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Abish Taylor Mystery #2
Death in the Covenant
In the wake of Utah’s stringent laws against plural marriage, the growth of the Mormon Church has slowed. Young men are abandoning the Church, leaving their female counterparts unmarried and childless. Now, the church is about to lose one more member…and it may be due to murder.
Detective Abish “Abbie” Taylor returned to the mountain town of Pleasant View, Utah, hoping for a quiet life. But that hope dissipates like a dream when she wakes to an unsettling phone call. Arriving at the scene of a fatal car accident, she discovers that the victim was one of the most beloved leaders of the Church—and an old family friend.
Abbie is skeptical when her father insists someone murdered his friend, but in an attempt to patch up their relationship, she takes a few days off from her job as the sole detective in the police department, and heads to the Colonia Juárez, a former LDS colony in Mexico. There, she uncovers a plan to “seal” young women to church leaders in temple ceremonies, so the women can give birth and the children can be adopted by Mormon families in the United States. But Abbie knows too well that bringing secrets to light can be deadly. Is that why her father’s friend died?
When she returns to the States, some members of the LDS community certainly don’t seem happy that Abbie knows what she knows. Abbie realizes with a jolt that her investigation could cost her father his job. Who is the murderous mastermind of this secret plot? Is it Port, the young Second Counselor to the President of the Church? Bowen, the charismatic Church spokesperson? Does the “accident” victim’s widow know more than she’s told police? Time is running out for Abbie to save her father’s job—and her own life—as dark forces close in, and the outlook for Pleasant View turns decidedly unpleasant.
Detective Abish “Abbie” Taylor returned to the mountain town of Pleasant View, Utah, hoping for a quiet life. But that hope dissipates like a dream when she wakes to an unsettling phone call. Arriving at the scene of a fatal car accident, she discovers that the victim was one of the most beloved leaders of the Church—and an old family friend.
Abbie is skeptical when her father insists someone murdered his friend, but in an attempt to patch up their relationship, she takes a few days off from her job as the sole detective in the police department, and heads to the Colonia Juárez, a former LDS colony in Mexico. There, she uncovers a plan to “seal” young women to church leaders in temple ceremonies, so the women can give birth and the children can be adopted by Mormon families in the United States. But Abbie knows too well that bringing secrets to light can be deadly. Is that why her father’s friend died?
When she returns to the States, some members of the LDS community certainly don’t seem happy that Abbie knows what she knows. Abbie realizes with a jolt that her investigation could cost her father his job. Who is the murderous mastermind of this secret plot? Is it Port, the young Second Counselor to the President of the Church? Bowen, the charismatic Church spokesperson? Does the “accident” victim’s widow know more than she’s told police? Time is running out for Abbie to save her father’s job—and her own life—as dark forces close in, and the outlook for Pleasant View turns decidedly unpleasant.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 13, 2019
8 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
D.A. Bartley
2 books13 followersD.A. Bartley (Alison) grew up Mormon. Her family can trace its roots back to some of the earliest converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Alison is a member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, which means her ancestors settled in Utah (or Deseret, if you're going to be technical) before the Transcontinental Railroad was finished in 1869.
Alison was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, where her dad was studying linguistics at the time. Her parents moved back to Ogden, Utah, when she was two (which is why Alison does not have a charming Scottish accent). When she was ten, her family moved to France, and when she was eleven they moved to Germany. Her family returned to Salt Lake City where Alison went to high school. (Go Olympus Titans!)
Alison attended Boston University, but the need to travel was in her blood and she spent her junior year abroad. She moved to Leningrad, USSR, in 1991, and moved from St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1992. The following summer she pretended to study French in Paris, but mostly drank black coffee at sidewalk cafés and did some serious people watching.
After college, Alison went on to get her Ph.D. in political science (her dissertation focussed on how countries used the concept of sovereignty in legal disputes) and a J.D. both from the University of Pennsylvania. She then moved with her husband to New York City where she practiced law and spent time as a research scholar writing academic papers.
Alison has lived in Manhattan longer than she has any other place on the planet, but she still finds it hard to navigate without mountains. She and her husband live with their teenage daughter and son on the Upper East Side.
Alison was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, where her dad was studying linguistics at the time. Her parents moved back to Ogden, Utah, when she was two (which is why Alison does not have a charming Scottish accent). When she was ten, her family moved to France, and when she was eleven they moved to Germany. Her family returned to Salt Lake City where Alison went to high school. (Go Olympus Titans!)
Alison attended Boston University, but the need to travel was in her blood and she spent her junior year abroad. She moved to Leningrad, USSR, in 1991, and moved from St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1992. The following summer she pretended to study French in Paris, but mostly drank black coffee at sidewalk cafés and did some serious people watching.
After college, Alison went on to get her Ph.D. in political science (her dissertation focussed on how countries used the concept of sovereignty in legal disputes) and a J.D. both from the University of Pennsylvania. She then moved with her husband to New York City where she practiced law and spent time as a research scholar writing academic papers.
Alison has lived in Manhattan longer than she has any other place on the planet, but she still finds it hard to navigate without mountains. She and her husband live with their teenage daughter and son on the Upper East Side.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 18, 2019
3.5 stars, rounded down
What starts as a possible car accident is quickly determined to be the murder of a Church of the LDS leader, a friend of Detective Abbie Taylor’s family. Once again, Bartley has done a great job of creating a fast paced mystery that uses church history to spin out a conspiracy story. There’s a sense of underlying dread here that permeates the entire story. Abbie walks a fine line and is always in danger of being called out, by both her boss and church officials.
I enjoyed the characters here. Not just Abbie, but also Clarke and Flynn. I also just felt for Abbie’s father.
For some reason, it bothers me that both books paint such a negative picture of the LDS church. I have no affiliation with the church, but I just wish the second book had taken a different track. I did appreciate that Bartley takes the time to give us some of the history of the church and an understanding of their beliefs and practices.
This is a well paced, straightforward police procedural. I would definitely seek out the next book in the series.
One doesn’t need to have read the first book in the series. But Bartley doesn’t go out of her way to provide much in the way of background from the first book.
My thanks to netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this book.
May 6, 2019
Utah detective Abbie Taylor, lapsed Mormon, is investigating a death of an important church official. She gets close to the truth, and the powerful church men take steps to ensure that their plans will not be discovered. The subject of this book, plural marriage (men who were already married impregnated girls young enough to be their granddaughters under the guise of following Joseph Smith’s original plan) was repugnant to me. I found it difficult to believe that Brittany, a woman admitted to the PhD program at Yale, could make such foolish decisions. Sadly, I had no problem believing that, in the name of religion, power mad old men were capable of murdering and lying to further their agenda.
August 20, 2019
This is a horrible book on 2 counts:
1) It is badly written, full of stereotypes and cliches. There are too many loose ends (for instance, the children in Colonia Juarez are apparently being put up for adoption, but this is never followed through on). Abish's super-rich, handsome, always available boyfriend, who can accommodate a woman about to give birth and her two children at a moment's notice, providing requisite doctors and nurses at his home, is utterly ridiculous and turns a supposedly serious mystery into a Harlequin romance. And Abbie's insomnia, while ultra-important at the book's beginning, conveniently disappears partway through.
2) It is blatantly anti-Mormon. I consider myself a liberal, feminist Mormon, but I found this book outrageously biased. Bartley uses real names (both people and places) in full or part; slanders everything and everyone possible; makes several doctrinal errors; and clearly detests the Mormon Church. There is no afterword distinguishing between fact and fiction. I cringe at reader reviews stating they "learned a lot" about the Mormon Church from reading this. No, they didn't. They learned about one particular woman's negative mindset towards the Church.
Tell me, would a reputable publisher release a novel that treated Jews, Muslims, or others with such hatred? I can't believe that Publisher's Weekly called this "exceptional" and "thoughtful." It's anything but.
1) It is badly written, full of stereotypes and cliches. There are too many loose ends (for instance, the children in Colonia Juarez are apparently being put up for adoption, but this is never followed through on). Abish's super-rich, handsome, always available boyfriend, who can accommodate a woman about to give birth and her two children at a moment's notice, providing requisite doctors and nurses at his home, is utterly ridiculous and turns a supposedly serious mystery into a Harlequin romance. And Abbie's insomnia, while ultra-important at the book's beginning, conveniently disappears partway through.
2) It is blatantly anti-Mormon. I consider myself a liberal, feminist Mormon, but I found this book outrageously biased. Bartley uses real names (both people and places) in full or part; slanders everything and everyone possible; makes several doctrinal errors; and clearly detests the Mormon Church. There is no afterword distinguishing between fact and fiction. I cringe at reader reviews stating they "learned a lot" about the Mormon Church from reading this. No, they didn't. They learned about one particular woman's negative mindset towards the Church.
Tell me, would a reputable publisher release a novel that treated Jews, Muslims, or others with such hatred? I can't believe that Publisher's Weekly called this "exceptional" and "thoughtful." It's anything but.
June 21, 2019
Abish Taylor is my newest female detective heroine. I found her incredibly relatable. Her conservative upbringing, walking away from the faith she was raised in, struggling with loss and moving on, are all things that I could connect with immediately. The author picked a beautiful setting in Utah to place this story and drew it in words to perfection. The story itself has a very complex plot woven into it that really gave me food for thought. The themes of domestic abuse and polygamy are seamlessly inserted into the plot and I think they were handled with care. This is the second book in this series and the author can't write a 3rd one fast enough for me. Highly recommend!
August 11, 2019
Death in the Covenant by D. A. Bartley
An Abish Taylor Mystery #2
Having read the first book in this series I was eager to read the second.
Abbish “Abbie” Taylor is called to what has been assumed is an auto accident related to alcohol only to quickly realize that is not true at all. With an urgency to find out what really happened to Heber Bentsen, First Counselor to the President of the Mormon church, the hunt is on.
Once again Abbie’s team seems a bit leery of her take on some issues with the good old boy network in place, the fact that she is not necessarily in good standing with the church and...she is female. Though she has moved home to be near family – most of her family is keeping their distance. Abbie is still dealing with issues related to the death of her husband and mother and is in the beginning phases of a “liking” with her older brother’s best friend, Flynn.
In both books of this series historical information related to the Mormon church is presented. Having an interest in the study of religions and having done some research in the past related to this one I found the idea of Covenants – especially in relationship to marriage – fascinating.
What I liked:
* Abbie: She is someone who has moved away from the religion of her childhood, as did I, and uses her life experiences to assist her on the job. She is complex, interesting and I want to know more about her.
* The romance that is growing between Flynn and Abbie
* The way family impacts Abbie and others
* The way religion/belief is woven into the story
* The fact that I was given new insight, history and ideas to contemplate
* The way it made me think about myself as a young woman and what caused me to change my religious beliefs. That said, I could see how some of the young women in this book made the decisions they did although I can only hope I was not as naive as they were in the story.
* That it made me think
What I didn’t like:
* The way people in power manipulated others
* That some put so little value on the lives of others
* Having to look at the idea that some people use their idea of “right” to achieve goals that may or may not be “right”
* The way some of the “bad guys” seem to have gotten away with “it”
I noticed in my review of the first book that I was wondering why two people were searching Abbie’s house and those two people did show up in this book. I am still wondering if perhaps in this series some of the “bad guys” will meet their comeuppance.
Did I like this book? Yes
Would I like to read more in this series? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Croooked Lane Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
An Abish Taylor Mystery #2
Having read the first book in this series I was eager to read the second.
Abbish “Abbie” Taylor is called to what has been assumed is an auto accident related to alcohol only to quickly realize that is not true at all. With an urgency to find out what really happened to Heber Bentsen, First Counselor to the President of the Mormon church, the hunt is on.
Once again Abbie’s team seems a bit leery of her take on some issues with the good old boy network in place, the fact that she is not necessarily in good standing with the church and...she is female. Though she has moved home to be near family – most of her family is keeping their distance. Abbie is still dealing with issues related to the death of her husband and mother and is in the beginning phases of a “liking” with her older brother’s best friend, Flynn.
In both books of this series historical information related to the Mormon church is presented. Having an interest in the study of religions and having done some research in the past related to this one I found the idea of Covenants – especially in relationship to marriage – fascinating.
What I liked:
* Abbie: She is someone who has moved away from the religion of her childhood, as did I, and uses her life experiences to assist her on the job. She is complex, interesting and I want to know more about her.
* The romance that is growing between Flynn and Abbie
* The way family impacts Abbie and others
* The way religion/belief is woven into the story
* The fact that I was given new insight, history and ideas to contemplate
* The way it made me think about myself as a young woman and what caused me to change my religious beliefs. That said, I could see how some of the young women in this book made the decisions they did although I can only hope I was not as naive as they were in the story.
* That it made me think
What I didn’t like:
* The way people in power manipulated others
* That some put so little value on the lives of others
* Having to look at the idea that some people use their idea of “right” to achieve goals that may or may not be “right”
* The way some of the “bad guys” seem to have gotten away with “it”
I noticed in my review of the first book that I was wondering why two people were searching Abbie’s house and those two people did show up in this book. I am still wondering if perhaps in this series some of the “bad guys” will meet their comeuppance.
Did I like this book? Yes
Would I like to read more in this series? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Croooked Lane Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
August 19, 2019
"Death in the Covenant" is the second book in the "Abish Taylor mystery" series by D.A. Bartley. I have not read " Blessed Be the Wicked" book one but it did not affect reading Death in the Covenant as it can be read as a stand-alone.
In the wake of Utah’s stringent laws against plural marriage, the growth of the Mormon Church has slowed. Young men are abandoning the Church, leaving their female counterparts unmarried and childless. Now, the church is about to lose one more member…and it may be due to murder.
Detective Abish “Abbie” Taylor returned to the mountain town of Pleasant View, Utah, hoping for a quiet life. But that hope dissipates like a dream when she wakes to an unsettling phone call. Arriving at the scene of a fatal car accident, she discovers that the victim was one of the most beloved leaders of the Church—and an old family friend.
Abbie is skeptical when her father insists someone murdered his friend, but in an attempt to patch up their relationship, she takes a few days off from her job as the sole detective in the police department, and heads to the Colonia Juárez, a former LDS colony in Mexico. There, she uncovers a plan to “seal” young women to church leaders in temple ceremonies, so the women can give birth and the children can be adopted by Mormon families in the United States. But Abbie knows too well that bringing secrets to light can be deadly. Is that why her father’s friend died?
When she returns to the States, some members of the LDS community certainly don’t seem happy that Abbie knows what she knows. Abbie realizes with a jolt that her investigation could cost her father his job. Who is the murderous mastermind of this secret plot? Is it Port, the young Second Counselor to the President of the Church? Bowen, the charismatic Church spokesperson? Does the “accident” victim’s widow know more than she’s told police? Time is running out for Abbie to save her father’s job—and her own life—as dark forces close in, and the outlook for Pleasant View turns decidedly unpleasant.
Protagonist Abbie, is a strong, educated woman, and the side characters are realistic, like Clarke and Flynn. I felt sorry for her father throughout the story.
I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it over several days. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises. I learned a lot about Mormon history, culture and customs. I am fascinated by religion and am always open to learning about different kinds.
I requested and received an Advanced Reader Copy on the book from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and pinions are my own
In the wake of Utah’s stringent laws against plural marriage, the growth of the Mormon Church has slowed. Young men are abandoning the Church, leaving their female counterparts unmarried and childless. Now, the church is about to lose one more member…and it may be due to murder.
Detective Abish “Abbie” Taylor returned to the mountain town of Pleasant View, Utah, hoping for a quiet life. But that hope dissipates like a dream when she wakes to an unsettling phone call. Arriving at the scene of a fatal car accident, she discovers that the victim was one of the most beloved leaders of the Church—and an old family friend.
Abbie is skeptical when her father insists someone murdered his friend, but in an attempt to patch up their relationship, she takes a few days off from her job as the sole detective in the police department, and heads to the Colonia Juárez, a former LDS colony in Mexico. There, she uncovers a plan to “seal” young women to church leaders in temple ceremonies, so the women can give birth and the children can be adopted by Mormon families in the United States. But Abbie knows too well that bringing secrets to light can be deadly. Is that why her father’s friend died?
When she returns to the States, some members of the LDS community certainly don’t seem happy that Abbie knows what she knows. Abbie realizes with a jolt that her investigation could cost her father his job. Who is the murderous mastermind of this secret plot? Is it Port, the young Second Counselor to the President of the Church? Bowen, the charismatic Church spokesperson? Does the “accident” victim’s widow know more than she’s told police? Time is running out for Abbie to save her father’s job—and her own life—as dark forces close in, and the outlook for Pleasant View turns decidedly unpleasant.
Protagonist Abbie, is a strong, educated woman, and the side characters are realistic, like Clarke and Flynn. I felt sorry for her father throughout the story.
I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it over several days. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises. I learned a lot about Mormon history, culture and customs. I am fascinated by religion and am always open to learning about different kinds.
I requested and received an Advanced Reader Copy on the book from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and pinions are my own
August 12, 2019
Thanks to the publisher, via Netgalley, for an advance e-galley for honest review.
This second excellent book featuring Detective Abbie Taylor jumped straight into the action and never stopped. The action was intense, but left plenty of room to further Abbie's character, as well as her friends, family, and the local culture. I hope this series continues as I think the author has mined a ripe area for mystery with the focus on the potential for secrecy and scandal within the Mormon faith.
This second excellent book featuring Detective Abbie Taylor jumped straight into the action and never stopped. The action was intense, but left plenty of room to further Abbie's character, as well as her friends, family, and the local culture. I hope this series continues as I think the author has mined a ripe area for mystery with the focus on the potential for secrecy and scandal within the Mormon faith.
July 7, 2019
Abby Taylor has left the Mormon church that she was raised in after much soul-searching. Now, after some years away, she is back in Utah working as a police officer. When she is called to the site of an accident, she is disturbed to discover Heber Bentsen who is an old family friend and a higher up in the Church. She is even more distressed when she learns that Heber was murdered.
Abby immediately finds her investigation into his death hampered by her own boss at the police department and other leaders of the Church. They put pressure on Abby to declare the death an accident and end the investigation before the funeral. A talk with her father who was Heber's good friend points Abby in a new direction. Her father says that Heber was curious about the disappearance of a number of young women who were faithful members of the Church.
Abby's investigation leads her to Mexico where she learns that the long-outlawed practice of plural marriage might be being resurrected there. A recording of a meeting on the day of Heber's death confirms that leaders of the Church are floating the idea and that Heber was opposed.
This story is filled with looks inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with all their secretive practices. Abby's father is a church scholar and a devoted member of the Church. Threats to excommunicate him weigh heavily on Abby and spur her on to solve the murder not only of Heber but of a young rock climber who saw the "accident" and a young graduate student who is part of a plural marriage.
This was a fascinating look at a strange culture filled with members who believe with blind faith and don't let little things like truth and evidence sway them. I liked the story but wasn't really satisfied with the ending that was at best detente.
Abby immediately finds her investigation into his death hampered by her own boss at the police department and other leaders of the Church. They put pressure on Abby to declare the death an accident and end the investigation before the funeral. A talk with her father who was Heber's good friend points Abby in a new direction. Her father says that Heber was curious about the disappearance of a number of young women who were faithful members of the Church.
Abby's investigation leads her to Mexico where she learns that the long-outlawed practice of plural marriage might be being resurrected there. A recording of a meeting on the day of Heber's death confirms that leaders of the Church are floating the idea and that Heber was opposed.
This story is filled with looks inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with all their secretive practices. Abby's father is a church scholar and a devoted member of the Church. Threats to excommunicate him weigh heavily on Abby and spur her on to solve the murder not only of Heber but of a young rock climber who saw the "accident" and a young graduate student who is part of a plural marriage.
This was a fascinating look at a strange culture filled with members who believe with blind faith and don't let little things like truth and evidence sway them. I liked the story but wasn't really satisfied with the ending that was at best detente.
July 8, 2019
This is the second book in the Abish Taylor mystery series; I enjoyed it so much that I also read Blessed Be The Wicked before writing my review here! Abbie is a former deployed soldier, a widow, the only Detective in a small Utah police department, and a non-practicing Mormon. She is a strong and relatable main character, but is estranged from all of her family except her father and a brother, because of having left the Mormon Faith. Her father holds very strong Mormon beliefs; in fact, he is a theology professor.
This book centers on a secretive plan among some Mormon leaders to return to the old practice of polygamy, in order to allow that more pre-birth souls can be given human bodies and ensure the future and growth of the Mormon religion. There are several murders because of this secret plan, and both Abbie and her father are in danger because of Abbie's efforts to solve the murders. There are also threats by the hierarchy that Abbie's father may be excommunicated if she continues pursuing her efforts to solve the murders and expose those responsible. This would end his career, and also destroy his belief that he will be able to spend eternity with Abbie's mother, who died several years ago.
I've really enjoyed both books in the Abish Taylor series, and hope more will be published! Although there is much criticism of Mormon beliefs and practices in the books, these are tempered by some very positive insight into other beliefs and the Mormon culture as a whole. I learned a lot about Mormon history and some good things about the Faith in these books. Many thanks are given to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read Death In The Covenant. This is my honest review.
This book centers on a secretive plan among some Mormon leaders to return to the old practice of polygamy, in order to allow that more pre-birth souls can be given human bodies and ensure the future and growth of the Mormon religion. There are several murders because of this secret plan, and both Abbie and her father are in danger because of Abbie's efforts to solve the murders. There are also threats by the hierarchy that Abbie's father may be excommunicated if she continues pursuing her efforts to solve the murders and expose those responsible. This would end his career, and also destroy his belief that he will be able to spend eternity with Abbie's mother, who died several years ago.
I've really enjoyed both books in the Abish Taylor series, and hope more will be published! Although there is much criticism of Mormon beliefs and practices in the books, these are tempered by some very positive insight into other beliefs and the Mormon culture as a whole. I learned a lot about Mormon history and some good things about the Faith in these books. Many thanks are given to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read Death In The Covenant. This is my honest review.
January 8, 2020
I really like this series - it has a great subject matter that is so fascinating, the dark secrets of the Mormon church. And this is a great second chapter in the new series, which I look forward to enjoying more of in the future.
Abbie is back and is called to the scene of what looks like a straightforward car crash which left an important church official dead. But looks can be very deceiving and soon it becomes apparent that there is more to the death than meets the eye. As Abbie dives more into the mystery, a controversial belief from the church’s past comes back into focus - and the conspiracy goes all the way to the top.
One of the best parts of this series is getting to dive into a world that is little known to many people: devout Mormonism, with almost blind allegiance to the church’s leadership. It’s a line that Abbie has to walk throughout the novel, since even though she is not an active member of the church, her father, siblings and coworkers are. That creates a unique layer of conflict that is really interesting to see her walk.
The central mystery was also I really good, though I figured out most of it before the reveal. Abbie had to fight to get people to listen to her and see what she learns. There’s a lot of nuance and technical aspects to the mystery, which took a little bit away from things, but I think that was meant more to make things realistic, to make it seem like something that could happen, which I appreciate.
I also look forward to seeing where Abbie goes from here in her professional and personal life. Things are pretty intense in this book and I am looking forward to the third book to see how it all works out.
Highly recommended.
Abbie is back and is called to the scene of what looks like a straightforward car crash which left an important church official dead. But looks can be very deceiving and soon it becomes apparent that there is more to the death than meets the eye. As Abbie dives more into the mystery, a controversial belief from the church’s past comes back into focus - and the conspiracy goes all the way to the top.
One of the best parts of this series is getting to dive into a world that is little known to many people: devout Mormonism, with almost blind allegiance to the church’s leadership. It’s a line that Abbie has to walk throughout the novel, since even though she is not an active member of the church, her father, siblings and coworkers are. That creates a unique layer of conflict that is really interesting to see her walk.
The central mystery was also I really good, though I figured out most of it before the reveal. Abbie had to fight to get people to listen to her and see what she learns. There’s a lot of nuance and technical aspects to the mystery, which took a little bit away from things, but I think that was meant more to make things realistic, to make it seem like something that could happen, which I appreciate.
I also look forward to seeing where Abbie goes from here in her professional and personal life. Things are pretty intense in this book and I am looking forward to the third book to see how it all works out.
Highly recommended.
August 15, 2019
4.5 stars.
Death in the Covenant by D.A. Bartley is a multi-layered and complex mystery. Although this latest release is the second novel in the Abish Taylor Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone.
Detective Abish "Abbie" Taylor is called to the scene of a car accident where she is saddened to learn she knows the victim. After talking with the lone witness to wreck, she is very suspicious about the circumstances surrounding the death of Heber Bentsen. The Mormon community is rocked by the loss of their much loved church elder and Abbie is tasked by Chief Henderson with wrapping up the case by Heber's funeral.
After talking to her father, who is a professor at BYU, Abbie is troubled by Bentsen's interest in several young women who have dropped out of college in recent years. The fact that these women are extremely faithful members of the Church provides Abbie with a very disturbing theory that is tied to a controversial period in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. When she follows her hunch, will Abbie uncover the truth about why Heber was murdered and the reason behind what is happening to the devout young women? And what will happen when the LDS Church leaders learn where her investigation is leading her?
Abbie's position with the Pleasant View police department remains a bit precarious as Chief Henderson pressures her to quickly close the case. Abbie is not one to back down from uncovering the truth but she fully grasps the politics involved with her investigation and the LDS Church leaders. However, she is not willing to allow a murderer go free in order to placate the church elders. Once Abbie's suspicions are confirmed and she knows just who in the church might be involved, she is even more determined to find justice for the victims. But she seriously underestimates how far the leaders of the church will go to shut down the investigation and protect LDS secrets from being revealed.
Death in the Covenant is a riveting mystery that provides an intriguing glimpse of Mormon faith. Abbie finds herself in an ethical dilemma in which she must decide between justice and her family. Chief Henderson remains a staunch defender of the LDS Church even if it means ignoring the duties of his office. The investigation moves at a brisk pace and although Abbie faces many obstacles, she never gives up trying to unmask the killer(s). D.A. Bartley brings this twist-filled mystery to a pulse-pounding, action-packed conclusion. While this current case is mostly resolved, a few dangling threads will leave readers anxiously awaiting the next installment in the Abish Taylor Mystery series.
Death in the Covenant by D.A. Bartley is a multi-layered and complex mystery. Although this latest release is the second novel in the Abish Taylor Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone.
Detective Abish "Abbie" Taylor is called to the scene of a car accident where she is saddened to learn she knows the victim. After talking with the lone witness to wreck, she is very suspicious about the circumstances surrounding the death of Heber Bentsen. The Mormon community is rocked by the loss of their much loved church elder and Abbie is tasked by Chief Henderson with wrapping up the case by Heber's funeral.
After talking to her father, who is a professor at BYU, Abbie is troubled by Bentsen's interest in several young women who have dropped out of college in recent years. The fact that these women are extremely faithful members of the Church provides Abbie with a very disturbing theory that is tied to a controversial period in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. When she follows her hunch, will Abbie uncover the truth about why Heber was murdered and the reason behind what is happening to the devout young women? And what will happen when the LDS Church leaders learn where her investigation is leading her?
Abbie's position with the Pleasant View police department remains a bit precarious as Chief Henderson pressures her to quickly close the case. Abbie is not one to back down from uncovering the truth but she fully grasps the politics involved with her investigation and the LDS Church leaders. However, she is not willing to allow a murderer go free in order to placate the church elders. Once Abbie's suspicions are confirmed and she knows just who in the church might be involved, she is even more determined to find justice for the victims. But she seriously underestimates how far the leaders of the church will go to shut down the investigation and protect LDS secrets from being revealed.
Death in the Covenant is a riveting mystery that provides an intriguing glimpse of Mormon faith. Abbie finds herself in an ethical dilemma in which she must decide between justice and her family. Chief Henderson remains a staunch defender of the LDS Church even if it means ignoring the duties of his office. The investigation moves at a brisk pace and although Abbie faces many obstacles, she never gives up trying to unmask the killer(s). D.A. Bartley brings this twist-filled mystery to a pulse-pounding, action-packed conclusion. While this current case is mostly resolved, a few dangling threads will leave readers anxiously awaiting the next installment in the Abish Taylor Mystery series.
August 16, 2019
Seamlessly blending the history of Mormonism with a present day police procedural, Death in the Covenant is a fascinating look inside a secret world.
Heber Bentsen is a beloved pillar of the Latter Day Saints (LDS or Mormon) church. As a counselor to the church president, he is investigating a hidden church agenda. A loss of young men in the church has led to 1.5 young women for each young man. Could the perfect solution be reinstating polygamy?
When Heber is killed in an auto accident, foul play is not suspected. However, the autopsy reveals he was killed by a rock to the head and no rock was found at the scene. His longtime family friend, and former LDS member, Abbie Taylor, investigates the crime.
As someone who watches every special on plural wives, both modern and historical, I loved Death in the Covenant. I learned many details about the Latter Day Saints’ beliefs. But it was the mystery itself which will force me to read earlier episodes in this series. It is a twisty ride into an unfamiliar culture. Just when you think you have it figured out, pow, the plot shifts abruptly in another direction.
Overall, this is an excellent police procedural tackling a subject I’ve never seen in a mystery before. Please correct me in the comments if I’m wrong. I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Heber Bentsen is a beloved pillar of the Latter Day Saints (LDS or Mormon) church. As a counselor to the church president, he is investigating a hidden church agenda. A loss of young men in the church has led to 1.5 young women for each young man. Could the perfect solution be reinstating polygamy?
When Heber is killed in an auto accident, foul play is not suspected. However, the autopsy reveals he was killed by a rock to the head and no rock was found at the scene. His longtime family friend, and former LDS member, Abbie Taylor, investigates the crime.
As someone who watches every special on plural wives, both modern and historical, I loved Death in the Covenant. I learned many details about the Latter Day Saints’ beliefs. But it was the mystery itself which will force me to read earlier episodes in this series. It is a twisty ride into an unfamiliar culture. Just when you think you have it figured out, pow, the plot shifts abruptly in another direction.
Overall, this is an excellent police procedural tackling a subject I’ve never seen in a mystery before. Please correct me in the comments if I’m wrong. I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 3, 2019
Death in the Covenant by D.A.Bartley tells the tale of Abish, aka Abby, she has returned to Pleasant View, Utah where she works at the police department. She receives a call to a car accident. There she finds that the victim is a family friend and one of the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints.
Abby has lapsed in her religion, but her father, a professor, has not and Abby is determined to find out what happened to her father's friend who Abby believes was murdered as does her father. In order to prove this, she travels to Mexico to a clan of Mormons there. She finds that young women are getting pregnant to add members to the clan. There is also the fact that the church is thinking about going back to the age-old plan of polygamy.
Can she find out what happened to her father's friend, what is going on with her father? Can she keep her father safe? You will have to read this book to find out. Great characters and exceptional explanations about the LDS community and what they are about. I learned quite a bit as a matter of fact. I really enjoyed the book! I look forward to reading another Abish Taylor Mystery!
I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.
Abby has lapsed in her religion, but her father, a professor, has not and Abby is determined to find out what happened to her father's friend who Abby believes was murdered as does her father. In order to prove this, she travels to Mexico to a clan of Mormons there. She finds that young women are getting pregnant to add members to the clan. There is also the fact that the church is thinking about going back to the age-old plan of polygamy.
Can she find out what happened to her father's friend, what is going on with her father? Can she keep her father safe? You will have to read this book to find out. Great characters and exceptional explanations about the LDS community and what they are about. I learned quite a bit as a matter of fact. I really enjoyed the book! I look forward to reading another Abish Taylor Mystery!
I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.
December 31, 2019
Thanks to the publisher for the free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review
3.5 stars rounded up for rating
This was my introduction to the Abish Taylor series (and book two). While you can definitely pick this up and read it on it’s own, Bartley doesn’t give us a ton of background from book one. So if we want to get to know Abbie and company better, then book one would be recommended!
This was a faster paced crime fiction novel. It was more of a straight police procedural as opposed to a thriller. I found it fascinating that the author included the LDS Church and gave us a little bit of insight into their teachings. While not painted in the most positive light, we still get a glimpse into the world that Abbie once knew.
While the mystery was good and I did enjoy Abbie as a character, there were a few things that just didnt really work for me as a reader. From what I saw in a few other reviews, take the information about the church lightly because it seems pretty biased in nature. Overall, a great police procedural and I think I’ll continue the series in the future!
3.5 stars rounded up for rating
This was my introduction to the Abish Taylor series (and book two). While you can definitely pick this up and read it on it’s own, Bartley doesn’t give us a ton of background from book one. So if we want to get to know Abbie and company better, then book one would be recommended!
This was a faster paced crime fiction novel. It was more of a straight police procedural as opposed to a thriller. I found it fascinating that the author included the LDS Church and gave us a little bit of insight into their teachings. While not painted in the most positive light, we still get a glimpse into the world that Abbie once knew.
While the mystery was good and I did enjoy Abbie as a character, there were a few things that just didnt really work for me as a reader. From what I saw in a few other reviews, take the information about the church lightly because it seems pretty biased in nature. Overall, a great police procedural and I think I’ll continue the series in the future!
July 14, 2019
Another mystery series set in the LDS world? Sure, I'll try. Unlike Mette Ivie Harrison's Linda Wallheim series with its amateur detective, Abish Taylor is a police detective descended from an 1800s Prophet and very well known to church leadership. That is a blessing and a curse: she knows the ins and outs of the Church and the religion (nicely explained here for those who don't know a lot about LDS theology or practices) but as someone who hasn't been a part of the church life since her return to Utah she's also an outsider. As far as procedurals go, this plays by the rules of the convention and wraps up just enough of the whodunnit and whydunnit to satisfy readers while leaving a little something left out that could become part of the next book in the series. I'm definitely going to find the first book and will keep my eyes open for the next.
eARC provided by publisher.
eARC provided by publisher.
July 11, 2021
Much of the allure here rests on what is presented as the secrecy of the Church of LDS and some of the more lurid revelations of the last couple decades concerning a splinter group that has purportedly defied the Church’s official capitulation to American insistence on monogamy back in the 1890s. The death of a family friend is the precipitating incident for investigation of a thin thread of suspicion, and although the simple, supine obedience of the women who are corralled into the bindings of bizarre bigamy is somewhat over-sensationalized, this cautionary tale of the skullduggery behind the façade of religion reinforces the protagonist’s skepticism in confronting the mantra, “I believe…”
July 9, 2019
I loved Abish Taylor (Abbie). She's caring, tough, intelligent, committed and the perfect protagonist, together with her very capable partner, Officer Jim Clarke, to walk us through the conservative and complex world of Mormonism. The setting, the beautiful mountains of Utah, add a sense of isolation and menace to this complex mystery. The story raises very interesting issues about plural marriage, the role of women in Mormonism and the cost of trying to break away from the church. Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my e-book in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended.
July 10, 2021
3.5 stars.
This was a pretty decent murder mystery, the second in the Abish Taylor series. I liked the first one a little bit more, but I’m not sure why. This one felt very heavy on information but I know the first one was as well, so maybe I’m just in a slightly different reading mood than I was when I read the first in the series.
I am curious to see where the relationship with Flynn goes and if Abbie’s relationship with her dad continues to improve. But I’m not sure if a third book is planned or not. I hope so!
This was a pretty decent murder mystery, the second in the Abish Taylor series. I liked the first one a little bit more, but I’m not sure why. This one felt very heavy on information but I know the first one was as well, so maybe I’m just in a slightly different reading mood than I was when I read the first in the series.
I am curious to see where the relationship with Flynn goes and if Abbie’s relationship with her dad continues to improve. But I’m not sure if a third book is planned or not. I hope so!
October 25, 2021
D.A. Bartley’s second Abish Taylor mystery, Death in the Covenant, is as terrific a book as the first one, Blessed Be the Wicked. Essential to the plot of both books is Detective Abby Taylor’s fraught relationship with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a world Bartley brings to life with clear-eyed sympathy and unflinching honesty.
The plot is well-conceived and constructed, and the characters are finely drawn, but the real strength here is Bartley’s strong, confident writing. This suspenseful mystery was a pleasure to read, from the first page to the last.
The plot is well-conceived and constructed, and the characters are finely drawn, but the real strength here is Bartley’s strong, confident writing. This suspenseful mystery was a pleasure to read, from the first page to the last.
November 26, 2021
Ho sempre ritenuto i Mormoni una specie di setta e questo libro mi conferma che alcuni aspetti del loro credo religioso sono alquanto discutibili, almeno secondo me. A parte questo sono altamente delusa dal finale in quanto il maggiore colpevole la fa franca. Dove è la giustizia in questo libro? Ho dato una stella in meno per questo perché per il resto la storia era buona.
February 27, 2025
This book was given to me by mother, who read and enjoyed it and thought I would also. I did enjoy the book, it was a good story and had a bit of insight on the LDS religion. We didn't realize it was part of a series, but it didn't matter that we didn't read the first book. We just jumped right in.
It was an enjoyable read.
It was an enjoyable read.
August 22, 2019
The writing is very good, smooth and easy to read, and the characters are good as well. The setting, including the religious system, is very interesting for an outsider like myself. What I dislike is people not fighting for what's right, as the main character should have been much tougher.
October 14, 2019
Not bad....I don’t know a whole lot about the Latter Day Saints/ Mormons so at times I had a hard time following the lingo. That would be my only issue...so specific to the religion that I felt lost at times.
November 21, 2019
LDS
I was raised in a Southern Baptist (mother), Mormon (father) home. This author is right on with her characters. It is very believable that this could be happening. I will read more of her work.
I was raised in a Southern Baptist (mother), Mormon (father) home. This author is right on with her characters. It is very believable that this could be happening. I will read more of her work.
March 24, 2019
I got this as a arc e book for my i pad from Net Galley. I enjoyed reading it. It had a good story to it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.
September 8, 2019
A really good read.
I highly recommend this book. Engaging, interesting and we'll written. I hope there will be more in the series !
I highly recommend this book. Engaging, interesting and we'll written. I hope there will be more in the series !
October 27, 2019
I listened to this book on Audible. It was fascinating, and gripping! I was hooked from beginning to end. I will certainly be listening to more Abish Taylor mysteries!
January 27, 2020
Very good couldn't put it down. Can't wait to read the 2nd book.
May 23, 2020
Loved Abish Taylor learned about Mormon religion so so mystery
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