Idol Bones [Hardcover]

Diane M. Greenwood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1993

Reverend Theodora Braithwaite, an amateur sleuth, arrives at the Bow St. Aelfric cathedral to find a hotbed of petty politics that turns deadly when an ancient two-faced pagan idol is discovered, igniting an unholy feud.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With sharp eye and barbed wit, Greenwood demonstrates that her cup does not overflow with charity, at least not for the more worldly and unworthy members of the Anglican clergy. Her amateur sleuth, Reverend Theodora Braithwaite, who was last seen in Unholy Ghosts , is sent on a lay training ministry to Bow St. Aelfric, a small cathedral with large problems, including an ambitious unpopular new dean, Vincent Stream. Its problems multiply when an exploding water main unearths a Roman statue of Janus in the cathedral close. Seen as everything from a "pagan horror" to a possible source of revenue, the statue is a hot topic of conversation at a party given by Stream where Theodora senses "an undertow of disquiet." The next morning, a verger finds Stream's body neatly laid out in front of the statue, his throat cut. Theodora's ability to move among and talk to church folk makes her helpful to Inspector Spruce, on loan to the Bow Constabulary from the Norfolk CID; they are an effective pair, though much of the sleuthing is limited to mundane who-was-where-when conversations. The real spice here--and the best reason to read the book--is found in Greenwood's pointed observations of England's established church.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Third in the author's tales of life and death among the Anglican clergy finds Reverend Theodora Braithwaite (Unholy Ghosts, etc.) on loan to the country cathedral of Bow St. Aelfric, where Dean Vincent Stream has just been installed. The pompous, self- promoting new Dean has already raised hackles among members of the Chapter--among them casually dressed, car-loving Archdeacon Gold, Canon Erica Millhaven, and choleric Archdeacon Riddable, to say nothing of vergers Tristam Knight and Nick Squires. Add to the list Oliver Fresh, head of an impoverished but self-sufficient community living on land soon to be sold by the church. The sudden unearthing, on cathedral ground, of an ancient bronze figure of a two-faced Janus sparks new controversy--a controversy that climaxes with the discovery of Stream's murdered body, carefully laid beside the Janus, the morning after his official welcoming party. Theodora is soon pressed into service by old acquaintance Inspector Spruce to gather inside information while he explores alibis and backgrounds. A simple plot lurks beneath layers of church lore, formidably intellectual chitchat, and a jumpy narrative--heady stuff for some; a slightly pretentious bore for most. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; First Edition edition (October 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312098294
• ISBN-13: 978-0312098292
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,551,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anglican mayhem, January 22, 2002

By 

Judith Guttman (Madison WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Idol Bones (Paperback)

Theodora Braithwaite, intelligent and conscientious deacon, and descendant of a long line of bishops and clergy, brings her understanding of cathedral politics to the complex personal and political currents and possible motivations for the murder of its new dean. She also brings a thoughtful conscience to the disparities of gospel proclamation and practice in the Anglican church.
This author knows the Anglican church in all its liturgical, theological and political details, but her love and knowledge do not blind her to the shortcomings and failures of the church as a representation of Christ with us.