I Shall Not Want: A Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery (Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Julia Spencer-Fleming (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2009 | Series: Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries

In the small Adirondack town of Millers Kill, New York, life doesn’t stop for heartbreak. A brand-new officer in the police department, a breaking-and-entering, and trouble within his own family keep Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne busy enough to ignore the pain of losing his wife—and the woman he loves.

At St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, the Reverend Clare Fergusson is trying to keep everyone happy all the while denying her own wounded soul. When a Mexican farmhand stumbles over a Latino man killed with a single shot to the back of his head, Clare is sucked into the investigation. The discovery of two more bodies executed in the same way ignites fears that a serial killer is loose. Now two would-be lovers, who thought they had lost everything, must find a way to trust each other again—as the violence strikes ever closer to home...

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A MASTERPIECE.”—Richmond Times Dispatch

“Good plotting and writing...with characters that fans care about.”—Omaha World-Herald

“An appealing new character...Spencer-Fleming never disappoints.” —Charlotte Observer  

“With each book, Spencer-Fleming just keeps getting better.” —Richmond Times Dispatch

“Another suspenseful and involving mystery from an outstanding writer.”—Library Journal

“Tantalizing...Keenly moving and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, this is a tour de force in a series that seems to have jumped several levels in quality.”—Booklist (starred review)

From the Back Cover

Miller’s Kill reaches the boiling point in this white-hot novel of love and suspense from award-winning author Julia Spencer-Fleming

“Jaw-dropping.”—Chicago Tribune

In the small Adirondack town of Millers Kill, New York, life doesn’t stop for heartbreak. A brand-new officer in the police department, a breaking-and-entering, and trouble within his own family keep Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne busy enough to ignore the pain of losing his wife—and the woman he loves.

“SPENCER-FLEMING REMAINS A STAND-OUT IN THE MYSTERY WORLD.”

—Chicago Sun Times

At St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, the Reverend Clare Fergusson is trying to keep everyone happy all the while denying her own wounded soul. When a Mexican farmhand stumbles over a Latino man killed with a single shot to the back of his head, Clare is sucked into the investigation. The discovery of two more bodies executed in the same way ignites fears that a serial killer is loose. Now two would-be lovers, who thought they had lost everything, must find a way to trust each other again—as the violence strikes ever closer to home...

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (April 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312933991
• ISBN-13: 978-0312933999
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #247,468 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bestselling author JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING is the winner of the Agatha, Anthony, Macavity, Dilys, Barry, Nero Wolfe, and Gumshoe Awards, and an Edgar and Romantic Times RC Award finalist. She was born at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, spending most of her childhood on the move as an army brat. She studied acting and history at Ithaca College, and received her J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law. She lives in a 190-year-old farmhouse outside of Portland, Maine, with three children, two dogs, and one husband. Visit her on the Web at www.juliaspencerfleming.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book has everything, August 3, 2009

By 

patoadam (Nevada City, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Shall Not Want: A Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery (Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book has all the suspense of an excellent mystery, plus everything you expect in a novel of any genre, including enjoyable characters, romance, humor, and clever turns of phrase.

Many mystery stories I have read follow a predictable pattern. After the initial crime, justice triumphs: all the bad guys are convicted or die, and all the good guys survive unharmed. Spencer-Fleming's books are less predictable, which for me makes them more suspenseful. A criminal may get away, or an innocent person may die.

Also, each Spencer-Fleming novel is very different from the previous ones. The wonderful variety in this series prevents the boredom I sometimes experience when successive books by the same author seem too similar. "I Shall Not Want" is a multi-faceted novel that includes a suspenseful mystery, whereas "All Mortal Flesh" is a fast-paced mystery that does not pause for breath. The events of "To Darkness and To Death" take place in a single day, while "Out of the Deep I Cry" involves two mysteries, one contemporary and one 75 years old.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent!, November 1, 2009

By 

Sue Watson "zazzpurrs" (Columbus, GA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Shall Not Want: A Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery (Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

this series is excellent! The characters are human, flawed, and you want to know more about them. The priest is not seen as perfection, the sheriff is not a straight and narrow person. They both struggle, as humans do. What a wonderful continuation of these characters!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another Satisfying Installment, July 7, 2009

By 

Jesse - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Shall Not Want: A Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery (Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

The characters in this series are what makes it so entertaining. The mystery is good, but it is almost secondary to the people involved. I also like the fact that you don't have to have read them all to keep up with the back story. This particular book was one of the best.