Review by Booklist Review
Blackie Ryan and his multitude of fans are in for a refreshing change of pace when the wily bishop travels to Spain to attend a conference. Of course, Blackie being Blackie, it is not long before he becomes involved in another intellectually and spiritually challenging whodunit. As in most Greeley morality fables, the good and the beautiful are threatened but are saved by the grace of God and the intervention of the inconspicuous little priest. When the tragically beautiful Dona Teresa, the Duchess of Seville, is almost killed, it is up to Blackie to solve the perplexing locked-door mystery, expose the culprit, and preach an appropriately unique homily. Removed from his midwestern comfort zone and deprived of the able assistance of his zany crew of North Wabash Avenue Irregulars, Blackie still manages to both baffle and charm a dazzling array of international characters before he heads back to Chicago, where intriguing changes in both his position and in future story lines await.--Flanagan, Margaret Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Greeley's breezy 17th Blackie Ryan novel (after 2007's The Bishop at the Lake) takes Ryan to the south of Spain for a conference, where the local cardinal requests his help preventing the murder of a beautiful and wealthy widow, DoOa Teresa Maria, duchess of Seville, whose many relatives envy her money, title and power in the community. Blackie's sister, meanwhile, has put pressure on Blackie to nudge his nephew Joseph and Joseph's girlfriend, Peggy Anne Nolan, who have accompanied him on the trip, into setting a date for their wedding. To add to his concerns, Blackie receives word from the U.S. of the ill health of his superior, the archbishop of Chicago. Armchair travelers will relish the descriptions of Seville and Cordoba, along with the details of Spanish history and customs. Indeed, some readers may feel the travelogue aspects overshadow the mystery untangling, but all will enjoy Greeley's wit and good humor. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
