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The Dominion Archives Mysteries #3
Honor the Dead
Dr. Cate Spencer is back in this highly-anticipated third installment of the Dominion Archives Mysteries.
It’s been a few months since the events of Speak for the Dead and Dr. Cate Spencer is seeking a temporary reprieve in the bucolic Eastern Townships of Quebec where she can come to terms with her brother’s death, find inner peace, build new relationships, and await a decision about her future. But when a man at a neighboring farm is shot through the eye with deadly accuracy, a metal detector lying next to him, Cate can’t help but investigate.
As she delves deeper into the mystery, Cate uncovers a world of drugs, lies, and violence hidden beneath the picturesque town, all of which threaten the tenuous peace she’s built for herself. As long-buried secrets and a centuries-old mystery become exposed, what will Cate lose to find the answers she seeks?
A gripping new mystery, Honor the Dead is a must-read for new and old Dominion Archives fans alike!
It’s been a few months since the events of Speak for the Dead and Dr. Cate Spencer is seeking a temporary reprieve in the bucolic Eastern Townships of Quebec where she can come to terms with her brother’s death, find inner peace, build new relationships, and await a decision about her future. But when a man at a neighboring farm is shot through the eye with deadly accuracy, a metal detector lying next to him, Cate can’t help but investigate.
As she delves deeper into the mystery, Cate uncovers a world of drugs, lies, and violence hidden beneath the picturesque town, all of which threaten the tenuous peace she’s built for herself. As long-buried secrets and a centuries-old mystery become exposed, what will Cate lose to find the answers she seeks?
A gripping new mystery, Honor the Dead is a must-read for new and old Dominion Archives fans alike!
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 16, 2023
6 people are currently reading
2902 people want to read
About the author
Amy Tector
6 books109 followersAmy Tector has spent more than 20 years plumbing the secrets squirrelled away in archives - whether it's uncovering a whale's ear (true story) in a box of old photographs, or working for the United Nations' International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague, she has been privy to hidden records and extraordinary secrets.
She now works at Canada’s national archives, Library and Archives Canada and is adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa and a sessional instructor at Carleton University.
Amy has a PhD in English literature from the Universite Libre de Bruxelles and now lives in Ottawa, Canada with a daughter named Violet, a husband named Andrew and a dog named Daffodil.
She now works at Canada’s national archives, Library and Archives Canada and is adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa and a sessional instructor at Carleton University.
Amy has a PhD in English literature from the Universite Libre de Bruxelles and now lives in Ottawa, Canada with a daughter named Violet, a husband named Andrew and a dog named Daffodil.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 14, 2024
Amy is the author of The Honeybee Emeralds and the Dominion Archives mysteries. This is the third book in a series that features murdery hijinks in Canada's national archive.
In the previous installment Speak for the Dead, we meet her heroine Cate Spencer. She's back in this new book Honor the Dead.
This character! I love her. She's a coroner in Ottawa, and she's a bit of a mess. When we first meet her, she's drinking too much, she's chain-smoking cigarettes, she's not quite ready to let go of her relationship with her ex-husband, her dad is a nightmare. And in this book, she's all of that, and her beloved brother has died under mysterious circumstances. She's the female version of the detective who's rumpled, disgruntled, broken, and yet, you love them anyway. Here's why: Yes, her life is a cluster, but every once in a while, she softens and shows flashes of vulnerability or kindness. And she's really good at her job. She is driven by the core concept that as a coroner, it's her job to speak for and honor the dead.
Amy Tector does a bang-up job of putting Cate into compelling mysteries in very vivid settings. Honor the Dead is set in a fascinating part of Canada. Most of Canada speaks English, but in Quebec, they speak French. Except for a part of the Eastern Townships — Amy calls it a 'weird little enclave of English-speakers' — and the mystery she's set there is very compelling.
When the story opens, Cate is working as the in-house physician at a clinic in the Eastern Townships. It's sort of a temporary banishment from Ottawa. She's meant to put her life back together so she can make a triumphant return to the city. But trouble follows her wherever she goes. A man at a nearby farm is shot and killed. And not just shot! The bullet has gone directly through his left eye with the precision of a sniper. And because Cate can't mind her own business, she noses her way into the investigation. And then all sorts of unsavory stuff is uncovered: lies, secrets, drugs, and another murder. Cate is her messy, lovable self throughout.
I was transported to the idyllic Canadian countryside, and I loved the contrast of the beautiful setting and the sinister vibes of this small town. There's tension between the townies and the posh school nearby, and a long-standing feud between two families, and maybe, just maybe, a cache of hidden gold. This is a cracker of a mystery with a heroine you can't help but root for. 100% recommend it.
In the previous installment Speak for the Dead, we meet her heroine Cate Spencer. She's back in this new book Honor the Dead.
This character! I love her. She's a coroner in Ottawa, and she's a bit of a mess. When we first meet her, she's drinking too much, she's chain-smoking cigarettes, she's not quite ready to let go of her relationship with her ex-husband, her dad is a nightmare. And in this book, she's all of that, and her beloved brother has died under mysterious circumstances. She's the female version of the detective who's rumpled, disgruntled, broken, and yet, you love them anyway. Here's why: Yes, her life is a cluster, but every once in a while, she softens and shows flashes of vulnerability or kindness. And she's really good at her job. She is driven by the core concept that as a coroner, it's her job to speak for and honor the dead.
Amy Tector does a bang-up job of putting Cate into compelling mysteries in very vivid settings. Honor the Dead is set in a fascinating part of Canada. Most of Canada speaks English, but in Quebec, they speak French. Except for a part of the Eastern Townships — Amy calls it a 'weird little enclave of English-speakers' — and the mystery she's set there is very compelling.
When the story opens, Cate is working as the in-house physician at a clinic in the Eastern Townships. It's sort of a temporary banishment from Ottawa. She's meant to put her life back together so she can make a triumphant return to the city. But trouble follows her wherever she goes. A man at a nearby farm is shot and killed. And not just shot! The bullet has gone directly through his left eye with the precision of a sniper. And because Cate can't mind her own business, she noses her way into the investigation. And then all sorts of unsavory stuff is uncovered: lies, secrets, drugs, and another murder. Cate is her messy, lovable self throughout.
I was transported to the idyllic Canadian countryside, and I loved the contrast of the beautiful setting and the sinister vibes of this small town. There's tension between the townies and the posh school nearby, and a long-standing feud between two families, and maybe, just maybe, a cache of hidden gold. This is a cracker of a mystery with a heroine you can't help but root for. 100% recommend it.
April 7, 2024
This cozy is a little different. The amateur is a coroner. New one, isn’t it? Cate Spenser, said coroner, has been disciplined and sent to a small town to help at a clinic located at an elite school, Canterbury Day and Boarding. A school she and her brother Jason attended years ago, fended off by a busy and seemingly uncaring father. The clinic had been located in the township, serving everyone. Now housed in the boarding school, the locals are hesitant to access the clinic and looked at Cait as an elite snob like the rest of everyone else who attends the school.
This is a mystery with all of what I call the elements of cozies. It has an amateur sleuth, romantic trauma, a house in the country, an egg man who’s the coroner. You read that right…an egg man/coroner that raises and sells free range eggs. And the story has a dead body, one with a shot right through the eye from a long distance. Cate is itching to get involved because murder or at least the clues surrounding it are her skills. That and she is quite bored at the clinic.
This was a slow start for me. I think it might be because I had a difficult time picturing the concept of why Cate felt she should be involved in the murder investigation. At least I would hate for the reason to be that she felt everyone around was incompetent. Although she did keep repeating how much she could help which could be construed as calling everyone else bad at their job. There was no question she didn’t do it, so saving herself can’t have been the reason for sleuthing. She was just trying to help because she was bored.
Mid-book this picked up and held my interest, but the idea of how Cate got herself involved just felt forced.
This is a mystery with all of what I call the elements of cozies. It has an amateur sleuth, romantic trauma, a house in the country, an egg man who’s the coroner. You read that right…an egg man/coroner that raises and sells free range eggs. And the story has a dead body, one with a shot right through the eye from a long distance. Cate is itching to get involved because murder or at least the clues surrounding it are her skills. That and she is quite bored at the clinic.
This was a slow start for me. I think it might be because I had a difficult time picturing the concept of why Cate felt she should be involved in the murder investigation. At least I would hate for the reason to be that she felt everyone around was incompetent. Although she did keep repeating how much she could help which could be construed as calling everyone else bad at their job. There was no question she didn’t do it, so saving herself can’t have been the reason for sleuthing. She was just trying to help because she was bored.
Mid-book this picked up and held my interest, but the idea of how Cate got herself involved just felt forced.
March 21, 2024
Honor the Dead by Amy Tector is another gripping mystery in the Dominion Archives series that grabs the reader and won't let go.
The story follows suspended coroner Dr. Cate Spencer as she attempts to pull herself together after a tumultuous summer by moving to small town Quebec, where she fills in as a physician at a clinic on the grounds of her alma mater. Yet Cate cannot ignore her call to help solve a murder mystery that occurs at the last house on her street, in the process putting her re-instatement at her former job in jeopardy.
Full of twists and turns, the mystery sees Cate take some wrong turns as she insinuates herself in the case against the wishes of local police, interviews a wide variety of characters that range from helpful to hateful, and once again researches in the archives. In the background, she struggles to come to terms with her brother's death and her own struggle with alcohol, and secrets on all sides are brought into the light of day.
The addition of a possible treasure of hidden gold, and a dog that turns up at her home in need of help further muddy the waters, and the return of a few characters, if only in passing mention, promises future drama.
Well-written and interspersed with humour, Honor the Dead is another home run for Tector.
I am happy to have received an ARC of #HonortheDead from #NetGalley.
The story follows suspended coroner Dr. Cate Spencer as she attempts to pull herself together after a tumultuous summer by moving to small town Quebec, where she fills in as a physician at a clinic on the grounds of her alma mater. Yet Cate cannot ignore her call to help solve a murder mystery that occurs at the last house on her street, in the process putting her re-instatement at her former job in jeopardy.
Full of twists and turns, the mystery sees Cate take some wrong turns as she insinuates herself in the case against the wishes of local police, interviews a wide variety of characters that range from helpful to hateful, and once again researches in the archives. In the background, she struggles to come to terms with her brother's death and her own struggle with alcohol, and secrets on all sides are brought into the light of day.
The addition of a possible treasure of hidden gold, and a dog that turns up at her home in need of help further muddy the waters, and the return of a few characters, if only in passing mention, promises future drama.
Well-written and interspersed with humour, Honor the Dead is another home run for Tector.
I am happy to have received an ARC of #HonortheDead from #NetGalley.
May 10, 2024
Best of the series so far. The coroner Dr. Cate Spencer is back, a known entity I could dive right in with. After a brief recap of her investigation into her brother Jason's death in the Congo, she assists at the murder scene outside a Quebec neighbour's home and lends a hand with the investigation. Setting plays a stronger role on this outing, sharing a strong taste of Quebec's eastern townships and a deeper look into Cate's past as she revisits her old stomping grounds. Cate is more self-aware this time, learning to recognize and manage her worst habits without losing her edge. She's also no longer a beginner at murder investigation, identifying and following the clues to unravelling not only a murder but also the mystery of some fabled lost gold. References to Jess Novak and Detective Lemieux from the first book begin to tie the series more closely together. Extra points for bringing Rose back, a side character who isn't dismissed and forgotten after making herself important to the hero. Also have to say (whether or not we see her again), I like Madge a lot.
March 6, 2024
I received this book free from Voracious Readers in exchange for my honest review. This is book #3 in The Dominion Archives Mysteries. I will start by saying that I did not read the first 2 books in the series and for the main plot of this story you do not need to. Saying that there are smaller plot points that you would have needed to read the other books to grasp the full picture.
If you are a fan of the Temperance Brennan books by Kathy Reichs like I am then you probably will like this book. It very much follows the same ideas, a divorced bilingual recovering alcoholic coroner/forensic anthropologist who solves crimes. Where I live Temperance I had a bit of a hard time liking Cate, she was a bit more self-destructive then I like. The mystery was overall good and by the end I found it hard to put the book down, so all in all a good read.
If you are a fan of the Temperance Brennan books by Kathy Reichs like I am then you probably will like this book. It very much follows the same ideas, a divorced bilingual recovering alcoholic coroner/forensic anthropologist who solves crimes. Where I live Temperance I had a bit of a hard time liking Cate, she was a bit more self-destructive then I like. The mystery was overall good and by the end I found it hard to put the book down, so all in all a good read.
May 31, 2024
I enjoyed this book it was well written. The Main character has alot of problem of lher own to deal with but I loved how she was able to handle most of the problems herself it gave her alot more character. Cate is not your usual amateur sleuth with being a doctor and a coroner. There were alot of problem with her own family that she had to come to terms with. I loved that she would not give up on an idea even if the police did not seem to go along with her ideas but she just keep going along until she came to the right answer. I loved that she could look after a stray dog even though she said that she was not a dog person. But she did feel that she need to help the dog back to health. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed a good murder mystery it sure made you think about who could be the killer.
June 3, 2024
I received a copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for my honest review.
So before I even considered reading this one, I had to track down the first two and I absolutely loved the first book. It was a great opener to the series, fantastic from start to finish. There was something refreshing about all of the characters and the plot kept you guessing right up until the final reveal in the end.
The second book picks up many years after the events of the first with a new cast of characters and a new mystery to solve. By the end, you get a few answers, but you're left with still more questions and Honor the Dead is where you want to look for them.
I enjoyed the journey and am pleased to see where we leave off with Cait by the end of everything. I'm looking forward to seeing where this series goes from here.
So before I even considered reading this one, I had to track down the first two and I absolutely loved the first book. It was a great opener to the series, fantastic from start to finish. There was something refreshing about all of the characters and the plot kept you guessing right up until the final reveal in the end.
The second book picks up many years after the events of the first with a new cast of characters and a new mystery to solve. By the end, you get a few answers, but you're left with still more questions and Honor the Dead is where you want to look for them.
I enjoyed the journey and am pleased to see where we leave off with Cait by the end of everything. I'm looking forward to seeing where this series goes from here.
April 10, 2024
Tector is a magician when writing this dark and mysteriously emotional book. Although I have yet to discover the interior of the previous books. I feel that this book was an easy adjustment within itself, immersing me within this dark and discoverable tale of murder, realization, and shocking discoveries. I would recommend first, reading the beginning of any series, but some of them are still worth reading and understanding as this book is a prime example of this explanation. The book is full of characters that share skeletons in the closet that carry over into this broadened storyline. Good job Amy Tector.
-Mordestia M. York, Author of The Art of Poetry
-Mordestia M. York, Author of The Art of Poetry
May 10, 2024
I received this book through voracious readers only, in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the Canadian history and long ago lost buried gold story. In fact, found that aspect of the story quite riveting along with trying to figure out who the murderer was. I didn’t enjoy the relationship underpinnings so much. Found our heroine a bit immature when it came to relationships with the opposite sex, for a woman creeping up on 40. The hero worship of a brother for a woman in middle years was also a bit much. That being said, the author tied all the dangling bits up with nice resolution so I was satisfied in the end.
January 16, 2024
3.5 rounded up.
Dr. Cate is really not particularly likeable for me, but she was bearable at times. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and more than just the main mystery. A few loose ends where a brief wrap-up would have been nice, but overall satisfying and no major loose ends. I haven’t read the previous books, but was able to read this on its own without any particular confusion.
I received a free advanced reader copy via Voracious Readers Only. My opinion is purely my own.
Dr. Cate is really not particularly likeable for me, but she was bearable at times. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and more than just the main mystery. A few loose ends where a brief wrap-up would have been nice, but overall satisfying and no major loose ends. I haven’t read the previous books, but was able to read this on its own without any particular confusion.
I received a free advanced reader copy via Voracious Readers Only. My opinion is purely my own.
March 30, 2024
I haven't read the previous books but was able to read this book on its own without any confusion. The storyline kept me guessing from beginning to end. I thoroughly enjoyed the Temperance Brennan books written by Kathy Reichs, so I naturally enjoyed these books as well. A coroner / forensic anthropologist who solves crimes is right up my alley. The book was all in all a great read. The mystery was captivating and made the book hard to put down.
Thank you to Voracious Readers Only for providing me with a free copy of this book in return for an Honest Unbiased Opinion of a review.
Thank you to Voracious Readers Only for providing me with a free copy of this book in return for an Honest Unbiased Opinion of a review.
April 21, 2024
In her latest Cate Spencer mystery, Amy Tector’s storytelling is as smart, engaging, and self-assured as her protagonist. Amy weaves a complex tale about a woman hoping for a little peace and quiet in small town, only to have murder come knocking on her door once again. Fiercely determined to honor the dead, Dr. Cate Spencer, stops at nothing to expose a killer, putting herself in the crosshairs in a white-knuckled finale.
May 24, 2024
I received this book for free from voracious readers only, in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first book from this author and although it’s the 3rd book in the series and I haven’t read the first 2 I still really enjoy this book.
It’s a great forensics/crime story that was hard to put down and keep me interested.
Being from Canada I enjoyed the history that was in this book.
Over all a great read.
This is my first book from this author and although it’s the 3rd book in the series and I haven’t read the first 2 I still really enjoy this book.
It’s a great forensics/crime story that was hard to put down and keep me interested.
Being from Canada I enjoyed the history that was in this book.
Over all a great read.
July 28, 2024
Dr. Cate Spencer is on a leave of absence from her position as coroner in Ottawa. She has accepted a contract as a general practitioner in a small town in the Eastern Townships. Of course, there is a murder and she manages to get involved in the investigation. This is a good follow-up to the two previous Dominion Archives Mysteries. Always a treat to read books set in areas settings you know well.
August 26, 2024
An interesting, if a bit slow-paced read, with a good plot, and some unexpected twists. I received an ePub version, that was not labeled as an ‘advance reader copy’ (ARC) but it definitely needed editing…ie…the first two sentences of every chapter were a bunch of capital letters all strung together with no spaces, and there is a problem with their ‘L’ in many words that contain “LL” such as ‘fully’. Hopefully that has been corrected.
June 10, 2024
this book was really awesome, I loved it. This story had so many stories intertwined sometimes it was had to keep them all straight but it really kept me on my toes. I loved everyone of the individual stories and all the characters I can't wait to read something else from this exciting author.
June 14, 2024
Captivating murder mystery set in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. So well written I felt the apple squish under my shoe and I smelled the dust fly up off the dirt road. A whodunnit where you don't guess who did it 'til the end.
April 18, 2025
Murderer pursues you with a weapon, you manage to injure him/her. You think about getting in your car and fleeing to safety, but --you can't leave the injured person.....
Whoops--I won't be reading any more of these. Has this author never watched a horror movie?
May 5, 2024
Amy Tector never disappoints. I really enjoyed this!
May 21, 2024
Loved the characters. Thrill of a roller caster ride as lots of twists and turns to a surprise ending along with shattering events by the main character. Great book!!!
July 16, 2024
Amy, can you write faster…I can’t get enough of these books!!! Dr Cate is 1 of 1….
Want to read
January 8, 2026Fun mystery with a complicated protagonist. Loved it.
June 17, 2024
Stray Dog Saves the Day!
Whodunit? Through the visual frame of coroner Dr. Cate Spencer, here’s another Amy Tector literary romp through the hills and dales of my own boyhood back yard. A tale of deceit, betrayal, resolution and redemption in Québec's Eastern Townships where explosive steam perpetually roils beneath the calm surface of apparent tranquility. Don't be fooled though; read this book!
Whodunit? Through the visual frame of coroner Dr. Cate Spencer, here’s another Amy Tector literary romp through the hills and dales of my own boyhood back yard. A tale of deceit, betrayal, resolution and redemption in Québec's Eastern Townships where explosive steam perpetually roils beneath the calm surface of apparent tranquility. Don't be fooled though; read this book!
July 4, 2024
Absolutely loved Honour the Dead. Great characters and a storyline that keeps you guessing from beginning to end. Looking forward to more of this series.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews