The Madonna Murders

Rating:
Summary: Welcome to a new San Francisco Bay Area Sleuth!!
Review: "The Adirondacks has Julia Spencer-Fleming, Boston has Michelle Blake and now the San Francisco Bay Area has Pamela Cranston. We welcome Pamela to the world of theology and murder! Her character, Andrea West, a theology professor in Berkeley, is a welcome addition to the new wave of strong and independent female 'theological sleuths'. The Madonna Murders is a damn good mystery. It's not often these days that I can find a good mystery that I can't put down. I am so sure of this book that I have already reserved a place for it on our recommended rack and I can't wait until it comes out. I am looking for more exciting mysteries from Pamela Cranston."

Diane Kudisch, Owner
San Francisco Mystery Book Store

Rating:
Summary: An engrossing and thrilling mystery
Review: Cranston has delivered a masterpiece of "who done it intrigue".

This book is more than a simple mystery novel, the love interest, the sense of locale and history, the vivid personalities and spiritual depth all come together to weave a tapestry that extends well beyond the confines of the pages of the book. This is a work that echoes in the mind of the reader long after they have turned the last page.

Hopefully this is the first of many more good works to come!

Rating:
Summary: Luxuriate in this rich mystery
Review: Fast paced, tightly written, depth of characters and locations and all around enjoyable mystery novel. Pamela Cranston, for her first novel, has a hit on her hands. Can't wait for the next one!

Rating:
Summary: An intriguing mystery!
Review: I am not a big mystery fan, but enjoyed this interesting and well written mystery by Pamela Cranston. Cranston's extensive historical research about the icon is evident and adds interest to the mystery aspect of the story. I also enjoyed the familiarity of the San Francisco and Bay Area locales since that is where I live. Cranston gives us clues throughout the book, but does a masterful job of keeping us in suspense until the very end.

Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: Pamela Cranston's 'The Madonna Murders' is a rich and engrossing mystery for everyone. I normally don't like mysteries, but I loved this book. The characters are well-drawn and unique. I particularly liked Andrea West and the progress of her deepening involvement with not only the mystery but the insights her detective work gives her into her personal life. I especially appreciated the excellent research and explanations about iconography and the history of the Russian church. I recommend this book to everyone who loves a good story, mystery or otherwise.

Rating:
Summary: A Thumping Good Read!
Review: Review by Dr. Roussel Sargent, Retired English Professor, Mills College, Oakland, CA:
"The Madonna Murders by Pamela Cranston is a thriller that admirably fulfills its function of providing suspense and intrigue while doing much else as well. An interesting and varied cast of characters leads the reader on an impeccably plotted progress from the first corpse through the fast moving chase to its final satisfactorily inconclusive conclusion. The author plays fair and there are clues to the murderer's identity scattered throughout, but probably only a practiced few murder buffs will spot them unless rereading the book.

In the meantime, we have watched the growth of a serious relationship between the two major characters: an incipient Professor of Theology and a member of "The Media"; an unlikely couple who start off very much on the wrong foot. Their amusing verbal sparring continues throughout, but their changing and growing feelings have led to the strong possibility of a permanent commitment by the end of the last chapter.

Mixed into all this are many pleasures, such as: the solid particularity of the San Francisco/Bay Area setting; the history of the Russian enclave there in the early part of the last century; fascinating information about icons, and the Orthodox church; thought-provoking discussions of moral and theological matters; a touch of mysticism, a feeling for the holy. The book does no preaching, but certainly it does some teaching for those who are interested in one or more of its themes. It is a 'good read' thriller, stuffed with ideas and constantly garnished with wit."

Rating:
Summary: A Thumping Good Read!
Review: Review by Dr. Roussel Sargent, Retired English Professor, Mills College, Oakland, CA:
"The Madonna Murders by Pamela Cranston is a thriller that admirably fulfills its function of providing suspense and intrigue while doing much else as well. An interesting and varied cast of characters leads the reader on an impeccably plotted progress from the first corpse through the fast moving chase to its final satisfactorily inconclusive conclusion. The author plays fair and there are clues to the murderer's identity scattered throughout, but probably only a practiced few murder buffs will spot them unless rereading the book.

In the meantime, we have watched the growth of a serious relationship between the two major characters: an incipient Professor of Theology and a member of "The Media"; an unlikely couple who start off very much on the wrong foot. Their amusing verbal sparring continues throughout, but their changing and growing feelings have led to the strong possibility of a permanent commitment by the end of the last chapter.

Mixed into all this are many pleasures, such as: the solid particularity of the San Francisco/Bay Area setting; the history of the Russian enclave there in the early part of the last century; fascinating information about icons, and the Orthodox church; thought-provoking discussions of moral and theological matters; a touch of mysticism, a feeling for the holy. The book does no preaching, but certainly it does some teaching for those who are interested in one or more of its themes. It is a 'good read' thriller, stuffed with ideas and constantly garnished with wit."

Rating:
Summary: Murder in the Cathedral
Review: The Madonna Murders is a classically good mystery. It starts with characters you care about -- Andrea West is a literary daughter of both Amanda Cross's academic world and Elizabeth Peters' adventurous women, Keith, the love interest is really loveable, and the villains and Russian holy men are fantastic -- then it adds some really weird and exciting events beginning with murder in the Cathedral, an immersion into the spiritual culture of Russian America and a tense and exciting conclusion. Cranston has done her homework. You can enter her world with confidence. From beginning to hair-raising end, you won't be able to put this one down.

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Read
Review: This is a fast-paced book that works on many levels, so I think it will be appealing to many different types of readers. My husband enjoyed it because it is a thrilling mystery. My teenage daughter liked the strong sense of place. She really felt like she was there, with the characters, in the Bay Area at a posh restaurant. She said that it was like reading a great travel memoir. I liked how well-researched this book is on so many topics. Whether it is Russian history, or art, or Christianity, the author dives into her subjects with great insight and detail. I hope this is the beginning of a series! I want to read about the trials and tribulations of these characters again and again.