In the Bleak Midwinter (Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries, #1)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

In the Bleak Midwinter (Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries #1)

by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Goodreads Author)

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 3,691 ratings · 613 reviews

Heavy Snow...Icy Desires...Cold-Blooded MurderClare Fergusson, St. Alban's new priest, fits like a square peg in the conservative Episcopal parish at Millers Kill, New York. She is not just a "lady," she's a tough ex-Army chopper pilot, and nobody's fool. Then a newborn infant left at the church door brings her together with the town's police chief, Russ Van Alstyne, who's...more

Paperback, 370 pages

Published March 14th 2003 by Minotaur Books (first published March 4th 2002)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Best Detective/Mystery Series

73rd out of 907 books — 857 voters

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Best Crime & Mystery Books

368th out of 3,368 books — 7,794 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 15, 2011 Red rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, kindle-books

This book was a good beach book, perfect to read on a hot summer day because it takes place in a very cold New England winter.

I'm not a huge mystery reader, but I enjoyed this book. I liked the police character, I liked the amateur sleuth, I liked the small town, I liked the supporting characters, and I didn't figure out who done it ahead of time. Our protagonist, Claire, is an Episcopalian priest, who in her previous career was an Army chopper pilot. The police chief is your basic rugged New En...more

like 4 likes · see review

Jul 02, 2008 Trin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, american-lit

Mystery in which a male cop and a female (Episcopalian) priest in a small upstate New York town team up to fight crime! I liked this more than I expected to. Russ (the cop) and Clare (the priest) are both complex, realistic characters, and I really enjoyed how the relationship between them was developed. The way they find common ground and begin to seek out and crave each other’s company felt very natural and wonderfully genderless, if you know what I mean, and after reading a lot of crappy, wei...more

like 4 likes · see review

Jan 15, 2012 Sherri Huntley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

This is a terrific book, I enjoyed every page.I recieved the book on monday from Goodreads and finished it in just a couple of days - it really holds your attention. The story starts off with an abandonded baby and soon after a murder but the best thing about the book is that there were so many twists and turns that you didn't figure out the mystery until the very end. I find it difficult to finish out books when you know you have already figured it out but I just had to keep reading this one. T...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 29, 2013 ~ames~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-read, mystery, print, keepers

I always say I’m not a fan of mystery but I think after reading In the Bleak Midwinter, I need to change my tune.

Clare Fergusson is new to the small town of Miller’s Kill, NY. She’s been recently hired as the Episcopalian priest for St. Alban’s church. Before she was a priest, she used to be a helicopter pilot in the army. This says a lot about Clare’s personality. Clare is tough, ballsy, strong but that’s balanced with her empathetic side. She takes her duties as priest seriously – seriously e...more I always say I’m not a fan of mystery but I think after reading In the Bleak Midwinter, I need to change my tune.

Clare Fergusson is new to the small town of Miller’s Kill, NY. She’s been recently hired as the Episcopalian priest for St. Alban’s church. Before she was a priest, she used to be a helicopter pilot in the army. This says a lot about Clare’s personality. Clare is tough, ballsy, strong but that’s balanced with her empathetic side. She takes her duties as priest seriously – seriously enough to put her life in danger.

One night, not too long after coming to Miller’s Kill, Clare finds a newborn baby on the church’s doorstep. This discovery leads to Clare eventually crossing Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne's path. Russ used to be in the army as well, and went back to his hometown once he retired. Russ and Clare kind of team up to discover who the baby's parents are. But when a murder happens, Russ wants Clare to keep away and to let him take over the investigation.

Clare is duty-bound to discover the truth though, so she kind of does some sleuthing on the side. Which keeps her crossing Russ' path time and time again. This leads to a developing friendship - which causes some of the townsfolk to talk.

First of all - the mystery aspect to this book. I really really enjoyed it. I am horrible and figuring stuff out so this book had me on my toes and I liked how it played out.

Now the characters. I love Clare. She's a straight-shooter and tells thing like they are. She does need to work on her diplomacy a bit. She's also a bit more progressive than the older members of her congregation can appreciate. And Clare is tough. So even though she's put herself in situations where I would call a lesser heroine TSTL, it works for Clare. I know she can take care of herself and she does, time and time again. She often jumps first and asks questions later - and although she doesn't come away unscathed from these kinds of situations, she does come away from them. Clare doesn't believe she's invulnerable though. She's got a level head on her shoulders, most of the time.

Now there's Russ. He's a few years older than Clare and happily married. He takes his duty to Miller's Kill and its residents seriously. He is an atheist so it's funny to see how he is around Clare. At first he was uncomfortable, but what lets them be friends is that he treats her like a regular person, not someone of the cloth. The reader can see how close these two are becoming, without their even realizing it until it's too late. Those last few pages of the book had me super eager to continue on with book #2. I had to see where they went with their newfound insight into their friendship.

I'm ever so glad I read In the Bleak Midwinter. I loved Julia's writing and the world she has created is very interesting indeed. I've been craving a heroine like Clare for a while and I'm glad someone wrote her.(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Jun 08, 2008 Patty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Powerful writing, fascinating relationships, unusual occupations. This one is outstanding and I can understand why it won some awards. Claire Fergusson is an Episcopal Priest, on the job for all of a month when she first meets Russ Von Alsytyne. The occasion is the finding of a baby on the church doorstep. From there the suspense in this one builds and spirals and just about forces you to keep reading.

I'm late coming into this series but can't wait to get onto the next episode. I love a book wit...more

like 3 likes · see review

Feb 01, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

In the Bleak Midwinter is a really great mystery. The lead character is not your typical heroine. She isn't a PI or a detective. Claire Fergusson is an Episcopal Priest. OK, she has a back ground as a former ex-Army chopper pilot, but she has given that life up and moved to Miller's Kill, New York and the care of St Alban's Church.

When a new born infant is left on her door step before she has even had a chance to unpack, Claire finds herself thrown into the middle if church politics and the tow...more

like 1 like · see review

Feb 06, 2012 Alicia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone who loves well-written books with great characters.

Shelves: series-ongoing, like-a-virgin, oh-god, murder-was-the-case, mystery-thriller, female-lead-i-love, kindle-purchase-freebies, five-★★★★★, read-multiple-times, male-lead-i-love, recommendations-for-you, authors-being-awesome, favorites, profession-law-enforcement-agents

I have read this book twice now within six months. It only got better upon the second reading.

The story wasn't what I thought it was going to be from the blurb because of their relationship statuses in the book. So it had me worried for a very long time. I think that was the reason for the four stars I gave the book after the first time I read it. I'm going to try to keep this review to the first book alone, though it's hard as I want to comment on what comes later. I apologize if I fail at it,...more I have read this book twice now within six months. It only got better upon the second reading.

The story wasn't what I thought it was going to be from the blurb because of their relationship statuses in the book. So it had me worried for a very long time. I think that was the reason for the four stars I gave the book after the first time I read it. I'm going to try to keep this review to the first book alone, though it's hard as I want to comment on what comes later. I apologize if I fail at it, but there won't be any spoilers.

I love Julia Spencer-Fleming's writing style. It is descriptive without being over-flowery. There are no lines that stand out as trying too hard, she has a very consistent voice. She sets scenes that draw you into what's happening in an almost effortless way. It can dip into a bit of the cliche, but it never really dives in. Fleming doesn't write a mystery that drops clues along the way, allowing the reader to play junior detective along with the characters. You get the information as the characters do and it's a snaking vine that keeps you guessing but never allows you to get it right. I'm sure some people will hate that because they love trying to put clues together, but I really liked not being bored with the mystery because it was so easy to tell whodunit.

The story is engrossing, and there are definitely a few edge of your seat moments. One that happens on a snowy mountain that I just love. Though this scene and the climatic ending do veer somewhat into head scratching territory it's easy to forgive because they're so absorbing.

The number one thing Fleming does best is characters. I'm a character driven person. I can forgive a lot of things in a story if I love the characters, and a decent story will be terrible to me if I hate the characters. The love I have for this series is very much tied to my love for Russ Van Alstyne and Clare Fergusson. Both are very strong characters, intelligent, with great senses of humor. They're both stubborn (and that trait definitely gets her into trouble) and can set each other off, but they also listen to each other well (most of the time). I love that they're not perfect. They don't always make the right choices (and the choices they have to make get harder and harder). You would think that would be the case with a priest, but she has to fight her pride, her stubbornness, her emotions, and temptation. She has to question herself and her calling. The two have some similarities but they are also very different. For instance, Russ is clear about being an atheist and Clare is an Episcopalian priest. They certainly have their theological discussions but he doesn't really impugn her beliefs and she never preaches at anyone who doesn't ask her to. That's another thing I love so much about her. Throughout the series I found myself wishing they were real and my friends too many times to count.

Their friendship is so effortless and such a joy to read. They get each other on such a fundamental level. And the reader gets to see that! It is so rare now that a reader gets to actually see a relationship begin and unfold instead of being told that it happened. We're given many conversations, joking around and even arguments. I never feel as though I have to take anything about them on faith. We can even see when it begins to evolve into something more. It was fun picking up on things I didn't notice before the second time I read it. Almost everything about their friendship just makes me happy. I start to flail and then I end up a lot like this guy:

The secondary characters are just as easily likable, or they can be annoying or rage inducing, but that's their purpose and they're always well drawn and compelling. Even when they're doing things I don't understand.

So, if you can't already tell from my rare, effusive gushing (that I still feel doesn't do this story justice), I heavily recommend picking up this book. Then I dare you to not devour the next six books in the series. I read all of them within a month and that was on top of reading other books, moving, and breaking bones. (less)

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 18, 2009 Cindi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, fiction, mystery, first-in-series, kindle, police-procedural

In the Bleak Midwinter was better than most of the other books I've rated as 3-stars, but not quite good enough to bump it up to 4-stars. (Will we ever get 1/2 stars on GoodReads?)

Rev. Clare Fergusson, Episcopal priest, has recently moved to the upstate New York town of Miller's Kill in the piedmont of the Adirondacks. A few weeks after her arrival, as she leaves the church after a vestry meeting on a snowy evening, she finds a newborn left on the steps of the church. The note left with the bab...more In the Bleak Midwinter was better than most of the other books I've rated as 3-stars, but not quite good enough to bump it up to 4-stars. (Will we ever get 1/2 stars on GoodReads?)

Rev. Clare Fergusson, Episcopal priest, has recently moved to the upstate New York town of Miller's Kill in the piedmont of the Adirondacks. A few weeks after her arrival, as she leaves the church after a vestry meeting on a snowy evening, she finds a newborn left on the steps of the church. The note left with the baby asks that he be given to a couple, both lawyers, who are members of St. Albans. As a result of this situation, Clare meets and begins her friendship with Russ Van Alstyne, the local chief of police. While Clare and Russ try to solve the mystery of who the baby's parents are, Russ tries to help the native Virginian adapt to her first northern winter. Soon enough the pair identifies the baby's mother - a murder victim they discover in a local park. So, now they have another mystery to solve. They're still looking for the baby's father and now they are looking for the mother's murderer.

The plot moved along nicely, but there really were no big surprises. As with many first-in-series books, the character development and establishing the relationships between the main characters were more prominent than the storyline. I was pleasantly surprised with the way the author portrayed Clare and Russ. Although she is a member of the clergy, Clare is not a meek and mild do-gooder. Before her calling to the priesthood she was an Army helicopter pilot. Russ - an avowed non-believer - is also ex-Army, returning to his hometown after a career as an MP. Religion is an important aspect of the book, as you would expect given that Clare is a priest, but it is not the focus of the book and it feels authentic. Russ's agnostic leanings provide a counterbalance for Clare's faith.

I originally had this on my "cozy" mystery bookshelf. I mean, the main character is a female priest. It's got to be cozy, right? Wrong. Clare showed us that she can certainly stand up for herself (and others) - physically, if necessary. I'll be adding Julia Spencer-Fleming's second Rev. Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne installment to my no "next-in-series" bookshelf for future reading.(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 02, 2009 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cotcbookclub, mystery, strongfemalecharacters, audiobooks

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 3 likes · see review

Jan 12, 2008 Kate rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, mystery

Apparently, this book won all sorts of awards and got glowing reviews in several respected publications, including my hometown Washington Post. My only question is whether I read the same book as everyone else? I found this book to be predictable, tedious, poorly plotted and characterized. The main characters - there were two - were both conflicted, but their conflicts were sterotypical and the intersection of those conflicts telegraphed with every paragraph. The points of view shifted around -...more

like 5 likes · see review

Feb 28, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries, mysteries-police-pi-forensics

Great start to a series that currently extends to 6 books. Former helicopter pilot turned Episcopalian priest Clare Fergusson and police chief Russ Van Alstyne are interesting and complex but still believable characters and I am sure their relationship will continue to be a central part of the series.

The mystery in this book was complex with plenty of twists, turns, and surprises. Add the well described setting and a cast of local residents and you can see why this book won a number of first boo...more

like 3 likes · see review

Apr 20, 2010 Joyce Lagow rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

1st in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series.[return][return]Miller� s Kill, a village in upstate New York near Lake George, is the improbable setting for this imaginative series starring an ex-Army helicopter pilot turned Epsicopal priest, Clare Fergusson, and the Chief of Police Russ Van Alstyne. A small town that lives largely off the tourist trade, Miller� s Kill should be both sleepy and crime-free. In reality, like most small towns, it� s neither, but certainly one doesn� t expect th...more 1st in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series.[return][return]Miller� s Kill, a village in upstate New York near Lake George, is the improbable setting for this imaginative series starring an ex-Army helicopter pilot turned Epsicopal priest, Clare Fergusson, and the Chief of Police Russ Van Alstyne. A small town that lives largely off the tourist trade, Miller� s Kill should be both sleepy and crime-free. In reality, like most small towns, it� s neither, but certainly one doesn� t expect the incidence of murder to be quite so high! [return][return]Fortunately for the readers of this series, it is. But it doesn� t start off that way.[return][return]Reverend Clare Fergusson, the new rector of the conservative parish of St. Albans Episcopal Church in Millers Kill, is not just female� she� s an ex-Army helicopter pilot. She� s been on the job barely one month when, after a reception in the parish hall, she leaves the church only to stumble across a box containing a newborn infant and a note requesting that the child be left with a couple who are parishioners at St. Albans. The timing� and the fact that the child has not been long exposed to the effects of a cold wintry evening in November� suggest that whoever abandoned it was familiar with the routine at St. Albans.[return][return]Clare and Russ strike up an easy acquaintanceship, at lest in part based on common Army experience. Neither, however, is prepared for the discovery of the body of a young woman who is most certainly the mother of the baby. She clearly has been murdered.[return][return]In The Bleak Midwinter is an excellent start to the series. As will be true of all the books, the title is drawn from a hymn and relates at least in part to the circumstances of the story. Clare is an effective protagonist. She is believable and very well-drawn. Ditto for Russ. They are excellent counterbalances for one another.[return][return]The writing is not spectacular but well suited to the characters, the plot and the locale. Dialogue is completely believable. Spencer-Fleming gives Clare flashes of self-deprecating humor that greatly expand her character. Russ has his own voice and his own viewpoint, which combines a solid grasp of reality, hard-headed common sense needed to police a small town such as Miller� s Kill, and a reserve that is necessary to maintain the objectivity he needs. Both characters are extremely appealing. Both are human, and wind up attracted to one another even though Russ s married to a woman he loves.[return][return]Other supporting characters are good, especially the members of the vestry of St. Albans. I thought that the descriptions of the day-to-day workings and concerns of the church to be one of the high points of the book aside from its plot. The internal politics are described with an obvious affection for the process. Clare� s involvement is clearly one of commitment to the message of Christ and again the common sense needed to wend her way through the human failings that exist in every congregation. Her liberalism vs the innate conservatism of her vestry is well-handled, and fun to read.[return][return]As for the plot itself: Spencer-Fleming does a superb job of building and maintaining interest and tension. The subplot of the St. Alban� s couple that temporarily take over care of the baby and their fight to have permanent custody is both separate from yet well-woven into the main plot. The denouement is a gripping page-turner; I couldn� t put the book down until I� d finished.[return][return]A spectacular entry in the genre. Highly recommended.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Jul 02, 2012 Linda Lipko rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

A stranger to mystery books, I'm now hooked on this series -- truly that is how good it is!

This is the first book in the series of six. It contains intrigue, twists and turns of who done it puzzles, romance, and a plot that kept me reading the book in a few sittings.

Episcopalian priest/minister Clare Fergusson is new to the Adirondack location. When, on a freezing cold evening, she discovers a new born baby on the doorstep of her church, her life and that will soon dramatically change.

Followed o...more

like · see review

May 06, 2012 Gillian rated it 2 of 5 stars

Goodreads let me down on this one. I was at a loss as to what to read next so I turned to the reviews here. I didn't hate this book but I almost did. The characters were almost interesting and the plot was almost gripping. It needed to be a lot shorter and it easily could have been if you'd cut out all the details about the curtain swags, and people crossing and uncrossing their arms, and standing up and sitting down, or lord help me "swiping whip cream off his mustache." I get that these detail...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 20, 2012 Bruce rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The genre of mystery novels is one that I used to enjoy more than I have in recent years. I still occasionally will read a new one by P.D. James, but otherwise mysteries are something I avoid. Almost all are highly formulaic, presenting variations on a few themes, virtually all ending in tidy resolutions, however improbable. There are exceptions, to be sure, but I find it not worth wading through most to find the very few. Their general tediousness should not be necessary, and the fact that they...more The genre of mystery novels is one that I used to enjoy more than I have in recent years. I still occasionally will read a new one by P.D. James, but otherwise mysteries are something I avoid. Almost all are highly formulaic, presenting variations on a few themes, virtually all ending in tidy resolutions, however improbable. There are exceptions, to be sure, but I find it not worth wading through most to find the very few. Their general tediousness should not be necessary, and the fact that they fit a narrow range of formulas should not necessitate their being uncreative. After all, there are many fresh sonnets despite the seemingly restrictive form, and Igor Stravinsky once said that he felt he could be more creative if limited to three or four instruments when composing a piece of music than he could be when setting out to write an orchestral symphony. But, alas, not all mystery authors are the equals of Stravinsky, to mix artistic metaphors.

This particular mystery is the first of a series by Spencer-Fielding, a series apparently featuring the same two protagonists, a small town upstate New York police chief, Russ Van Alystyne, and the new local Episcopal priest, Clare Fergusson. Spenser-Fleming’s use of language is not remarkable for anything but its banality, but otherwise it is probably not objectionable. During the first half of the book, events are laid out in a typical way that is at least of moderate interest, but two things then occur that detract from the enjoyment of the narrative. First, a subtle but increasingly obvious romantic strain between Van Alystyne and Fergusson begins to emerge, a subtext that titillates but can clearly go nowhere. More important, Fergusson, initially a coincidental but not unbelievable collaborator with Van Alystyne in the investigation, begins to step out of her pastoral role and improbably to do her own investigating, usually, as the saying goes, mucking it up. This sequence of events, lasting well into the final third of the novel, severely strains the reader’s credulity and sabotages the narrative irreparably. The slide from drama into melodrama occurs quickly and unconvincingly.

This book may have been a quick and easy read over a short weekend with guests, since there was little need to concentrate on it or to devote long periods in order to understand it, but that may have been its most redeeming feature. I think I’ll pass on the rest of the series.
(less)

like 1 like · see review

Mar 15, 2012 Janice rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book is a quick read, and for the mystery-romance genre, I guess not badly written. I found myself liking the two main characters, but even though they are romantically attracted to each other, you know they will never get together, and I don't like books that are that predictable. Clare, the female main character, also does and says a number of things that are highly unbelievable. She is an Episcopal priest, new in town, with no law enforcement background, yet she continually jumps into da...more

like · see review

Mar 10, 2012 Emorgan05 rated it 2 of 5 stars

I didn't really like this, because I don't really like murder-mysteries. I read this quickly and was entertained as I was reading it, but there were some things that annoyed me. So first, Clare kept rushing off and doing really stupid things because she had some idea about the case. Then, both Clare and the Chief kept leaping to completely unfounded conclusions, and acting on them with no evidence. Then, Clare and the Chief develop a relationship, and I was frustrated with the romantic tones of...more

like · see review

Mar 05, 2012 Eileen Patterson rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'd probably rate this book five stars if the main characters didn't irk me so much. Clare
Fergussun is an episcopal Priest, the first woman Priest that the town of Miller's Kill has ever seen, and she goes on and on about how she wants to make her church more open and less judgmental of "undesirables" but she's so judgmental of other people at times that it's hard to take her altruistic ranting seriously. Hey Clare, before you spout off about how much you want to fix your church, how's about yo...more

like · see review

Dec 15, 2011 Lynda rated it 4 of 5 stars

I recently discovered this series after reading a review her newest book so I started with book one. Clare Ferguson, former military heliocopter pilot, has been hired as the priest at St. Albans Episcopalian church in Northern New York. After meeting police Chief Russ Van Allstyne when an abandoned baby is left on the doorstep of the church, she decides to ride with the police chief on patrol in order to familiarize herself with the community and its problems. When a body of a young woman is dis...more

like · see review

Nov 15, 2011 Kris Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first in the Clare Fergusen/Russ Van Alstyn series - and I am hooked! It is a great mix of romance (albeit unrequited)mystery, and police procedural - all genre that I love, when done right, and this one is.

Julia Spencer-Fleming is amazing. Her style is easy to read, but still provocative in both content and language, and by that I mean, vocabulary that is sparkling, erudite, and appropriate for the scene. Clare Ferguson is an Episcopalian Priest, a former Army helicopter pilot, an...more

like 1 like · see review

Oct 11, 2011 Dee rated it 5 of 5 stars

I like this mystery. The "Pilot" brings together two very different, yet similar people with which to start a series. Claire Ferguson, an Anglican Priest newly arrived at Miller;s Kill, New York, and Russ Van Alstyne, the police chief. Both are ex-army. She was a helicoptor pilot until her sister's untimely death caused her to examine her life and take up her present occupation. This past experience allows them to go far beyond the ordinary person's ability to "chase" criminals. And Claire, who...more

like 1 like · see review

May 05, 2011 Sadie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, borrowed, mystery

So in the interest of full disclosure I don't read mystery novels ever. I think this is pretty much my first since the Boxcar Children from elementary school. So it's possible that mystery novels are just not for me however I was disappointed with this book.

I'm going to start with the writing and especially the dialogue. It just didn't work for me. I was reading dialogue between characters and it all sounds so cheesy and unnatural.

As far as Clare the priest goes I find her highly unlikeable. Th...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 25, 2011 Barbara P rated it 5 of 5 stars

A friend recently introduced me to Julia Spencer-Fleming, the author of the above. I wanted to begin reading mysteries and this I found this book to be wonderful. I read it in a couple of days and had trouble putting it down. The mystery unravels slowly with numerous surprises that kept me in suspense until near the end of the novel. What adds a special interest for me is that the main character is Clare Fergusson, the new priest of St. Alban's Episcopal church. This is her first church and she...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 19, 2011 Judy rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first in the Rev. Clare Fergusson series and, as such, it introduces the major characters and begins to develop their relationships. Clare Fergusson is a newly ordained Episcopal priest--her former occupation was a helicopter pilot in the Army--when she is sent to the small town of Miller's Kill in upstate New York. Arriving in the winter, the weather becomes a character in the story. Naturally, many in the town and the congregation of St. Alban's Episcopal Church find it difficult to accept...more

like 1 like · see review

Nov 29, 2010 Phillip rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the second mystery series I've delved into this year based on a recommendation from a friend. This one features an intriguing relationship between a small town (Upper State New York)police Chief and the new female Episcopal Priest. They both share a common bachground in the military (hers as a helicopter pilot.) The finding of an abandoned baby on the church door step as December snows start drifting in (hence the title) introduces them to each other. The discovery of the murdered mother...more

like 1 like · see review

Jul 25, 2010 Jenn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, from-the-library, mystery, novel, read-2010

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I decided to take a break from tried-and-true mystery series and instead look up a new author, who had the good fortune to be sitting on top of a stack of books at Smith Family. This book promised a mystery that had won six first-time mystery writer awards -- and it also promised a crime story starring a female Episcopal priest who used to be an Army Ranger. Yeah.

So: I read it. It starts with a baby being placed on the church steps, and a note instructing the new priest to give it to a specific...more I decided to take a break from tried-and-true mystery series and instead look up a new author, who had the good fortune to be sitting on top of a stack of books at Smith Family. This book promised a mystery that had won six first-time mystery writer awards -- and it also promised a crime story starring a female Episcopal priest who used to be an Army Ranger. Yeah.

So: I read it. It starts with a baby being placed on the church steps, and a note instructing the new priest to give it to a specific couple to raise. The Reverend Clare Fergusson teams up with small-town Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne to try and figure out where this little guy came from (and to try and make his path to a deserving, happy home the shortest possible).

Shortly thereafter, the biological mother is found dead, so instantly, the couple is suspect. Then the bio mom's family comes under suspicion. So Russ and Clare go on some predictable adventures into side-story territory; along the way they half fall in love with each other, swapping stories about their military service and the difficulty of their lives of service now, and on and on and on.

I wasn't exactly disappointed in the book so much as I was underwhelmed, or perhaps just whelmed. The book was constructed precisely as every other mystery of the straight-to-paperback genre is constructed: crime; doubling-down on crime; red herring; action scene in which our hero faces danger; resolution. It seemed like the kind of book one would write if one was working out of a How To Write a Competent Mystery! book -- particularly if Step One is "Include Some Quirky Characters!"

Spencer-Fleming had her scenery down. I have little doubt that she lives in or near a small northeastern U.S. town that has tons of snow and probably heaps of uppity Episcopalians. Everything here was done just fine -- but that's it. The action scene was competent, which is to say boring, because any reader who's paying the least bit of attention knows the hero will survive, the mystery will be solved, and everyone will get what they deserve.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Apr 30, 2010 Steve rated it 4 of 5 stars

Winner of a half dozen awards for first novel, it’s easy to see why. Russ and Clare, the protagonists and, respectively married police chief and new Episcopal priest in Miller’s Kill, a rural New York State community, work together on a case that begins with Clare’s finding an abandoned newborn boy at the church, a couple of murders, and the solving them. Both Russ and Clare face unforeseen life-threatening dangers in taking on the case and its principals. The mystery, the child and murders, is...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 14, 2010 Bitsy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, contemporary, thriller

I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved the setting, I loved the characters, I loved how the storyline pulled me in and didn’t let me go until the last page was turned. It had unique characters, well researched back story, and of course a killer on the loose to help spice things up as the death toll keeps climbing. Between the mystery and suspense surrounding this small baby abandoned on a church door step, to the believable relationship and build up between Reverend Clare and Chief Alystyne...more I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved the setting, I loved the characters, I loved how the storyline pulled me in and didn’t let me go until the last page was turned. It had unique characters, well researched back story, and of course a killer on the loose to help spice things up as the death toll keeps climbing. Between the mystery and suspense surrounding this small baby abandoned on a church door step, to the believable relationship and build up between Reverend Clare and Chief Alystyne (will they? won’t they?) it ended up being quite a page turner and I was up late into the night on several occasions because I could not put this book down.

My own mother-in-law is a pastor and so I have some up close and personal experience with the special problems and situations a female member of the clergy can experience in relations to her church and the community. I loved how well researched that aspect was. Everything from how church meetings can be, to how it is visiting shut ins, from marriage counseling to community outreach to last rites was all done realistically and believably. I found myself laughing out loud at the members of the council complaining when Clare runs roughshod over their meeting with her agenda saying things like: we always do this on Wednesdays not today, we always do things in this order, we never do outreach like this, etc. That is very, very like most churches. They never have a good reason (efficiency, sanctity, fiscal responsibility) for why they do things, the reason is almost always just that this is how it's always been done. My favorite line is when she complains to herself that hiring a female pastor was probably going to be the most risque thing they were going to do for the next ten years. Again, that is spot on with a lot of churches.

I also loved the description and the setting of this small town in New York. There were times when I was literally shivering in cold along with the characters. The way everything from the snow, to the wind, to the temperature was very well described and painted a backdrop that made you want to reach for a blanket every time. The characters also were very well done and each had their own individuality, I loved how with just a few lines everyone from an old shut in who is more than meets the eye, to a dirty child playing in a trashy yard was brought to vivid life. And, all of the characters were shown as the deeply complex people that we are, deep secrets, conflicting motives, desires, fears and all.

Some things bothered me though. Like how a pastor in any church was going to be able to have so much free time right around Christmas time, one of the busiest times of years for members of the clergy. Despite all of the planning and sermon writing and decorating and getting ready for the holiday she still had lots of time to spend with the Police Chief and getting into all sorts of trouble with this baby that was abandoned on her church doorstep and the mystery and murders that follow it. Granted she was ex-military so perhaps that explains some of her actions. She doesn't just feel obligated as a member of the clergy in the community but also feels impelled by her training in the military as well. I know that at least shines through in some parts.

The other thing worrying me a little was the budding understanding and almost romance between Clare and Russ, especially considering he is a married man. I will say this though, after reading so much YA romance, with poor relationship building, the very real relationship that is depicted between Clare and Russ based on actual experiences, trust and mutual understanding was very nice to read about. I won't say much more on this subject but will say that it will be interesting seeing how things develop and unfold throughout the rest of this series as, yes, this is the first in a series of mysteries that centers around Clare and Russ.

In spite of and through all of that I really enjoyed reading In The Bleak Midwinter and am looking forward to the next book in the series. I really enjoyed this mystery, and all of the wonderful twists and turns the story took. I ended up being totally surprised by the ending, though that was in some small part because I wasn't paying nearly enough attention to certain characters in the beginning to realize their importance by the end, though now that I look back it was being hinted at all along! I love mysteries that do that!(less)

like 1 like · see review

Apr 29, 2009 Kerry rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, library, 7, mystery

As a promotion for her latest release last year, Julia Spencer-Fleming offered the first two books in her Clare Ferguson series as a free download. I'm generally up for a good mystery and the people who promoted the links had good things to say about the series, so I downloaded them both and added the first to the TBR list. It came up on the random number generator while I was down at my parents' place over Christmas. I tried converting the PDF to something I could read on my PDA (the PDF readin...more

like · see review

Jul 06, 2012 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I bought this book for a whopping 2.99 back in February, when it was on sale. It's taken me this long to read it, but I've been in a bit of a mystery frame of mind recently, and my mom recommended it to me, so I thought I'd give it a try.

This is the first in a series of books about Russ Van Alstyn, the police chief of the small town of Millers Kill in upstate NY, and Reverend Clare Fergusson, Episcopal priest and former helicopter pilot. Millers Kill is her first parish, and the story begins whe...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Narthex: In the Bleak Midwinter Reviews	1	4	Apr 10, 2012 11:47pm
The Narthex: In the Bleak Midwinter Discussion	1	4	Apr 10, 2012 11:44pm

combine
Other Editions (13)

More editions...

Genres

Mystery

348 users

Thriller > Mystery Thriller

19 users

Mystery > Crime

15 users

Thriller

13 users

Romance

13 users

Contemporary

10 users

Suspense

10 users

Book Club

9 users

New York

8 users

Mystery > Detective

6 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Julia Spencer-Fleming

Wednesday, September 7

Work-In-Progress Wednesday at my Reader Space. We're up to the fifth part of the second chapter of my eighth book, which has some numerological meaning, I'm sure. http://bit.ly/p2QwJa

More about Julia Spencer-Fleming...

Books by Julia Spencer-Fleming

I Shall Not Want (Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries, #6)

One Was a Soldier (Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries, #7)

A Fountain Filled With Blood (Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries, #2)

Out of the Deep I Cry (Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries, #3)

All Mortal Flesh (Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries, #5)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About In the Bleak Midw...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from In the Bleak Midwinter

“Russ decided the best defense was a good offense. "I'm Russell Van Alstyne, Millers Kill chrief of police." He held out his hand. She shook firm, like a guy.

"Clare Fergusson," she said. "I'm the new priest at Saint Alban's. That's the Episcopal Church. At the corner of Elm and Church." there was a faint testiness in her voice. Russ relaxed a fraction. A woman priest. If that didn't beat all.

"I know which it is. There are only four churches in town." He saw the fog creeping along the edges of his glasses again and snatched them off, fishing for a tissue in his pocket. "Can you tell me what happened, um..." What was he supposed to call her? "Mother?"

"I go by Reverend, Chief. Ms. is fine, too."

"Oh. Sorry. I never met a woman priest before."

"We're just like the men priests, except we're willing to pull over and ask directions.” — 4 people liked it

“I believe that God hears our prayers, and cherishes them. I believe He answers by sending us His spirit, giving us strenght, and peace, and insight. I don't think He responds by turning away bullets and curing cancer. Though sometimes that does happen."

Harlene frowned. "In other words, sometimes, the answer is no?"

"No. Sometimes the answer is "This is life, in all its variety. Make your way through it with grace, and never forget that I love you.” — 2 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: In the Bleak Midwinter
avg rating	preview: In the Bleak Midwinter Goodreads rating: 3.98 (3691 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://koolreadz.com/book/show/113002.In_the_Bleak_Midwinter?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1316129558l/113002.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://koolreadz.com/book/show/113002.In_the_Bleak_Midwinter?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming[/url]

In the Bleak Midwinter (Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries #1)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website