I was drawn to The Lost Years, the most recent offering by Mary Higgins Clark, because the inside cover told me, "(it) is at once a breathless murder mystery and a hunt for what may be the most precious religious and archeological treasure of all time." Sounds exciting doesn't it? Unfortunately, for me the book falls short of being "breathless" or any kind of treasure hunt.
The story begins in the Vatican Library in 1474 A.D., where thousands of sacred manuscripts are stored. The most controversial of these is know as both the Joseph of Arimathea Parchment and the Vatican Letter, believed by many to be the only letter ever written by the Christ. Fearful that it will be destroyed by Pope Sixtus IV who believes it to be a fake, a monk removes the letter from the Vatican and it is never seen again. Jonathan Lyons is a biblical scholar who, while cataloging documents from an ancient monastery, discovers what he thinks is the Vatican Letter. Within a few days of sharing his discovery with his closest colleagues Jonathan is found murdered in his home by his adult daughter. His wife, who suffers from dementia and advanced Alzheimer's, becomes the prime suspect as she is found hiding in the office closet holding the murder weapon. Mariah Lyons is convinced that her mother is innocent and sets about trying to discover who really killed her father and to find the missing letter. There's tremendous potential for a really great mystery here, but the book just doesn't take advantage of any of the characters or the significance of the missing document. The author introduces us to many people (too many?). I don't think any of them are well developed and as much as I wanted to, I just didn't care about any of them. Except maybe the mother. I was a little worried about her. The book reads really quickly. I admit that I didn't figure out "who-dun-it", and there were some unexpected little twist. Overall, I'd say it was a fair offering from Mary Higgins Clark. Not worth going out of your way for, but acceptable if you find it in the library of the B & B when you're looking for an easy read on a long weekend! Currently I'm reading The Body in the Boudoir by Katherine Hall Page. This is a Faith Fairchild Mystery and in this installment the author goes back in time and tells of the story of how Faith (the caterer) and her pastor husband Tom met. I'm about 70 pages in and so far the story is moving easily and the characters are as unique and entertaining as I hoped they would be. Check back next Thursday and I'll tell you if it holds its own or misses the mark! Interested in seeing what others are reading this week? Come with me to An Accidental Knitter where I link up on Thursdays. I may not have loved this book, but what do you think of the latest addition to my yarn stash? This is a bulky weight wool from Canada that I got for free from my terrific crochet/knitting group. The label says it's from Candide Yarns and is color 79. I have 6 skeins (about 1140 yds. / 24 oz.) of this wooly goodness - now what am I going to make with it!?! That's all for now. Until next time friends, Be blessed and stitch & read with love!
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My name is Robin. I am a wife, mother and strong believer in the power of faith. I'm a maker, a crafter and an artist. I love exploring new mediums and sharing my adventures with you. Did you enjoy your visit? Let me know by leaving a comment. I love knowing you dropped by, and hope to see you again soon! Be Blessed and Stitch & Read with Love! |