Murder Superior

Gregor Demarkian #8

by Jane Haddam

The Order of the Sisters of Divine Grace is holding a convention on the Philadelphia campus of St. Elizabeth's College—and the list of invitees is studded with unlikely Main Line luminaries like charmless coronation king Henry Hare and foul-mouthed Norm Kevic, the most-talked-about radio talk show host in Philly. Also on hand is guest speaker and retired FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. The festivities include a reception and buffet dinner... which turns into a Last Supper for the nun who keels over due to a fatal case of pate poisoning. It's murder for mother's day—Who stuffed the ice sculpture with fugu, a foul-smelling, potentially lethal Japanese food fish? And why kill a nice nun like Sister Joan Esther when it's the truly evil Mother Mary Bellarmine whom everyone despised? Demarkian has to sort through an ever-shifting maze of facts and suspects—including a Society Hill matron who's no saint and a minor celebrity with a very bad habit—before he can crack a case in dire need of divine deliverance... from death.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Detective, Crime, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Contemporary

279 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 1993

About the author

Aka Orania Papazoglou

Jane Haddam (b. 1951) is an American author of mysteries. Born Orania Papazoglou, she worked as a college professor and magazine editor before publishing her Edgar Award–nominated first novel, Sweet, Savage Death, in 1984. This mystery introduced Patience McKenna, a sleuthing scribe who would go on to appear in four more books, including Wicked, Loving Murder (1985) and Rich, Radiant Slaughter (1988).

Not a Creature Was Stirring (1990) introduced Haddam’s best-known character, former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. The series spans more than twenty novels, many of them holiday-themed, including Murder Superior (1993), Fountain of Death (1995), and Wanting Sheila Dead (2005). Haddam’s most recent novels are Blood in the Water (2012) and Hearts of Sand (2013). Wife of William L DeAndrea.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gregor Demarkian series is one of my favourite crime series of all time and I am enjoying re-reading the early novels. This is the eighth in the series, published in 1993.

We again see Demarkian involved with the Catholic Church. In this case, giving a talk on, "Investigating the Catholic Murder," at a convention of nuns from the Sisters of Divine Grace. There will be characters we have met previously, such as Sister Scholastica and a whole host of suspects to choose from when one of the nuns is poisoned during the opening reception. Haddam always sets the scene really well, so we meet everyone, from the outrageous talk show host, Norman Kevic, to the much hated Mother Mary Bellarmine, through to the deeply unhappy and volatile, Nancy Callahan Hare, before the crime takes place.

Although our hero is normally welcomed into the investigation, in this case he is resented by a detective who has his job through nepotism and it is left to the Sisters themselves to pull the strings necessary for Demarkian to be able to solve the mystery. Of course, all our favourites from the series are also involved, including Father Tibor, Bennis and the ladies who constantly decorate the American Armenian neighbourhood where Gregor Demarkian resides. Great fun and a really enjoyable mystery.

[Jennifer O'bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who likes murder/mystery stories, I highly recommend the Gregor Demarkian series. All the stories (27 so far)make for great reading. The characters are well developed and genuinely likeable.

[Lizzytish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gregor is back among the nuns again. It was an ok mystery. A little nunsenical in my opinion. There’s a convention of nuns and one of the nuns drops dead. Poisoning by fugu? Seems fishy. Heart attack? Murder? Gregor seems to be in the habit of finding himself once again at the scene of murder.

[Ricki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gregor Demarkian isn't sure if he is going to be asked to help with any more investigations...Not a detective, not a PI, but as former FBI agent he gets involved in the most dastardly of crimes in the most bizarre circumstanes. Who would expect a murder at a convention of nuns? Jane Haddam does so well with these mysteries..I am going through them one by one to get caught up on the ones I have missed!

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent plot full of twists and turns. In some ways this book showed its age (published in 1993), but the characters were generally believable, except perhaps for the rich tycoon’s promiscuous and unpleasant wife.

[Cyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as satisfying as some of the other Gregor Demarkian mysteries, but fine as escapist reading.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is always good for a lighter read that is still a mystery, and the visions of nuns everywhere adds to humor in this offering

[Lila · Rating 2 out of 5]

A surprisingly engrossing tale of murder at a Philadelphia Catholic school during a convention of nuns. Detective Gregor Demarkian is Armenian and the story has good local color.

[Kyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite Demarkian story. It advanced the personal relationship between Gregor and Bennis, but I didn't care all that much for the mystery.
The nuns seem to be taking over his life - is the Roman Catholic church so desperate it has to keep turning to a lapsed Armenian Orthodox detective to solve things?

12/26/24 I didn't like this one as much as others, and the conclusion wasn't very satisfactory.

[Catherine Woodman]

Amazingly, a Gregor Demarkian that I had not read that we had in paperback--I read this on my trip to France, and it was a good one--a good plot, not as complicated as they become later in the series, but very good murder mystery and light read.

[Alaina Patterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the full review -- including an actual reason for its rating (for once), and an assist from The Simpsons -- follow the link to That's What She Read.

[Samira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Total brain candy and not the best mystery ever, but it saw me through a couple of hours on the exercise bike at the gym this weekend.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

a nun convention - good red herrings- satisfying justice

[Allison Henle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to be the single most obvious of all the mysteries...

[Gloria Mccracken · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a reread of one of the Gregor Demarkian books. Just as good the second time around.

[Liz Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at a convention of nuns where everyone looks pretty much alike and most have the first name of Mary. It is tidily solved by the American-Armenian Hercule Periot. Quite enjoyable.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of this series. But having now read an earlier book in the series, I think I can say it improved with age.