Julia Spencer-Fleming - To Darkness and to Death (2005)
Reviewed by David J. Montgomery
A mystery novel built around a strong female character is Julia Spencer-Fleming’s To Darkness and to Death, the latest in her series about former Army chopper pilot turned Episcopalian priest Clare Fergusson.
Taking a plot design like the popular television show 24, To Darkness and Death unfolds over the course of one long, hectic day. A young woman from a wealthy family goes missing on the same day her family is scheduled to sign over their large land holdings to an environmental group.
The Reverend Fergusson is part of the search party scouring the woods for the heiress, while Police Chief Russ van Alstyne follows up on a possible, more sinister motive.
As usual, the best part of Spencer-Fleming’s writing is her wonderful characters and the interactions between them. The unspoken, unconsummated love affair between Fergusson and van Alstyne is beautifully written, sad and poignant.
The plot is not the author’s best, and the book meanders a bit too much through its multiple viewpoints to maintain the level of suspense that she is trying for. Even so, though, it’s a rich and fulfilling story, and time spent with these characters is to be cherished.
Posted by David J. Montgomery in Book Reviews | Permalink
