Another Mystery Series

Over the past ten days I have taken advantage of being in quarantine by reading my eyeballs to stubs. One of my favorite websites, Ace of Spades, has a weekly book post from which I have benefited many times: the book recommendations are always worth paying attention to. Recently someone on the site mentioned the Liturgical Mysteries series by Mark Schweizer and I wholeheartedly recommend these books.

The series is set in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina and narrated by Hayden Konig, the town chief of police who doubles as the organist and choir director at St. Barnabas. In his spare time the chief, a rabid Raymond Chandler fan, bends his efforts to writing hardboiled mystery novels. He even went to the effort of purchasing Chandler's typewriter at auction, refurbishing it and using it to write. There's just one problem: He's a terrible writer. 

The books are great. Vivid characterization, scathing religious satire, hilarious town developments, terrible puns and erudite musical and theological references which sail right over my head - they have it all. It is rare that I laugh out loud when I am reading, but every book in this series has made me do exactly that. And the mystery portion of the plots are really good. Do give these a try - you won't regret it. $2.99 apiece on Amazon, if you have a Kindle.

Labels: Books, Episcopaliana