A Sacrificial Matter by Ilona Fridl

perf5.000x8.000.indd
A Sacrificial Matter by Ilona Fridl
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical (1920s), Suspense/Mystery
Length: Short Story (84 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Further, you ought to keep in mind that only the men are viagra 25mg prix said to be facing a number of sexual issues. How can we naturally normalize the alkaline condition of the body particularly if buy viagra discount saliva and urine pH time after time are less than 6.6. Here, important information has been mentioned that make ED treatment convenient and easy: Kamagra Jelly It is a semi liquid version of the normal viagra stores in canada ll that is available. viagra, as it is also known, can be a devastating problem that affects a man’s self-confidence, his self-image, and his intimate relationships. It cheap levitra is true that there are drugs that are manufactured using the same proprietary formulas and active ingredients as name brand drugs after a company’s patent, and exclusive right to manufacture that drug, has run out. A naked man in a graveyard… Detectives Amos and Sarah Darcy have dealt with quite a few unusual mysteries, but who cut down the naked man in the graveyard with a broadsword at midnight? When Sheriff Sam Lindsey calls on them to help solve the murder, Sarah risks her life to go undercover into a world of spiritualism and crime to find the murderer and the motive.

Amos and Sarah Darcy are called in by the local sheriff to help investigate a very strange death. Who on earth would kill a man with a broadsword and leave the body in a graveyard?

This is a really interesting book that captured my attention in the first few pages and didn’t let go. I haven’t read anything previously by this author and that is certainly my loss. Despite some old-fashioned language (which was a delightful surprise and lent the book an air of authenticity seeing as the time period is the 1920s) I caught on to almost everything very quickly and soon found myself completely involved in the story and Amos and Sarah in particular. The author has clearly gone to a lot of work and effort to make the setting and backdrop of her world authentic – like comments on how their brand new Oldsmobile was Amos’ pride and joy and Sarah had only just been “allowed” to drive it alone recently, or how they called a tape measure a “tape rule”, small things like this which made me pause, but I could quickly and easily understand what it meant. This is one of those few times jarring me during reading is welcome – it reminded me this story was set in the past and really gave it an air of a old-style mystery and greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

I believe that this is not the first book with Amos and Sarah Darcy in it. Their relationship is already solidly formed and they are married and share a child. It’s clear they’ve been doing their detective work for quite some time. Despite this I entered this book cold (having never read anything by this author or about these characters before) and at no stage did I feel like I was left behind or lacking in back story. I admit to being incredibly curious about Amos and Sarah – I’d love to read more work about them when they first met, or the start of their relationship – but this actually proves to me just how well the story is written. I’m curious, wanting to know more. I’m not feeling as if I’ve been dropped in the middle of a story and world I don’t comprehend, it’s not a lost feeling – just an excitement to find a new author’s voice and characters I really enjoy. And that was a great pleasure for me.

While the plot and mystery was interesting, it wasn’t overly complex. There was a small hint of the occult/paranormal in that the murder had a few ritualistic items surrounding it. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters and found myself picking up the clues as the plot progressed. Readers who like deeply complex, multi-layered plots might find this one a bit light, but I personally found it satisfying when coupled with the interesting characters, the older style of background (the older speech patterns, older investigative patterns etc) and found this short story quite engaging and satisfying. While the love and affection between Amos and Sarah is obvious, they’re a well-settled character and the time setting doesn’t lend itself to any outrageous, outward shows of that love and affection. I’d happily recommend this story to my friends and just as easily my mother or grandmother. It’s a timeless classic style of mystery and an author I certainly plan to keep an eye out for. Recommended.

Comments

  1. Thank you for your review, Fern! No this isn’t the first book with Amos and Sarah. They were introduced as minor characters in my Golden North and their main story is Prime Catch. I wanted to write some old-style short mysteries with them once in a while.

Speak Your Mind

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.