Felicity Howard, a young American studying at the College of the Transfiguration in Yorkshire, is devastated when she finds her beloved Fr. Dominic bludgeoned to death and Fr. Antony, her church history lecturer, soaked in his blood . . . 'A Very Private Grave' is a contemporary novel with a thoroughly modern heroine who must learn some ancient truths in order to solve the mystery and save her own life as she and Fr. Antony flee a murderer and follow clues that take them to out-of-the way sites in northern England and southern Scotland. The narrative skillfully mixes detection, intellectual puzzles, spiritual aspiration, romance, and the solving of clues ancient and modern.
A Very Private Grave (The Monastery Murders)
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Like a P. D. James novel A Very Private Grave occupies a learned territory. Also a beautifully described corner of England, that of the Northumbrian coast where St. Cuthbert's Christianity retains its powerful presence. Where myth and holiness, wild nature and tourism, art and prayer run in parallel, and capture the imagination still. --Ronald Blythe (06/10/2010)
About the Author
Donna Fletcher Crow is author of more than 35 Christian novels, published mainly by Crossway and Moody Press. She has twice won first place in the Historical Fiction category, National Association of Press Women, and has been a finalist in the 'Best Inspirational Novel' category, Romance Writers of America. She is a member of The Association of Christian Writers and Sisters in Crime.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A Very Private Grave is the story of what happens to the young American, Felicity, when she witnesses a brutal murder of a priest at a Yorkshire retreat centre. What follows is a chase across a very well-realised Northern Britain, with Felicity not knowing who to trust in her quest to find the body of the 5th Century saint, St Cuthbert. How the search for St Cuthbert's body affects the modern day and provides the motive for violence and murder turns this into a gripping, thoughtful story with far more depth than the average mystery.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Fay Sampson
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Donna Fletcher Crow has set her crime novel in a variety of evocative holy places dear to my heart. As her protagonist flees the monastery when she is suspected of a crime, her flight follows the wanderings of Saint Cuthbert's body in NW Britain, in the search for the real culprit and the secret that lies at the heart of the mystery. An exciting story from the 7th century becomes essentially entangled with one from the present day.
Believeable and colourful characters, settings that become part of the plot, and more than a dash of romance.
Believeable and colourful characters, settings that become part of the plot, and more than a dash of romance.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Mari Howard
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I liked the concept of this novel, a "pilgrimage" forced upon a couple of inhabitants of a theological college in order to solve a murder mystery. The location - the North of England and Scottish borders - is an interesting area steeped in the early history of the church in Britain, and the central theme turns on the decision of whether we ended up following the Roman Catholic or the Celtic traditions. With so much interest today in the Celtic side of the Christian faith in these islands, it's a theme which has a good chance to be a winner.
One thing I could have done with is a map. Although I've recently visited some of the places, I haven't travelled the whole route of Cuthbert's followers described in the book, and a map would've been really helpful. A glossary might also help those who are unfamiliar with the rituals of High Anglicanism - what, for example, is a scapula, an alb, a thurible, to the contemporary reader?
Another slight problem was how the history is integrated within the story. Long passages of the legend of St Cuthbert are interesting, but rather break up the narrative. I wondered if an appendix (or an Introduction) could've been used for these, since beside the who-dunnit part of the plot, we had the development of understanding of themselves, and of each other, between the two main characters. Alternatively, it could've been written as a lively dialogue between the two characters, or more like a person telling a story, in colloquial terms. It reads a bit like a history book, which is why it breaks up the narrative. But we do need it.... Read more ›
One thing I could have done with is a map. Although I've recently visited some of the places, I haven't travelled the whole route of Cuthbert's followers described in the book, and a map would've been really helpful. A glossary might also help those who are unfamiliar with the rituals of High Anglicanism - what, for example, is a scapula, an alb, a thurible, to the contemporary reader?
Another slight problem was how the history is integrated within the story. Long passages of the legend of St Cuthbert are interesting, but rather break up the narrative. I wondered if an appendix (or an Introduction) could've been used for these, since beside the who-dunnit part of the plot, we had the development of understanding of themselves, and of each other, between the two main characters. Alternatively, it could've been written as a lively dialogue between the two characters, or more like a person telling a story, in colloquial terms. It reads a bit like a history book, which is why it breaks up the narrative. But we do need it.... Read more ›
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Jo Bennett
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Don't even begin to read this book if you are at all familiar with the world of religious communities! Where it's not stilted it's over the top, and not in the fun way one expects of a murder thriller. Sorry!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By maggiedav
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
The detective story is somewhat far-fetched in both story and heroine. An american comes to England to study, by-passes the usual selection processes for ordination and becomes a stiudent at a very thinly disguished theological college, in Yorkshire. Firstly one of the brethren is murdered by someone wanting to discover the results of his research and then by detective work, chase,determination and a great deal of coincidence, the plot thickens. There ids much made of the story of St Cuthbert and the places linked with him, probably the best part of the book, and is makes a combination of an irritating and interesting story! More deaths follow and more revelations emerge to herald another book in the series, probably equally identifiable in location. I would not recommend it to anyone who knows that particular college well. However, there has been some detailed preparation concerning the location and modern as well as ancient life in a monastic institution,
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Old single
Format:Kindle Edition
This is a very interesting exciting book. I enjoyed the way it weaved together the stories of St. Cuthbert, St. Ninian, St. Aidan, the Venerable Bede and St.Hilda. These were a bit longwinded in places but it did not matter. The soul searching of the main characters was well described.
By Cherub
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is an interesting change to other crime novels. A little like the "Father Brown" stories. Very enjoyable, I will look out for future stories.
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
A good tale which I enjoyed. A mystery that had some interesting turns as well as some interesting historical stuff
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