Shameful Murder, A

A shameful Murder is the first book about Reverend Mother Aquinas. Set in Ireland in the 1920's, the Reverend Mother finds a washed up body at the gate of the convent chapel. She asks sergeant Patrick Cashman, a former pupil to investigate. There are several clues to go on. The body is dressed to the nines and she was apparently meant to attend the Merchant's ball. There is also a ticket for the Liverpool ferry. Together with Dr Sher, a friend of hers, they uncover the terrible last night of this stranger. What makes Shameful Murder enjoyable, is its authenticity and attention to detail. It is a "period piece", in the best possible way, attention to detail of the time. But a murder is a murder in any time and Harrison goes all out for this story. Bring on the next Reverend Mother book.

A 70-year-old Reverend Mother, a Jewish retired doctor and a 20-something civic guard walk into the first Reverend Mother mystery by Cora Harrison and leave readers thirsting for more. Set in Cork, Ireland, in the early 1920s when partitioning of the country set neighbors against each other, the trio's first case is to solve the murder of a debutante just months shy of inheriting her grandmother's fortune. Reverend Mother, who cast Cork society aside 50 years ago when she .took the veil, calls upon friends and memories from long ago to solve the case..

An interesting slowly unfolding mystery with excellent historical atmosphere and well developed characters.

“Better to illuminate than merely to shine to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate.” -- Thomas Aquinas

A Shameful Murder is a mesmerizing historical mystery set against the backdrop of 1920's Ireland. Cora Harrison breathes life into a setting and time period unfamiliar to most American readers. Cork is a city divided by wealth and politics. Gunfire breaks out in the streets. Sewage washes up with the frequent floods.

During one such flood, Reverend Mother Aquinas discovers the body of a young woman in an evening dress. While dead bodies are not unusual, one of the monied class is, and there are pressures to put the issue to rest and label it a suicide. Police Sergeant Patrick Cashman and Mother Aquinas are far less certain. Why would a woman purchase a ticket for the Liverpool Ferry if she was intending to commit suicide? Investigating a murder involving the privileged class is difficult for a young detective born in poverty. Fortunately he has the assistance of the perceptive and pragmatic Mother Aquinas and the enlightened Dr Sher.

The Reverend Mother Aquinas is an exceptional woman, both educated and compassionate, eager to put her intelligence to use helping others. Her position and her background enable her to mix with rich and poor alike. In a city where those living in wealth and privilege rarely associate with the lower classes, this is of great help in finding the truth. Her pragmatic and nonjudgemental approach to life and religion, as well as her compassionate nature make her an engaging lead. The quotes by her namesake St. Thomas Aquinas are a wonderful and meaningful addition. The supporting characters were equally well developed.

I loved learning more about post WWI Ireland, its culture and its history. The setting was almost as fascinating as the mystery. Anyone who loves history and mystery will enjoy this novel. I am looking forward to reading more mysteries featuring the Reverend Mother Aquinas.
A Shameful Murder is the first novel featuring the Reverend Mother Aquinas. It is available for preorder and will be released September 1, 2015.
5/5 I received a copy of A Shameful Murder from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom

“A Shameful Murder” has a beautiful cover and I confess it was the cover that first piqued my interest in the novel.

A well researched historical mystery set in Cork, Ireland in the early 192s – just after the War of Independence and the partitioning of the country – the novel introduces us to a trio of sleuths led by an unforgettable protagonist.

During this episode of Irish history Cork is a city with a precarious class structure of haves and have nots. The novel accurately depicts the social inequalities of the time with particular emphasis on the lack of women’s rights. The affluent live in mansions with servants. The poor exist with up to nine people living and sleeping in one room.

Cork is prone to flooding, and the year of 1923 was particularly bad. The River Lee encircles the city and the water is both above and beneath the streets.

Each chapter of “A Shameful Murder” is preceded by words of wisdom by Saint Thomas Aquinas from whom our protagonist took her name. Now in her seventies, Reverend Mother Aquinas leads a teaching order of nuns. She uses her keen intellect and empathy to it’s best effect when she discovers the body of a young woman washed up in the flood waters outside the convent. She sends for police Sergeant Patrick Cashman, a former pupil.

Part of a newly formed police force of ‘civic guards’ Patrick is well-suited to police work and makes up for his lack of cleverness by being diligent, hard-working, methodical and tenacious. He along with Dr. Scher, a friend of the Reverend Mother, round out a trio of sleuths who together solve the mystery of the young woman’s death.

The Reverend Mother came from an affluent background and she maintains an insider’s knowledge of the machinations of the upper class. When the body is identified by one of Cork’s rich patriarchs, she uses her contacts to help her gain a picture of what must have happened.

With themes of avarice and social injustice, the novel will appeal to anyone who is interested in historical mysteries and Irish history in particular. Using real places with morbid histories such as Cork’s Eglinton Asylum and the use of a few choice ‘red herrings’ thrown in for good measure “A Shameful Murder” ensures a satisfying mystery series debut.

This is the first book I have read by Cora Harrison and I fully intend to follow the adventures of Mother Aquinas in future novels.

Many thanks to Severn House via NetGalley for the opportunity of reading and reviewing this title.

Reverend Mother Aquinas never expected to find a dead body at the gate of the convent chapel and she certainly didn't expect it to be tied to her past. She was seventy now and had left that world behind. But it hasn't left her behind...

Severn House and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published September 1st, so you can snag a copy then.

Nuns have always fascinated me. I went to a parochial school (St. Joseph's in Chehalis, WA) and our teachers were nuns. They always wore these strange uniforms, were staid and steadfast, and you never got away with anything. Most were very intelligent women and I learned a lot from them. So when this nun is involved with this case, I knew it was going to be a fun read for me despite the murder.

The young woman is identified as the daughter of a monied man. When the police check into the matter, they find that the woman was just about of age to collect her inheritance, which would have left her father and brother destitute. The assumption is that of them has killed her. Reverend Mother isn't so certain, though.

First she discovers that while the young woman resembles the daughter, she's not. She's a prostitute's child and was fathered by that fine society man who "lost" his daughter. That adds a whole new angle to the case. She also locates the missing girl because of her knowledge about the past.

The nun goes back in history and drags out facts to support her suppositions. I was amazed at who the killer was. The guilty party was not even on my list of suspects!

When the killer is identified, he commits suicide. The police superintendent just lets it die a quiet death so it won't become a big news item and embarrass people. I'm glad the nun knows an independent journalist. It won't be under the rug for long...

I like this new team of nun, retired doctor and an up and coming young detective. They make a mean team (and eat lots of pastries). I hope to read more in this series.

stars Meet Miss Marple in Another Guise, 1 Sept. 2015 Cora Harrison introduces us to a rather unlikely sleuth, the Reverend Mother Aquinas, in this historical murder mystery. It is set in Cork, Ireland in the early 1920s, contrasting the extreme differences between rich and poor in those turbulent times.

When a dead body is mysteriously washed up in the floods at the convent's gates, Mother Aquinas is hot on the case! She is intrigued as the young lady is dressed in her affluent evening finery, and in her handbag is a rather exclusive invitation.

As she is used to teaching the numerous poor children of Cork, the Reverend Mother is delighted to assist a member of the Civic Guard, who was actually one of her former pupils. Together they unravel all the clues until the truth is finally discovered regarding the identity of the killer and the victim.

I feel that the author has created her heroine in a similar mould to Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, who sniffs out the truth in an unassuming fashion. I award this novel four stars as the historical background can envelop the mystery.—Galadriel

Rating: Four Stars.