A Christmas Grace

Since Charlotte Pitt is sick, her sister, Emily Radley, responds to their aunt's summons to Charlotte to come to her in Ireland. Their Aunt Susannah is dying and may not last until Christmas. When Emily arrives, she finds that the small Irish village is also dying under the weight of an unsolved murder. Then another stranger arrives and stirs up memories of the murdered man. Will history repeat itself? Or will Emily be able to uncover the truth, and in so doing restore life to the village?

I've always liked Emily, who has sometimes assisted Thomas Pitt in delicate murder investigations among the upper class. This was one of the more enjoyable Christmas novellas for me since it features Emily. However, the plot relies on an improbable show more coincidence and illogical assumptions that I found difficult to accept. Recommended with reservations to fans of Perry's Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series. show less

I have come to look forward to Anne Perry's little Christmas books. They are always a delight, and each one gives us a more intimate look at one of Ms. Perry's lesser characterizations from her extensive bibliography. This book focuses on Charlotte Pitt's sister, Emily Radway. I have always loved Emily in the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt books, and this book gives us a whole new look at the wonderfully fashionable Emily. She sets off to visit a sick, estranged aunt in the western part of Ireland, just before Christmas in 1895. She finds a dying village when she gets there, and promises to try to find out the answer to an old mystery which caused the death of a young shipwreck victim seven years ago. Ms. Perry gives us a wonderful show more description of Connemarra and the sea that rules the lives of the people that live there. Thank you again for a lovely little gift Ms. Perry. show less

This novel featured Charlotte Pitt’s younger sister, Emily, who felt guilted by her husband to go to Connomara, Ireland to take care of her dying aunt. There’s a shipwreck shortly after her arrival and a man is washed ashore and is brought to it brings memories back for the people of the dying village of last shipwreck. Emily can’t resist the challenge of discovering who murdered the first shipwreck survivor while caring for her ailing aunt.

It's the late 1800s and Emily Radley goes to visit her terminally ill aunt in Ireland although she hasn't seen her in years due to her marrying a Catholic man. She finds that there is something that is haunting her aunt and the other townspeople. She starts asking questions to find out.

This was a pretty interesting story with the cozy feel of a small town and the people that live there. It kept me wondering what everyone's secret fear was about. The ending was a bit contrived by overall I liked it.

I've made it my tradition that if Halloween items can be brought out in August then I should be able to start bringing out my Christmas time reading in September (or at least October). I think everyone has some traditions, even if not having a tradition is the tradition. :) Last year I discovered this wonderful little Christmas series and I started reading them. It is such a nice cozy feeling to settle in and read one, or all of these. Ireland and fireplaces, in a time before mine. And always a mystery with an older lady and gentleman solving it. Such a nice way to settle into winter and what we have ahead of us. :)

Traveling to the coast of Ireland to stay with a dying aunt who she barely knows, Emily witnesses a ship going down off the coast of Ireland. A lone survivor of the wreck is helped ashore and brought to her aunt's house to stay. The villagers are put on edge by this as the last time a ship wreck survivor ended up on their coast, the survivor was murdered. Emily notices that the town is slowly dying partly because of the suspicions everyone has for everyone else not knowing who is the murderer. As Emily finds herself becoming attached to her aunt, she sets out to find out who the murderer is, hoping to allow her aunt to die knowing that the town she loves will survive. Wonnderfully written, this mystery will hold you til the end.

Another really enjoyable novel from Anne Perry, I didn't actually read this navel at Christmastime as I would normally try to but it was less important than with others as it was less centred on Christmas themes in the secular sense. The story was powerful and interesting.