Cora Harrison

Set in the Burren (a very specific area in County Clare, Ireland) in the 1500's, Mara O'Davoren is the local judge, the Brehon and also runs a small law school. English law has not yet penetrated this region. Yes, there were a few women judges, as there were sometimes poets and musicians in Gaelic Ireland. Brehon law was based in small communities where everyone knew everyone else and the idea was to accept that people do things they shouldn't, but to remove them from the community or cut show more off ears or put them to death or whatever solves nothing. Best for the person to publicly confess, then to be assigned (by the Brehon) a fine appropriate to his or her status in the community and clan. A recent graduate of her school is murdered on Bealtaine night, but it turns out there are maybe too many possible suspects. The novel is carefully researched, the characters are solid and some are delightful, the writing is excellent, the love of the landscape shines through. I've been and the Burren is a special place. I've even been to the ruins of a church that is mentioned there and Galway City etcetera. I loved it and learned a lot! Happily it is the first in a series, so lots to look forward to.**** show less

In 1920s Cork, a fire in a cigarette factory leaves a man dead and a teenage girl accused of murder. The Reverend Mother, once the teenager's teacher, draws on her connections to investigate the case.

As with previous installments in this series that I've read, The Deadly Weed is strong on social commentary and both the city of Cork and the river Lee can be counted among the book's cast of characters. It is however a quieter and slower novel than the earlier ones. This isn't a book with car show more chases or outrageous twists. Its tensions come from seeing a woman who is clearly tired and ageing grappling with the conflicts between duty and justice and the limits of what she can do as a nun within an unequal society. show less

This story was a very compelling read for me. The historical setting in 16th-century Ireland was fascinating. It was especially enlightening to learn about the Brehon laws that governed this region before English-style law took over. The characterisations fully draw in the reader, leading to an absorbing tale of ancient beliefs, medieval customs, and a complicated murder mystery.

The main character, Mara, endears one to her strong feminist personality. Yet Mara is a balanced woman of her show more day, with an adroit ability to reconcile her place in judging crimes based on the constraints of men as head of the family and the grip of priests on the population. Lost 1 star due to the author writing in a departure from Mara's usual commonsense which put her in grave danger. This twist was quite out of character and unnecessary to ramp up the tension. show less

Another mystery set in Ireland of the 16th century, richly written with historical detail and deeply-engrossing characterization. Harrison's stories are all about the Brehon (judge and lawyer) solving the crimes in the Burren, a regional kingdom in County Clare (Western Ireland). The stories are very engaging, peopled by such genuine individuals in their daily lives in a way that brings to life what it was like living in the 1500's.

Of special interest to me was how strongly supportive the show more communities were and how the practice of Irish law was quite wonderfully sensible (compared to the punitive, arrogant English law that was slowly usurping Ireland's thousands' year-old ruling by Brehon laws). I appreciated that women's rights were protected in ways from which today's societies could well learn. This marvellous background keeps the stories fresh and the suspense in solving misdeeds and murders compelling reading. A series well-worth reading for those seeking their next books in historical fiction. show less