The excellent first in a new series from Irish author Charles (Sweetwater
and seven other Det. Insp. Christy Kennedy mysteries) introduces Garda Inspector Starrett, whose vast experience of the range of human nature is put to the test when a horrific crime rocks his quiet Donegal town of Ramelton—the murder by crucifixion of carpenter James Moore. After learning that Moore had been having an affair with Amanda Morrison, the missing wife of the pastor of a local unorthodox church, Starrett focuses his investigation on the husband, First Minister Ivan Morrison. The minister's bland response to the corpse's presence in his own house of worship increases the scrutiny he receives, but Starrett wisely remains open to other possibilities. While the solution is less intricate than in some of the Kennedy novels, it nonetheless satisfies. The appealing Starrett, with his intuitive gifts, is a worthy addition to the ranks of contemporary police detectives. (Mar.)
