Following Blake's acclaimed first mystery, The Tentmaker
(1999), Texas-born Lily Connor, the Episcopalian priest who's human, intelligent and caring, returns in a superbly written and compelling novel set during the reflective period of Lent. Dressing in her usual garb of jeans, sweater, cowboy boots and clerical collar, Lily is the director of the Women's Center in downtown Boston. She also serves on the ecumenical council and the Holocaust remembrance committee. When Charlie Cooper, a divinity school friend and Episcopal monk, and Anna Banieka, a Holocaust survivor, enter the Episcopal cathedral of St. Michael's and All Angels to check on preparations for the service that will conclude the remembrance day activities, they're faced with a vicious hate crime. After Anna disappears, Lily seeks the aid of her boyfriend, police photographer Tom Casey, to help find her. Lily's quest for the truth takes her on a dangerous journey of both body and spirit that winds up with a heart-stopping climax and some disturbing revelations about the people in her life. The author exposes the very souls of her unforgettable characters with honesty, poignancy and wit. Rich settings and eloquent prose further enhance this most satisfying story, which will send new readers seeking the first in the series and leave those already hooked longing for the next addition. Agent, Gail Hochman. (June 4)
FYI:The author also publishes under the name Michelle Blake Simons.
