The fourth in the Max Tudor series finds the MI-5 agent
turned Anglican priest trying to figure out the best way to tell his bishop
that he’s getting married. Well, not
married, but handfasted because his fiancé is a pagan. Also, she’s pregnant. When Max gets a call
that his bishop wants to see him, he’s certain that the man already knows and
is calling Max to account.
Instead, he finds that the Bishop has a predicament of his
own. Lord Lislelivet has survived a
poisoning by fruitcake—a fruitcake made by Handmaids of St. Lucy of Monksbury
Abbey, to be precise. The fruitcakes
have become very popular, possibly because, as the Bishop says, the cakes pack “an
astonishingly high alcohol content.” They are quite the fundraiser for the Abbey,
so the Bishop is anxious for Max to investigate the matter and clear the
fruitcakes. Also, there may be some
questions about how some recent donations have been spent.
Max learns very quickly that His Lordship is not a
particularly popular person, so the list of suspects is extensive. He also finds that while the Abbey seems harmonious
enough on the surface, there are those who have strong opinions on whether or
not things should be changed. There are
those who feel the Abbey is moving too much into the mainstream, while others
believe that if they fail to change the Abbey will go extinct: the number of
nuns is dwindling, and few are interested in joining the order.
And, as is usually true, Max finds that everyone has secrets—even
nuns.
I liked the previous entries in this series and this one is
no exception. I also read Louise Penny’s
mystery novels and I had the feeling this one was influenced by a couple of
Penny’s works: The Beautiful Mystery and How
the Light Gets In. Characterization
was very good this time around; Max’s impending marriage and fatherhood are
much on his mind and give him a nice added depth. I have some quibbles with the way the
solution to the crime was laid out—none of which I can discuss without spoilers!—but
otherwise it was a good addition to the series and one that I enjoyed more than
some, aforementioned quibbles aside.
There’s a good bit of humor in the books, mostly observations on human
nature rather than slapstick comedy. For
example, a character was described as being a member of the church of It’s All
About Me.
Even though Max is a priest, the books are not preachy. Max’s religious beliefs are inclusive rather
than exclusive, with respect for other religious traditions. There are times when Max questions why things
happen, but he has found a peace in his new vocation that was sorely lacking in
his old. As a former agent, he has no illusions about human nature but he is
also a man of faith.
The Max Tudor series in order:
1.
Wicked Autumn
2.
Fatal Winter
3.
Pagan Spring
4.
Demon Summer
5.
Haunted Season
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