Prayers of the Dead

Prayers of the Dead is a historical mystery set in England's Tyndal Priory during the 1280s.  The story opens with a murder. Eda, Countess of Ness is found stabbed to death in the chapel by her husband's knife. Of course, he becomes the main suspect. Prioress Eleanor begins to investigate the matter as the crowner is out of town.  Soon thereafter a priest is found murdered in the same chapel. Eda had many enemies because she gossiped with another priest about sins that people in the area committed and they would be outed the next Sunday during the sermon. Eleanor interviews everyone in the priory and tries to find a connection between the two deaths. When Crowner Ralf returns, he insists that the crimes fall under the king's law and that Prioress Eleanor is biased because the Earl of Ness is her cousin.  Eleanor insists that she has jurisdiction over the crime.  She also believes that her cousin will talk more freely to her than to the crowner. After speaking with him, she realizes that he is lying to her. While she has given her word to the Crowner that she would not be blinded by family ties, she thinks that she may have to turn her cousin in.  Prayers of the Dead is the 17th novel in a series that features Prioress Eleanor and Brother Thomas of the Order of Fontevraud.

Tyndal Priory was part of the real Order of Fontevraud.  This particular Order had both men and women and both were ruled by a woman. I was not aware that there were Orders such as this one. The story started out well. The pace was fast and the introduction of the characters was fascinating. They all had interesting foibles and one of the priests was intersex. No one knew this until he ended up dead and an examination of his body showed that he had both female and male genitals. However, the middle of the book was slow.  Nothing much happened other than Eleanor interviewed the other characters. No real information about the crime was revealed here so it was a little boring.  Toward the end, the novel picked up as Eleanor discovers more and more truths about those who lived in the Priory. The ending was a surprise.  

What I found unbelievable is that two of the characters were aware that there were people who were intersex, or hermaphrodite as they were called in those days, and that it was OK for them to marry as long as the spouse knew about the condition. This doesn't sound 13th century to me. The Author's Note at the end of the book gives her views on gender and the belief that there are three genders: male, female and blended. She continues with a diatribe about how society has treated these people and developed rules governing them.  She stated that when she began writing the novel, she wanted to have an intersex character. Four out of the ten page Author's Note is devoted to gender roles. I was turned off by all of this. Reading is an escape for me and I do not like being preached to, especially with historical fiction. 

I would have rated the novel 3 out of 5 stars but the preaching requires a rating of 2 out of 5.

Tunnels

Rutu Modan is one of my favorite comic writers. Tunnels is her 4th graphic novel to be published. She also teaches at Bezalel Academy of Art & Design in Jerusalem.  In Tunnels we read about a race to find the Ark of the Covenant in underground tunnels on the Palestinian side of Israel. When a big antiquities collector is forced to donate his entire collection to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Nili Broshi sees her last chance to finish an archeological expedition begun by her father decades earlier. She believes that the dig will locate the Jewish Ark of the Covenant, the most important artifact in the Middle East. Motivated by a desire to reinstate her father's legacy as a great archeologist after a rival accepted the tenure her father earned, Nili gathers a ragtag crew to help her: a religious nationalist, her traitor brother and her childhood Palestinian friend. As Nili's father slips further and further into dementia, warring factions close in on and fight over the Ark. The author believes that the biblical Israel lies in one of the most disputed regions in the world, occupied by Israel and contested by Palestine.  Often in direct competition, Israelis and Palestinians dig alongside one another, hoping to find the sacred artifact which is believed to be a conduit to God.  

Tunnels is a great adventure story.  It delves into the world of Israeli archeology, the rivalry in academia and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  As the author stated in her Afterword, Tunnels is the most complex story she has ever written. The story grabbed me from the beginning. I knew that it was fiction but everything seemed so real. Perhaps this is because the characters have both good and bad attributes, just like the rest of us. There are plenty of twists and turns in the story for mystery readers as well. In addition, there are a few subplots that add to the story.  For instance, Nili believes that a tablet uncovered by an antiquities dealer, who buys from ISIS, will uncover the place where the Ark is located. Someone has to be able to decipher what the tablet says, though. 

The pacing of the comic is perfect. It is a brilliant story with awesome illustrations by the author.  I am so glad that Ishai Mishory translated this book into English so that I could enjoy it.  Tunnels is a fabulous read.  5 out of 5 stars.

Berlin and Betrayal

Berlin and Betrayal is the third book in the Tangled Roots Historical Mystery Series featuring geneologist Lucas Landry. It is both a WWII and pandemic story all rolled in to one. The story has an alternating plot.  It takes place in February 2020 and in 1945 Germany. Lucas Landry's burning desire it to search for German relatives and host a family reunion.  He moves his family from California to Munich. Unfortunately, when the Landry family arrived in Germany the COVID pandemic began and a lockdown thwarted the speed of his research. Lucas has WWII surviving relatives in their 80s and 90s who are vulnerable to catching and dying of COVID. However, Lucas still hopes that being in Germany will help him with his research. He is surprised to find that many Germans want to forget the past as they live under a cloud of guilt over their ancestors' mistakes. 

When I began reading the book it was captivating. I could not put it down. At the halfway point, I just wanted to plot to move faster.  I wondered whether this novel was a cozy mystery or a cozy historical fiction book. This is not a typical historical mystery because there was no murder to be solved. The mystery is the discovery of geneological information that Lucas uncovers. That said, it was an interesting read. I couldn't wait to see how the story ended.  However, when I got to the end there was nothing resolved. Yes, Lucas uncovers his family history from the WWII era but there is not a big denouement. It seemed that there should have been more to the story. With the author having 14 published books under her belt, I expected more. I just didn't get that.

3 out of 5 stars.

2022 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge

I am joining for the first time the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge for 2022. This challenge will run from January 1, 2022 until December 31, 2022. You can join anytime. You do not have to post a review of the book. Books can come from any genre. Children’s books and novellas are acceptable but they need to be over 50 Pages. Crossovers to other challenges are allowed and encouraged! Books can be read in any order and all formats – print – e-book – audio – are acceptable for this challenge! If you post your books on Social Media please use this hashtag #AlphabetSoupChallenge.

The challenge is to read one book that has a title starting with every letter of the alphabet. You can drop the A’s and The’s from the book titles as shown below.

 

The First Main Word Needs To Be
The Letter You Are Counting 

Except For that pesky Q, X, AND Z titles then the word that starts with the challenge letter can be anywhere in the title.

So there are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z Reading Challenge.

A – Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.

OR

B – Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet. 

There is also a very active group on Facebook where you can share your books read and converse with others taking part in the challenge. Alphabet Soup Challenge –  You can share your accomplishments throughout the year there. Right now they are finishing this year’s challenge but it will switch over to the new year on January 1. 

My 2022 List (all on my tbr list):

A:  The Amish Quiltmaker's Unruly In-Law by Jennifer Beckstrand

B:  Blood Runs Thicker by Sarah Hawkswood

C:  Cosmic Chemistry by John C. Lennox

D:  Double Blind by Sara Winokur

E:  Evil in Emerald by A. M. Stuart

F:  The Florentine's Secret by Jane Thornley

G:  Genetic World by Todd Easterling

H:  Honey Roasted by Cleo Coyle

I:  The Influencer by Miranda Rijks

J:  The Judge's List by John Grisham

K:  Kill for You by Trevor Negus

L:  London by Edward Rutherford

M:  Molokai by Alan Brennert

N:  A Necessary Evil by Abir Mukherjee

O: Only You by Cathryn Grant

P:  Purple Lotus by Veena Rao

Q:  Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh

R:  Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

S:  Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree by Tariq Ali

T:  A Tapestry of Treason by Anne O'Brien

U:  Union Street Bakery by Mary Ellen Taylor

V:  The Village by Caroline Mitchell

W:  Woman on the Edge by Samantha Bailey

X:  X by Sue Grafton

Y:  Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson 

Z:  Zoo by James Patterson

Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge and Readathon

It's that time of year again, and time to sign up for the Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge and Readathon co-event! I am signing up at the Mistletoe Level and will read 4 books.  I probably won't participate in the readathon but I have been known to change my mind.

Dates: November 22, 2021 through January 6, 2022

Three ways to participate:

1. Challenge - Pick a level
2. Readathon - read as much (or as little) as you want
3. Participate in both!

Regarding the reading of Christmas books, for the readathon, you do not have to read only Christmas books. Please do try to read at least one though. 🎄

For the reading challenge, these must be Christmas novels, books about Christmas lore, a book of Christmas short stories or poems, books about Christmas crafts, children's books (we even have a level for them!), etc.

Reading Challenge Levels:
--Candy Cane: read 1 book
--Mistletoe: read 2-4 books
--Christmas Tree: read 5 or 6 books, or more (this is the fanatic level!)

Additional levels:

--Fa La La La Films: watch a bunch or a few Christmas movies...it's up to you!
--Visions of Sugar Plums: read books with your children this season and share what you read

*the additional levels are optional, you still must complete one of the main reading levels above

2022 Cruisin' Through The Cozies Reading Challenge

I will be joining the 12th annual Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge! Once again, there are two challenge options - one is to read only sub-genres and the other is to read cozy mysteries of your choice. To find out exactly what a cozy mystery is, check out Cozy-Mystery.com. This site is dedicated to cozy mysteries and does a great job of defining them as well as giving a list of cozy mysteries. This challenge is NOT restricted to what is on their list, it's just to be used as a guideline in case you need some hints on what to read.

This year's cozy mystery reading challenge has two ways to participate and you can choose whichever suits you the best:

A) Read only cozy mysteries of your choice.  

OR

B) Read one book from these sub-genres:  culinary, animal related, craft related, paranormal, cozies based outside the U.S., career-based, holiday-based, travel mystery, historical mystery, and one of your choice (freebie).

You can join the challenge at these levels:

Level 1 (Snoop): read 10 books

Level 2 (Investigator):  read 20 books

Level 3 (Super Sleuth):  read 30 books

Level 4 (Sleuth Extraordinaire): read 40 books

The challenge runs the 2022 calendar year.  You do to choose your books in advance but if you do, you can change your list at any time.  The books can be in any format:  paper, audio, ebooks. Participants do not have to post a review.  I will be signing up at the Snoop level and will be reading cozies of my choice.

2022 Six Shooter Mystery Reading Challenge

I am excited to join the 2022 Six Shooter Mystery Reading Challenge.  I have never done this challenge before. Participants are to shoot (read) six mysteries by the same target (author). You get one notch on your gun for each target completed. You get bonus points for each additional notch beyond the first one. Unlike many reading challenges, just reading more books may not necessarily help your score. Scores are not based upon quantity, but rather efficient shooting in reaching your target(s). 

I am going to have to seriously think about what I am going to read. It may be hard for me to find 6 books by the same author. Having read so many mysteries I kind of know who I like to read.  However, I am going to need to find a new author because I am up to date on my favorite authors.  Suggestions are welcome!

2022 Creativity Reading Challenge

This is one of my favorite reading challenges even though I don't read that many arty books.  This challenge is about reading books on creativity, art, crafts, writing, film making, photography, cosmetology, DIY, cooking, music and any other topic that helps you live a more creative life. 

Challenge Guidelines

• Runs January 1 to December 31, 2022. 

• There won't be different levels. You may read as many books as you want.

• Books may be nonfiction, memoir, how-to, self help, coffee table books, instructional, picture books, and even fictional books if they are about people who are creative.

• You may include books of any format including traditional books, ebooks or audiobooks

• You may reread books. 

• Books may count towards other reading challenges in which you are participating.

2022 Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge

I am signing up again for the Calendar of Crime Challenge.  It was a fun challenge this year and I found a few new authors to read. The challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2022. All books should be read during this time period.  You can sign up at any time. All books must be mysteries. Humor, romance, supernatural elements (etc.) are all welcome, but the books must be mysteries/crime/detective novels first. Twelve books, one representing each month, are required for a complete challenge.

Books may only count for one month and one category, but they may count for other challenges.  If it could fulfill more than one category or month, then you are welcome to change it at any time prior to the final wrap-up. Books do not have to be read during the month for which they qualify. So, if you're feeling like a little "Christmas in July" (or May or...), then feel free to read your book for December whenever the mood strikes.

To claim a book, it must fit one of the categories for the month you wish to fulfill. Unless otherwise specified, the category is fulfilled within the actual story. for instance, if you are claiming the book for December and want to use "Christmas" as the category, then Christmas figure in some in the plot. Did someone poison the plum pudding? Did Great-Uncle Whozit invite all the family home for Christmas so he could tell them he plans to change his will?

The "wild card" book is exactly that. If July is your birth month (as mine is), then for category #9 you may read any mystery book you want. It does not have to connect with July in any way--other than a July baby chose it. The other eleven months, you must do the alternate category #9 if you want to fulfill that slot.

A wrap-up post/comment/email will be requested that should include a list of books read and what category they fulfilled. 

2022 Vintage Scattergories Reading Challenge

For the first time, I am joining the Vintage Mystery Scattergories Reading Challenge in 2022. Participants must read books that fulfill at least eight of the categories in a single vintage era and readers may complete all categories and both eras.  Readers are also welcome to be creative with the categories as long as you can make a good case for how your book fits.

The challenge runs from January 1, 2022 through December 31st, 2022. Any books read January 1 or later may count regardless of sign-up date. To complete the challenge you must read at least eight books that fulfill eight of the categories listed. All eight books must be from a single vintage era (see descriptions below). I am signing up for the Silver Era.

All books must be from the mystery category (crime fiction, detective fictions, espionage, etc.). The mystery/crime must be the primary feature of the book--ghost stories, romance, humor, etc. are all welcome as ingredients, but must not overshadow the mystery element. Each book may count for only one category within the challenge--but you are welcome to use books read for this challenge for other challenges as well.

For the purposes of the challenge, Golden Age mysteries must have been first published before 1960. Golden Age short story collections (whether published pre-1960 or not) are permissible provided all of the stories in the collection were originally written pre-1960. Please remember some of our Golden age authors wrote well after 1959--so keep an eye on the original publication date and count them appropriately. Silver Age mysteries may be first published from 1960-1989 (inclusive). Again, Silver Age short story collections published later than 1989 are permissible provided none of the stories are first published later than 1989.

If you have a blog please post about the challenge and a little about your commitment--if you're going for Silver or Gold...or perhaps both. Those without blogs may leave that blank or enter the url for a Goodreads or Library Thing list, etc.

Categories:

1. Colorful Crime: A book with a color or reference to color in the title

2. Murder by the Numbers: A book with a number or quantity in the title

3. Amateur Night: A book with a detective who is not a P.I.; Police Officer; or other official investigator (Nurse Keate, Father Brown, Miss Marple, etc.)

4. Leave It to the Professionals: A book featuring cops, private eyes, secret service, professional spies, etc.

5. Jolly Old England: A mystery set in the United Kingdom

6. Yankee Doodle Dandy: A mystery set in the United States

7. World Traveler: A mystery set in any country except the U.S. or U.K.

8. Dangerous Beasts: A book with an animal in the title

9. A Calendar of Crime: A mystery with a date/holiday/year/month/etc. in the title

10. Wicked Women: A book with a woman in the title--either by name (Mrs. McGinty's Dead) or by reference (The Case of the Vagabound Virgin)

11. Malicious Men: A book with a man in the title--either by name (Maigret & the Yellow Dog) or by reference (The Case of the Haunted Husband)

12. Murderous Methods: A book with a means of death in the title (The Noose, 5 Bullets, Deadly Nightshade, etc.)

13. Staging the Crime: A mystery set in the entertainment world (theatre, musical event, pageant, Hollywood, etc)

14. Scene of the Crime: A book with the location of the crime in the title (The Body in the Library, Murder at the Vicarage, etc)

15. Cops & Robbers: A book that features a theft rather than murder

16. Locked Rooms/Impossible Crimes: A locked-room or otherwise impossible crime mystery (locks not necessary).

17. First Impressions: Randomly select four books from your TBR pile. Read only the first line of each book and select one of them to read based on your first impression of the book.

18. Country House Criminals: A standard (or not-so-standard) Golden Age-style country house murder

19. Murder on the High Seas: A mystery involving water

20. Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: A book with a mode of transportation in the title

21. Murder is Academic: A mystery involving a scholar, teacher, librarian, etc. OR set at a school, university, library, etc.

22. Things That Go Bump in the Night: A book with something spooky, creepy, gothic in the title (The Skeleton in the Clock; Haunted Lady; The Bat; etc)

23. Repeat Offenders: A mystery featuring your favorite series detective or by your favorite author or reread an old favorite

24. The Butler Did It...Or Not: A mystery where the butler is the victim, the sleuth...(gasp) the criminal...or is just downright memorable for whatever reason.

25. A Mystery by Any Other Name: Any book that has been published under more than one title (Murder Is Easy--aka Easy to Kill [Christie]; Fog of Doubt--aka London Particular [Christianna Brand], etc.)

26. Dynamic Duos: A mystery featuring a detective team (Holmes & Watson; Pam & Jerry North; Nero Wolfe & Archie Goodwin, or a little-known team that you introduce to us)

27. Size Matters: A book with a size or measurement in the title (Death Has a Small Voice; The Big Four; The Weight of the Evidence; etc.)

28. Psychic Phenomena: A mystery featuring a seance, medium, hypnotism, or other psychic or "supernatural" characters/events

29. Book to Movie: A book that has appeared on screen (feature film or TV)

30. The Old Bailey: A courtroom drama mystery OR a mystery featuring a judge, lawyer, barrister, district attorney

31. Serial Killers: Books that were originally published in serial format (from the pulp era) OR a book that includes three or more deaths--all committed by the same person.

32. Killed in Translation: A work that originally appeared in another language and has been made available in English--original publication date determines Gold or Silver Age--OR if your native language is not English, then a work that originally appeared in English which you read in your native language.

33. History Mysteries: The bulk or focus of the mystery must take place at least 15 years prior to the date of publication. Flashback stories are fine as long as the modern events frame the story OR the historical events are absolutely vital to the present day story. Example: A Study in Scarlet by Sir Artur Conan Doyle.

34. International Detectives: A variation on "World Traveler"--but instead of the crime being set in another country, the detective is not from the U.S. or U.K.

35. Somebody Else's Crime: Read a book that someone else has already read for the challenge.

36. Genuine Fakes: Read a book by an author who wrote under a pseudonym (Josephine Tey [Elizabeth Mackintosh]; Nicholas Blake [Cecil Day Lewis]; etc.)

37. Hobbies Can Be Murder: A mystery that involves a hobby in some way: stamp, coin, book collecting, etc; knitting; birdwatching; hunting; etc.

38. Snatch & Grab: Read the first book you pick up off your shelf or TBR stack/s

39. I've Got You Covered: Pick a book to read based on the cover

40. Get Out of Jail Free: One per customer. You state what special category the book fits and it counts.

2022 Color Coded Reading Challenge

I am signing up again for the Color Coded Reading Challenge. It was a successful challenge for me this year as every book I read was from a new (to me) author. Nine books must be read with the various colors listed below in their titles or as a dominant color/image on their covers. 

1. Read book with "Blue" (or a shade of blue):

2. Read a book with "Red" (or a shade of red):

3. Read a book with "Yellow" (or a shade of yellow):

4. Read a book with "Green" (or a shade of green):

5. Read a book with "Brown" (or a shade of brown):

6. Read a book with "Black" (or a shade of black):

7. Read a book with "White" (or a shade of white):

8. Read a book with any other color:

9. Read a book a word/image that implies color (rainbow, polka dot, etc)

Master Wycliffe's Summons

Master Wycliffe's Summons is the 14th book in Mel Starr's series The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon. I have read most of them and they are fabulous. Starr writes tightly woven medieval mysteries that move fast. The death always occurs early in the story so that the rest of the novel can be about solving the crime.  In this particular installment of the series, a student at Queen's College Oxford, Richard Sabyn, has been found dead in bed. There was a lightening storm the night before and it appears that he may have been struck by the lightening.  However, Oxford Master John Wycliffe does not believe that the evidence shows a lightening strike and wants Singleton to look into the death. Singleton agrees with Wycliffe that it is possible to make it look as though Sabyn died from a lightening strike. 

I enjoyed the story but it was not as exciting as some of Starr's earlier books in the series. The pace was slow and the howdunnit didn't grab my attention. While the howdunnit was interesting I don't think the writing was well executed. Singleton spent alot of time trying to figure out how someone could collect enough urine, dove droppings and a small amount of charcoal to create the substance that killed Sabyn. I was eating dinner while I read the book and that urine section didn't set well with my tummy. I did find it interesting that the deceased was copying a gospel into English while John Wycliffe, who translated the Bible into English between 1382 and 1395, denied any knowledge of it. Our protagonist did not perform any surgeries but did gather herbs for several people to help ease the pain of the plague. 

3 out of 5 stars.

Can't Wait Wednesday #10

Ken Follett's newest book Never was just published a few days ago and I cannot wait to have the time to read it. It is over 800 pages so I probably won't be able to read it until after Christmas or New Year's Day. Never is a little different from Follett's earlier books. It is an international political thriller, not his usual historical fiction story. The plot line involves a shrinking oasis in the Sahara Desert, a stolen U. S. Army drone, an uninhabited Japanese island, and another nation's secret stash of biological weapons. The characters who are fighting to prevent another world war include a young female intelligence officer, a spy working undercover with jihadists, a Chinese spymaster, and a female contender for the White House. This novel sounds like a Dan Silva book. I love Silva so I have high expectations for Never. Let's see how well. Follett can switch genres.