Review of THE FUNERAL BOAT by Kate Ellis

Thomas Dunne, July 2002 (2000 U.K.)

<MAP NAME="boxmap-p8"><AREA SHAPE="RECT" COORDS="14, 200, 103, 207" HREF="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" ><AREA COORDS="0,0,10000,10000" HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/kisskillzapcom" ></MAP><img src="http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/rcm/120x240.gif" width="120" height="240" border="0" usemap="#boxmap-p8" alt="Shop at Amazon.com"> A beautiful Danish woman is abducted, a series of farmhouses have been robbed, and the thousand year-old skeleton of a Viking marauder is found in rural England--and the police are left scrambling. Within the police force itself, trouble threatens. Detective Constable Rachel Tracey's eyes have turned firmly to Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson--who has been having problems with his marriage--and Chief Gerry Hefferman's son has found a job that pays big bucks but involves late night hours and secrets. The biggest secrets, though, are secrets of adultery and death--secrets that stretch over the years and that continue to harm everyone connected to them.

Author Kate Ellis (see more BooksForABuck.com reviews of mysteries by Ellis) weaves archeology and the story of a 10th century Viking raid into the modern mystery. This device adds interest to the novel. The local Viking festival serves to tie together the ancient and modern plots as well as to advance the mystery.

THE FUNERAL BOAT is an enjoyable read although, for me, not as satisfying as Ellis's earlier THE ARMADA BOY (see our review) or AN UNHALLOWED GRAVE (see our review). Several inconsistencies (stainless steel would have been a rarity in Viking times yet no one seemed to remark on it and Dave was hit in the head with a pot but the family was concerned about if he'd been hit a few feet higher) serve to pull the reader out of the story. The recurring theme of adultery and murder darkens this tale--especially with the temptation to adultery between the two leading characters, Rachel and Wesley.

Two Stars

Reviewed 2/04/03

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