A review by lazygal
The Bishop's Wife by Mette Ivie Harrison
4.0
This is being billed as a "Mormon Mystery" but it's not really a mystery. Yes, there are mysterious disappearances (Tobias' first wife, for example) but for me the sense that this was a Mystery with a Detective (official or not) was missing. Instead we read a book about a woman who finds herself, because of her position in the community, in the middle of some family dramas and she tries to puzzle out what's going on in much the same way that many of us would if in a similar situation.
To be honest, many of the "accidental detectives" I read are less plausible than Linda so YAY!
As for the Mormon aspects, unlike several other books I've read where the focus is on the Church's history or on splinter groups, this was a pretty reasonable introduction to their lives. At times some of the traditions are even gently mocked, as Linda reflects on what outsiders must think (the comment about Twilight made me so happy). For those wondering if the religious aspects are overwhelming, they're not. They're necessary, but there's no proselytizing nor is there a superior tone about the religion.
ARC provided by publisher.
To be honest, many of the "accidental detectives" I read are less plausible than Linda so YAY!
As for the Mormon aspects, unlike several other books I've read where the focus is on the Church's history or on splinter groups, this was a pretty reasonable introduction to their lives. At times some of the traditions are even gently mocked, as Linda reflects on what outsiders must think (the comment about Twilight made me so happy). For those wondering if the religious aspects are overwhelming, they're not. They're necessary, but there's no proselytizing nor is there a superior tone about the religion.
ARC provided by publisher.