Rueful Death: A China Bayles Mystery

Rating:
Summary: I agree, Not Her Best
Review: I was so excited to find this series, and I've enjoyed all the books so far. I enjoyed this one too, but it was not her best. I really missed Ruby. We only see her at the beginning, and there were no real harmless eccentrics in this one, and I think that is what Ms. Albert does so well. Also, the mysteries were a little simple compared to her other plots. I will continue to read the series because I love China Bayles so much. I'm also curious to see what she does with her life after she has reflected in the nunnery.

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Summary: China Bayles on retreat?
Review: In Rueful Death, China finds herself involuntarily and unwittingly tricked into using her amateau detective skills. China has decided to take a two-week retreat at St. T's convent in order to wind down from the busy holidays. While there, she is asked to look into a series of fires. This book is different from Albert's others in such that you don't really want to choose a suspect, because who wants to think that a nun, or anybody working at a convent, is behind all the trouble? China also happens to run into a hunky ex-beau that she knew from her lawyer days. China doesn't get much rest on this retreat, but she does catch the firebug. Pretty much par for course in this series.

Rating:
Summary: China Bayles on retreat?
Review: In Rueful Death, China finds herself involuntarily and unwittingly tricked into using her amateau detective skills. China has decided to take a two-week retreat at St. T's convent in order to wind down from the busy holidays. While there, she is asked to look into a series of fires. This book is different from Albert's others in such that you don't really want to choose a suspect, because who wants to think that a nun, or anybody working at a convent, is behind all the trouble? China also happens to run into a hunky ex-beau that she knew from her lawyer days. China doesn't get much rest on this retreat, but she does catch the firebug. Pretty much par for course in this series.

Rating:
Summary: Book Five in the China Bayles herbal mystery series
Review: In this book, I wanted to show the beginning of a change in China. Her visit to St. Theresa's monastery teaches her about the power of forgiveness and grace--important lessons for this self-sufficient, independent woman

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Summary: Terror Stalks a Community of Nuns
Review: Rueful Death by Susan Wittig Albert takes place in a community of nuns. China Bayles, herb store proprietor, feeling hemmed in and increasingly entangled in domesticity, decides to go with her friend, former nun Maggie Garrett, to St. Theresa's Monastery for a retreat. But the monastery has undergone changes since Maggie was there, with nuns from an urban community forceably joined with those who chose this isolated rural environment. Resentment, power struggles, jealousy all grow from this mix. They produce arson and anonymous accusatory letters to some of the nuns. The menace and venom cascade from this novel. This is a mystery, but it is also a serious, thoughtful study of beliefs. The role of women within the Catholic Church is at the center of this novel along with the role of the Church and whether it should be contemplative or active. Two groups of nuns with exactly opposite ideas about such vital questions produce a foreboding and portentous atmosphere in which acts such as arson and threatening letters seem almost normal. This is a crackling good story, with entertaining people, intriguing problems and a surprising solution

Rating:
Summary: Not Her Best
Review: Susan Albert writes great mystery books but this one is not up to her usual high standards. Her sleuth, China Bayles, has been uprooted from Pecan Springs and transplanted in an abbey (she's on vacation). Nuns are not as amusing as witches (read Witches Bane!) and they are not as colorful as the inhabitants of Pecan Springs (I sure missed Ruby!). This is her worst book so far, but it is still pretty good, just not as good as her others.