Condemned to Death

A Netgalley review not yet released for publication although the preorder link has posted. I adore the Burren mysteries and have read every single one but this one was surprising in its ending.

Mara, Brehon of the Burren is remorseful at the conclusion and I was startled and not a little bit sad. This: "When Mara, Brehon of the Burren, is summoned to the sandy beach of Fanore, on the western fringe of the kingdom of the Burren, she sees a sight that she has never witnessed before during her thirty years as law-enforcer and investigating magistrate..and gradually suspicion dawns that someone near and dear to her is involved in the murder". Hmmm, my Irish premonition or as my greats called it "the Sight" makes me think that the series will have changes.

Going to Cora Harrison's author page I find I was correct but I will keep it to myself. Suffice to say that this wonderful and truly historically correct in every way series will be continuing. I checked all these places out recently in Ireland. Spent part of a day at Bunratty Castle Verdict of the Court was set and chattered on about Turlough.

It is imperative that you start this series if you like Irish, Medieval or Historical Mysteries, or just a great read.

Another wonderful story. Mara is one of my favorite book characters.

Mara has gained much experience in her twenty-five year service as Brehon - judge and investigating magistrate - of the Irish kingdom of Burren. She has never, however, come across the sight of the results of the punishment for fingal (kin-slaying). The body of a man is found lying in the bottom of a boat wearing very little clothing and apparently judged guilty of his crime by God. With no food, water, or oars this sentence of being cast adrift on the sea can only lead to one result. Mara, though, feels that something isn't quite right with what she is seeing. She is determined to use her seven law students to solve the question of whether this death was fingal or murder.

I believe this is story number twelve in this series so the characters have been long established. I have read some of the other books, but not nearly all of them. Mara doesn't come to the seaside village of Fanore very often and she has to chide herself for losing touch with the hardworking fishermen and farmers who live along this rugged coast. Cora Harrison always does such a wonderful job of placing me right in the time period of these novels, the sixteenth century. This novel focused on her use of the death of this man so that Mara can teach her students the practical investigative skills they will need if they are successful in going on to become lawyers. They also must learn the many laws which pertain to the situations they find swirling around this death; if there was gold treasure found, who does it belong to? Were the people of the community involved in the death and if so, what penalty will need to be assessed, if any? All of this carried out by a woman whose word was considered as binding and had to be obeyed as if the instructions had been spoken by the king. These novels are always an interesting learning experience to see how advanced the culture was regarding the appreciation of the capabilities of women.

Because there was so much interaction between Mara and her students (two of whom are related to her) it felt as if this novel progressed at a rather slow pace. I do understand why that was necessary and I willingly confess that I had no idea at all what the resolution of this case would be. So, ultimately, if you are willing to stick with the story and not want to rush through to a conclusion I think you will enjoy this book as much as I did.

I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley.

First Sentence: The body of the man in the boat with no oars had been washed up on to the orange sands of the beach of Fanore.
As Brehon of the Burren and the one who dispenses justice, Mara knows of the punishment for kin-murder, but never seen someone who has been set to sea in a boat without either sail or oars. Now just such a boat had turned up. No one in the small fishing community admits to knowing who the victim is, but Mara, with the help of her law students, doesn’t believe them, or that he washed ashore from another location.
Each chapter heading introduces readers to an element of Brehon Law. It is not only fascinating, but almost makes one long for such a practical system. Additionally, within the story, it is interesting how Mara considers that a change is needed to the Brehon laws in order to reflect the changing times.
Harrison paints wonderfully descriptive pictures giving us a strong sense of place. She is also very good at using weather and, in this case, the sea, as an additional character in the story. There is also a very good reminder as to how brief is life and how “Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord.”

Don't, however, mistake this for a book with a religious subtext. It is more a lesson in the cost of man’s greed. Still, she does make reference of the shift from the old faith to the “new,” “The priests were trying to call the first of February St. Brigid’s Day, but on the Burren it was still known as Imbolc and was one of the four great festivals in the Celtic calendar."
Harrison’s style does become a bit repetitive in the details giving one the feeling she fears readers might forget something previously told to them. There is also an issue of flow and pacing as the story seems rather to meander along until the final quarter of the story when it becomes exciting and intense. It would be nice where there a bit more consistency throughout.

“Condemned to Death” contains very vivid characters, and a lesson in humility and priorities brought to bear in a devastating climax.

CONDEMNED TO DEATH (Hist Mys-Mara-Ireland-16th Century) – Good Harrison, Cora – 12th book in series Severn House / First World Publication – Feb 2015