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Reverend Mother Mystery #4
A Gruesome Discovery
The Reverend Mother receives a decidedly gruesome gift in this compelling Irish historical mystery.
Ireland. 1925.
Like all who seek charitable contributions, Reverend Mother Aquinas is used to being gifted some fairly dubious items. But nothing like this. On opening the evil-smelling trunk, labelled ‘old books’, the Reverend Mother is horrified to discover it contains the dead body of one of Cork’s richest merchants, wrapped in decomposing animal hides.
Many had reason to loathe the hides and skins his rebellious, republican son; his frustrated, clever daughter; his neighbours; his business rivals; and those whose unbaptised babies were buried on the site of his new tanning yard. But when suspicion falls on a former lay sister from her convent, the Reverend Mother decides she must help find the real killer.
Ireland. 1925.
Like all who seek charitable contributions, Reverend Mother Aquinas is used to being gifted some fairly dubious items. But nothing like this. On opening the evil-smelling trunk, labelled ‘old books’, the Reverend Mother is horrified to discover it contains the dead body of one of Cork’s richest merchants, wrapped in decomposing animal hides.
Many had reason to loathe the hides and skins his rebellious, republican son; his frustrated, clever daughter; his neighbours; his business rivals; and those whose unbaptised babies were buried on the site of his new tanning yard. But when suspicion falls on a former lay sister from her convent, the Reverend Mother decides she must help find the real killer.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2018
About the author
Cora Harrison
117 books219 followersCora Harrison worked as a headteacher before she decided to write her first novel. She has since published twenty-six children's novels. My Lady Judge was her first book in a Celtic historical crime series for adults that introduces Mara, Brehon of the Burren. Cora lives on a farm near the Burren in the west of Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 29, 2019
** 4.5 STARS**!
This delightful Irish mystery is the 4th part of the "Reverend Mother (Aquinas)" series from the author Cora Harrison.
Wonderful storytelling makes this Irish mystery such a joy to read, where believable characters come superbly to life, and where the terrible living conditions and surroundings of the poor, in and around Cork, Ireland, of the 1920s come very much to the forefront.
The poverty and hunger of the very poor against the abundance of the rich is very well described and highlighted in this Irish mystery, as well as the revolutionary elements (IRA) and their actions, simply because complete freedom is a valuable asset in a still divided Ireland, while still having 6 counties in the north under British influence.
The story is set in 1923, in Cork, Ireland, and our main fictional character, Reverend Mother Aquinas, will come once again in full action to solve this mysterious death, with also very importantly the help of Dr. Scher and Inspector Patrick Cashman, her former pupil.
The story starts off, when opening an evil-smelling trunk labelled "Old School Books", given to Mother Aquinas as a gift, she finds instead of old books the dead body of a man, Mr Henry Mulcahy, one of the richest merchants in Cork, wrapped up in decomposed hides.
Suspicions are rife and heading in all kinds of direction, and when a former lay sister, Bridie, and later nurse of all the Mulcahy children is suspected and later found dead, the Reverend Mother decides it's time to come into full action, together with her former pupil, now Inspector, Patrick Cashman, and her friend, Dr Scher.
What will follow is an exciting mystery, where after some twists and turns the real culprit of three murders will be revealed by the Reverend Mother Aquinas.
Certainly recommended, although this one is not as great as the others in this series, but don't let me fool you with the 4 stars at the top, that's just simply because I can't give half stars, instead you should read it as 4.5 STARS out of the full 5 STARS, because this one is in my mind a little bit predictable what the culprit concerns, but nevertheless it is a very enjoyable mystery, and that's why I want to call this book: "A Very Likeable Irish Reverend Mother Mystery"!
This delightful Irish mystery is the 4th part of the "Reverend Mother (Aquinas)" series from the author Cora Harrison.
Wonderful storytelling makes this Irish mystery such a joy to read, where believable characters come superbly to life, and where the terrible living conditions and surroundings of the poor, in and around Cork, Ireland, of the 1920s come very much to the forefront.
The poverty and hunger of the very poor against the abundance of the rich is very well described and highlighted in this Irish mystery, as well as the revolutionary elements (IRA) and their actions, simply because complete freedom is a valuable asset in a still divided Ireland, while still having 6 counties in the north under British influence.
The story is set in 1923, in Cork, Ireland, and our main fictional character, Reverend Mother Aquinas, will come once again in full action to solve this mysterious death, with also very importantly the help of Dr. Scher and Inspector Patrick Cashman, her former pupil.
The story starts off, when opening an evil-smelling trunk labelled "Old School Books", given to Mother Aquinas as a gift, she finds instead of old books the dead body of a man, Mr Henry Mulcahy, one of the richest merchants in Cork, wrapped up in decomposed hides.
Suspicions are rife and heading in all kinds of direction, and when a former lay sister, Bridie, and later nurse of all the Mulcahy children is suspected and later found dead, the Reverend Mother decides it's time to come into full action, together with her former pupil, now Inspector, Patrick Cashman, and her friend, Dr Scher.
What will follow is an exciting mystery, where after some twists and turns the real culprit of three murders will be revealed by the Reverend Mother Aquinas.
Certainly recommended, although this one is not as great as the others in this series, but don't let me fool you with the 4 stars at the top, that's just simply because I can't give half stars, instead you should read it as 4.5 STARS out of the full 5 STARS, because this one is in my mind a little bit predictable what the culprit concerns, but nevertheless it is a very enjoyable mystery, and that's why I want to call this book: "A Very Likeable Irish Reverend Mother Mystery"!
June 7, 2018
A Gruesome Discovery (Reverend Mother Mystery #4) by Cora Harrison.
A trunk is delivered to the Reverend Mother labeled old books. The stench coming from that trunk is horrendous. The Reverend Mother unperturbed by the odor easily opens the trunk and find s the body of a man inside. The body is that of Cork's County's richest merchants, Mr. Mulcahy.
This story elaborates on the merchants family of no less than 12 children. Their hopes for a future and their relationship to their now deceased father. The Reverend Mother deducts with precise reasoning each clue no matter how small or overlooked it may be.
I found this story interesting as a mystery that includes the political upheavals of 1925 Ireland.
A trunk is delivered to the Reverend Mother labeled old books. The stench coming from that trunk is horrendous. The Reverend Mother unperturbed by the odor easily opens the trunk and find s the body of a man inside. The body is that of Cork's County's richest merchants, Mr. Mulcahy.
This story elaborates on the merchants family of no less than 12 children. Their hopes for a future and their relationship to their now deceased father. The Reverend Mother deducts with precise reasoning each clue no matter how small or overlooked it may be.
I found this story interesting as a mystery that includes the political upheavals of 1925 Ireland.
March 16, 2018
4 stars
I read the Kindle edition.
It’s 1925 in Ireland. A strange trunk is delivered to the convent of the Reverend Mother Aquinas. It smells very bad, like dead things. Believing it to contain old books, she opens it and finds the body of one of Cork’s wealthiest merchants by the name of Henry Mulcahy. His son, Fred aged about twenty, is standing by. He appears to have mixed feelings about his father’s body in the trunk. He is dressed in the usual Republican outfit. Now they called themselves the Irish Republican Army. He points a gun at Mother Aquinas and then turns and shoots the dead body. He then makes his escape.
Mother Aquinas goes inside to phone Inspector Patrick Cashman. On his way to the convent, he tries to arrest Fred Mulcahy on another charge, when Fred is whisked away by a young woman on a moped. When Dr. Scher arrives, he confirms that the man was long dead before Fred shot him.
Patrick begins his investigation. He questions Mr. Hayes, the auctioneer who sold the trunk and then continues on to others. When Dr. Scher concludes his autopsy, he says that the cause of death was something like an iron bar hitting him on the back of the head. The Reverend Mother and Dr. Scher speculate on who might have wanted to kill Henry Mulcahy. He wasn’t a well-liked man. There was his purchase of a piece of land from the archdiocese that was a burial ground for unbaptized babies. There were some of his family members made up of twelve children and a wife. He was a very wealthy man, and some resented him for that.
With suspects coming out of the woodwork, and unscrupulous attorney and executor along with two more murders to contend with, Patrick has his hands full. When the murderer is finally revealed, it comes as a surprise.
This is a well written and plotted novel. The tension in the story begins immediately with the discovery of the body in the trunk and continues throughout the balance of the book. The characters are interesting and I like both the Reverend Mother Aquinas and Inspector Patrick Cashman. I appreciate the way in which Ms. Harrison writes her novels. They are filled with the colors and sounds on 1920’s Cork. The reader can almost imagine that they are there. I have read some of Ms. Harrison’s other novels and have liked them all. I will continue to read them.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and enjoy.
I read the Kindle edition.
It’s 1925 in Ireland. A strange trunk is delivered to the convent of the Reverend Mother Aquinas. It smells very bad, like dead things. Believing it to contain old books, she opens it and finds the body of one of Cork’s wealthiest merchants by the name of Henry Mulcahy. His son, Fred aged about twenty, is standing by. He appears to have mixed feelings about his father’s body in the trunk. He is dressed in the usual Republican outfit. Now they called themselves the Irish Republican Army. He points a gun at Mother Aquinas and then turns and shoots the dead body. He then makes his escape.
Mother Aquinas goes inside to phone Inspector Patrick Cashman. On his way to the convent, he tries to arrest Fred Mulcahy on another charge, when Fred is whisked away by a young woman on a moped. When Dr. Scher arrives, he confirms that the man was long dead before Fred shot him.
Patrick begins his investigation. He questions Mr. Hayes, the auctioneer who sold the trunk and then continues on to others. When Dr. Scher concludes his autopsy, he says that the cause of death was something like an iron bar hitting him on the back of the head. The Reverend Mother and Dr. Scher speculate on who might have wanted to kill Henry Mulcahy. He wasn’t a well-liked man. There was his purchase of a piece of land from the archdiocese that was a burial ground for unbaptized babies. There were some of his family members made up of twelve children and a wife. He was a very wealthy man, and some resented him for that.
With suspects coming out of the woodwork, and unscrupulous attorney and executor along with two more murders to contend with, Patrick has his hands full. When the murderer is finally revealed, it comes as a surprise.
This is a well written and plotted novel. The tension in the story begins immediately with the discovery of the body in the trunk and continues throughout the balance of the book. The characters are interesting and I like both the Reverend Mother Aquinas and Inspector Patrick Cashman. I appreciate the way in which Ms. Harrison writes her novels. They are filled with the colors and sounds on 1920’s Cork. The reader can almost imagine that they are there. I have read some of Ms. Harrison’s other novels and have liked them all. I will continue to read them.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and enjoy.
March 5, 2023
The series continues to be enjoyable. In this episode, Reverend Mother figures out who the culprit is and everything ends happily.
September 20, 2018
Harrison gives us another viewing of life in Cork, Ireland, in the 1920s, the harshness of some lives contrasting with the ease in many aspects of other lives. As usual her setting is described vividly and there are several suspects; the final solution is arrived at by the RM as usual with her ability to hold many details in her mind and compare them with one another to puzzle out the likeliest solution. It is interesting, once one has read the entire mystery, to reread it to see how Harrison hides her clues "in plain sight".
February 28, 2018
4 stars
I read the Kindle edition.
It’s 1925 in Ireland. A strange trunk is delivered to the convent of the Reverend Mother Aquinas. It smells very bad, like dead things. Believing it to contain old books, she opens it and finds the body of one of Cork’s wealthiest merchants by the name of Henry Mulcahy. His son, Fred aged about twenty, is standing by. He appears to have mixed feelings about his father’s body in the trunk. He is dressed in the usual Republican outfit. Now they called themselves the Irish Republican Army. He points a gun at Mother Aquinas and then turns and shoots the dead body. He then makes his escape.
Mother Aquinas goes inside to phone Inspector Patrick Cashman. On his way to the convent, he tries to arrest Fred Mulcahy on another charge, when Fred is whisked away by a young woman on a moped. When Dr. Scher arrives, he confirms that the man was long dead before Fred shot him.
Patrick begins his investigation. He questions Mr. Hayes, the auctioneer who sold the trunk and then continues on to others. When Dr. Scher concludes his autopsy, he says that the cause of death was something like an iron bar hitting him on the back of the head. The Reverend Mother and Dr. Scher speculate on who might have wanted to kill Henry Mulcahy. He wasn’t a well-liked man. There was his purchase of a piece of land from the archdiocese that was a burial ground for unbaptized babies. There were some of his family members made up of twelve children and a wife. He was a very wealthy man, and some resented him for that.
With suspects coming out of the woodwork, and unscrupulous attorney and executor along with two more murders to contend with, Patrick has his hands full. When the murderer is finally revealed, it comes as a surprise.
This is a well written and plotted novel. The tension in the story begins immediately with the discovery of the body in the trunk and continues throughout the balance of the book. The characters are interesting and I like both the Reverend Mother Aquinas and Inspector Patrick Cashman. I appreciate the way in which Ms. Harrison writes her novels. They are filled with the colors and sounds on 1920’s Cork. The reader can almost imagine that they are there. I have read some of Ms. Harrison’s other novels and have liked them all. I will continue to read them.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and enjoy.
I read the Kindle edition.
It’s 1925 in Ireland. A strange trunk is delivered to the convent of the Reverend Mother Aquinas. It smells very bad, like dead things. Believing it to contain old books, she opens it and finds the body of one of Cork’s wealthiest merchants by the name of Henry Mulcahy. His son, Fred aged about twenty, is standing by. He appears to have mixed feelings about his father’s body in the trunk. He is dressed in the usual Republican outfit. Now they called themselves the Irish Republican Army. He points a gun at Mother Aquinas and then turns and shoots the dead body. He then makes his escape.
Mother Aquinas goes inside to phone Inspector Patrick Cashman. On his way to the convent, he tries to arrest Fred Mulcahy on another charge, when Fred is whisked away by a young woman on a moped. When Dr. Scher arrives, he confirms that the man was long dead before Fred shot him.
Patrick begins his investigation. He questions Mr. Hayes, the auctioneer who sold the trunk and then continues on to others. When Dr. Scher concludes his autopsy, he says that the cause of death was something like an iron bar hitting him on the back of the head. The Reverend Mother and Dr. Scher speculate on who might have wanted to kill Henry Mulcahy. He wasn’t a well-liked man. There was his purchase of a piece of land from the archdiocese that was a burial ground for unbaptized babies. There were some of his family members made up of twelve children and a wife. He was a very wealthy man, and some resented him for that.
With suspects coming out of the woodwork, and unscrupulous attorney and executor along with two more murders to contend with, Patrick has his hands full. When the murderer is finally revealed, it comes as a surprise.
This is a well written and plotted novel. The tension in the story begins immediately with the discovery of the body in the trunk and continues throughout the balance of the book. The characters are interesting and I like both the Reverend Mother Aquinas and Inspector Patrick Cashman. I appreciate the way in which Ms. Harrison writes her novels. They are filled with the colors and sounds on 1920’s Cork. The reader can almost imagine that they are there. I have read some of Ms. Harrison’s other novels and have liked them all. I will continue to read them.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and enjoy.
May 9, 2018
1925, Cork Ireland... Mother Superior receives a trunk from the Local Auctioneer labeled "Old School Books". As she is about to open it a young man rushes in to claim the trunk saying: "I think that may be my trunk, Reverend Mother" (expecting a cache of guns)...
When the unlocked trunk pops open, they find the corpse of the young man's father, clearly not what either of them expected. The young man then pulls out a revolver & fires emptying all the bullets into his father's corpse.
The young man had wanted to go to the university & study mathematics, when his father refused to pay for a university education, the young man instead joined the "Republicans".
His father was a very wealthy "self-made" man, a tanner & purveyor of goods to the government during the war. His father has left behind 12 children (10 boys & twin girls), a wife, a new house that they were all about to move into, the two connected old houses, & a vast fortune which seems to have disappeared.
Oddly the father had signed a will the morning he was murdered, leaving everything to his wife, but in the control of his rival & a shady lawyer....
With the help of the skin merchant's daughter, a determined young republican woman, the local doctor, & a young police; Mother Superior, a young detective inspector, and the local doctor are able to solve the crime, but not before two more people are murdered.
The story was interesting, there was no lack of suspects, the Red Herrings were obvious, and there were two huge loose ends that made me knock off 1 star.
When the unlocked trunk pops open, they find the corpse of the young man's father, clearly not what either of them expected. The young man then pulls out a revolver & fires emptying all the bullets into his father's corpse.
The young man had wanted to go to the university & study mathematics, when his father refused to pay for a university education, the young man instead joined the "Republicans".
His father was a very wealthy "self-made" man, a tanner & purveyor of goods to the government during the war. His father has left behind 12 children (10 boys & twin girls), a wife, a new house that they were all about to move into, the two connected old houses, & a vast fortune which seems to have disappeared.
Oddly the father had signed a will the morning he was murdered, leaving everything to his wife, but in the control of his rival & a shady lawyer....
With the help of the skin merchant's daughter, a determined young republican woman, the local doctor, & a young police; Mother Superior, a young detective inspector, and the local doctor are able to solve the crime, but not before two more people are murdered.
The story was interesting, there was no lack of suspects, the Red Herrings were obvious, and there were two huge loose ends that made me knock off 1 star.
May 29, 2023
Once again, I was unable to spot the bad guys before the final reveal! Problem was, there were just so many bad guys. Nearly all the characters, even some that I knew for sure were the good guys, looked suspicious at one point or another. Even so, there were still some of the other bad guys who seemed to have better motives than the actual killer did. So in that way this book was a little dissatifying (I know that probably isn't a word, but it fits ...).
Anyway, I enjoyed a Gruesome Discovery quite a bit, plus it was a very quick read. I've been quite enjoying this entire series so far and highly recommend them to readers who might appreciate the lack of gratuitous violence and sexual scenes.
Kudos to the author!
Anyway, I enjoyed a Gruesome Discovery quite a bit, plus it was a very quick read. I've been quite enjoying this entire series so far and highly recommend them to readers who might appreciate the lack of gratuitous violence and sexual scenes.
Kudos to the author!
April 28, 2018
Ireland in 1925. The church is gifted a large smelly trunk labelled "old books". When opened, tho, it contains the body of a man. This story is mostly about the man (a rags and bones man but also very wealthy), his large family and what will happen to his estate, the oldest son Fred's connections with the Irish Republicans, and of course finding the man's killer. The weapon used in this one is unique ... This author seems to always find something that we would not normally think of, which is a nice touch.
April 17, 2019
The mystery itself was just "meh," and the copyediting has only gotten worse as the series has gone on. Considering the author thanks her editor and copy editor in the acknowledgements, that's no mean feat! 🤨
March 5, 2020
An Irish Reverend Mother on the hunt for a killer. What a smart and compassionate protagonist. This was a tautly written mystery with several suspects, primarily from the murder victims family. Glad to have discovered this author.
April 24, 2018
Another deeply atmospheric and well-paced Irish mystery set in 1920s Cork.
April 5, 2019
The next book in the 1920's Ireland Reverend Mother Aquinas mystery series. Continues with the political, economic & social descriptions & lives of the era & country. Enjoy the ongoing development of some of the continuing cast of characters. Complicated plot & action, but not quite as satisfying as some of the other books.
July 11, 2019
A really good mystery.
November 17, 2021
Decent mystery. But it did have a few rough spots where the info was contradictory. Nothing major, but mildly annoying. Will continue series.
January 18, 2022
5 star Reread! A very favorite series
June 3, 2022
Hard to put down, each page is more gripping than the next - The Reverend Mother series is quite brilliant! Gripping reads indeed!
June 19, 2022
Due to a change in work schedule, it takes longer to read then it did before the pandemic. Really enjoying this series about a nun in 1920's Ireland.
June 7, 2024
Another well crafted mystery. Beware the auctioneer!
August 15, 2025
3.75 stars
March 28, 2020
"The Reverend Mother receives a decidedly gruesome gift in this compelling Irish historical mystery"
Big thanks to Cora Harrison for writing this mystery, and NetGalley for sending it to me. The Reverend Mother series are great as are all of her Irish mysteries. I have a second one I will be starting also in the Reverend Mother series ( so excited). I am Irish and the age of the Reverend Mother and her cousin Lucy so I particularly love this series.
This one is a generational saga with this murder, and subsequent murders, not revealed until the last few pages. A tradesman who many felt was "uppity", because he had amassed so much money and built a large house in an exclusive area, is murdered. Henry Mulcahy was not well loved, but his housemaid and nurse Bridie was beloved of the sisters at the convent. Bridie and Mrs. Mulcahy are also eventually victims of the cover-up of this crime.
Not only was Mulcahy "of the skins" murdered, but his decaying for 3 days body was delivered in a trunk to the Reverend Mother. It was said to contain schoolbooks but actually contained Mr Mulcahy packed in some gruesome exhibits of his trade.
Reverend Mother Aquinas' cousin Lucy who had been at an auction, bid on the trunk and sent it to her. The nuns of St. Mary's Isle have a school for poor children at that location and a religious community had been there since ancient days.
Figuring in this episode also are several young adult protégés of the Reverend Mother, Eileen MacSweeney and Patrick the Constable. Adding to this is that some of the children of the deceased,
(he had had 13), and Eileen had Republican Army sympathies, this being on the cusp of Ireland's partition.
Big thanks to Cora Harrison for writing this mystery, and NetGalley for sending it to me. The Reverend Mother series are great as are all of her Irish mysteries. I have a second one I will be starting also in the Reverend Mother series ( so excited). I am Irish and the age of the Reverend Mother and her cousin Lucy so I particularly love this series.
This one is a generational saga with this murder, and subsequent murders, not revealed until the last few pages. A tradesman who many felt was "uppity", because he had amassed so much money and built a large house in an exclusive area, is murdered. Henry Mulcahy was not well loved, but his housemaid and nurse Bridie was beloved of the sisters at the convent. Bridie and Mrs. Mulcahy are also eventually victims of the cover-up of this crime.
Not only was Mulcahy "of the skins" murdered, but his decaying for 3 days body was delivered in a trunk to the Reverend Mother. It was said to contain schoolbooks but actually contained Mr Mulcahy packed in some gruesome exhibits of his trade.
Reverend Mother Aquinas' cousin Lucy who had been at an auction, bid on the trunk and sent it to her. The nuns of St. Mary's Isle have a school for poor children at that location and a religious community had been there since ancient days.
Figuring in this episode also are several young adult protégés of the Reverend Mother, Eileen MacSweeney and Patrick the Constable. Adding to this is that some of the children of the deceased,
(he had had 13), and Eileen had Republican Army sympathies, this being on the cusp of Ireland's partition.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews