“I’m looking for a good Mormon mystery.” Said not most people. Honestly, until I read Death in the Covenant by D.A. Bartley, I didn’t even know such a genre existed. But, exist it does, and lemme tell ya – it’s pretty darn great.
I loved the TV show Big Love, and I also really enjoyed reading The 19th Wife. So, when JKS Communications reached out to me about Death in the Covenant, I was immediately enticed by the Mormon mystery plotline. As an apostate Roman Catholic (thank you, Bartley, for teaching me that word, btw), I’m fascinated by Mormonism, which embraces some familiar Christian tenets, as well as some more unorthodox practices…liiiiiike, polygamy. I find the concept of polygamy intriguing, in both good and bad ways (i.e., letting your husband sleep with other women, even though you can’t sleep with anyone else? Bad. Having several other people to split household chores and childrearing with? Possibly good.) So, right away, I knew that Death in the Covenant was going to be a winner for me.
I immediately fell into the story about Detective Abbie (Abish) Taylor, who has strong Mormon roots but clearly no longer practices her faith, much to the dismay of (most of) her family and friends. Abbie is warm, engaging, determined, and very relatable; you admire her gumption as you see her strike out against the odds on her own. In Death in the Covenant, she’s investigating the death of a Mormon church leader and, in doing so, stumbles upon a taboo plot to reinstate polygamy into the church.
While this particular mystery may seem somewhat benign compared with the more common rapist/serial killer/etc., plotlines, the story that unravels in Death in the Covenant is anything but. Let me reassure you, murder mystery buffs, that there’s plenty of sleuthing, plenty of bodies, and plenty of tense situations to get caught up in throughout the course of the novel. The plot moves swiftly along as Abbie races to solve the mystery; as the stakes begin to rise, so does your adrenaline, and the final few chapters are truly heart-pounding.
I think the aspect that truly makes Death In the Covenant unique is the story’s strong Mormon roots. Author Bartley gives her reader a crash course in all things Mormon and Latter-Day Saints. I knew a little bit about the LDS before reading this book, but Bartley goes pretty in-depth with the history of the religion and its practices, right up into the doctrines of present-day Mormonism.
At its best, the finer points of Mormonism come off as, shall we say, quirky? At worst, some tenets can be viewed as downright despicable. But, hey, that can easily be said for a lot of things. I personally subscribe to the belief that all religions are a little bit weird, and Mormonism is no exception. Although the LDS info gets a little heavy at times, it was fascinating to learn about this religion, about how it started and what it’s evolved into today, both in principle and in public perception.
And, while the novel centers on an infamous Mormon practice – polygamy — you don’t have to be Mormon to understand Bartley’s message: people in positions of religious authority (typically men) wield extreme influence over their devout (often female) followers, and unsavory things can happen when that influence is abused. It’s a timely argument, what with the Me Too Movement going on, and while I don’t want to get into political stuff, Death in the Covenant really makes you wonder how many leaders, religious or otherwise, abuse their positions of power. #FoodForThought
It’s not all doom and gloom and plural wife threats, though. Death in the Covenant is a “cozy mystery,” which means that there’s also, quite enjoyably, a little romance and lot of delicious-sounding food in the book. Abbie has herself a little love connection brewing with a stalwart, attractive man who also happens to be a great cook (score!), and she has the much-needed love and support of some family members, as well. These moments of friendship, (chaste) intimacy, and just darn-good eatin’ help to break up the tense moments saturating the rest of the book.
One final thing to keep in mind is that Death in the Covenant is Book #2 of the “Abish Taylor Mystery” series. I’m no stranger to reading a book that’s smack in the middle of a series, so I was able to jump right into the action and get lost in the story. However, throughout the book are numerous mentions of a previous case Abbie worked on, the deaths of some important family members and church leaders, and a shared history with Abbie’s love interest that would have been helpful to understanding Abbie’s personal life a little better – particularly in regards to how a previosuly devout Mormon pupil veered so far away from her religion and into the life she leads now. I suspect these events were addressed in the first book in the series, so for those of you who like the consummate picture, I recommend you start with Book #1.
If you’re looking for a different kind of mystery, I recommend Death in the Covenant. I also suspect that if you’re a fan of all those Amish murder mysteries I see around, you’ll enjoy yourself a good Mormon mystery, as well. What other religion-based mysteries are out there? I feel like I’m missing out on a whole other genre! Would love to get reading recommendations in the comments below!
And, be sure to check out my book-inspired recipe: Steak Tacos!
Death in the Covenant by D.A. Bartley will be available for sale on August 13, 2019 from Crooked Lane Books / The Quick Brown Fox & Company, LLC. Thanks to JKS Communications for sending me a review copy. Although I received a complimentary advance copy of this book, all opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I was not compensated in any way for this review or for any other promotion/publicity I’ve done related to this book.
I never knew such a “genre” existed either. But this is a terrific book–with a great cover! Congratulations to D. A. Bartley.
I know, right??? I always judge a book by its cover, and this one has WINNER written all over it from the start! Just gorgeous.