A Shameful Murder - (Reverend Mother Mystery) by Cora Harrison (Paperback)

About the Book

Cork, Ireland, 1923. When Reverend Mother Aquinas discovers a body at the gate of the convent chapel, she immediately sends for her former pupil, Police Sergeant Patrick Cashman, to investigate. Dead bodies are not unusual in the poverty-stricken slums, but this one is dressed in a sumptuous evening gown.

Book Synopsis

Introducing the Reverend Mother Aquinas in the first of a brand-new historical mystery series.

Cork, Ireland. 1923. When, one wet March morning, Reverend Mother Aquinas discovers a body at the gate of the convent chapel washed up after a flood 'like a mermaid in gleaming silver satin', she immediately sends for one of her former pupils, Police Sergeant Patrick Cashman, to investigate. Dead bodies are not unusual in the poverty-stricken slums of Cork city, but this one is dressed in evening finery; in her handbag is a dance programme for the exclusive Merchant's Ball held the previous evening - and a midnight ticket for the Liverpool ferry.
Against the backdrop of a country in the midst of Ireland's Civil War, the Reverend Mother, together with Sergeant Cashman and Dr Sher, an enlightened physician and friend, seek out the truth as to the identity of the victim - and her killer.

Review Quotes

"Harrison combines a savvy detective and a setting fraught with intrigue and tension for another winner"-- "Publishers Weekly Starred Review"

"Recommend for Dicey Deere fans or readers who enjoy M.C. Beaton and Carol Higgins Clark"-- "Library Journal"

"This is a terrific read, carrying you along on the ride. Highly recommended."--Historical Novel Society

"What unfolds is a superbly crafted mystery that makes fine use of its locale and the diverse characters living there: the moneyed elite who attend the annual Merchants' Ball, lecturers from the University College, and the energetic young people who fight for Ireland's future by joining the illegal Republican Party."--Sarah Johnson, book review editor for the Historical Novels Review.

"Mistaken identities, strange twists, an intelligent and likable heroine, and a tragic tale of sex, greed, and betrayal--make sure your historical mystery readers get this one on their radar"-- "Booklist Starred Review"

About the Author

Cora Harrison published twenty-six children's books before turning to adult novels with the 'Mara' series of Celtic historical mysteries set in 16th century Ireland. Cora lives on a farm near the Burren in the west of Ireland.