A Matter of Diamonds (Faith Abbey Mystery Series, Book 2) - Hardcover

Manuel, David

3.29

45 ratings by Goodreads

9781557252586: A Matter of Diamonds (Faith Abbey Mystery Series, Book 2)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1557252580 ISBN 13: 9781557252586

Publisher: Paraclete Pr, 2000

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The second title in the Faith Abbey Mystery Series, following the well-received debut of "A Matter of Roses" in November 1999, will delight mystery fans who have been eagerly awaiting Brother Bartholomew's return.

In A MATTER OF DIAMONDS....

"It was the feast of St. Francis, and the lawn in front of Faith Abbey's new church was filled with townspeople and abbey members bringing their creatures, great and small, to the Blessing of the Animals. Brother Bartholomew was joyfully immersed in this happy chaos, when his pager vibrated. Returning the call, he learned from Dan Burke, Eastport's Chief of Police, that they'd just had their second 'hundred-year weather event' in two years. The body of a woman had washed ashore, and there was evidence that she had been tortured before drowning. The Chief was about to go down to the morgue, and he wanted Bartholomew to accompany him.

Though their paths had diverged greatly, the monk and the chief of police were native Cape Codders who had been boyhood friends. The previous year, Bartholomew, initially a prime suspect in the investigation of the little harbor village's first murder in half a century, wound up providing pivotal assistance in solving the crime.

Ninety-nine percent of the time, Chief Burke has little more to deal with than drivers who are sure they were doing only 30, or who insist they've had only two beers. But a woman has drowned under potentially horrendous circumstances, and the ten million dollars in diamonds she had with her has vanished. The Chief badly needs the help of the monk whose friary overlooks the harbor, and whose gift of intuition is uncanny."

How this unlikely pair copes with an increasingly challenging and complex case makes for a swiftly paced, spellbinding read. It builds to a breathtaking climax in a delightful seaside town peopled with characters who will seem like old friends.

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Review:

"...offers a wealth of background information about life at the Abbey...Manuel's characters are refreshingly complex for a mystery novel..." -- Publishers Weekly

"A many-faceted case of greed, treachery, and rivalries built around the famous Blue Angel...crisply written and tautly plotted." -- Barbara Peters, The Poisoned Pen

"Manuel uses his skill...to weave a collection of disparate threads into a rich and satisfying tapestry..." -- Over My Dead Body Online

"Manuel weaves a complex tale of intertwined relationships, morality and conflict." -- The Cape Cod Guide

Highly recommend this title for mystery buffs who also relish spiritually insightful characters. -- CBA Marketplace, January 2001

I found myself strangely drawn to the world of Brother Bartholomew and almost envious of it. -- Bookreporter.com

If you are interested in thinking about questions that are more involving than whodunit, I recommend this series to you. -- The Mystery Review, Winter 2001

Strongly recommended. -- Library Journal, November 1, 2000

This is a fascinating mystery, with well-developed characters and relationships and a very authentic feel for the Cape Cod ambience. -- I Love a Mystery, November 2000

This novel shows the maturation of Manuel as a mystery writer, offering readers memorable characters and perceptive theological insights. -- Beliefnet.com, November 9, 2000

From Publishers Weekly:

This exciting mystery, the second in the Faith Abbey series, revives the character of Brother Bartholomew and offers readers a wealth of background information about life at the Abbey (closely modeled after the Community of Jesus on Cape Cod, where Manuel lives). The plot centers on issues of spiritual warfare, as Brother Bartholomew seeks to understand the ways of the Adversary while solving a bizarre local murder. Manuel's characters are refreshingly complex for a mystery novel, making this not so much a whodunit as a "whydunit." The cliffhanger ending will pique readers' interest in the next installment of Bartholomew's adventures. (Nov.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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