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Available
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Publication
Publisher Unknown (1969)
Description
Fiction. Mystery. HTML: Clare Fergusson, St. Alban's new priest, fits like a square peg in the conservative Episcopal parish at Miller's Kill, New York. She is not just a �lady�; she's a tough ex-Army chopper pilot, and nobody's fool. Then a newborn infant left at the church door brings her together with the town's police chief, Russ Van Alstyne, who's also ex-Army and a cynical good shepherd for the stray sheep of his hometown. Their search for the baby's mother quickly leads them into the secrets that shadow Miller's Kill like the ever-present Adirondacks. What they discover is a world of trouble, an attraction to each other � and murder.....
User reviews
LibraryThing member brenzi
The pairing of a Chief of Police and an Episcopalian female minister in cold, snowy upstate New York provides the unique setting for the first of Julia Spencer-Fleming’s cleverly done mystery series. In the opening scene, the minister finds a baby that’s been left on her doorstep and that opens
The author’s writing is superb and one part that covers a couple of chapters, where Clare is trying to escape from a terrifying assailant in the blizzard-filled hills outside of town is filled with tense energy that had me on the edge of my seat:
“Sprawled beneath a fir tree, Clare saw the flashlight beam arch crazily into the sky and took off, scrambling hand and foot downslope, away from the sounds of thrashing and swearing. She made it to her feet and ran a yard, two yards, three, before tripping over something buried in the snow and tumbling. She kept her momentum going, rolling forward, regaining her footing, dodging ancient oaks and dense, matted stands of fir, steadying herself on deadwood and saplings. Branches whipped her face. She changed direction, ran until she fell, pawed the snow from her face and shifted direction again. A long-thorned bush scratched and caught at her parka. She plunged through snow up to her thighs, hauled up a slide of scree and branches, her heart pounding and her breath sawing in her ears as loud as jet exhaust.” (Page 235)
Oh, did I mention that she is also a former Army helicopter pilot? Yes lots of unbelievable stuff but somehow it all works for a very satisfying mystery, with the obligatory red herring thrown in and lots of room for further chapters to this saga. Excuse me while I hurry out to get the next book in the series. Highly recommended.
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the door to one crime investigation after another that the intrepid Reverend Clare manages to shoehorn her way into and actually, in the end, solve. She leaves the police chief, Russ Van Alstyne, in the dust as she questions suspects and carries on her own investigation while a romantic relationship with the married chief develops. If you are thinking, “but that would never happen in a real police investigation,” well, of course it wouldn’t. The whole concept is preposterous. Yet somehow, knowing that did not stop me from thoroughly enjoying this book.The author’s writing is superb and one part that covers a couple of chapters, where Clare is trying to escape from a terrifying assailant in the blizzard-filled hills outside of town is filled with tense energy that had me on the edge of my seat:
“Sprawled beneath a fir tree, Clare saw the flashlight beam arch crazily into the sky and took off, scrambling hand and foot downslope, away from the sounds of thrashing and swearing. She made it to her feet and ran a yard, two yards, three, before tripping over something buried in the snow and tumbling. She kept her momentum going, rolling forward, regaining her footing, dodging ancient oaks and dense, matted stands of fir, steadying herself on deadwood and saplings. Branches whipped her face. She changed direction, ran until she fell, pawed the snow from her face and shifted direction again. A long-thorned bush scratched and caught at her parka. She plunged through snow up to her thighs, hauled up a slide of scree and branches, her heart pounding and her breath sawing in her ears as loud as jet exhaust.” (Page 235)
Oh, did I mention that she is also a former Army helicopter pilot? Yes lots of unbelievable stuff but somehow it all works for a very satisfying mystery, with the obligatory red herring thrown in and lots of room for further chapters to this saga. Excuse me while I hurry out to get the next book in the series. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member pgchuis
Clare Fergusson, the new priest at Millers Kill, discovers a newborn baby on the steps of her church. She and the chief of police, Russ, work to discover the baby's mother. The mother, Katie, and then later Katie's father too are found murdered. The descriptions of Clare's interactions with her
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middle-class introspective "vestry" are interesting and the relationships among the police officers humorous and affectionate. The author has to work hard to make it convincing that Clare should have access to up to date information about and participation in the police investigation and at times this becomes a bit strained. The lengthy section towards the end where Clare is nearly killed was different from the more dialogue-heavy bulk of the book and I lost interest a bit at that point. I found the attraction between Clare and Russ to be well-portrayed, but I find it hard to believe a priest would not have higher personal standards. I note that Russ' wife does not feature, presumably lest we sympathize with her. Also, Clare is strikingly clueless about the weather and survival skills generally for some one who has previously served in the US armed forces (I hope!) Show Less
LibraryThing member Joycepa
1st in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series.
Miller’s Kill, a village in upstate New York near Lake George, is the improbable setting for this imaginative series starring an ex-Army helicopter pilot turned Epsicopal priest, Clare Fergusson, and the Chief of Police Russ Van Alstyne. A small
Fortunately for the readers of this series, it is. But it doesn’t start off that way.
Reverend Clare Fergusson, the new rector of the conservative parish of St. Albans Episcopal Church in Millers Kill, is not just female—she’s an ex-Army helicopter pilot. She’s been on the job barely one month when, after a reception in the parish hall, she leaves the church only to stumble across a box containing a newborn infant and a note requesting that the child be left with a couple who are parishioners at St. Albans. The timing—and the fact that the child has not been long exposed to the effects of a cold wintry evening in November—suggest that whoever abandoned it was familiar with the routine at St. Albans.
Clare and Russ strike up an easy acquaintanceship, at lest in part based on common Army experience. Neither, however, is prepared for the discovery of the body of a young woman who is most certainly the mother of the baby. She clearly has been murdered.
In The Bleak Midwinter is an excellent start to the series. As will be true of all the books, the title is drawn from a hymn and relates at least in part to the circumstances of the story. Clare is an effective protagonist. She is believable and very well-drawn. Ditto for Russ. They are excellent counterbalances for one another.
The writing is not spectacular but well suited to the characters, the plot and the locale. Dialogue is completely believable. Spencer-Fleming gives Clare flashes of self-deprecating humor that greatly expand her character. Russ has his own voice and his own viewpoint, which combines a solid grasp of reality, hard-headed common sense needed to police a small town such as Miller’s Kill, and a reserve that is necessary to maintain the objectivity he needs. Both characters are extremely appealing. Both are human, and wind up attracted to one another even though Russ s married to a woman he loves.
Other supporting characters are good, especially the members of the vestry of St. Albans. I thought that the descriptions of the day-to-day workings and concerns of the church to be one of the high points of the book aside from its plot. The internal politics are described with an obvious affection for the process. Clare’s involvement is clearly one of commitment to the message of Christ and again the common sense needed to wend her way through the human failings that exist in every congregation. Her liberalism vs the innate conservatism of her vestry is well-handled, and fun to read.
As for the plot itself: Spencer-Fleming does a superb job of building and maintaining interest and tension. The subplot of the St. Alban’s couple that temporarily take over care of the baby and their fight to have permanent custody is both separate from yet well-woven into the main plot. The denouement is a gripping page-turner; I couldn’t put the book down until I’d finished.
A spectacular entry in the genre. Highly recommended.
Miller’s Kill, a village in upstate New York near Lake George, is the improbable setting for this imaginative series starring an ex-Army helicopter pilot turned Epsicopal priest, Clare Fergusson, and the Chief of Police Russ Van Alstyne. A small
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town that lives largely off the tourist trade, Miller’s Kill should be both sleepy and crime-free. In reality, like most small towns, it’s neither, but certainly one doesn’t expect the incidence of murder to be quite so high! Fortunately for the readers of this series, it is. But it doesn’t start off that way.
Reverend Clare Fergusson, the new rector of the conservative parish of St. Albans Episcopal Church in Millers Kill, is not just female—she’s an ex-Army helicopter pilot. She’s been on the job barely one month when, after a reception in the parish hall, she leaves the church only to stumble across a box containing a newborn infant and a note requesting that the child be left with a couple who are parishioners at St. Albans. The timing—and the fact that the child has not been long exposed to the effects of a cold wintry evening in November—suggest that whoever abandoned it was familiar with the routine at St. Albans.
Clare and Russ strike up an easy acquaintanceship, at lest in part based on common Army experience. Neither, however, is prepared for the discovery of the body of a young woman who is most certainly the mother of the baby. She clearly has been murdered.
In The Bleak Midwinter is an excellent start to the series. As will be true of all the books, the title is drawn from a hymn and relates at least in part to the circumstances of the story. Clare is an effective protagonist. She is believable and very well-drawn. Ditto for Russ. They are excellent counterbalances for one another.
The writing is not spectacular but well suited to the characters, the plot and the locale. Dialogue is completely believable. Spencer-Fleming gives Clare flashes of self-deprecating humor that greatly expand her character. Russ has his own voice and his own viewpoint, which combines a solid grasp of reality, hard-headed common sense needed to police a small town such as Miller’s Kill, and a reserve that is necessary to maintain the objectivity he needs. Both characters are extremely appealing. Both are human, and wind up attracted to one another even though Russ s married to a woman he loves.
Other supporting characters are good, especially the members of the vestry of St. Albans. I thought that the descriptions of the day-to-day workings and concerns of the church to be one of the high points of the book aside from its plot. The internal politics are described with an obvious affection for the process. Clare’s involvement is clearly one of commitment to the message of Christ and again the common sense needed to wend her way through the human failings that exist in every congregation. Her liberalism vs the innate conservatism of her vestry is well-handled, and fun to read.
As for the plot itself: Spencer-Fleming does a superb job of building and maintaining interest and tension. The subplot of the St. Alban’s couple that temporarily take over care of the baby and their fight to have permanent custody is both separate from yet well-woven into the main plot. The denouement is a gripping page-turner; I couldn’t put the book down until I’d finished.
A spectacular entry in the genre. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member kambrogi
This story of a foundling left at a church door, and the people who may or may not be involved with the murders that surround the child, kept me eagerly turning the pages. An ex-Army pilot, now an Episcopal woman priest, and her developing friendship with another ex-Army officer, now a small-town
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police chief, constitute the investigative team, and most of the fun of the novel. Fleming also layers in a cruel upstate New York winter that gives quite a chilling backdrop to the story. Her excellent descriptions bring the world of small town America and its inhabitants to life, and the mystery is both difficult to parse and believable. But the characters themselves, especially the tough-but-tender woman, is what makes this book pure pleasure. I look forward to reading the rest in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member sjmccreary
This was probably my 5th re-reading of this book, the first in the series featuring Clare Ferguson, a retired Army helicoper pilot who has recently been ordained as an Episcopal priest. She has just been assigned to St. Alban's church in fictional Miller's Kill, New York, a small upstate town near
This series is one of my favorites. Clare is impulsive and forceful, but Russ seems to be delighted with her and they quickly become friends. I love the descriptions of the Adirondack region, with its rugged terrain and harsh winter weather. I've read the entire series, and am currently waiting for the next book to come out in June. Each installment touches on a different important social issue - eagerly embraced by Clare in her attempt to save the world. The relationship between Clare and Russ is beautifully written. He is married, she is a priest - talk about star-crossed lovers! I find myself returning to these books over and over again.
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Albany. On the night of her welcoming reception in early December, she finds a baby on the steps of the church with a note directing that he be given to the Burnses, a childless couple in the church. While waiting with the baby in the hospital emergency room, she is introduced to Russ VanAlstyne, the chief of police in Miller's Kill and also retired Army. Clare inserts herself into the investigations into the identity of the baby's parents and the murder of a college student believed to be the baby's mother. This series is one of my favorites. Clare is impulsive and forceful, but Russ seems to be delighted with her and they quickly become friends. I love the descriptions of the Adirondack region, with its rugged terrain and harsh winter weather. I've read the entire series, and am currently waiting for the next book to come out in June. Each installment touches on a different important social issue - eagerly embraced by Clare in her attempt to save the world. The relationship between Clare and Russ is beautifully written. He is married, she is a priest - talk about star-crossed lovers! I find myself returning to these books over and over again.
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
This is the first in a series and I read it because one of the later books caught my interest and I hate reading series out of order. I knew it would be a stretch for me since the main character is a priest and I can’t tolerate religious claptrap much at all. Still, in the spirit of fairness I
I didn’t like Russ very much at all. He kept saying “good girl” to women whenever they did what they were told; like you would say to a dog. Can you say condescending? Oy. Then he called a car an old whore and I really disliked him.
And Clare isn’t much easier to like albeit in different ways. For the sake of the universe go buy some decent winter clothes. I got really sick of her crappy boots, jacket and car. Oh and speaking of cars. I’ve lived all my life where you have intense winter driving and I have to tell you that other than when buying a new car, we don’t all sit around and discuss the worthiness of our individual vehicles. We just buy a good one, throw some snow tires on it and be done. No need to bring it up in every conversation.
Then there’s the police work, such as it is. If you can call it that. Sloppy at best, irresponsible at worst and it’s that lack of intelligence that sets up the way the solution has to be arrived at. If he’d gotten his head out of his ass and searched the victim’s residence immediately things would have gone they way they would had someone competent been in charge. Ugh. Some cop.
The other thing that’s really forced is how much everyone needs Clare to hold their hands through everything. Maybe religious people are needy and codependent that way, but damn it got old. Can’t anyone do anything on her own?
Clare got dumber and dumber as the book went on and by the end I just skimmed everything to get to the end. On the whole it reads like a much older book that sat in a drawer begging for a publisher for a long time before finding one. For example not a single person has a cell phone. In 2002? Really? No more for me.
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read the whole thing. I won’t be continuing with the rest of the books though.I didn’t like Russ very much at all. He kept saying “good girl” to women whenever they did what they were told; like you would say to a dog. Can you say condescending? Oy. Then he called a car an old whore and I really disliked him.
And Clare isn’t much easier to like albeit in different ways. For the sake of the universe go buy some decent winter clothes. I got really sick of her crappy boots, jacket and car. Oh and speaking of cars. I’ve lived all my life where you have intense winter driving and I have to tell you that other than when buying a new car, we don’t all sit around and discuss the worthiness of our individual vehicles. We just buy a good one, throw some snow tires on it and be done. No need to bring it up in every conversation.
Then there’s the police work, such as it is. If you can call it that. Sloppy at best, irresponsible at worst and it’s that lack of intelligence that sets up the way the solution has to be arrived at. If he’d gotten his head out of his ass and searched the victim’s residence immediately things would have gone they way they would had someone competent been in charge. Ugh. Some cop.
The other thing that’s really forced is how much everyone needs Clare to hold their hands through everything. Maybe religious people are needy and codependent that way, but damn it got old. Can’t anyone do anything on her own?
Clare got dumber and dumber as the book went on and by the end I just skimmed everything to get to the end. On the whole it reads like a much older book that sat in a drawer begging for a publisher for a long time before finding one. For example not a single person has a cell phone. In 2002? Really? No more for me.
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LibraryThing member thornton37814
Clare Fergusson is the new priest at Millers Kill, New York. A baby is left at the church with a note stating that the baby should go to a parish family who had been wanting a baby for a long time. Whose baby is it? Soon the body of young woman who has recently had a baby is found. Who is the
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woman? Is she the mother? Who is the father? Who wanted the young woman dead? All of these are questions that Chief Russ Van Alstyne feels can be answered by Clare's parishioners. I really enjoyed this mystery which had lots of suspense and enough suspects to keep it interesting. I also found myself liking both Clare and Russ very much. My biggest problem lies with the romance that appears to be developing between the priest and the already married Chief of Police. I will be extremely disappointed if a priest breaks up a marriage in a future installment. I do, however, plan to read the next installment. Show Less
LibraryThing member cathyskye
First Line: It was one hell of a night to throw away a baby.
There's a new priest at St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Miller's Kill, New York, and there are several parish members who believe the newcomer isn't a very good fit. Not only is Clare Fergusson a female, she's also an ex-Army helicopter
When this book was published, it made quite a noise-- being the first to win the Agatha Award, the Malice Domestic Award, the Anthony Award, the Dilys Award, the Barry Award, and the Macavity Award for Best First Novel. This is the first time this has ever happened, and the fanfare was tremendous. As in most cases when a book is praised from every rooftop, I merely lowered my head a bit and kept on reading my books. Massive praise makes me leary; however, when I was doing research recently, this book and its author reappeared on my radar, and I thought the time was right to see what all the shouting was about.
There's one good thing about coming late to the party: I can make an entrance and perhaps persuade other no-shows that they may want to dust off their invitations and join in the fun.
From the first line and from the first meeting of the two main characters, I found myself climbing up on the bandwagon. The December weather in the Adirondack Mountains did make me glad I was reading the book in sunny Phoenix, but In the Bleak Midwinter is all about Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne, two of the best characters I've come across in in all my reading this year.
I felt more in tune with Van Alstyne-- cynical and all too aware of the evil humans are capable of. I have to admit that Clare had a tendency to drive me nuts in the how-can-a-smart-person-be-so-darned-dumb sort of way. Yes, she's not used to the sort of weather Miller's Kill is prone to, but how many times does she have to risk frostbite before she gets a pair of decent boots... and how many times does she have to skid off the road before she gets a vehicle that can deal with snow?
I do not care for "femjep"-- those times when a female character knowingly puts herself in danger for no real reason. Clare does this in her silly boots and even sillier MG, and the only thing that saved that portion of the book for me was how she got herself out of the mess.
These two characters could have me going on forever, but I will show restraint. The way I'm waxing poetic over Clare and Russ, you're probably wondering why I didn't give this book my highest rating. There are two reasons: Clare's mule-headed meteorological stupidity and the fact that it was rather easy to deduce whodunit and why.
Other than that, I'll have you know that I already have the next five books in the series on my to-be-read shelves-- with the most recent firmly ensconced on my wishlist. I will admit to being a bit nervous, though. My husband Denis has also read and enjoyed In the Bleak Midwinter and moved right along to A Fountain Filled With Blood. We've talked about the first book, so when Denis told me what Clare's new car is in the second book, all I could do was groan. Clare, don't do this to me!
Isn't it grand when you find characters that make you talk to yourself?
There's a new priest at St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Miller's Kill, New York, and there are several parish members who believe the newcomer isn't a very good fit. Not only is Clare Fergusson a female, she's also an ex-Army helicopter
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pilot. When Clare finds a newborn baby left on the church doorstep, she meets the town police chief, Russ Van Alstyne, who's the ex-Army good shepherd of his Miller's Kill flock. Together, their search for the baby's mother leads them into a world of secrets, a world of trouble... and a world of temptation.When this book was published, it made quite a noise-- being the first to win the Agatha Award, the Malice Domestic Award, the Anthony Award, the Dilys Award, the Barry Award, and the Macavity Award for Best First Novel. This is the first time this has ever happened, and the fanfare was tremendous. As in most cases when a book is praised from every rooftop, I merely lowered my head a bit and kept on reading my books. Massive praise makes me leary; however, when I was doing research recently, this book and its author reappeared on my radar, and I thought the time was right to see what all the shouting was about.
There's one good thing about coming late to the party: I can make an entrance and perhaps persuade other no-shows that they may want to dust off their invitations and join in the fun.
From the first line and from the first meeting of the two main characters, I found myself climbing up on the bandwagon. The December weather in the Adirondack Mountains did make me glad I was reading the book in sunny Phoenix, but In the Bleak Midwinter is all about Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne, two of the best characters I've come across in in all my reading this year.
I felt more in tune with Van Alstyne-- cynical and all too aware of the evil humans are capable of. I have to admit that Clare had a tendency to drive me nuts in the how-can-a-smart-person-be-so-darned-dumb sort of way. Yes, she's not used to the sort of weather Miller's Kill is prone to, but how many times does she have to risk frostbite before she gets a pair of decent boots... and how many times does she have to skid off the road before she gets a vehicle that can deal with snow?
I do not care for "femjep"-- those times when a female character knowingly puts herself in danger for no real reason. Clare does this in her silly boots and even sillier MG, and the only thing that saved that portion of the book for me was how she got herself out of the mess.
These two characters could have me going on forever, but I will show restraint. The way I'm waxing poetic over Clare and Russ, you're probably wondering why I didn't give this book my highest rating. There are two reasons: Clare's mule-headed meteorological stupidity and the fact that it was rather easy to deduce whodunit and why.
Other than that, I'll have you know that I already have the next five books in the series on my to-be-read shelves-- with the most recent firmly ensconced on my wishlist. I will admit to being a bit nervous, though. My husband Denis has also read and enjoyed In the Bleak Midwinter and moved right along to A Fountain Filled With Blood. We've talked about the first book, so when Denis told me what Clare's new car is in the second book, all I could do was groan. Clare, don't do this to me!
Isn't it grand when you find characters that make you talk to yourself?
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LibraryThing member Whisper1
A stranger to mystery books, I'm now hooked on this series -- truly that is how good it is!
This is the first book in the series of six. It contains intrigue, twists and turns of who done it puzzles, romance, and a plot that kept me reading the book in a few sittings.
Episcopalian priest/minister
Followed on the heels of an abandoned baby is the discovery of the body of the mother of the baby.
When she assists Chief of Police Russ van Alstyne to uncover the murderer, together they find that small town life does not equate to peaceful harmony.
My only quarrel with the book is that the author developed a strong female character in Clare Fergusson and then betrayed the writing style by having her act like a very impulsive woman who rushed into situations without thinking of consequences.
Highly recommended.
This is the first book in the series of six. It contains intrigue, twists and turns of who done it puzzles, romance, and a plot that kept me reading the book in a few sittings.
Episcopalian priest/minister
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Clare Fergusson is new to the Adirondack location. When, on a freezing cold evening, she discovers a new born baby on the doorstep of her church, her life and that will soon dramatically change.Followed on the heels of an abandoned baby is the discovery of the body of the mother of the baby.
When she assists Chief of Police Russ van Alstyne to uncover the murderer, together they find that small town life does not equate to peaceful harmony.
My only quarrel with the book is that the author developed a strong female character in Clare Fergusson and then betrayed the writing style by having her act like a very impulsive woman who rushed into situations without thinking of consequences.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member PollyMoore3
I stumbled upon this great series by accident. It's brilliant, and I can't understand for the life of me why it's not published in Britain as well. A feisty ex-army woman priest, a hard-bitten police chief, the unwilling chemistry between them, atmospheric upcountry setting, and a good
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old-fashioned whodunit. What more could you ask for? Thank goodness for Amazon, who make ordering US books so easy. Show Less
LibraryThing member eawsmom
While I greatly enjoyed this mystery, I could not help thinking, "How can you possibly be so stupid?" as the heroine fell for the lure that took her out into a storm of near-blizzard proportions in her sports car, without proper winter boots or coat. Granted, this scene allowed her to utilize the
I particularly like that the titles of these works come from hymns; this is what drew me to the series in the first place.
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survival skills she learned in boot camp, but I still thought it was a weak point. I still enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more books in the series, but I hope she won't be as naive in the future.I particularly like that the titles of these works come from hymns; this is what drew me to the series in the first place.
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LibraryThing member lauralkeet
Clare Fergusson, an Episcopal priest in her mid-30s, has recently arrived in Millers Kill, NY to serve the congregation at St. Alban's. When a newborn baby is left on the church doorstep, she meets police chief Russ Van Alstyne, and thus begins their crime-solving partnership. In trying to find the
Clare and Russ, on the surface, appear to be an improbable partnership. However, prior to joining the clergy Clare served in the Army, and was trained in survival skills. Russ is a Vietnam veteran and has lived in Millers Kill for years. He feels a strong sense of ownership over the town and its inhabitants. As a minister, Clare has unique access to members of her congregation, which is both a blessing and a curse. Oh, and there's a little frisson of attraction between Clare and Russ, which adds an element of "will they or won't they" to the novel. They make a good pair.
And Spencer-Fleming kept me guessing all the way to the end. The last 100 pages or so were filled with suspense, as all the pieces began to fall into place. This was a very well-written, character-driven mystery and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.
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baby's parents, they uncover a murder, which naturally leads to further investigation There are many potential suspects, and plenty of interesting developments that keep the story moving. Clare and Russ, on the surface, appear to be an improbable partnership. However, prior to joining the clergy Clare served in the Army, and was trained in survival skills. Russ is a Vietnam veteran and has lived in Millers Kill for years. He feels a strong sense of ownership over the town and its inhabitants. As a minister, Clare has unique access to members of her congregation, which is both a blessing and a curse. Oh, and there's a little frisson of attraction between Clare and Russ, which adds an element of "will they or won't they" to the novel. They make a good pair.
And Spencer-Fleming kept me guessing all the way to the end. The last 100 pages or so were filled with suspense, as all the pieces began to fall into place. This was a very well-written, character-driven mystery and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.
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LibraryThing member tututhefirst
Rev Clare Fergusson, retired Army helo pilot, sports car driver, and admitted tomboy, has only been assigned to her upstate New York parish for a week when she discovers an abandoned newborn on the church steps. The baby has a note pinned to it asking that he be given to a couple from the church
Russ Van Alstyne, former MP, has been Chief of Police of the small force in his hometown since he retired from the Army 8 years ago. He does not like the couple designated to be the adoptive parents.
When the priest and the policeman meet up, we don't see sparks fly, but the embers have been lit. Together, they go about trying to find the parents of the baby. The mother turns up murdered, and the plot thickens. The Chief wants to pin it on the obnoxious attorneys named in the note, but Clare wants to see the good in everyone and refuses to believe they could have murdered a young woman just to get a baby. She keeps galloping off on her own; he keeps having to dig her out (sometimes literally) of the messes she gets into.
This is an extremely well plotted book. We don't really get a hint of the true murderer until close to the end. There is action adventure (perhaps a bit too much description), the barest hint of promised romance, and characters who ring true.
When I finished reading it, I went directly to the library catalog to discover happily that there are several more in this series. I can't wait.
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for adoption.Russ Van Alstyne, former MP, has been Chief of Police of the small force in his hometown since he retired from the Army 8 years ago. He does not like the couple designated to be the adoptive parents.
When the priest and the policeman meet up, we don't see sparks fly, but the embers have been lit. Together, they go about trying to find the parents of the baby. The mother turns up murdered, and the plot thickens. The Chief wants to pin it on the obnoxious attorneys named in the note, but Clare wants to see the good in everyone and refuses to believe they could have murdered a young woman just to get a baby. She keeps galloping off on her own; he keeps having to dig her out (sometimes literally) of the messes she gets into.
This is an extremely well plotted book. We don't really get a hint of the true murderer until close to the end. There is action adventure (perhaps a bit too much description), the barest hint of promised romance, and characters who ring true.
When I finished reading it, I went directly to the library catalog to discover happily that there are several more in this series. I can't wait.
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LibraryThing member chinquapin
Clare Fergusson is just getting adjusted to her new position as priest at St. Albans Episcopalean Church in the small village of Miller's Kill in the Adirondack Mountains when she opens her door and finds an abandoned baby. Soon afterwards, the young mother of the baby is found dead near the frozen
The mystery was interesting and had many surprising twists and turns, and the characterization of both Clare and Russ was expertly done. The setting was alternately bleak and grim, and then quaint and rustic, as though the author couldn't decide which was more fitting. I thought the book dragged quite a bit in the middle, and it took me a longer than expected time to finish it. But once the plot approached a certain irreversible point, I was unable to stop reading until I finished. I definitely liked the book a lot more at the end than I did midway through.
I had misgivings when I realized that the book was heading toward a relationship between Russ and Clare, not finding adultery very romantic, but this part was handled very dexterously by the author. Russ and Clare seem like very real people who are struggling with very real issues.
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river. As Police Chief Russ Van Allstyne begins to sort out the murder, Clare becomes drawn into his investigation by her desire to help people. Soon, a relationship begins to build between Russ, who is married, and Clare. Somehow, while solving the murder they also manage to keep from going over line from growing friendship into a full-blown affair. The mystery was interesting and had many surprising twists and turns, and the characterization of both Clare and Russ was expertly done. The setting was alternately bleak and grim, and then quaint and rustic, as though the author couldn't decide which was more fitting. I thought the book dragged quite a bit in the middle, and it took me a longer than expected time to finish it. But once the plot approached a certain irreversible point, I was unable to stop reading until I finished. I definitely liked the book a lot more at the end than I did midway through.
I had misgivings when I realized that the book was heading toward a relationship between Russ and Clare, not finding adultery very romantic, but this part was handled very dexterously by the author. Russ and Clare seem like very real people who are struggling with very real issues.
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LibraryThing member nclmysterygroup
The Rev. Fergusson is a great, spunky character. The dismal upstate New York winter made an evocative setting and we loved the subtle stirrings of romance betwen Rev. Clare and the married police chief.
LibraryThing member Kathy89
This is the first book in this series and Rev. Claire Fergusson is newly arrived in the small town of Millers Kill. Someone has left a newborn on the rectory doorstep. Claire takes the infant to the hospital and is introduced to the Sheriff Russ Van Alstyne. Because of her military background she
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reacts on instinct and thinks she helping when actually she's interferring with the police investigation of the infants murdered mother. Show Less
LibraryThing member busyreadin
This is a murder mystery with a main character who is a female priest. New to the town, she makes friends, and maybe a little more, with the sheriff, and is pulled into a murder involving some of her parishoners.
LibraryThing member caroline123
First in the Rev. Claire Fergusson/Chief Police Russ Van Alstyne series. Great atmospheric mystery set in upstate New York. The story revolves around an infant left on the church steps, mother found murdered, and builds a cast of suspects from the baby's father, to the prospective adoptive parents.
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Great suspense and a wonderful beginning to this intriguing series. Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
The first in a series this is the start of a partnership between the local Police Chief Russ van Alstyne and the Reverend Claire Fergusson, they have a common bond in their ex-army status. When Claire finds a baby on the steps of her church she gets embroiled in the mystery of where the child came
It's an interesting story and the two characters are good, interesting and while interested in each other they deal with this in an adult manner. I look forward to more stories in this series.
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from. When the bodies start mounting the question is why. It's an interesting story and the two characters are good, interesting and while interested in each other they deal with this in an adult manner. I look forward to more stories in this series.
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LibraryThing member laurie_library
It's been awhile since I've read a mystery that kept me glued to my seat! I think this is going to be a very interesting series and I may have found a new author!
LibraryThing member markatread
Somewhat clumsy getting started it seemed, but that is the way people are when they first meet each other and it doesn't detract. The mystery is very solid, the author doesn't try to over extend the story or try for anything special. Everything is well written and she doesn't cheat with the way it
Another thought - this book was published in 2003, long after everyoned including kids at schools had cell phones. No one in the book has them which would have cut the suspense on the 2 main action points in the plot at the end. But even without the cell phones the primary female protagonist first makes the major mistake of not calling on the land line before going to get trapped near the end of the book and then turns and repeats the mistake 20-30 pages later. I recognize that the book might have lost 2 of it's better supense scenes, but she appears either way too implusive, not able to learn from previous mistakes or just not real bright.
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is resolved. But there is a feeling of a soap opera to the relationship with the 2 main characters, a female minister and a married sheriff. There are many ways to end the book and the last page feels like a soap opera ending to me.Another thought - this book was published in 2003, long after everyoned including kids at schools had cell phones. No one in the book has them which would have cut the suspense on the 2 main action points in the plot at the end. But even without the cell phones the primary female protagonist first makes the major mistake of not calling on the land line before going to get trapped near the end of the book and then turns and repeats the mistake 20-30 pages later. I recognize that the book might have lost 2 of it's better supense scenes, but she appears either way too implusive, not able to learn from previous mistakes or just not real bright.
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LibraryThing member grigoro
Love her books! The relationship between Clare, the Episcopal priest and Russ, the chief of police is fabulous. Both characters are so likable and believable, the mysteries they solve together is secondary.
LibraryThing member Deep_River
I am amazed that this was Julia's first book - I am on the edge of my seat right now, as Rev. Clare is eluding her attacker in the snowy forest...and I'm not a mystery reader who's usually easily impressed. Although I usually narrowed it down well in Christie's novels, I really am stumped as to who
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the perp is. Great job! Show Less
LibraryThing member Lizparker
Wonderful first book in the series, really enjoyed the rich descriptions of the adirondack wilderness. Clare Ferguson Is the new Reverend in Millers Kill, the first female pastor in the town. While fighting prejudice and church councils, she becomes involved in the death of a young local girl.
LibraryThing member MusicMom41
I really enjoyed this first book in the series and plan to read the others. The two main characters, a new female Episcopalian Priest and an agnostic Chief of Police meet over a case of an abandoned baby and find they have a lot in common including both serving in the military under war conditions,
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the Chief, Russ Alstyne, in Viet Nam and the priest, Clare Ferguson, in Desert Storm. The development of the characters and the progression of their friendship are as important as the mystery plot in this novel. I will be interested to see how this plays out in the next novels, because Russ is married and Clare is a priest. I hope the author handles this potential time bomb well. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Anthony Award (Nominee — First Novel — 2003)
Barry Award (Winner — First Novel — 2003)
Macavity Award (Winner — First Novel — 2003)
Agatha Award (Nominee — First Novel — 2002)
Dilys Award (Winner — 2003)
Gumshoe Award (Nominee — First Novel — 2003)
Original publication date
2002
2004-03-31 (audiobook)