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A Collins-Burke Mystery #7
Blood on a Saint
In the seventh book of the deftly written Collins-Burke Mystery series, Father Brennan Burke’s patience is pushed to the limit when a young woman announces to the world that the Virgin Mary has appeared to her in the churchyard, and hordes of pilgrims, souvenir hawkers, and reporters converge on the scene. But, as unwelcome as these guests may be, they pale in comparison to yet another aggravation in Father Burke’s life, a controversial talk show host who clashes with Burke upon arriving in town. Events take a darker turn when a body is found at the apparition site, and the talk show host is picked up for the murder. There is enough aggravation to go around, as Monty Collins learns when he takes on the loud-mouthed TV man as a client. Monty and Brennan both have a stake in uncovering the truth about the murder, and they both learn disturbing things about the accused man and other suspects in the case. Neither man can talk to the other about what he has learned, however, due to solicitor–client confidentiality on one side, the seal of the confessional on the other.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2013
1 person is currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
Anne Emery
17 books79 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Anne Emery is the author of SIGN OF THE CROSS (2006), OBIT (2007), BARRINGTON STREET BLUES (2008), CECILIAN VESPERS (2009) and CHILDREN IN THE MORNING (2010). Anne was born in Halifax and grew up in Moncton. She is a graduate of St. F.X. University and Dalhousie Law School. She has worked as a lawyer, legal affairs reporter and researcher. Apart from reading and writing, her interests include music, philosophy, architecture, travel and Irish history. Anne lives in Halifax with her husband and daughter.
Series:
* Monty Collins Mystery
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best First Novel (2007): Sign of the Cross
Anne Emery is the author of SIGN OF THE CROSS (2006), OBIT (2007), BARRINGTON STREET BLUES (2008), CECILIAN VESPERS (2009) and CHILDREN IN THE MORNING (2010). Anne was born in Halifax and grew up in Moncton. She is a graduate of St. F.X. University and Dalhousie Law School. She has worked as a lawyer, legal affairs reporter and researcher. Apart from reading and writing, her interests include music, philosophy, architecture, travel and Irish history. Anne lives in Halifax with her husband and daughter.
Series:
* Monty Collins Mystery
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best First Novel (2007): Sign of the Cross
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 13, 2013
"Blood on a Saint" which I won from Goodreads Giveaways is a thrilling murder mystery that begins in Halifax, Nova Scotia as pilgrims flock to the church of St. Bernadette after the Virgin Mary was reported to have appeared over the statue of the saint. As Father Brennan Burke and Monsignor Michael O'Flaherty are dealing with a crowd of the curious hoping to see a miracle, souvenir peddlers, reporters and a sharp-tongued, contentious talk show host, a young woman is suddenly found murdered by the statute. When obnoxious Pike Podgis, the notorious television personality is arrested after the victim's blood is found on his shoes. Monty Collins, a well-respected lawyer takes on the case. Bound by solicitor-client confidentiality Monty cannot reveal any details of a case that's becoming an overnight sensation and a thorn in the side of his friend Father Brennan, even though both men have a stake in exposing the killer.
The plot is intricately woven together with a complexity that keeps the reader riveted. It is obvious from the quality of detail that Anne Emery has a sound knowledge of the legal system even if the reader wasn't aware of her background. The characters are as colourful as their personalities are multi-dimensional which lends a unique fusion of emotional layers to the plot. Father Brennan Burke is a conundrum; a dedicated priest, heavy drinker, and tough-ass renegade. On one hand he's a kind, conscientious, unruffled, and dignified man of God, on the other a tough, no-nonsense, irascible Irishman; a distinct contrast with Monsignor O'Flaherty, a mild-mannered, gentle, sweet-faced priest. Monty Collins is the hard-headed, stubborn, determined lawyer who loves music and his family as much as the law. Among so many memorable characters is the rude, arrogant Pike Podgis who hides his vulnerability and need for approval behind a repugnant facade; the quiet, considerate Ignatius Boyle a righteous homeless man, and the cruel, deceptive murder-victim, Jordyn Snider. All the characters with their flawed traits lend an ambience to a story where the clash of wills is so strong that they may hinder the disclosure of the killer.
"Blood on a Saint" is an honest, gritty novel that is exciting and thought-provoking as it explores the darkness of men's minds even as justice triumphs. I enjoyed it and recommend it highly.
The plot is intricately woven together with a complexity that keeps the reader riveted. It is obvious from the quality of detail that Anne Emery has a sound knowledge of the legal system even if the reader wasn't aware of her background. The characters are as colourful as their personalities are multi-dimensional which lends a unique fusion of emotional layers to the plot. Father Brennan Burke is a conundrum; a dedicated priest, heavy drinker, and tough-ass renegade. On one hand he's a kind, conscientious, unruffled, and dignified man of God, on the other a tough, no-nonsense, irascible Irishman; a distinct contrast with Monsignor O'Flaherty, a mild-mannered, gentle, sweet-faced priest. Monty Collins is the hard-headed, stubborn, determined lawyer who loves music and his family as much as the law. Among so many memorable characters is the rude, arrogant Pike Podgis who hides his vulnerability and need for approval behind a repugnant facade; the quiet, considerate Ignatius Boyle a righteous homeless man, and the cruel, deceptive murder-victim, Jordyn Snider. All the characters with their flawed traits lend an ambience to a story where the clash of wills is so strong that they may hinder the disclosure of the killer.
"Blood on a Saint" is an honest, gritty novel that is exciting and thought-provoking as it explores the darkness of men's minds even as justice triumphs. I enjoyed it and recommend it highly.
May 14, 2015
This is a suspenseful, thrilling mystery set in and around Halifax, Nova Scotia. The plot is original with some surprising twists. It is the 7th book in the Collins/Burke series.
The greatest strength of these books for me is the well developed characters. It is always a pleasure to revisit lawyer Monty Collins and Father Brennan Burke, two unlikely friends. They often collaborate in solving criminal cases. In this story each has separate and different information and clues they cannot share due to lawyer-client confidentiality and the seal of confession for the priest.
Father Burke is dismayed. A young woman claims she sees a vision of the Virgin Mary hovering over the statue of a saint on the church grounds. Soon crowds are drawn to the site along with souvenir sellers. Next a second young woman claims the same vision. To add to Burke's consternation he has been ordered to debate theology on a talk show hosted by a notorious, obnoxious, loud man. He insults the vulgar host by walking off the show, and Podgis, the TV host angrily confronts the priest outside the studio. Later Podgis is observed running through the grounds, and blood is found on his shoes. A young woman is found murdered near where Podgis was seen. Collins is chosen to defend Podgis whom he despises. Nearby an uneducated old man, a street person who frequented the area by the church is found beaten unconscious and in a coma. When he regains consciousness he speaks only French and religion in an educated manner. They bring a woman from Moncton, NB, where I live, to translate the man's French into English.
The sense of place is authentic, with the mention of actual Halifax streets, landmarks, bars and restaurants. I grew up in a town about 100 miles from Halifax and the priest interviews a woman on the next street to where I lived.
The locations are very well described and the plot is both riveting and intriguing. But the best part of the book for me are the strong characters. Mystery series produce a lot of strong leading characters, all with devoted readers. I think Father Brennan Burke is the most enjoyable one since I first met Lisbeth Salander in books.4.5 stars
The greatest strength of these books for me is the well developed characters. It is always a pleasure to revisit lawyer Monty Collins and Father Brennan Burke, two unlikely friends. They often collaborate in solving criminal cases. In this story each has separate and different information and clues they cannot share due to lawyer-client confidentiality and the seal of confession for the priest.
Father Burke is dismayed. A young woman claims she sees a vision of the Virgin Mary hovering over the statue of a saint on the church grounds. Soon crowds are drawn to the site along with souvenir sellers. Next a second young woman claims the same vision. To add to Burke's consternation he has been ordered to debate theology on a talk show hosted by a notorious, obnoxious, loud man. He insults the vulgar host by walking off the show, and Podgis, the TV host angrily confronts the priest outside the studio. Later Podgis is observed running through the grounds, and blood is found on his shoes. A young woman is found murdered near where Podgis was seen. Collins is chosen to defend Podgis whom he despises. Nearby an uneducated old man, a street person who frequented the area by the church is found beaten unconscious and in a coma. When he regains consciousness he speaks only French and religion in an educated manner. They bring a woman from Moncton, NB, where I live, to translate the man's French into English.
The sense of place is authentic, with the mention of actual Halifax streets, landmarks, bars and restaurants. I grew up in a town about 100 miles from Halifax and the priest interviews a woman on the next street to where I lived.
The locations are very well described and the plot is both riveting and intriguing. But the best part of the book for me are the strong characters. Mystery series produce a lot of strong leading characters, all with devoted readers. I think Father Brennan Burke is the most enjoyable one since I first met Lisbeth Salander in books.4.5 stars
December 4, 2013
This is the 7th in the Monty-Brennan series that takes place in Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada. Monty is a lawyer, Brennan is a priest. They are both musicians and good friends who also happen to play in a blues band at a local bar. Brennan is also a parish curate and lover of sacred music who leads the local choir. He is also very much part of the reason and scientific side of the Roman Catholic Church so he is dismayed when a young woman insists that she has seen the Blessed Mother at his church, St Bernadette's. Another, more attractive, young woman tries to get her own 15 minutes of fame at the same time. Then she is murdered. An obnoxious talk show host who was in town to "discuss" religion vs atheism is accused of the murder. Monty becomes his defense attorney. The book starts out well, but soon seems to become mired in the story as if the author really wasn't sure how to wrap things up. For me, anyway, the characters never seemed to emerge as real people. Perhaps it's the overemphasis on narration as opposed to allowing the characters to speak for themselves that's the problem. I would have liked to see a stronger sense of place as well. I've never been to Halifax at all. There was no sense of the geography or even the feel of the city, something that I enjoy in a book. On the other hand, a devout Roman Catholic might really enjoy this series more than I did.
September 13, 2021
This is the seventh installment in the Collins-Burke mystery series published in 2013 and set in Halifax in 1992. Good friends Father Brennan Burke, the cerebral but hard drinking unlikely Irish priest of St Bernadette’s Church and Monty Collins, criminal defense lawyer for the law firm headed by Rowan Stratton, once again butt heads in the court room as each tries to uncover the truth about a serious crime.
Befanee Tate was hired as a secretary at St. Bernadette’s but proved entirely incompetent. She couldn’t spell and took numerous sick days, so Brennan fired her after four months and gave her a months severance pay. She is now suing for damages, wants compensation for moral anguish, the loss of her reputation and punitive damages. As legal counsel for the church Marty Collins has been assigned the case.
In the days that follow, Befanee declares the Virgin Mary appeared to her above the statue of St. Bernadette in the churchyard and crowds of pilgrims, hawkers and gawkers begin to gather in response to her claims. Some are sleeping in tents and souvenir vendors are jostling for space in the parking lot. Father Burke finds it aggravating and feels he can’t take much more of this bedlam, surrounded by this sideshow of the irrational, the absurd and the looney; a circus is growing up around his church. Then another young woman appears. Nineteen year old Jordyn Snider also claims to have seen the virgin at the site and joins the pilgrims.
Pike Podgis a loud mouth talk show host from Toronto with a nationally televised show is coming to town and intends to tape a segment about religion and miracles. The bishop assigns Burke to defend the faith during the scheduled debate with Rob Thornhill, a sociology professor from Dalhousie University who will take the atheistic position. Given Podgis Pike’s reputation for crude sensational journalism, Burke would rather turn down the request knowing it will not be a reasoned thoughtful conversation. However the bishop insists saying they must take part or be accused of being unwilling to defend the faith.
The live televised debate does not go well. Podgis is an aggressive, inflammatory host who constantly interrupts Burke, makes vulgar remarks and eggs his audience on. It soon dissolves into a potent mix with a cool cerebral priest, a courteous professor and a rabid controversialist, until Burke finally takes matters into his own hands, apologizes to Thornhill for not being able to have a civilized discussion in an atmosphere of civility and walks out of the show. Podgis is furious and taunts Burke as he leaves, calling him a loser.
Early in the morning after the show, the body of a young woman is found in the courtyard at the foot of St. Bernadette’s statue; she had been stabbed to death. A witness saw a man matching Pike Podgis’s description fleeing the scene and in the early morning hours Podgis is picked up from his hotel room. He was in the same clothes reported by the witness and had blood on his shoes. The next morning, he is charged with the murder and released on bail. As the only criminal defense lawyer at his firm, Monty Collins is assigned the case.
Podgis proves to be an unruly client, constantly badgering Collins about his case and insisting he is being framed for a murder he didn’t commit. He is rude and combative every time they meet, but Collins tries conscientiously to do his best to draw up a defense. When Podgis is not in his lawyer's office, he is out in the street ranting and raving to the media about a conspiracy against him.
At the same time Burke is also seeking the truth, horrified by what he has heard in the church confessional but unable to reveal what he has learned. He also struggles to defend Ignatius Boyle, a homeless man who has been implicated in the murder. Boyle is fifty-five and lives on the streets, seen frequently outside the library on Spring Garden Road and St. Bernadette’s church. He has always wanted to be a priest but was taken down early in life by his alcohol addiction. He sees himself as a street missionary and has taken it upon himself to work with troubled youth. Burke believes he is an innocent man but he was found unconscious on the street at the time of the murder. Was he also a victim of the murderer or did he receive his injuries when he committed the crime?
Emery creates a wholly despicable character in Podgis Pike as an over-the top TV talk host who lives off the shock and scandal he creates around him. Readers will cringe at the man, his thinking and his cruel ridicule of others, all with the aim of doing whatever it takes to keep his name in the spotlight. It will clearly remind them of characters like him who are still in our midst and use the same like- minded behavior.
One of the interesting parts of this novel is the struggle that Burke and Collins each face, bound by their respective oaths not to reveal what they know about the events that occurred the night of the murder. Burke receives important information in the confessional but cannot reveal it even in court as the confessional seal is sacrosanct. What can he do about the ugly truths he has heard? Collins is in the same boat, bound by solicitor-client confidentiality. Each is forced to wrestle with their dilemma to get to the truth.
Readers have been following Burke’s attempts to bring Marty and his wife Maura together after they have lived apart for several years. In this installment, events conspire to bring Monty and Dominic, the son Maura had with another man, closer as a fractured family tries to come together again.
Emery continues to work this series, a mixture of morality, religion and crime to wide appeal, mining the depth of the unlikely friendship between Father Brennan Burke and criminal defense lawyer Marty Collins. It is proving to be a great ride.
Befanee Tate was hired as a secretary at St. Bernadette’s but proved entirely incompetent. She couldn’t spell and took numerous sick days, so Brennan fired her after four months and gave her a months severance pay. She is now suing for damages, wants compensation for moral anguish, the loss of her reputation and punitive damages. As legal counsel for the church Marty Collins has been assigned the case.
In the days that follow, Befanee declares the Virgin Mary appeared to her above the statue of St. Bernadette in the churchyard and crowds of pilgrims, hawkers and gawkers begin to gather in response to her claims. Some are sleeping in tents and souvenir vendors are jostling for space in the parking lot. Father Burke finds it aggravating and feels he can’t take much more of this bedlam, surrounded by this sideshow of the irrational, the absurd and the looney; a circus is growing up around his church. Then another young woman appears. Nineteen year old Jordyn Snider also claims to have seen the virgin at the site and joins the pilgrims.
Pike Podgis a loud mouth talk show host from Toronto with a nationally televised show is coming to town and intends to tape a segment about religion and miracles. The bishop assigns Burke to defend the faith during the scheduled debate with Rob Thornhill, a sociology professor from Dalhousie University who will take the atheistic position. Given Podgis Pike’s reputation for crude sensational journalism, Burke would rather turn down the request knowing it will not be a reasoned thoughtful conversation. However the bishop insists saying they must take part or be accused of being unwilling to defend the faith.
The live televised debate does not go well. Podgis is an aggressive, inflammatory host who constantly interrupts Burke, makes vulgar remarks and eggs his audience on. It soon dissolves into a potent mix with a cool cerebral priest, a courteous professor and a rabid controversialist, until Burke finally takes matters into his own hands, apologizes to Thornhill for not being able to have a civilized discussion in an atmosphere of civility and walks out of the show. Podgis is furious and taunts Burke as he leaves, calling him a loser.
Early in the morning after the show, the body of a young woman is found in the courtyard at the foot of St. Bernadette’s statue; she had been stabbed to death. A witness saw a man matching Pike Podgis’s description fleeing the scene and in the early morning hours Podgis is picked up from his hotel room. He was in the same clothes reported by the witness and had blood on his shoes. The next morning, he is charged with the murder and released on bail. As the only criminal defense lawyer at his firm, Monty Collins is assigned the case.
Podgis proves to be an unruly client, constantly badgering Collins about his case and insisting he is being framed for a murder he didn’t commit. He is rude and combative every time they meet, but Collins tries conscientiously to do his best to draw up a defense. When Podgis is not in his lawyer's office, he is out in the street ranting and raving to the media about a conspiracy against him.
At the same time Burke is also seeking the truth, horrified by what he has heard in the church confessional but unable to reveal what he has learned. He also struggles to defend Ignatius Boyle, a homeless man who has been implicated in the murder. Boyle is fifty-five and lives on the streets, seen frequently outside the library on Spring Garden Road and St. Bernadette’s church. He has always wanted to be a priest but was taken down early in life by his alcohol addiction. He sees himself as a street missionary and has taken it upon himself to work with troubled youth. Burke believes he is an innocent man but he was found unconscious on the street at the time of the murder. Was he also a victim of the murderer or did he receive his injuries when he committed the crime?
Emery creates a wholly despicable character in Podgis Pike as an over-the top TV talk host who lives off the shock and scandal he creates around him. Readers will cringe at the man, his thinking and his cruel ridicule of others, all with the aim of doing whatever it takes to keep his name in the spotlight. It will clearly remind them of characters like him who are still in our midst and use the same like- minded behavior.
One of the interesting parts of this novel is the struggle that Burke and Collins each face, bound by their respective oaths not to reveal what they know about the events that occurred the night of the murder. Burke receives important information in the confessional but cannot reveal it even in court as the confessional seal is sacrosanct. What can he do about the ugly truths he has heard? Collins is in the same boat, bound by solicitor-client confidentiality. Each is forced to wrestle with their dilemma to get to the truth.
Readers have been following Burke’s attempts to bring Marty and his wife Maura together after they have lived apart for several years. In this installment, events conspire to bring Monty and Dominic, the son Maura had with another man, closer as a fractured family tries to come together again.
Emery continues to work this series, a mixture of morality, religion and crime to wide appeal, mining the depth of the unlikely friendship between Father Brennan Burke and criminal defense lawyer Marty Collins. It is proving to be a great ride.
July 14, 2022
One is challenged in reading this, to deal with whatever one's opinion is of Catholic priests, and to see the priest in this story as a deeply religious though fallible (like the rest of us) human being. Emery does an excellent job of the characterization of both Father Brennan Burke and his best friend, Monty, the lawyer assigned to defend a murder suspect.
December 5, 2018
This series feels like reading about old friends to me. The characters are all so sweetly fallible, but entertaining, and the plots intriguing. I love the repartee that includes some serious thoughts about what makes life meaningful, often analyzing aspects of Catholicism.
December 30, 2022
More like 2.5. The ending is rushed and yet the majority of the book was overly extended. Not the author’s best and this is a good series with interesting, multidimensional characters. On to the next one with a good thought.
April 17, 2019
Light reading, light plot.
December 5, 2019
Good story but a weak ending.
January 1, 2022
The series continues, and is as enjoyable as ever. Love the Halifax setting, and the characters. The bad guy in this story is really a nasty character.
July 31, 2023
These Anne Emery books are "light", "who-done-its" and are great for a summer, lazy read.
September 22, 2016
This book wasn't atrocious. It was just good enough to keep me going, but I kept having the feeling as I read that it was a chore I had saddled myself with rather than a pleasurable experience. The writing is clear but dull. The attempts at wit mostly fall flat. The two main characters are Monty Collins, a lawyer, and Brennan Burke, a priest. Monty is not an interesting character, nor is Brennan Burke. We are meant to love Burke for his Irish charm, his erudition, his love of boozing, and his forthrightness, but it all seemed a tad stereotypical and unconvincing to me. The idea that Monty Collins plays in a blues band is, I guess, cute, but also unconvincing, and the author spends too much time on this aspect of his life for my liking. Another character in the book is Pike Podgis, a talk show host. He is made out to be utterly obnoxious--so much so that his every appearance in the book is more annoying than entertaining. There is also a ridiculous incident involving a heroic act on the part of Monty Collins that strains credibility to the extreme, as well as a supposedly funny incident involving Burke and a member of the opposite sex that was, I think, forced and merely silly. I think the best part of the book may have been the details surrounding the murder itself, which were interesting. I'll also add that I picked up the book because I was about to visit Halifax--I like to read mysteries set in places that I plan to visit--but it doesn't give you any real sense of what Halifax is like. However, one neat development, at least for me: I wound up staying in the same hotel the novel's prime suspect stayed in. That was kind of cool. To sum up, "Blood on a Saint" is a solid if undistinguished mystery. It is readable, but I don't plan to read any more books in the series. It just didn't grab me.
January 2, 2015
Befanee Tate claims she’s seen the Blessed Virgin Mary to Father Brennan Burke in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This on the heels of her wrongful termination action against him. Monty Collins is his attorney. The apparition, of course, causes a sensation and looky-loos abound. Then she’s murdered. Pike Podgis, a talk show host was seen in the area about the time of her death.
The story alternates between the POV of Burke and Collins, the series heros. The Vatican sends an investigator to look into the apparition claim. Ignatius Boyle, a drunk, was found unconscious in the area about the time the body was found and is under suspicion. The priest and the attorney do not believe he did it—and they may be right. ECW Press 2013
The story alternates between the POV of Burke and Collins, the series heros. The Vatican sends an investigator to look into the apparition claim. Ignatius Boyle, a drunk, was found unconscious in the area about the time the body was found and is under suspicion. The priest and the attorney do not believe he did it—and they may be right. ECW Press 2013
December 18, 2013
I won this on goodreads.
Intellectual, music loving, hard drinking Father Burke's life takes a turn for the worse when it is announced that the Virgin Mary has appeared in his churchyard. Then a young woman is murdered in said churchyard. Father Burke's friend and lawyer Monty Collins has to defend the most obvious suspect, an obnoxious TV talk show host, Pike Podgis, who is in town to cover the Virgin Mary siting. I'm not going to give it away, but I never saw it coming. Great character. Great plot.
Intellectual, music loving, hard drinking Father Burke's life takes a turn for the worse when it is announced that the Virgin Mary has appeared in his churchyard. Then a young woman is murdered in said churchyard. Father Burke's friend and lawyer Monty Collins has to defend the most obvious suspect, an obnoxious TV talk show host, Pike Podgis, who is in town to cover the Virgin Mary siting. I'm not going to give it away, but I never saw it coming. Great character. Great plot.
December 1, 2013
Priest Brennan Burke and lawyer Monty are both involved in the murder of a beautiful young woman outside Brennan's church, but they're on opposite sides. Brennan is convinced that a visiting talk show host is responsible, and certainly the police agree with him--but Monty is his lawyer. Monty tries to clear his obnoxious client, but Brennan is only trying to help a homeless man when he takes the first steps to a horrifying solution.
June 2, 2014
The accused is an obnoxious, blow-hard bully. On the other hand, one of the protagonists in this continuing series is a supercilious bully. And the reader is not presented with enough evidence as the case develops that when it is resolved you say "Oh, of course, I should have seen that." - It is a good read.
December 30, 2015
Emery is one of those fine authors that gets better with each new book. This is an intriguing story. The plot is well thought out and the book is hard to put down. I truly enjoyed it and can't wait to read the next in this series.
May 13, 2014
A good Father Brennan Burke mystery
will-not-read
June 17, 2014I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12733475
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12733475
June 25, 2014
Enjoyed the many twists in this plot.
November 18, 2017
Another good installment... back on track with a situational story, and more developments in the Collins family. Took me ten days to finish it, but no fault of the book itself.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews