Review: One was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming

 One Was A Soldier

Author: Julia Spencer-Fleming
Format: Minotaur Books (2011), ARC, 336 pages
Characters:Russ Van Alstyne, Clare Fergusson
Subject: soldiers returning from war, murder, theft
Setting: fictional town of Millers Kill NY
Series: Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mysteries
Genre: mystery- police procedural/amateur sleuth; romance
Source: ARC from the Early Reviewer program on LibraryThing.com

She's done it again!  Julia Spencer-Fleming just gets better and better. This is the seventh in the series, and the town of Millers Kill NY is beginning to feel like a hometown.  We thought we knew everyone, but here, as Rev (Major) Clare Fergusson finally returns home after her tour as a helicopter pilot in Iraq, we are introduced to several of her fellow veterans, each of whom has some serious impairment from service - either PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, physical impairment or some combination of all of them.  Depression, alcoholism, anger management, flashbacks, drug addiction ---these are some of the problems that send several of them, Clare included,  to veteran's group therapy sessions. While discussing their problems, they become involved in solving a mystery, and Clare, in her usual 'damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead' manner again finds herself butting heads with police chief (and fiancé) Russ Van Alstyne, elevating the already steamy sexual tension between the two.

Spencer-Fleming is at her best here with an elegant, poignant, anguish-filled character study of the group participants, with her believable plot that gives us many twists and keeps us guessing, and with a romance that we thought was going to culminate in this volume (we've been waiting for years).  Everything-- characters, plot, scene setting, and romance combine to make an incredible and enjoyable page turner.  I only wanted to see how it started, but ended up putting aside two other books I was reading to follow this one from page 1 to the end.

Readers who are new to the series can read this one without having to read the previous ones - there is just enough back-fill to make it enjoyable, but fans of the series, who have followed this friendship/romance from the beginning, will find it truly rewarding.

I will not do spoilers--the group works together to try to overcome the mental and physical wounds they all are suffering, they become involved in "helping" the police determine if a murder has been commited and if so who did it, and they become involved in uncovering a huge Army boondoggle.  Oh yeah.....and Clare and Russ march toward the altar.  Do they finally get married?  I won't tell, and  I certainly won't give away a very surprising ending that left me screaming   "NO YOU CAN"T STOP HERE!"

I love Julia Spencer-Fleming, but I'm almost upset ---now I have to wait for the next installment.  And it had better be soon!

Review: I Shall not Want

Author: Julia Spencer-Fleming
Format:  audio - approx 15 hours; 336 pgs equivalent
Characters: Clare Ferguson; Russ Van Alstyne, and many others
Subject: Migrant workers, drug smuggling, Romance, murder
Setting: fictional town of Millers Kill NY
Series: Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mystery
Genre: police procedural mystery, a thrilling cozy
Source: public library

The author's web page calls this series "Novels of faith and murder for readers of literary suspense."  This one is all that and more.  In this the sixth one in her series, Julia Spencer-Fleming gives us more of two of my favorite characters: Clare, the episcopal priest/Army National Guard helo pilot, and Russ - the recently widowed Chief of police/retired Army MP.  In this episode Clare becomes involved with Sr. Lucia, a nun who is sponsoring an outreach to migrant Mexican farm workers who have come to the area to work on the dairy farms (one of which belongs to Russ' sister Janet and her husband).  When Sr. Lucia's van is shot at and crashes, several of the migrants who were passengers run into the woods, and Russ and Clare begin a search for them to be sure no one is hurt.  When the discovery of the first body is followed by several more, the story escalates into a full-blown mystery thriller with many suspects (is there a serial killer hiding somewhere?), some of whom are really nasty characters.  All the while, life goes on in Miller's Kill.  Clare has to placate her vestry, her new deacon, and her bishop.  The police force has to deal with auto accidents, domestic violence complaints, and fraternization. Russ has to figure out if (at 50 years old) he really wants to go on living with his mother. 

Fans of the series know that is not all there is.  Clare and Russ have been romantically attracted to each other all along, but until the death of his wife in the previous book, they've managed not to act on the attraction.  Now as they are try to recover from the events of the previous winter and their individual feelings of guilt, they still are uncertain whether they can or should trust themselves and their feelings as they go forward.  I think it is almost impossible to understand this one unless you read at least #5,  All Mortal Flesh, first.  The series is truly best when read in order, something I've just completed since this spring.

The romance is strong, convincing, funny and but respectful.  In addition to Clare and Russ, Spencer-Fleming introduces a new romantic couple - Hadley Knox, a 32 year old divorcee with 2 kids, and Kevin Flynn, a 24 year old innocent - the two youngest police officers on the force.  Their relationship is touching, funny, and leaves us hopeful that they will be able to work out their differences, and that Hadley will decide to stay with the police force.

SLIGHT SPOILER ahead: In the end of this one, after the crimes are solved,  Clare's National Guard Unit is called up (she receives the call on Christmas night) to go to Iraq for a year.  She has only two weeks to get ready to leave.

The Christmas night love scene in the rectory is positively one of the most erotic I have ever read.

There is not a single word which doesn't fit.  JSF sets a tone of reverence, love, longing, hope, forgiveness and pure joy that leaves the reader panting for more as Clare and Russ finally come together only to face being apart for a year. It is not sultry or salacious, but beautifully portrayed, with just a touch of self- deprecating humor sneaking in.

The next book (#7: One was a Soldier) has had publication delayed until April 2011.  It will be my Lenten penance to have to wait that long.  But if you haven't read the series, then you have time to get them, read them in order, and luxuriate in a great series of mysteries, make friends with the inhabitants of Millers Kill, and get reading for the adventure of spring 2011.

Review: To Darkness and to Death

Author: Julia Spencer- Fleming
Format:  audio - 14 hrs;  370 page equivalent
Characters: Clare Ferguson, Russ Van Alstyn
Subject: Murder, big business takeover of wilderness
Setting: Upstate New York
Series: Clare Ferguson/Russ Van Alstyn  mysteries
Genre: police/amateur detective
Source:  public library
Challenge: SYLL, Audio, Thrillers and Suspense

Ingredients: Ex Army helicopter pilot now Episcopal priest (oh yeah- she's female); retired Army MP, now Police chief, lots of illicit romantic tension, no sex, a couple of Forrest Gump level criminals ("stupid is as stupid does"), a small town very professional police force, a giant conglomerate taking over bazillions of acres of pristine woodlands, a flawed recluse harboring a grudge, a priggish British suitor, a pompous Episcopalian deacon, several disenchanted businessmen watching their life dreams disappear under the onslaught of 'progress', loggers, mill-workers, and do-gooders.

Spencer-Fleming's ongoing series continues to build the romance between Rev. Clare Ferguson and Police Chief Van Alstyn, this time giving us more of a glimpse of the Chief's wife Linda.  The story opens with a reported missing person, and Clare's being called out on the search and rescue mission (she wants to keep her Army skills honed).  The ensuing tangled story that emerges from the results of the impending sale of acres of property by the Van der Hoeven family has many subplots.  The criminal characters are run-of-the mill criminals...they're ordinary townspeople who have not learned to deal with their emotions, their greed, and their longing to keep things from changing.  I did think Spencer-Fleming went a little over the edge though on some of the scenes.  I mean really! How stupid can people be and still be believable?

I enjoy this series, and plan to spend several hours this summer reading #3, which I skipped because it wasn't available at the library, and then 5, 6 and 7.  Like a good soap opera, they hook you into continuing so you can see what happens to the star-struck lovers.  Worth a read.

Review: A Fountain Filled with Blood

Author: Julie Spencer-Fleming
Format: audio, 11 discs, 12 hours, 320 page equivalent
Narrator: Suzanne Toren
Subject: gay bashing, murder, environmental impact from developments
Setting: Upstate New York
Genre: mystery-police procedural + amateur sleuth
Source: Public library Inter-library loan



In this second of the series, Spencer-Fleming gives us another great thriller.  I really enjoy the combo of the amatuer sleuth, Clare Ferguson, priest of the local Episcopal Church (and oh, by the way, retired Army helo pilot) and the professional crime fighter, police chief Russ Van Arsdale (oh,by the way, retired Army MP).

The story begins with the vicious attack on the town's Medical Examiner, who just happens to be gay, and shifts quickly to a demonstration against a resort development on the site of some alleged PCBs.  Here we meet Russ's mother, a real pistol of an active elder, who gets herself thrown in jail by her son for demonstrating without a permit.

There is more murder and mayhem, and an incredible helo scene (we KNEW sooner or later Clare was going to fly again!).  So no spoilers, but this plot was gut churning, and there were enough suspects to keep three police forces busy.  I don't do spoilers, so we'll leave the story line there.

The issue of gays and same sex marriage is treated with delicacy and compassion, but in the end, I couldn't quite figure out if the issue of gay bashing was a red-herring to hide the real reason for the crimes.

I do have very mixed feelings about the blossoming romantic relationship between the two main characters however.  We have yet to meet Russ' wife--she's always off working on her curtain business, and Spencer-Fleming has the two protagonists playing with fire.  I can't wait til book #3 to see if sparks ignite.


Challenges: Support Your Local library 2/50 , Thrillers and Suspense 2/12 , Audio Books 2/20.