In the Bleak Midwinter

Starred review from February 11, 2002
In this debut novel, a riveting page-turner from start to finish, born-and-bred Virginian Clare Ferguson, newly ordained priest of St. Alban's Episcopal Church in the small upstate New York town of Millers Kill, is faced with not only an early December snowstorm and the bitter cold of her first Northern winter but also a conservative vestry, who apparently expended all their daring on hiring her, a female priest. When a baby is left on the church doorstep with a note designating that he be given to two of her parishioners, Clare calls in police chief Russ Van Alstyne. The foundling case quickly becomes an investigation into murder that will shatter the lives of members of her congregation, challenge her own feelings and faith and threaten her life. With her background as an army helicopter pilot, Clare is not a typical priest. Smart, courageous and tough, she is also caring, kindhearted and blessed with a refreshing personality. Likewise, the other characters are equally well developed and believable, except for the young pediatrician, who speaks more like a hip teenager than a professional. It is a cast readers will hope to meet again, while a fast-paced plot keeps the guess work going until the very end. Along the way, there is an exceptionally spine-chilling confrontation. The vivid setting descriptions will bring plenty of shivers, but the real strength of this stellar first is the focus on the mystery, which will delight traditional fans. (Mar. 25)FYI:This novel won the 2001 SMP/Malice Domestic Best Traditional Mystery contest.

Starred review from September 1, 2004
This is the first of three engaging mysteries featuring Episcopal priest Clare Ferguson, newly appointed rector of St. Alban's Church in the upstate New York village of Millers Kill. Shortly before Christmas, an infant is left on the steps of St. Alban's with a note indicating that the baby should be given to a specific couple in the congregation. Clare sees the abandonment as a way to begin a mission project to help unwed mothers, but her enthusiasm is rebuffed by the senior warden of the socially conservative church vestry, a retired army colonel. Suspicion mounts when the child's mother, an 18-year-old college student from the wrong side of the tracks, is found dead. Clare joins Millers Kill police chief Russ Van Alstyne in the search for the murderer. There are as many slippery twists and turns as there are on the snowy Adirondack mountain roads that Clare must negotiate. Narrator Suzanne Toren handles all the voices deftly, giving just a touch of Southern accent to the Virginia-born Clare; her pacing captures the mounting tension perfectly. An excellent selection. Nann Blaine Hilyard, Zion-Benton P.L., IL nonfiction

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