Book Review: Mansions of the Dead by Sarah Stewart Taylor (Sweeney St. George #2)

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Intriguing main character, interesting plot

Cons: New character Timothy Quinn and his sub-plot

The Bottom Line:

Weak new character

Doesn't distract from the fun

Great second story

Death Styles of the Rich and Powerful

Mansions of the Dead is the second mystery starring Sweeney St. George. Even for amateur detectives, she has a unique job. She's an art professor at Cambridge specializing in the art of death, including gravestones and mourning art.

When Sweeney St. George is asked by the police to help identify some mourning jewelry found on a murder victim's body, she never dreams that the victim was also one of her students. Brad Putnam was quite interested in burial customs, and because of his enthusiasm for the subject, Sweeney really liked him. Naturally, she is quite upset when she learns of his death.

Brad was a member of a powerful and well-known family in Boston whose influence goes back generations. As Sweeney helps the police, she finds herself drawn into other aspects of the case. Why was the jewelry left on Brad? What was he so upset about the night he was killed? And does it have anything to do with his research for her class?

I enjoyed Ms. Taylor's debut mystery and was looking forward to this book as well. I wasn't disappointed. Sweeney is as interesting a character as before, and I find her knowledge of burial and mourning customs fascinating. The other characters are fully developed as well. While Sweeney is the main character, we don't spend the entire time with her. While this doesn't give away the killer too early, it does help us get to know the other characters better. Yet, with one exception, these glimpses help the story move forward.

The plot is well paced with clues and red herrings scattered throughout. Again, we have a historic mystery and a modern mystery developing side by side. Since this book focuses on the past of only one family, I had an easier time keeping the historic characters straight this time around. Both stories kept my interest, and I was surprised by the outcome at the end.

As hinted at earlier, there is a very confusing sub-plot. In this book, we are introduced to police detective Timothy Quinn. It is quite obvious he will become a major character in the series because he gets quite a bit of time and a sub-plot of his own. While it was an interesting balance to his character, I don't like his character and found it did slow the story down somewhat.

Mansions of the Dead is slightly darker then much of what I read, but I really enjoyed it for a change of pace. The darker tone is partially because of the subject matter, but it is complimented by the writing style. Yet the writing style in engaging, inviting the reader in and making it hard to put the book down.

With a fresh writing style, interesting main character with a unique interest, and intricate plot, this is a series not to be missed.