Julia Spencer-Fleming - A Fountain Filled With Blood

Nestled in the heart of the Adirondacks, Miller's Kill, New York is about as safe as it gets. That's why Episcopal minister Clare Fergusson is shocked when the July Fourth weekend brings a rash of vicious assaults to the scenic town. Even Clare's good friend, police chief Russ Van Alstyne, is shaken by the brutality of the crimes-especially when it appears that the victims were chosen because they are gay. But when a third assault of an out-of-town developer ends in murder, Clare and Russ wonder if the recent crime wave is connected to the victim's controversial plan to open an upscale spa in Miller's Kill. But not all things in the tiny town are what they seem-and soon, Clare and Russ are left to fight their unspoken attraction to one another even as they uncover a labyrinthine conspiracy that threatens to turn deadly for them both...

Comment: This is the second installment in the mystery series featuring reverend Clare Fergusson and police officer Russ Van Alstyne. The two often find themselves dealing with the community in which they belong to in different capacities, but always with some crime to solve... and forbidden attraction to avoid...

When this story begins, there's an assembly of sorts going on, with some construction work in the woks being debated, especially because there's talk of water contamination and such. While this happens, a small group of ruffians attacks a man, who happens to be the medical examiner and also a gay man. Later, another gay man is attacked and some clues start pointing to a possible distraction about the construction work, which is dividing opinions. While going on about their lives and work, can Clare and Russ put everything together and find out if there's any actual link between all these events? What about when someone is found dead...?

Last year I've read the first book in this series, which I got interested in after I gave that first book as a gift and the person liked it a lot, so I decided to get one for myself. I especially liked the premise: Clare is a woman priest in the Episcopalian Church and Russ is a police officer, married. In common they have the military training and an attraction but there are a few obstacles to prevent them being together, namely his marriage. I suppose the goal is to lead them into a place down the road in the series, where a romance will happen, I just hope it will be well done.

In fact, I'm confident this will be so, and I'm trying my best to not give in to the temptation and read the blurbs of the other books in case they ruin the experience for me. I'm definitely going to read the rest of the series throughout the next year. 

Regarding the romance hints, things remain the same here as they were in the first book, they acknowledge to each other they like the other person and that they could be a strong pair romantically but self conscience, morals and a close community prevent impulsive decisions. I can't help but notice that, once more, we spend a whole book reading about Linda, Russ's wife and she never, not even once, shows up on the page interactions or speaking with others. It has to mean something again, right?

As for the mystery, I must say I liked it a lot more here than in the first book. The the attacks on gay people were certainly hard to read about, in the sense this felt unjust not only because they were intentionally beaten, but because they were all characters that had no real impact on the story line, they were mere handy targets and part of me was really annoyed, but of course, there is a specific reason for this. When we learn why these people, things are obviously a bit more complex than what seemed. I also liked how Clare and Russ talk about homophobia and how they conclude the unfairness and the ignorance of so many things even though people act and react in ways they should not.

I mean, I just liked how there's food for thought in this and people aren't perfect, nothing is just good or bad in relation to anyone's opinions, and talking, discussing things is a better way to think about them and to respect others.

Anyway, as the story went along, some secondary characters became more and more important and I confess I suspected the killer from the start, just not exactly how. Then, in a rather good twist, although a little obvious once we got the clues together, there's a bigger villain and I think he author wrote things in a very clever way to make readers guessing on what is going on. Again, once things are explained, many little things made sense and I have to wonder if somethings seemed too convenient that one dismisses them too soon...

Closer to the end, there's a certain scene with a helicopter that I rolled my eyes at, not that it was something impossible (like a sort of similar one in another book which was ridiculous to me...) but because it was so dramatic that it felt over the top. I do think there were a few things which could have been done better, especially some things Clare does in her need to help or to investigate. I think this a given in the series, part of Clare's "charm" but sometimes if feels too unlikely.

I'm quite eager to keep reading the series and find out what next for these characters. I'd say this is more a mix of woman's fiction (the hint of forbidden romance between mature characters and Clare's religion) and cozy mystery, even with some gore here and there. Hoping the best for the next one...

Grade: 8/10