The Madonna Murders

by Pamela Cranston

The Madonna Murders is a mesmerizing novel about the priceless Icon of Kazan, first made famous by Tolstoy and shown at the 1964 New York Worlds Fair. It is a story about obsession, love and murder... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0972416307
• ISBN13: 9780972416306
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: St. Hubert's Press
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.6" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

An Excellent Read

This is a fast-paced book that works on many levels, so I think it will be appealing to many different types of readers. My husband enjoyed it because it is a thrilling mystery. My teenage daughter liked the strong sense of place. She really felt like she was there, with the characters, in the Bay Area at a posh restaurant. She said that it was like reading a great travel memoir. I liked how well-researched this book is on so many topics. Whether it is Russian history, or art, or Christianity, the author dives into her subjects with great insight and detail. I hope this is the beginning of a series! I want to read about the trials and tribulations of these characters again and again.

Luxuriate in this rich mystery

This is the sort of book one wants to dive into on a rainy day, cup of tea at hand. It has the rich texture of a Persian rug. The combination of character development, spirituality, well-paced mystery, icons and Russian history is a can't-miss. Cranston has created believable characters and an intriguing story line, with some real cliff-hangers sprinkled throughout the plot. The only downer about this wonderful book is having to wait for the next one!

Welcome to a new San Francisco Bay Area Sleuth!!

"The Adirondacks has Julia Spencer-Fleming, Boston has Michelle Blake and now the San Francisco Bay Area has Pamela Cranston. We welcome Pamela to the world of theology and murder! Her character, Andrea West, a theology professor in Berkeley, is a welcome addition to the new wave of strong and independent female 'theological sleuths'. The Madonna Murders is a damn good mystery. It's not often these days that I can find a good mystery that I can't put down. I am so sure of this book that I have already reserved a place for it on our recommended rack and I can't wait until it comes out. I am looking for more exciting mysteries from Pamela Cranston."Diane Kudisch, OwnerSan Francisco Mystery Book Store

A great read

Pamela Cranston's 'The Madonna Murders' is a rich and engrossing mystery for everyone. I normally don't like mysteries, but I loved this book. The characters are well-drawn and unique. I particularly liked Andrea West and the progress of her deepening involvement with not only the mystery but the insights her detective work gives her into her personal life. I especially appreciated the excellent research and explanations about iconography and the history of the Russian church. I recommend this book to everyone who loves a good story, mystery or otherwise.

A Thumping Good Read!

Review by Dr. Roussel Sargent, Retired English Professor, Mills College, Oakland, CA: "The Madonna Murders by Pamela Cranston is a thriller that admirably fulfills its function of providing suspense and intrigue while doing much else as well. An interesting and varied cast of characters leads the reader on an impeccably plotted progress from the first corpse through the fast moving chase to its final satisfactorily inconclusive conclusion. The author plays fair and there are clues to the murderer's identity scattered throughout, but probably only a practiced few murder buffs will spot them unless rereading the book. In the meantime, we have watched the growth of a serious relationship between the two major characters: an incipient Professor of Theology and a member of "The Media"; an unlikely couple who start off very much on the wrong foot. Their amusing verbal sparring continues throughout, but their changing and growing feelings have led to the strong possibility of a permanent commitment by the end of the last chapter. Mixed into all this are many pleasures, such as: the solid particularity of the San Francisco/Bay Area setting; the history of the Russian enclave there in the early part of the last century; fascinating information about icons, and the Orthodox church; thought-provoking discussions of moral and theological matters; a touch of mysticism, a feeling for the holy. The book does no preaching, but certainly it does some teaching for those who are interested in one or more of its themes. It is a 'good read' thriller, stuffed with ideas and constantly garnished with wit."