Every Deadly Sin

Theodora Braithwaite #5

by D.M. Greenwood

A place of pilgrimage, retreat, and spiritual renewal, St. Sylvan's-at-Rest is, in its own way, a small paradise. And, as Deacon Theodora Braithwaite quickly discerns, this motley, irritable party of pilgrims is in urgent need of spiritual balm. But scarcely have they arrived when the calm is shattered by an act of symbolic violence -- which soon goes beyond the symbolic.

Genres: Mystery

Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Dr D(iane) M Greenwood described herself as "a low level ecclesiastical civil servant". Coming originally from Norfolk in England, she took a first degree in classics at Oxford, then, as a mature student, a second degree in theology at London University. She taught at various schools before working for the diocese of Rochester. She was described by an ex-pupil as "a classics teacher of terrifying erudition and eccentricity". She retired as diocesan director of education for the diocese of Rochester in 2004. She published nine Theodora Braithwaite novels between 1991 and 1999. She was last heard of living in Greenwich with her lurcher bitch.

Reviews

[Voirrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really do enjoy Ms Greenwood's rather jaundiced view of the workings of the Church of England at the end of the twentieth century!

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series of cozy crime novels by D.M. Greenwood featuring Theodora Braithwaite, a deaconess in Anglican orders around the time when the church was deciding to ordain women to the priesthood. Having read a bit about this reclusive author, it became apparent to me WHY I have found her books appealing.'

D.M. Greenwood is a scholar and has worked in and around the church, although not as a priest. I suspect that something of her own personality and story informs the character of Theodora, a very tall, celibate woman with a scholarly mind and determined and informed views. With a heroine of this particular stripe, the books reflect on serious issues while managing to be inventive and cleverly witty.

These books take the moral high ground and are scathing towards senior clergy of the Anglican communion while grasping the essence of faith and understanding the values which true faith brings into the world. Thank God for that.

As I finish the series, I will just refer back to this review. You can find various synopses of plots elsewhere. This is my recommendation. The books are not quite even in interest for me, but well worth the time to read. I particularly enjoy references to various historical personages real and invented. The writer is clever with names and I am hard pressed at times to discern whether she is inventing history or referring accurately. For instance, Theodora is researching a member of the Oxford movement by the name of Newsome, a purported member of the Oxford movement and founder of charitable institutions. This 'character' figures in various ways throughout the books and ought not to be confused with Cardinal Newman.

An intelligent, even erudite series.

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theodora Braithwaite is on a retreat at a shrine in North Yorkshire called St Sylvan at Rest. She is with an ill-assorted group of people and she wonders how everyone is going to get on together. Most of all she needs silence and peace to make sense of her own thoughts and emotions. However it seems fate is conspiring against her with some strange goings on in the guest house followed by a murder.

I really enjoyed this book and it kept me reading long after my usual bed time. The story is well plotted and the characters well drawn and interesting. I liked the atmospheric descriptions of the shrine and the odd assortment of people who visit it apart from the people who are there for the retreat.

If you like classic mystery stories with a small group of suspects and little on the page violence then you may enjoy this one. It is the fifth in the series featuring Theodora Braithwaite but it can be read as a standalone novel.