What do you think?
Rate this book
The Body and the Blood
A twisting, richly atmospheric crime novel set within the gothic splendour of St Paul's Cathedral in Dunedin.
When organist Sybil Marsden plunges from the cathedral's loft to the stone floor below, her death is ruled a tragic accident. Only Ivo Hart - a lowly police administrator more comfortable with filing systems than people - senses something amiss. Armed with a single, tenuous piece of evidence, Ivo turns to the last person the city Halia Knox, the infamous former investigative journalist whose career imploded as spectacularly as her reputation.
Together, they begin a covert inquiry that draws them deep into the cathedral's inner workings and they learn that nothing - and no one - is as they seem. They uncover rivalries, tensions, and secrets buried as carefully as the dead, but the deeper they dig, the more dangerous the truth becomes.
Someone is watching. Someone who has already proven they can turn a fall into an 'accident.' And soon Ivo finds himself edging towards a deadly precipice of his own...
When organist Sybil Marsden plunges from the cathedral's loft to the stone floor below, her death is ruled a tragic accident. Only Ivo Hart - a lowly police administrator more comfortable with filing systems than people - senses something amiss. Armed with a single, tenuous piece of evidence, Ivo turns to the last person the city Halia Knox, the infamous former investigative journalist whose career imploded as spectacularly as her reputation.
Together, they begin a covert inquiry that draws them deep into the cathedral's inner workings and they learn that nothing - and no one - is as they seem. They uncover rivalries, tensions, and secrets buried as carefully as the dead, but the deeper they dig, the more dangerous the truth becomes.
Someone is watching. Someone who has already proven they can turn a fall into an 'accident.' And soon Ivo finds himself edging towards a deadly precipice of his own...
265 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 25, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 2, 2026
I heard this author being interviewed on local radio here in Dunedin, and my ears pricked up at the mention of Liam McIlvanney, who is a professor ‘of crime writing’ at Otago University. The author studied English with him, and this is her debut novel. I was also intrigued because the book is set within St Paul’s Cathedral, here in the city, a church I know well. Murder in the cathedral, Dunedin, and a protégée of one of my favouite crime authors—I had to read this book.
And, gosh, I’m so glad I did. This is a beautifully written, literary crime novel. I’ve read so many crime stories--Karin Slaughter, Alex North, Chris Carter, Patrica Cornwell, etc, etc—and yet if you asked me to name one of the victims of these increasingly brutal serial killer-esque novels, I couldn’t. They all blur into one amorphous blob: the nameless victim, brutalized as a plotline and then forgotten. What a refreshing change The Body and the Blood, therefore, was to read. I will never forget Sybil Marsden. Her life wasn’t worth much in the great scheme of things, but it mattered. It mattered to me, and, more importantly, it mattered to two other people, also living their small, simple lives.
The two amateur detectives in this book are wonderful creations. I would think any 50-something actress getting her hands on this novel would be chomping at the bit to play Halia Knox in the movie. Halia stomps into the story, reluctant, angry, bitter, and yet she cannot let Sybil Marsden’s murder rest. It matters to her. I don’t think the author casually named Ivo Hart, Halia’s fellow detective. He provides the beating heart of this story. And what an unusual lead character he is. Perhaps it takes a person like Ivo—so unsure of his own place in the world—to have enough empathy for someone like elderly Sybil, to be angry enough to do something about the fact that no one else is taking her death seriously.
The structure of this book is also quite unique. The stages of the investigation follow the liturgical calendar across Lent. Which is clearly fundamental to the questions the author is asking about these three people, Sybil, Ivo and Halia: what is life? what is death? who is innocent, who guilty, and perhaps, most importantly, how do we celebrate life in the midst of death? As the title of the novel so clearly tells us, when all is said and done, this is a meditation on redemption.
Besides the Cathedral, which looms large on the pages (both metaphorically and physically; some of the most intense and frightening scenes are set within its hidden confines), the whole of Dunedin and its surrounds are explored over the course of this investigation. There’s a real spirit of place throughout the story.
I highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes a superbly written novel, characters which will stay with you and a fascinating, unique setting.
And, gosh, I’m so glad I did. This is a beautifully written, literary crime novel. I’ve read so many crime stories--Karin Slaughter, Alex North, Chris Carter, Patrica Cornwell, etc, etc—and yet if you asked me to name one of the victims of these increasingly brutal serial killer-esque novels, I couldn’t. They all blur into one amorphous blob: the nameless victim, brutalized as a plotline and then forgotten. What a refreshing change The Body and the Blood, therefore, was to read. I will never forget Sybil Marsden. Her life wasn’t worth much in the great scheme of things, but it mattered. It mattered to me, and, more importantly, it mattered to two other people, also living their small, simple lives.
The two amateur detectives in this book are wonderful creations. I would think any 50-something actress getting her hands on this novel would be chomping at the bit to play Halia Knox in the movie. Halia stomps into the story, reluctant, angry, bitter, and yet she cannot let Sybil Marsden’s murder rest. It matters to her. I don’t think the author casually named Ivo Hart, Halia’s fellow detective. He provides the beating heart of this story. And what an unusual lead character he is. Perhaps it takes a person like Ivo—so unsure of his own place in the world—to have enough empathy for someone like elderly Sybil, to be angry enough to do something about the fact that no one else is taking her death seriously.
The structure of this book is also quite unique. The stages of the investigation follow the liturgical calendar across Lent. Which is clearly fundamental to the questions the author is asking about these three people, Sybil, Ivo and Halia: what is life? what is death? who is innocent, who guilty, and perhaps, most importantly, how do we celebrate life in the midst of death? As the title of the novel so clearly tells us, when all is said and done, this is a meditation on redemption.
Besides the Cathedral, which looms large on the pages (both metaphorically and physically; some of the most intense and frightening scenes are set within its hidden confines), the whole of Dunedin and its surrounds are explored over the course of this investigation. There’s a real spirit of place throughout the story.
I highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes a superbly written novel, characters which will stay with you and a fascinating, unique setting.
September 3, 2026
This young author, Molly Crighton, is one to watch.
Judging by the quality of this debut novel I am excited to see what comes next.
The plot is excellent and, being a Dunedinite myself, I really enjoyed reading a story based in my city.
The book is very well written with everything described beautifully if a little over-adjectivised at times.
Definitely worth a read.
Judging by the quality of this debut novel I am excited to see what comes next.
The plot is excellent and, being a Dunedinite myself, I really enjoyed reading a story based in my city.
The book is very well written with everything described beautifully if a little over-adjectivised at times.
Definitely worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews