What
if the livelihood of your entire community depended on your ability to
solve a mystery? Sister Deirdre has been tapped by her abbess to find
the missing bones of her convent's most holy nun. Without the relics,
the pilgrimages will cease, plunging the sisters into poverty.I never meant to burn down the church.—Saint Brigid's Bones: A Celtic Adventure by Philip Freeman (Pegasus, 2014, p. 1)
That's what I kept telling myself as I stood in front of Sister Anna's hut.
Quick Facts
- Setting: Ireland, 6th century
- Circumstances: When the bones of Sister Brigid, who would later become a patron saint of Ireland, disappear from the convent's church, Sister Deirdre is put in charge of the investigation
- Characters: Sister Deirdre and members of her secular family; Sister Dari, her friend; Sister Anna, the abbess; other nuns; a neighboring abbot and his monks; King Dulaing and his sons; various outlaws, farmers, and townsfolk
- Genre: historical mystery
- Themes: family, women's place in early Christianity, competing belief systems
- Why I want to read this: I haven't started this yet, but the character of Sister Deirdre intrigues me: she was once married and a nobelwoman, she was raised by a druid grandmother, and she was trained as a bard. I'm curious why she decided to become nun and how and why she burned down the church. I'm drawn to the setting of Medieval Ireland, and I love a good mystery.
- Miscellaneous: The author is a Celtic scholar; thus the period details should be accurate
What a provocative teaser.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my site.
That intro really draws you in. I would read more.
ReplyDeleteIntriguing teaser. Why did she burn down the church, I wonder.
ReplyDeleteHere's my teaser:
http://www.lovebitessilkties.co.uk/2014/12/teasertuesday-bookoftheweek-spanked-by.html
This is a book I want to read, thanks for bringing it to my attention.
ReplyDeletereally love this one! i'll make sure to put it on my TBR list. thanks for sharing and hope you enjoy your week.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds great. I love historical mysteries in general :)
ReplyDeleteIntriguing! Now I want to know more!
ReplyDeleteToday I'm featuring 'Dorothy Must Die' by Danielle Paige.
Her history makes me wonder why she became a nun. Not my normal read but I think I'd like this one.
ReplyDeleteHere's my TT - http://fuonlyknew.com/2014/12/02/teaser-tuesdays-90-come-along-with-me/
I'm not sure about the 6th Century setting but that teaser really captures my interest!
ReplyDeleteSister Deirdre sounds like an interesting character. A great way to learn a bit about the period too.
ReplyDeleteMine this week is at http://wp.me/pZnGI-gb
That's a lot of pressure to solve the mystery!
ReplyDeleteSounds intriguing...thanks for sharing and enjoy; and thanks for visiting my blog.
What a great teaser, it just begs me to find out more.
ReplyDeleteThat first line got me. Now I want to know more.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great opening! I've been fascinated by historical fiction recently so this book definitely captures my imagination. Another book for my TBR pile.
ReplyDeleteMy Tuesday post features TRAIL MIX.
I do like a bit of historical fiction and this sounds particularly good. Thanks for visiting my TT https://cleopatralovesbooks.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/teaser-tuesday-december-2/
ReplyDeleteLove the teaser - it definitely makes you want to read more. Mine: The Heart of Christmas
ReplyDeleteI like the intro, but am not sure about the 6th century setting.
ReplyDeleteThis looks interesting- medieval Ireland, a bard , early Christianity in the isles- I think I'd like to read this one too!
ReplyDeleteI love a good mystery and Irish setting. How can I go wrong? Thanks for sharing. Will look forward to your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteWow! I'm utterly taken up in this teaser! What happened!? No, what happens next!? Great post! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not a mystery fan but that opening line is good! Keep reading.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds very intriguing. I think I'd enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteIreland! that certainly has piqued my interest... I also think she's probs in a bit of trouble after that!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really good! I'll have to put it on my TBR list straight away!
ReplyDeleteGreat teaser, sounds like an interesting read. Thanks for stopping by my site :)
ReplyDeleteYou know that something like your teaser actually happened for real here this summer? Two kids around 9 years old were playing, and went into a church to light a candle. When the candle fell down, they wanted to cover it with something before they left the church, and most of the church did burn down...
ReplyDeleteLexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews
Oh yes, I'd read this one. I like the beginning very much. Have a nice week. kelley—the road goes ever ever on
ReplyDeleteInteresting … in another medieval series i read on/off it was explained that widows often entered the convent so as not to have to marry again … in any case this one sounds interesting and i am adding it to my list .. thanks
ReplyDelete