The Vanished Priestess [Hardcover]

Meredith Blevins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 2004

The indomitable Annie Szabo has lost too many friends and loved ones, so the death of Margo Spanger hits hard. Margo, Annie's neighbor, was a cultural icon with money and fame. Maybe too much. She used one of her projects, a New Age circus, to fund a women's shelter. When Margo's partner, Lili, goes missing the day of Margo's death, the circus and shelter fall into disarray. It turns Annie's world upside down, too. Her daughter is a resident of the women's shelter and could become the next victim.

More trouble: Annie's mother-in-law, the Gypsy fortune-teller Madame Mina, plants her trailer in Annie's yard with a vengeance, right next to Annie's pet giraffes.

Aided by an ex-cop and Mina's plant medicine, Annie uncovers Margo's past. She'd rattled the power elite, a trapeze flier, one jealous lover, a captain of industry, a long-lost son, and an ice-blond philanthropist. As Annie delves into their surprisingly tangled lives, one thing becomes clear---the killer is a master of disguises, and time is running out. However, when Annie and Madame Mina stop arguing long enough to put their heads together, the truth can't hide.

Meredith Blevins, author of the acclaimed novel The Hummingbird Wizard, continues the tale of the juicy Szabo family women. They learn that, under or outside the big top, anything and everything may be an illusion. Engaging and exotic, sexy and fun, The Vanished Priestess is an unforgettable mystery featuring a heroine who must walk a treacherous tightrope to save a new lover, her home, and her life.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of Blevins's uneven second mystery to feature resourceful Annie Szabo (after 2003's well-received The Hummingbird Wizard), the California freelance journalist finds her life turned into a three-ring circus in more ways than one. Her eccentric Gypsy fortune-teller mother-in-law, Madame Mina, has parked her trailer in Annie's yard and virtually moved in with her. Annie's daughter, Abra, and Abra's son, Joey, show up just ahead of Annie's violent and abusive son-in-law. And her neighbor, Margo Spanger, the rich, eccentric owner-operator of a New Age circus that helps support a home for abused women, has both animal and human performers whose activities spill over into Annie's territory. When Margo's sudden death proves to be murder, Annie has her hands full tracking down her neighbor's killer as well as protecting her daughter and grandson. Blevins makes effective use of circus lore and ambience, but a surfeit of subplots and important characters only sketchily presented weigh down the narrative. At times Blevins aims for the light, comedic touch, at others for more serious dramatic effects. Hopefully, the author will develop a plot more worthy of the appealing Annie next time.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"In this fine sequel to her highly praised debut, The Hummingbird Wizard, Blevins, a fifth-generation Californian, blends a wild story, wonderful wit, and great characters."--Library Journal on The Vanished Priestess

"Meredith Blevins covers new literary ground...pulling it off with flair and grace and humor."
---Jonathan Kellerman on The Hummingbird Wizard

"If you don't fall in love with the Szabos, you don't have hormones. A sublime debut whose sequel can't come fast enough."
---Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on The Hummingbird Wizard

"An exciting debut. Blevins has written a thoroughly original first novel with characters you'll never forget."
---Tony Hillerman on The Hummingbird Wizard

"Fascinating gypsy lore, unforgettable characters, and a wicked sense of humor distinguish Blevins's highly unusual mystery debut....This stellar first, with its assured prose, will delight any mystery fan."
---Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Hummingbird Wizard

"Blevins flavors her lively prose with frequent humor and unexpected twists; readers will also be drawn in by the riveting characters, great plot, and insights into Gypsy culture."
---Library Journal (starred review) on The Hummingbird Wizard

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (September 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765307804
• ISBN-13: 978-0765307804
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,675,129 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Annie's Back!, December 10, 2004

By 

Rebekah Maxwell (Columbia, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Vanished Priestess (Hardcover)

Funny how book people can come to occupy a place like real friends. I fell in love with the Szabos in The Hummingbird Wizard, and it was so good to see them again. The circus thread introduced in the previous book is played up here, with more Gypsy magic and kick-ass multi-generational girl power.

It's a lovely romp that dovetails nicely with the first novel. My only regret was that Margo wasn't around longer; I would love to have seen her in a book of her own.

One of Blevins' great strengths is the believability of her characters. It's hard to imagine that these women aren't actually walking around out there somewhere. I can't wait for the next one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good series--good solid mysteries, April 18, 2006

By 

Maria Schneider "Maria E. Schneider" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Vanished Priestess (Annie Szabo Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

I liked the first book and the third book in the series best - but this one is very good. The main character, Annie, rather than picking up where she left off in book one--moves dramatically ahead emotionally. Most of the favorite characters come back--Madame Mina especially and in this book, I got more attached to her. Instead of mother-in-law, this character is more developed and is truly enjoyable all by herself. The gypsy factor (Madame Mina) makes this book unique, gives it a quirk here and there and ads dimension. Worth a read.

4.0 out of 5 stars Meredith Blevins Succeeds Again, Wonderfully, August 6, 2007

By 

M, Compulsive Reader (Santa Cruz, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Vanished Priestess (Annie Szabo Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

As if it weren't enough for Annie to contend with her Gypsy (read culture-clash) mother-in-law, who cast spells and waylays wandering craftsmen, there's a circus next door, a wife-beating son-in-law, and, SURPRISE, a murder! Annie and m-in-l come closer to being friends, and there's a new cast of characters. Also nice sense-of-place of coastal Calif. She also plays fair with clues. Meredith, keep them coming!