I would have given this a 3 but was annoyed by the typical christian misrepresentation of Wiccans. Wicca is the ancient pagan believe in the great Goddess and her consort. There is one rule-rede- of Wicca- And it harm none, do as ye will. Wiccans do not harm humans, animals or the earth itself. There is NO blood sacrifice. That comes from the patriarchal religions like Jewish mythology. Wiccans do not kill people, do not require blood sacrifices and do not kill animals. Most are vegetarians and vegans. Wiccans are peace-lovers, anti-war, and anti-violence. A branch of my family is Wiccan and I grew up in the tradition. Deborah Crombie essentially created a Goddess and other gods, the Old Ones who demanded blood sacrifice. She needs to look to the Jewish/Christian god for that because Wiccans do no such thing. I wasn't thrilled with what a tiny part Gemma and Duncan played here either. They didn't show up till the middle and it was more about the other characters. Gemma worked for and got promoted to Inspector and Duncan whined and complained because she wasn't satisfied being a sergeant and working for him while wanting to work his way to the top. Kit made an appearance at the beginning but Duncan is never home so why bother with his son by his ex? He complains about his ex-wife Victoria's ex husband who is legally the boy's father but he is no better. When he gets him for visits the boy stays home alone. Gemma really had annoyed me. She is a single mom of a preschool boy. Her ex abandoned her and the child when he was born and disappeared so not to pay child support. It's tough on her. She is a police inspector and a grown woman who has had a baby so I am presuming she should have more sense then to sleep with Duncan while using no birth control. Yet, here she is pregnant and tells Duncan that having his baby is the most important thing in the world. I am tired of that message being sent to women that we are such losers we can't help getting pregnant and giving up everything to stay home with our man's baby and just forget our goals and plans. Gemma could be a great role model for young women of how a woman can make it as a detective and as a Scotland Yard Inspector at that but no, like that other little fool in this book, 17 year old Faith who was a brilliant student who got knocked up by her teacher, she is too stupid to keep from getting pregnant. Hello, ladies- inserting a penis into your vagina can and will lead to pregnancy. Go to the doctor, clinic or Planned Parenthood and get the pill, the IUD, a diaphragm, some condoms or another form of birth control and use it faithfully and properly so you too won't be an idiot like Gemma and Faith.The book otherwise has an interesting story except for the foolishness of the "good" priests from the past trying to send a message that the holy grail is a song that if it is sung will give you a religious thrill and save you from the "evil" of those darned peace loving Wiccans who you should hate because they are different than you and you don't want their religion that you stole elements from to get a toe hold back in town since you won't take in so much money (Wiccans don't beg for money in churches, on the streets, or on religious tv). Duncan's cousin Jack is the one receiving secret messages from a medieval dead guy about the song of songs. There are two women priests here, an artist who keeps drawing a murdered kid that her husband killed, a guy who can't stand for his sister to date because he wants her all for himself, a pregnant teen, the son of a wealthy writer who abandoned a kid he fathered but who takes up with the pregnant teen, among other assorted fruits and nuts. Before it was over, I pretty much wanted to kill them all.
First Sentence: The shadows crept into Jack Montfort’s small office, filling the corners with a comfortable dimness.DI’s Duncan Kincaid and Gemma Jones travel to Glastonbury, England after a call from Duncan’s architect cousin, Jack Montfort. It appears that Jack may be a conduit via automatic writing, for a medieval monk who wants Jack to find a missing relic. Duncan is not the only one who knows about Jack’s unasked for link to the past. Anglican priest and Jack’s lover, Winnie; Nick, a handsome, young bookstore clerk; Faith, the very pregnant, psychically-sensitive runaway; Garnet, the reclusive, new-age potter, and Simon, a Church-scholar with his own secrets, all join with Jack to uncover what is happening. An attempted murder and an actual murder blend the paranormal with police procedure.Crombie certainly knows how to capture your attention and draw you straight into the story. From the very first page, Crombie creates a delicious sense of menace and foreboding; a sense of something supernatural at work. This is wonderfully offset by the everyday, very real concerns in Gemma’s and Duncan’s lives and their ever-evolving relationship. We are well introduced to the cast of characters, learning who they are and how they interconnect. They were rather fascinating and unusual for a mystery. Certainly, they all had pasts and elements of those pasts they wanted to keep from being revealed. However, it was refreshing that there wasn’t an obvious villain in the group. That made the final resolution even more effective when it was revealed.The history was fascinating and well imparted, from the furnishing in one character’s home to information on the Abbey. Crombie’s descriptions are wonderful. She is an author who paints with words and, in this case, sent me straight to the internet looking for more information. I particularly loved the role music played in the story including Gemma’s reaction to music and the conveyance of when music touches your soul, as well as learning that the word 'enchantment' is derived from the work chant as it was believe music was the strongest magic. On the other side, I did feel there were some dubious bits of information concerned religion, old and new, and pottery. There were also a couple significant coincidences and a few threads left hanging. I enjoyed the paranormal element but might have found it more interesting to have a non-paranormal resolution. In summary, we have a story a bit heavy on the paranormal but a captivating plot, lots of viable suspects and excellent plot twists. All in all, it worked for me.
What do You think about A Finer End (2002)?
My favorite of all the novels in this series, which I am reading completely out of order. I love the setting of this one, though Crombie is always careful to carefully research her settings--and to provide lovely maps on the endpages of her books! Glastonbury/Avalon is fascinating, as are the characters who inhabit this version of the town. The menacing and inspiring Tor is central to both the action and the themes of the book, which are, as always with Crombie, nicely elucidated through the epigraphs to each chapter. The character development with Gemma is particularly fine in this one, though I missed seeing Kit and Toby--they were rather left out.
—Elizabeth
Read in conjunction with Murder In Thrall for a mystery book club, this is the seventh book in the series featuring Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James -- two Scotland Yard police officers who have a personal relationship outside of work. In this book, the two are dating but Gemma's recent promotion at work and other factors threaten to cause tension in their relationship. The two main characters in the other book are also co-workers who have entered into a personal relationship but that is where the similarities end. I very much enjoyed this book and the relationship dynamic between Duncan and Gemma. I've only read one other book in this series -- a more recent one -- and know that I'll enjoy this series based on the two books I've read so far. The mystery and personal aspects were equally compelling to me. Most of the action in this offering takes place in Glastonbury and draws on the ancient mysteries that surround the town. Duncan's cousin asks him to come to Glastonbury after his significant other is hurt and another townsperson is found murdered. Suspects abound and ancient secrets factor into the modern day mystery. This is a great pick for anyone who enjoys history and mystery.
—Megan
Duncan Kincaid and Gemma have undergone several changes in their lives and relationship. Duncan has realized that Kip is his natural son and is keeping him on the weekends while Gemma has left Scotland Yard and and pursued a promotion that ends their working together. When Duncan's cousin calls to ask for his help, he invites Gemma along. Jack Monfort grew up in Glastonbury, a town known for the Tor and the mythical burial place of King Arthur and Quinevere. According to New Age followers, the site is the source of strong druid power. Monfort has come acroos an extraordinary chronicle almost a thousand years old and given him power to write in Latin a transcript from the monks in the ancient abbey. He joins up with a group interested in history that includes Nick Carlisle, a student of myths surrounding Glastonbury, Simon Fitzstephen, a church scholar with great knowledge in Old Religion and its ceremonies, Garnet, a woman obsessed with a young pregnant girl, and Winnifred, an Anglican priest. When Jack's lover Winnifred is struck by a hit-and run driver, Jack calls on his cousin Duncan to help. Of course, Duncan and Gemma are able to do what the local police can not: solve the crimes.
—Bonnie
