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Act Of Mercy (2003)

Act of Mercy (2003)

Book Info

Rating
4.03 of 5 Votes: 1
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ISBN
0451209087 (ISBN13: 9780451209085)
Language
English
Publisher
signet

About book Act Of Mercy (2003)

Originally published on my blog here in January 2001.The seventh Sister Fidelma mystery is to be the last, as far as I am concerned. I had hoped that with the setting moved away from Ireland the novel would be an improvement on the previous couple in the series, which had got into something of a rut. It is better, but not sufficiently so for me to continue with the series.Fidelma sets sail for Santiago on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St James. This was not the massively important place it would become in the later Middle Ages, after a vision had revealed the presence of the body of the saint, but there are apparently records of Irish pilgrims travelling there at the date when the series is set. (This is mentioned in the rather defensive foreword.) However, one of her fellow travellers goes overboard during a storm, and evidence comes to light to show that this was murder.Characterisation is sketchy; the background is far too clean. (Tremayne's picture of seventh century Ireland seems to have been strongly influenced by the romanticised picture of Celtic history fashionable in the late nineteenth century as part of the Celtic Revival.) Act of Mercy is poorly written and the mystery is unconvincing.

I love Sister Fidelma novels but I really missed Brother Eadulf in this story. While Sister Fidelma is on a pilgrimage and trying to sort out her life; does she want remain a religieux or just a dalaigh, does she have deeper feeling for Brother Eadulf or is it platonic, when she runs in to her long-ago lover who spurned her. With multiple murders and very suspicious fellow pilgrims she sifts through the clues and (as always) solves the murder mystery. The story was good and takes place mostly aboard a ship taking her and her fellow travelers to a famous shrine in Iberia. As usual, I can never figure out “who dun it” and love how it makes such logical sense when the reveal happens. I am hoping that Brother Eadulf is back with the next installment.

Do You like book Act Of Mercy (2003)?

Really enjoyed this editon of Peter Treymayne's book. Sister Fidelma is all alone in this mystery, her friend and confidant is not with her. She takes a ship voyage to go to Spain and travel the Santiago Way. But all kinds of things happen on the ship. It begins when she discovers that her first serious relationship is on the ship. She then has to deal with religious personnel who don't act like they are in the cloistered life with all the sex and violence that goes on. Four people are all killed and Sister Fidelma has to discover the killer. She does of course, but it is not so obvious.
—Carmen

I really liked this book. We get a chance to delve into Sister Fidelma's past and really see what makes her tick. I also liked the setting aboard ship. Different. I think this book gives the reader the most in depth look at Sister Fidelma's character thus far. I love her even more! My only complaint. I guessed the culprit and her reasons from the get go. But, as I said, the broadening window onto Fidelma's character overrode any other deficiencies. Oh, I do have one other complaint, not just with this book, though it's most obvious here. Why do some mystery writers with recurring characters fudge the ages so blatantly? (Anne Perry is also guilty of this infraction). It's especially annoying in this series because we are given Sister Fidelma's birth year in the foreword (636). So, if it is now the autumn of 666, she would be 30 or approaching 30. A matter of simple mathematics. But the author continues to make statements that insinuate she is barely 28. Impossible! I finally changed the lines "ten years ago" (which were repeated multiple times in regards to her relationship with Cian) to "twelve years ago" in my head. Very annoying!
—Laura Edwards

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