The Wandering Arm: A Catherine Levendeur Mystery

By Sharan Newman

Book Overview

The first Catherine Le Vendeur mystery to appear in trade paperback, The Wandering Arm is an absorbing, richly authentic adventure.

Heaven has a way of playing with mortals. When the mummified arm of St. Aldhelm is stolen from the Salisbury Cathedral in England, Catherine LeVendeur must find the lost reliquary to save those she loves -- and to do so, she must finally confront and come to terms with her family's Jewish heritage.

"Newman offers another exquisitely crafted historical whodunit... An extremely intelligent narrative that expertly captures and conveys the authentic flavor of medieval life and thought." - Booklist

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312877331
• ISBN13: 9780312877330
• Release Date: August 2001
• Publisher: Forge
• Length: 360 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

A Very Good Historical Mystery!

Sharan Newman writes a very good medieval mystery. She does her homework on the historical facts for the time that she writes in (12th century France), and the authenticity of these facts, combined with her compelling character development make for a "page-turner" of a read. Catherine and her Edgar are the liveliest set of sleuths out their in the historical genre. In this outing Catherine's father have asked Edgar and Catherine to find a religious relic that has been stolen from Edgar's home country of England. Those following the relic's progress think it has made its way into France. Not only do we get to follow our protaganists in their search, but we get a clear picture of what relations were like between the Christians and the Jews in Paris in the 12 century. Ms. Newman's plotting is as good as her characterization, and this is a very enjoyable medieval.

In the spirit of "A Stolen Tongue" or "The Name of the Rose"

This is possibly the best of the first four books written by Sharan Newman in her Catherine LeVendeur Mysteries. It is a complex tale of murder and deceit in the realm of Paris in the 12th century, and reflects upon a true problem of the time--stolen reliquaries. If you have read and enjoyed Sheri Holman's "A Stolen Tongue" or Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose," you may find yourself finishing this tale in one sitting. It a quick but fascinating read, highly entertaining, and showing the author's ever increasing level of mastery of the genre. Highly Recommended.