Valley of the Bones

Go check out the Happy Catholic's review of a novel she's reading - sounds like a keeper

I'm only halfway through so this is just a partial commentary about Valley of the Bones by Michael Gruber. I had to share it though because it is hands-down one of the most interesting books I have read in a very long time, both for technique and content. I first read about it in this month's Crisis magazine. They rarely review fiction and this is a gritty mystery, so my interest was piqued. When the reviewer said it was a really Catholic book, but without the usual trappings found in a mystery I really perked up my ears.

Comments

[Nguoi Dang Chay]

HC lost me after Paz Dideroff St. Catherine St. Augustine Sudan Devil ......

Guess I'll have to stick to Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers -- and maybe try Father Brown and Cadfael, both of which I enjoyed on TV.

[Maureen]

If you like Cadfael, I just finished Barbara Geisler's book Graven Images. Excellent and insightful stuff.

[Julie D.]

Or you also might like Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis ... about a Roman detective set in the time of Tiberius. It is historical but not as complicated as Valley of the Bones...

[Deacon John M. Bresnahan]

I just finished Valley of Bones an hour ago. I thoroughly enjoyed it --BUT be warned there is a lot of vulgar and off-color language in it (however, appropriate to the characters) and much immoral sexual activity (however, not as clinically described as in much modern detective fiction). I particularly like the author's narrative sense of humor that pops up occasionally.

[Maureen]

Way back when, Barbara Hambly (who's doing those New Orleans historicals now, but is also known for her fantasy and sf novels) did a Roman historical involving the early Church during the time of Pope Sixtus. It's called Search the Seven Hills. Good stuff.

I don't enjoy all her stuff, and her ideology sometimes trumps her writing or sense. But most of her standalones are really good, and this is one.