Editorial Reviews. From Publishers Weekly. At the outset of Arthur Ellis Award– winner Emery's compelling fourth mystery to feature lawyer and bluesman Monty .
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- Cecilian Vespers (A Collins-Burke Mystery, #4) by Anne Emery
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- Cecilian Vespers: A Collins-Burke Mystery, Book 4
- Cecilian Vespers
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For me it was tedious and poorly structured, too many suspects, too many interviews, too many side stories, too many saints and too improbable. The story ends with yet another ten page rehashing of what took place. I never like this approach because I often get the impression that the author ran out of ideas, realized the story wasn't going anywhere, decided to end it on a quick note and now needs to fill a couple more pages in an attempt to tie up all the loose ends that were left scattered about.
Did I mention that I didn't really care for this book? Well don't use it to judge the series which is actually quit good.. Apr 21, Carolyn rated it it was ok. The author has created strong, interesting characters and it is always great to revisit lawyer Monty Collins and his friend,Father Brennan Burke.
Cecilian Vespers (A Collins-Burke Mystery, #4) by Anne Emery
This book was very complex, and a slow read for me. I felt to fully appreciate it I would need to know more about Catholic theology before and after Vatican Council 2, more about the history of the Roman Catholic Church and its hierarchy, something about the obscure saints mentioned and have some knowledge of the different types of religious music. Father Burke has starts a school for adults, to focus on Renaissance sacred music and Gregorian chants, all in Latin.
They are a mixed lot and from the first session he sees there are a lot of rivalries between those who want to perform the old music and those who want to sing modern English hymns or even compose new ones which Father Burke considers drivel. Some of the students have very strong opinions for and against modern church services and choir music.
One leading theologian of the Church is brutally murdered. The police arrest a British monk who confesses to the crime, but Father Burke and Collins doubt his guilt.
There seems to be clues involving the suspects' devotion to certain saints, and the backgrounds of each suspect must be investigated. There are too many suspects, and to follow the plot the beliefs of each person, traditional or modern, should be remembered. Among the priests, ex priests, monks, nuns, etc. Burke and Collins decide to go on a road trip in Europe to find information which might cast light on the motive for the murder. They interview a lot of people while not hanging out in taverns. Lots of drinking ensues.
On returning to Halifax with the murder yet unsolved they are dismayed to learn that a High Vatican enforcer is coming to investigate the school and the killing. A complicated plot with too many characters to keep in mind. Not as enjoyable as the two other books I have read, but certainly will read more in the series.
Feb 19, ME rated it liked it. Maybe it was because I had very few opportunities to sit with this one, and did most of the reading in snatches, but it was not my favorite Collins and Burke story. While it was informative and I learned a lot, it felt like the story took second fiddle to Emery's desire to educate her reader and delve into the Vatican II controversy.
From a Protestant perspective, it only solidified in the end the pointless superstition of praying to dead people who can't hear you nor help you and the desperati Maybe it was because I had very few opportunities to sit with this one, and did most of the reading in snatches, but it was not my favorite Collins and Burke story. From a Protestant perspective, it only solidified in the end the pointless superstition of praying to dead people who can't hear you nor help you and the desperation the decisions of MEN can create when they decide which dead guy is or is not able to help you based on some obviously faulty arbitrary set of man-made rules.
Christ alone is the Intercessor between men and God. The story for me lacked Emery's usual depth and I felt like an outsider to Burke's struggle, more in this book than in others. I was also disappointed to find little satisfaction in Collins' seeming truce with McNeil after the emotional wreckage of the last book. This seemed far too quickly and easily resolved, though there are lingering questions and bridges to cross. Still, I'm looking forward to the next installment and hope that we see more of the dynamic we're used to between our protagonists.
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My least favorite book in the series. The fact that one of the primary characters in the series is a Catholic priest actually makes the books more enjoyable. He is so flawed but seeks to be so good, that he has quickly become one of my favorite fictional characters. This book though spent far to much time in the minutia of Catholicism. It wasn't overtly religious or proselytizing, it just expected the reader to have a broader understanding of why and how the church changed in the last 75 years. It did provide quite a bit of detail but most of it wasn't that interesting.
Plus in this volume of the series Emery cheats the mystery reader. Part of the pleasure of reading mysteries is meeting all the suspects, learning about them and then deciding which person you think is guilty, before the big reveal. Aug 09, Diane rated it it was ok Shelves: I've enjoyed Anne Emery's previous books much more than this one. But I did not find the mystery or the multiple suspects particularly compelling to begin with, and the extensive research she has obviously done led to an awful lot of detail: Dec 05, Richard rated it it was ok.
Cecilian Vespers: A Collins-Burke Mystery, Book 4
This book contains way too much information about the Catholic church that has nothing to do with the mystery. The information I assume it is correct itself was interesting, but did absolutely nothing to advance the story line. Dec 26, Mike Bull rated it liked it. This was a book I checked out of the library electronically to my ebook--it's a great service on a whim because it's set in Halifax, a city I know next to nothing about. It surrounds a priest who is teaching a music course to Catholics from Canada, America, the UK and Europe, and an associated murder mystery with suspects among the attendees.
This is a "light" murder mystery with plenty of humor and sarcasm, particularly poking fun at both the liberal and conservative aspects of the church. I le This was a book I checked out of the library electronically to my ebook--it's a great service on a whim because it's set in Halifax, a city I know next to nothing about.
I learned a few things too, which is always great. And it sometimes felt as if the author was just hurrying from one plot point to another. The common mystery formula of presenting a number of people as murder suspects was followed, but the characters were just that, characters, instead of people and that kept me at a distance in the reading. Even the victim, a controversial priest named Reinhold Schellenberg who made enemies on both ends of the Church's political spectrum by first siding with Vatican II modernists but then deciding too many good traditions had been lost, was never really introduced to the reader before his demise and the subsequent efforts to find out who killed him and why.
Despite these difficulties, I recommend CECILIAN VESPERS, particularly to anyone who follows or is part of that ongoing "struggle" between Church modernists and traditionalists -- one can stick many labels on these groups, and it isn't as "simple" a division as that -- something this novel tried to show in Father Burke, a conservative regarding Church liturgy but a liberal in other areas. Emery did a fine job of including a lot of information about the misconceptions concerning Vatican II and its "requirements" for reform.
The inimitable Father Burke was an outspoken proponent and activist for beauty in the Mass and the hours of prayer such as Vespers. It is reassuring to see a fiction writer incorporate such topics in her work. Also, the title refers to the martyred St.
Cecilian Vespers
Cecilia, the patron of Church music. She, and other saints, ended up playing parts of sorts in the solving of this mystery. See all 4 reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway.
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Get fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. View or edit your browsing history. Get to Know Us. Kienzle and Julia Spencer-Fleming may want to try this one. Series readers will be pleased with the new story and character developments, as will those looking for a fresh setting. Readers interested in the history and impact of the Vatican II reforms will be especially rewarded. Anne Emery is a graduate of Dalhousie Law School who has worked as a lawyer, a legal affairs reporter, and a researcher. She lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Would you like to tell us about a lower price?
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