Thief of Souls [Mass Market Paperback]

We, as readers, cannot help but root for these strong willed women, both of whom must fight for everything they can in order to succeed in their endeavors in a male dominated society, in Guillemette's case, and in a male dominated profession in Lany's case. Both must deal with the arrogance of their respective abductors and both must find the emerging pattern in their respective investigations.

Ms. Benson throws in some historical plums just for the interest. The actual childhood nurse of de Rais was named Guillemette La Drappiere and some of the 21st century detectives are named for real police detectives. But, still, it is the villains who warrant our attention. The thief in each case here not only steals souls but steals lives as well. And, when each seeks absolution and feels that it is at hand, each thief, as Ann Benson so beautifully puts it, will be as far from absolution as he would ever be in his life and yet more in need of it than ever before. Five stars indeed.

Over five and a half centuries later in Los Angles, Lany Dunbar is working on a case study eerily similar to the one that Guillemette investigated. Several young males, almost feminine in looks, have been abducted and their bodies never found. Each victim visited a certain popular exhibit at the La Brea Tar pits, leading Lany to the conclusion that the perpetrator is somebody connected to the exhibit who is very wealthy and has time to play out his or her fantasies. She intends to unearth and arrest this person even though the culprit knows that Lany is on the prowl.

Crime and depravity doesn't change very much over the centuries as the actions of the villains in THIEF OF SOULS prove. In both cases, a very strong woman in a position of power brings down a seemingly untouchable person. This is a long juicy novel that takes place ten years after Joan of Arc won the battle of Orleans as well as in the present. The crimes show that the more things change the more things remain the same.

Harriet Klausner

Reading this the two heroines are not as dissimiliar as one may expect. Lany Dunbar though not specifically stated has some very classic christian values to her character. Mere Guillemette le Drappiere, while a respected nun and confidante/aide to the bishop of Nantes was not always a nunm and has some very pragmatic and secular values leftover before her life of service. One thing both ladies have in common is their passion to solve the mysterious disappearances of young children.

As I said in title of review this book is very good, Benson seamlessly parallels the eras the action of her novel is set in. She writes with a meticulate attention to her chief characters' motives and humanity.

There is only a couple flaws that bugged me very slightly as I read this book but I feel they are worth mentioning for the integrity of this review. 1) One reason I read this is the back blurb sounded really interesting setting half the novel in 1440 Nantes around "Bluebeard's" or Lord Giles de Rais's crimes hooked my jaded attention span. However while Benson gave equal "screen" teehee book i mean time to 1440 Nantes, I felt she could have characterized de Rais a little deeper. Until his trial he was like a phantasm mists of a character(perhaps intentional to further the plot), but if he is a draw to readers like myself I felt I would have liked to get inside his head more so to speak. 2.) This novel is probably longer than it could/should be, again another confession I skimmed about a hundred of the 600+ pages, because although it was entertaining and enjoyable it wasn't Great enough for me to self-justify reading every single word in the massive text.
Everyone's taste is different and this is the reason I can consciously recommend this title to others. While I felt it was long and dragged a little for readers of Benson, and readers that enjoy historical/contemporary fiction this could be the title you are looking for.:)