In the Bleak Midwinter: A Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alsyne Novel: Amazon.ca: Julia Spencer-Fleming: Books

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From Publishers Weekly

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)Traditional Mystery contest.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This first novel, winner of St. Martin's Malice Domestic Award for 2001, introduces an unusual investigative partnership and a probable new series. Russ Van Alstyne, police chief of Millers Kill, and Clare Fergusson, new-to-town Episcopal priest, first meet when she reports a baby abandoned at the church. The two later discover the body of the baby's young mother. As the investigation progresses, Clare runs into opposition from staid church members, two of whom will do anything to adopt the child. With superb skill, exact detail, and precise diction, this highlights credible personal conflicts. For all collections.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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It was one hell of a night to throw away a baby. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

28 Reviews

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4.6 out of 5 stars (28 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A keeper, May 28 2003

By

Thelma C. Johnson "doodlebug@multipro.com" (Cookeville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: In the Bleak Midwinter (Mass Market Paperback)

I am giving this five stars because I think it is well-crafted and more satisfying than most. The author does some things very well--such as, being able to describe her characters in little gestures and believable dialog so that we know what they looked like without being told. We know their attitudes, values, demons, likes and dislikes, and general comportment with no editorial slanting. They are human beings with failings as well as strengths. We even know the two absent characters, the murdered girl, and the chief's wife, who never appear but pervade the story with their presence. One does not doubt the sincerity of Clare's devotion to her ministry, although the reader wonders at times why a woman with such rigorous training and discipline from her years in the armed service would be such a ninny as to rush headlong into the mountains so ill prepared (shades of the heroine entering a dark attic when a known killer is lurking in the house!). She also seems to be too eager to manage other people's lives, although a certain amount of nosiness is required of the amateur detective. The sheriff, who should have known better, seems to give out too much information to the perps he is interrogating. All the cops I have known are pretty close-mouthed. And I can't think of any good reason why Russ took her to his house for supper when they could have gone to an eatery in town. Well, of course, we had to see his house and they needed a heart-to-heart, but that is a good way for a preacher, either man or woman, to lose a job and reputation. Still, this was a good story and kept me going to the end. How refreshing to find characters who are not super human!

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3.0 out of 5 stars Fine first novel -- but some not-so-smart characters, May 30 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: In the Bleak Midwinter (Hardcover)

Overall, I liked this book. I liked the characters, and I'm counting on seeing a series featuring this priest and this cop.

That said, I hope that, in the future, both the priest and the cop make smarter decisions. I could accept some mistakes in judgment from Rev. Clare, who is a novice sleuth. However, she made several mistakes in a row that I found rather improbable, considering that she is presented to us as a character who is smart and who is more accustomed to challenging situations than the average person.

It seemed to me that the chief of police failed to take some logical "next steps" in pursuing the investigation -- places that needed to be visited, people who needed to be interviewed, sooner rather than later.

It appeared to me that the author wanted to spread out the arrival of the clues through the device of not having the cop do certain interviews or searches in a timely manner. Unfortunately, that also made him look not too much on the ball.

I was also surprised at the suggestion that the authorities in New York state could not produce DNA results in a shorter time than four months -- given that the case involved the murder of a victim for whom there would be enormous sympathy. If an author says it in a mystery, it must be true -- but what does this say about the priorities of forensic labs in New York?

I enjoyed the book, although I guessed the identity of the villain early on in the book. I do recommend it to other readers. I bet the next books in the series will be better and better each time, so readers should start with this one.

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4.0 out of 5 stars A True Blessing!, April 26 2004

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Gary Turner (Powder Springs, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: In the Bleak Midwinter (Mass Market Paperback)

Not familiar with the author, I was hesitant to pick up this book. The fact that it had won so many awards for first novel put me over the edge and I am delighted that it did. The author's heroine, an Episcopal priest by the name of Claire Ferguson finds herself in the middle of a mystery that evolves into murder in the upstate New York town of Miller's Kill. She finds a newborn baby on the doorstep of the rectory and that sets in motion a quest to find who left the child, and, in turn, a series of murders that makes it evident that the truth is not meant to be known. The book is a quick read and the relationship between Claire and the town's police chief makes for interesting reading. I will not miss the next book in the series.

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