Thursday 8 August 2019

No Known Grave - Maureen Jennings - Tom Tyler Book 3

No Known Grave
Tom Tyler Book 3
Maureen Jennings
McClelland & Stewart
An imprint of Penguin Random House Canada

ISBN 9780771043468
eISBN 9780771043413
ASIN B00JYWVX3I


To state that I had become addicted to the writings of Maureen Jennings would be a bit of an understatement. This is the twelfth story by Jennings that I have read in 11 weeks. This is the third of 4 Inspector Tom Tyler stories I have read. And of the three read it is my favorite. Jennings does an amazing job of transporting us back in time to England during World War II in these novels. 

This story takes place three years after the previous in the series. And a lot has happened in that time. Tom is now separated from his wife. He has taken a new position at a different precinct and is now in Ludlow, Shropshire. But the mysteries keep coming. This story begins with a double homicide and soon there is a third body. The bulk of the story takes place at St. Anne's Convalescent Hospital, staffed by nursing sisters who are Anglican nuns. There is at least 1 cross over character from an earlier story. As soon as DI Tyler begins investigating, he starts receiving disturbing letters, type written at the hospital, but recounting a terrible crime and events far away in Nazi occupied territory. What makes this investigation especially difficult is most of the patients at Sr Anne’s are disabled, disfigured, and many non-ambulatory. So, Tom must figure out not only how the crimes were committed and by whom, but he must determine if one or more of the patients are not as disabled as they are letting on.

As a Catholic, it is interesting to see the subtle Catholicism in Jennings stories. DI Tyler himself is a Catholic, even is somewhat lapsed at the time of this story. It was also interesting to encounter the Anglican nun’s. The story moves along at a good pace. And Tom and many of the other characters are great to engage with. And the work with the patients with physical and mental injuries add some real torque to the story.

Of Jennings 4 series I have been reading this is my least favorite, but this is the best story in that series. It is a great historical fiction mystery. And problems the depth of mental anguish and debilitating grief. It is well worth the read for fans of the genres. And for any Jennings fan I am sure it will be a hit.

Books by Maureen Jennings:
Detective Murdoch Series:

0.5 Shipwreck
1.0 Except the Dying
2.0 Under the Dragon's Tail
3.0 Poor Tom Is Cold
4.0 Let Loose the Dogs
5.0 Night's Child
6.0 Vices of My Blood
7.0 A Journeyman to Grief
8.0 Let Darkness Bury the Dead
...

Detective Inspector Tom Tyler Series:
1.0 Season of Darkness
2.0 Beware This Boy
3.0 No Known Grave
4.0 Dead Ground in Between
...

Christine Morris Series:
1.0 Does Your Mother Know?
2.0 The K Handshape
...

Paradise Café Series:

1.0 Heat Wave
2.0 November Rain
...

Other books:
The Map of Your Mind: Journeys into Creative Expression
Investigating Murdoch Mysteries: The Official Companion to the Series – with Michelle Ricci and Mir Bahmanyar
...
 






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