One Was a Soldier

In an interesting twist on this effective series, half the population of the town of Miller's Kill, New York, including Claire Ferguson, the Episcopal priest who is also an Army helicopter pilot, have come home from Iraq with some form of post-traumatic stress disorder. The walking wounded attend a veterans' therapy group, and when one of their number dies and police assume suicide, her mates from the group take matters into their own hands. Suzanne Toren performs with her usual great strengths and small weaknesses. Her male voices sound uncomfortably strained, and her accents aren't awfully convincing, but her passion and pacing are marvelous, and she admirably keeps her composure during some really embarrassing sex scenes. Police Chief Van Alstyne proposes to Claire; fans will be pleased. B.G. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

February 28, 2011
Adjusting to civilian life after a tour in Iraq proves difficult for Rev. Clare Fergusson in Spencer-Fleming's resonant and timely seventh mystery featuring Clare and her not-so-secret lover, police chief Russ Van Alstyne (after 2008's I Shall Not Want). On returning to Millers Kill, N.Y., Clare jumps right back into her duties as priest of St. Alban's Episcopalian Church. But her 18 months flying helicopters in Iraq aren't entirely in the past: she's drinking more and relying on a mix of leftover pills from her Army medical kit. Along with several other returning service members, Clare joins a community support group for veterans. When a member of the group, Tally McNab, apparently shoots herself in the mouth and falls dead into her swimming pool, Clare spearheads an investigation, hounding Russ to consider homicide. Clare and Russ's relationship deepens, while the focus on the struggles of veterans supplies another strong emotional thread. Author tour; 75,000 first printing.