REVIEW: All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Fleming

All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Fleming is the fifth entry in the Rev. Clare Fergusson / Russ Van Alstyne mystery series. It’s a strong entry in a series that has been consistently entertaining.

Here is the synopsis:

Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne’s first encounter with Clare Fergusson was in the hospital emergency room on a freezing December night. A newborn infant had been abandoned on the town’s Episcopal church steps. If Russ had known that the church had a new priest, he certainly would never have guessed that it would be a woman. Not a woman like Clare. That night in the hospital was the beginning of an attraction so fierce, so forbidden, that the only thing that could keep them safe from compromising their every belief was distance — -but in a small town like Millers Kill, distance is hard to find.

Russ Van Alstyne figures his wife kicking him out of their house is nobody’s business but his own. Until a neighbor pays a friendly visit to Linda Van Alstyne ­and finds the woman’s body, gruesomely butchered, on the kitchen floor. To the state police, it’s an open-and-shut case of a disaffected husband, silencing first his wife, then the murder investigation he controls. To the townspeople, it’s proof that the whispered gossip about the police chief and the priest was true. To the powers-that-be in the church hierarchy, it’s a chance to control their wayward cleric once and for all.

You can say that the author’s handle on a particular plot twist in the series can be viewed as clever or manipulative. Take your pick. I found it clever and surprising. “All Mortal Flesh” is a solidly written mystery with plenty of twists and turns. I was entertained, period. I read this  book in two days and want the next book in the series right now.  Why do I love this series, you ask? The author has an excellent ear for dialogue and she has a pretty good grasp of her characters and small town life. There’s a spot of humor in places. I especially enjoy the church politics and the people of Millers Kill, New York. After all of that, there is the subtle yet forbidden romance between the priest and the married cop.

A lot takes place in this entry. Clare who is a ex-helicopter pilot turned Episcopal priest has fallen into disfavor with her church superiors. They’ve decided to send her a new deacon, Elizabeth De Groot, to work with her. Clare suspects her to be a spy but takes her under her wing. Meanwhile, Russ investigates a murder that turns out to be a conflict of interest.  Gossip has spread around Millers Kill, New York, about Russ and Clare’s “improper relationship”. Some people suspect that they’re lovers. This makes things difficult for Russ who is trying to save his marriage. Meanwhile, Clare decides to move on with her life. However, the plot goes on to twist and turn, thrusting the two together,  that eventually leads to a couple of surprises and leaves  the readers with a cliffhanger of sorts.

I was entertained from the first page to the last; I couldn’t put it down. This author has been consistently entertaining and I love her authorial voice; plus it doesn’t hurt to have  a good ear for dialogue. This book also has great atmosphere along with an interesting conflict. I love this series. You all should give it a try. My grade, A.