A Fountain Filled with Blood (A Reverend Clare Fergusson mystery) - Tapa dura

"[Spencer-Fleming] pulls it off again." -Chicago Tribune "Spencer-Fleming's second cozy-cum-thriller to feature the Reverend Clare Fergusson...is every bit as riveting as her first...with eloquent exposition and natural dialogue, the precisely constructed plot moves effortlessly to its dramatic conclusion." -Publishers Weekly (starred review) "The plot is complicated, and the ethical issues are even thornier. Wisely, Spencer-Fleming treats them with the same delicacy she extends to Clare's forbidden love."-The New York Times "Despite the brutal crimes, this is a quiet and civilized story just right for those who enjoy a modern take on the old-fashioned whodunit."-Rocky Mountain News "Serious issues...add depth to the story. An exciting mountain rescue keeps the pages turning as the pace picks up at the end."-Booklist "Even more action, more plot-twists, and more unconsummated romance than in Clare and Russ's notable debut."-Kirkus Reviews

It's summer and a violent attack on a doctor triggers a series of gay-bashing episodes. The Episcopalian priest Clare Fergusson and Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne, who has been carefully avoiding one another, are thrown together. Still fighting their mutual attraction, Russ rudely bars Clare from taking any part in dealing with the violent homophobia, and from contributing to the investigation. As the reluctant partnership continues, closeness becomes inevitable. The pair find that it's hard enough trying to solve a crime with an assortment of valid suspects; it's even harder to tamp down a powerful personal attraction.