Our Lady of Darkness
Minotaur, September, 2002.
Hardcover, 270 pages.
ISBN: 0312272952
Sister Fidelma of Cashel is back in fine form
with the latest entry in the excellent
historical mystery series by Celtic
scholar Peter Ellis. The sister of the King
of Muman and an advocate of the Brehon courts
of 7th century Ireland, Sister Fidelma
is used to solving difficult cases. But when
she is called back from her pilgrimage to
the Shrine of St. James, it is for a more
personal reason: her good friend, Saxon monk
Brother Eadulf has already been tired
and found guilty of the murder of
a young novice in the neighboring kingdom
of Laigin. When Fidelma arrives in Laigin, she
finds nothing but trouble. The youthful and
belligerent ruler of Laigin has illegally abandoned
the traditional judicial code of Ireland in favor
of the ecclesiastical rules of the Roman church and,
therefore, Eadulf is already scheduled for execution.
Given only twenty-four hours to find evidence which
will clear Eadulf, Fidelma goes head to head with
a scheming Abbess, belligerent church officials
and some very nasty crooks in order to save Eadulf
from an untimely demise.
The headstrong Fidelma faces a case which will affect her more than she would care to admit. She has feelings for Eadulf which are more than friendship, but she can't let that get in the way of her doing her job. And with all the roadblocks being put before her in Laigin (a most unpleasant place, politically speaking) it's a wonder she can find out anything at all. But Fidelma is nothing if not persistent, and her strength of spirit will get her through. Peter Tremayne keeps the suspense quotient very high in this book; this is one series that never falters.
Our Lady of Darkness is available for purchase on Amazon.com
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This review was published in the December - January, 2003 of The Internet Writing Journal.
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