Redemption

Rating:
Summary: Hold your breath - this book is cunning and dark
Review: Be on your guard and trust your instincts, for things are not always what they appear to be. Such was the case in a seemingly idyllic affluent community, the setting for Nancy Geary's second novel "Redemption" - a solid whodunit in the 'old school' style that will keep you guessing until the end.

When the beautiful, pampered debutante, Hope Lawrence, is found dead the day of her wedding, her visiting cousin Frances Pratt must work with the local police to unravel what is supposedly a clear-cut case of suicide. Little prepares Frances for what she discovers - shameful family secrets, and shrouded goings-on which the community itself is hiding behind its opulent veneer.

As a seasoned mystery fan, who hankers for a good Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes adventure, I admit to being fastidious over the quality of mysteries that I read. Modern-day thrillers in particular, are usually of little interest to me. However, Geary's suspenseful page-turner is a refreshing exception. While skillfully setting the scene for a most intriguing murder case, Geary weaves the tale so cleverly, it cannot fail to capture the reader almost immediately. The cast of convincing characters, each with a definite skeleton is his/her personal closet, is brought to life with amazing detail yet with an ease that makes them credible.

Everything else aside, Geary's novel has the added value of being highly readable. It is easy to become enveloped in the plot in just one sitting, pulled along by the delicious suspense and momentum found within its pages. I reached the last chapter of "Redemption" in few days, complete with accelerating pulse, perspiring hands, and a flurry of speculation. Well done, Geary.

Rating:
Summary: Geary is gripping
Review: Dont want to spoil the mystery but detective Frances is back better than ever and Geary's writing is gripping and, as before with her last book Misfortune, completely accurate about a social group and a family gone amuck. Hard to put down, the story weaves a tale of horror that does not resort to the typical grizzly of some murder stories but rather relies on the complexities of human psychology. GREAT read, should be made into a movie.Miramax, check it out

Rating:
Summary: Geary Gives Great Mystery
Review: For her second novel, another mystery/drama, Nancy Geary has returned to the arena of family problems, this time set in a bastion of New England affluence, beautiful Manchester-by-the-Sea, where the family has a home filled with comfort and luxuries. Frances Pratt has spent many happy summers with her aunt's family, enjoying the good life, where the beautiful people are never too rich too thin, or, in this case, too dead. At this level of society, self-protection is second nature, silently closing ranks against any threat to the projection of the successful American Dream. When Frances is invited to her cousin's wedding, she has no idea what drama awaits them all. A former prosecutor now working as an advocate for abused women, Frances is more than ready for a short vacation, as well as the opportunity to reunite with relatives she hasn't seen for years.

Cousin Hope is marrying her longtime sweetheart, Jack Cabot. They are beautiful together, Ken and Barbie come to life. Each detail of the wedding and reception has been planned to perfection, sparing no expense. So Frances is shocked when her cousin, Hope, confides her terrible anxiety before the wedding, agonizing over her imagined unworthiness as Jack's bride. To further complicate the issue, Jack's parents are pressuring the couple to sign a prenuptial agreement, as he is the sole heir to the family fortune. For their part, Hope's parents have sunk the last of their money into the wedding, all to preserve the image that they belong in this rarefied society.

Finally the wedding party has gathered in the church, excitedly watching for the bride to step down the aisle. But such concerns seem trivial when the announcement is made that a relative has died suddenly. The wedding will not take place after all. The guests struggle to make the transition from celebrant to mourner, stunned and grieving.

Frances is asked to help her family through the immediate crisis, but after the police infer that it might have been a homicide, Frances offers her expertise in criminal justice, also at her aunt's request. Acting as an unofficial party, Frances supplies important background information to the detectives assigned to the case. In the course of her involvement, Frances uncovers some unsettling truths that shatter her image of this perfect family, ugly secrets that have undermined and poisoned family relationships. They have all been living in denial, unwilling to discuss or acknowledge the events.

Unfortunately, as Frances learns on this holiday-become-nightmare, family dysfunction runs throughout the family, a strange brew of passion and betrayal. In an engaging style, Geary exposes the secrets of the privileged class, the fatal flaws that have led to the family's disintegration, swept behind the priceless antiques and faded chintz furniture. In spite of the ocean shimmering like a jewel on the horizon and the magic of a Cinderella wedding, Frances' relatives are tormented by their own personal demons, anesthetizing their feelings to protect a false image. Luan Gaines/2003.

Rating:
Summary: redemption
Review: i loved the second of nancy geary's books. it was even better than the first, misfortune. i read the book in a long weekend as i could not put it down. you feel for frances. death is sad but to have 2 people you know murdered in your lifetime is beyond what most of us could comprehend. memories we all have as a child are not all they seemed to be when you look back or, when you try to go back as an adult. all of us have had a happy memory smashed just like frances. the details in the book about the murder scene and suspects could only come from someone who has once worked in a profession that has dealt with the darker side of life. i loved redemption and canot wait for the third of nancy geary's books. thank you nancy geary for a wonderful book.

Rating:
Summary: Murder and Drama - The Perfect Mix
Review: Nancy Geary's latest mystery/drama follows former prosecutor turned women's abuse counselor Frances Pratt to the beautiful and ritzy Manchester-by-the-Sea in New England. Fans will applaud the return of Frances who was first featured in Geary's first novel, Misfortune.

In this mystery, Frances has been invited to her cousin Hope's wedding and is looking forward to a nice vacation, see her cousin get married and visit family she hasn't see in over 10 years. The story shifts characters points of view from chapter to chapter and it seems every one of them have secrets they have been keeping pretty well hidden...until now.

Hope is to marry into the rich and prominent family of Jack Cabot. She has a bit of a shady past, some of which is known by the people of Manchester and some that is not.

Meanwhile, Jack is getting pressure by his parents to get Hope to sign a pre-nuptial agreement. Jack is the only heir to the Cabot estate and Mr. and Mrs. Cabot see Hope as a threat.

Frances shares many great memories from childhood of her family and their beautiful piece of heaven by the sea. She's overwhelmed and surprised to find out upon her return that everyone has turned into one big dysfunctional family with many skeletons in their closets.

Then, while expecting to see the bride walk down the aisle, the wedding takes a drastic turn when it's announced that it has been cancelled due to a death of a relative. Frances finds herself back in detective mode when it turns out the death is really, in fact, a murder.

Redemption is a terrific follow up to her first novel, Misfortune. The drama, mystery, murder and family secrets in are riveting and well-written.

Rating:
Summary: A number of twists and turns will keep readers hooked!
Review: Nancy Geary's second novel, REDEMPTION, focuses on Frances Pratt, the main character from her debut novel, MISFORTUNE. Pratt has, in the aftermath of her stepmother's murder, left her job at the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office and has begun a new post as President of the Long Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence. When Frances heads to Manchester-by-the-Sea for her younger cousin's Hope's wedding, she has no idea how handy her legal background will be.

Frances has not seen Hope in several years and is looking forward to spending time with her beautiful cousin and the family that Frances always envied and admired. Frances always considered Hope to be the lucky cousin, as she had the loving mother and father who were wealthy, and she was popular with everyone she knew. However, it soon becomes apparent that Hope's beauty on the outside hides some ugly stories on the inside.

These stories will shock readers and make them feel sorry for Hope. On the wedding day a murder occurs, changing the mood from one of celebration to investigation. Frances partners up with Elvis, a local detective. She begins to unravel the secrets of her cousin and her cousin's family. As Frances learns more and more about her extended family, she questions the whole belief system that she has held since childhood regarding her family. There seems to be suspects at every turn and multiple leads that seemingly go nowhere.

Readers will relate to the feelings of frustration that Frances has when she hits brick wall after brick wall in her investigation. Frances struggles to stay neutral so she can analyze all of the evidence effectively. She is a character who readers will root for in her quest to find the killer. But Frances is not the only interesting character here. Each character, whether playing a large or small role in the novel, is interesting.

Hope's sister, Penelope, has a severe case of sibling rivalry. Carl, Hope's ex-lover, seems hotheaded, yet shares a gentle relationship with Teddy, the grandmother of both Frances and Hope. As for Teddy, she seems a throwback to the past when it comes to manners and decorum, but her book group made up of elderly women compares notes on Internet service providers. Bill, Frances's uncle, is an enigma. One minute he is the grieving father; the next he is the stubborn man refusing to help the police with their investigation. Adelaide, Hope's mother, seems to be more concerned with how her family rates socially than with what is going on with her daughter --- yet she is not an entirely unsympathetic character, which demonstrates the talent that Geary has.

REDEMPTION has a number of twists and turns that will keep readers hooked. It contains many elements of a successful mystery: betrayal, murder, surprises, and a strong detecting character. As they finish this book readers will be pining for a third novel featuring Frances Pratt --- and they'll be hoping it arrives soon!

--- Reviewed by Melissa A. Martin

Rating:
Summary: Very Good Mystery
Review: Respectfully, I wish to disagree with Harriet Klausner. This is not a cozy mystery. It is a thoughtful mystery by a thoughtful writer who is the Anne Perry of the contemporary eastern old money establishment, a chronicler of the mores and social rules that bind this elite community of the privileged. It is well written and well plotted. It is sedate, which is a perfect match for the environment in which the murder and its resolution occur.