaths, which leads back to an individual known as the Peacemaker, who heads a conspiracy that threatens to change the face of the world. Questions about the morality of war resonate throughout this harrowing novel, which Perry has constructed with hallmark attention to period detail and sense of place. Her vivid evocations of the battlefield--the pain, the fear, and the extraordinary courage of young men who persevered to "shoulder the sky"--are unforgettable.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)

September 1, 2004
This compelling sequel to No Graves As Yet follows the wartime careers of the Reavley siblings. Joseph, serving as a chaplain at the Western Front, strives to build morale among the troops amidst the harsh realities of World War I. He is also determined to find out who murdered Eldon Prentice, an abrasive, arrogant journalist, even though no one else cares. Judith finds meaning in her life by driving ambulances near Ypres and falling in love with the married general she chauffeurs. Back in London, Matthew secretly investigates the identity of the "Peacemaker," who would manipulate the British into surrendering. Matthew has a personal stake in stopping him, because the "Peacemaker" orchestrated the deaths of the Reavley parents. Perry deftly brings together different threads in this new series, all the while suffusing the story with her trademark passion against injustice and evil. Essential for most mystery collections. Perry lives in Scotland. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/04.] Laurel Bliss, Princeton Univ. Lib.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.