Murder in an Orchard Cemetery
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
The peaceful atmosphere of the Reverend Mother’s annual retreat is shattered by sudden, violent death in this gripping historical mystery.
1920s. Cork, Ireland. The Reverend Mother regrets the bishop’s decision to invite the five candidates for the position of Alderman of the City Council to join them for their annual retreat. Constantly accosted by ambitious, would-be politicians hoping to secure the bishop’s backing, she’s finding the week-long sojourn at the convent of the Sisters of Charity anything but peaceful. What she doesn’t expect to encounter however is sudden, violent death.
When a body is discovered in the convent’s apple orchard cemetery, blown to pieces by a makeshift bomb, it is assumed the IRA are responsible. But does the killer lie closer to home? Was one of the candidates so desperate to win the election they turned to murder? Does someone have a hidden agenda? Once again, the Reverend Mother must call on her renowned investigative skills to unearth the shocking truth.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In Harrison's excellent eighth novel set in 1920s Cork, Ireland (after 2020's Death of a Prominent Citizen), the Reverend Mother Aquinas normally looks forward to the annual weeklong spiritual retreat for the religious superiors of all the Cork schools as a welcome break from her busy routine because of the restriction of absolute silence. But this year, with a mayoral election looming, the bishop has decided to invite all five candidates to attend, including a shoe manufacturer and a female solicitor with IRA links, and to allow people to talk about the many vital issues facing the still young Irish republic. At the retreat, the Reverend Mother is downcast by indications that the vote appears susceptible to being "stage-managed by violence on one side and corruption upon the other." The gathering turns deadly after a bomb set in a cemetery located on the retreat site detonates, killing one of the mayoral hopefuls. Though the police suspect the IRA, the Reverend Mother, a plausible and accomplished sleuth, digs deeper. The pacing, clueing, and characterizations are all top-notch. Father Brown fans will be in heaven.
