Fathers and Sins [Hardcover]

Jo Bannister (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

A new mystery from a popular author - When Robin Firths son Mouse is blamed for a fatal car crash, Robins fury stuns both the boy and Agnes, his new wife. Then the village church burns down, and suspicion falls on Mouse. And then theres the interest of a band of New Age travellers in the improbable survival of the churchs relic. Its supposed to be a Crusader banner, but that just doesnt make any sense . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this intriguing novel of psychological suspense from Irish author Bannister (The Fifth Cataract), six-year-old Matthew Mouse Firth is accused of starting a fire in his London home that permanently disfigures his mother, Ruth. In the aftermath of the tragedy, and despite Mouse's serious developmental difficulties, his parents divorce. Years later, disaster strikes again when the van Mouse is driving crashes into a railway line, killing Ruth, who was his passenger. The police conclude that Mouse was operating the vehicle while under the influence, a suspicion that leads his father, Robin, to withdraw further from him emotionally. Robin's fiancée, Agnes Amory, becomes Mouse's sole defender, though she has her work cut out for her when the local church burns down shortly after Mouse is discharged from the hospital. Fans of Ruth Rendell and Minette Walters will find much to like, even if the ending is a little too tidy. (Apr.)
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From Booklist

Professional ballerina Agnes Amory has agreed to marry the much older Robin Firth, who comes with an ex-wife, Ruth, and a grown son, Mouse, who is a bit weird. Then Mouse and Ruth are involved in a car crash, killing Ruth. Mouse, who has no memory of the accident, is blamed. Things get worse when the local church burns down, and the police suspect Mouse. Robin is furious with his son and turns his back on him, but Agnes feels obligated to look after him. A group of New Age travelers, a fake healer, a priceless relic, a terrible wartime secret, a former military man with a too-loyal daughter, and a mob attack on Mouse make things both frightening and exciting for Agnes, who, despite her seeming fragility, is one tough cookie dead set on proving Mouse is innocent of anything but naïveté. A sometimes implausible plot and characters whose actions defy logic and common sense are the weaknesses in Bannister’s latest mystery, but an intriguingly imaginative story and taut suspense coupled with the likably spunky Agnes more than make up for the flaws. --Emily Melton

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 201 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727865986
• ISBN-13: 978-0727865984
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,924,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Typ[ical Jo Bannister - EXCELLENT, June 8, 2008

By 

ginnyk "ginnyk" (Glenside, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fathers and Sins (Hardcover)

Jo Bannister is one of my always-read authors. Her Brodie Farrell mysteries are excellent. This one, with entirely new characters, continues her trend of excellence. The plot is intriguing, in that Mouse (Matthew) the alleged perpetrator of the murder of his mother and a church arson, is a young man who is alleged, at age 6, to have started the fire in his home which caused his mother to rescue him, and which created severe psychological problems for him. The detective, and his rescuer, is his father's fiance (father and mother having divorced many years earlier). Following Agnes (our detective) through disagreements with fiance Robin over his angry abandonment of Mouse, Vicar Parsons' inadvertent involvement because a key clue is a supposed medieval banner hanging in his church (and yes, Vicar Parsons is very aware of the humor in his name and calling), to the final struggle to save Mouse's life and the denoumant of the true villain, is well-written and exciting. Add in medieval religious legends and war in the Middle East in the pre-Israel period, and I was breathlessly turning pages until the end. And, I didn't have a clue as to the real villain until the last 20 pages. An intriguing mystery, a great read.