Sign of the Cross: A Collins-Burke Mystery, Book 1 cover art

Sign of the Cross: A Collins-Burke Mystery, Book 1

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Sign of the Cross: A Collins-Burke Mystery, Book 1

By: Anne Emery
Narrated by: Christian Rummel
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About this listen

Monty Collins is a sharp-tongued public defender who just wants to represent an upstanding character for a change. A priest with something to hide isn't quite what he had hoped for, but when the literate, arrogant, and tight-lipped Father Brennan Burke is implicated in the strange murder of a young woman, Monty doesn't just take the case - the case takes him. When Burke won't come clean, Monty is forced to play private detective, traveling into his client's past.

Things look good for the case until another body is found, marked with the same telltale sign as the first. Burke keeps mum, alternate suspects are ruled out, and the trial looks like it might be lost before deliberation. As if it couldn't get any worse, Monty's wisecracking ex-wife enters the picture, and she seems to know more about Burke than Monty does. Evidence and coincidence pile up, leading to a revelation neither Monty nor the listener see coming.

©2006 Anne Emery (P)2012 Audible, Inc. Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction

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Critic reviews

"Halifax writer Emery will keep your already hot blood boiling thanks to this compelling legal drama." (Hour)
"A smart, elegantly written courtroom drama that will, I hope, be the first of many." (Calgary Herald)
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This series of books (7 of them as I write this review) are just good old-fashioned, well-written entertainment. Monty is a well-rounded and thought-out character who has depth and humour. Brennan is just about the most honest description of a Catholic priest I have read in fiction books. Human, flawed, honest, funny, deep and caring, Brennan is the counter-point to Monty's questing mind which longs to see justice done, no matter how long it takes him. If you like a good yarn with good characters and a decent plot, give these books a go. One thing I would say is that all of the books centre around a Catholic community whether it is in Canada, Ireland or Italy, so be aware of that going in. It is best to start off with this book as the first in the series. Although Anne Emery does an excellent job of making sure she gives enough information for those readers who have not read the series in order, it is more satisfying especially in regard to the relationship between Monty and Brennan, to start at the beginning. The icing on the cake for all these books is the narration by Christian Rummel. He does a superb job. It's no wonder there are literally dozens of books out there narrated by him, he is awesome.

The adventure begins!

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This is a good murder mystery, well told.
It has two intriguing main characters backed up by a fine supporting cast. Christian Rummel is an excellent narrator, giving convincing voices to all of the characters, young and old, male and female.
There is much to like as the central murder mysteries are systematically probed and unravelled by Monty, the lawyer, and Brennan, the priest who is his client - and who is also 'the accused' .
Most of the action takes place in and around Halifax, Nova Scotia, and, for me, the setting is nicely evoked.
As well as clever detective work, there is plenty of humour and humanity on show. I especially enjoyed Monty's spiky relationship with his estranged wife, the feisty Maura. Also to be admired is the confidence with which the author handles the legal procedures and courtroom scenes.

A good book - and very well narrated

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I thought the characters were well rounded and the injection of the dry humour made it a very enjoyable read. I also thought the narrator did a good job with all the different accents as I felt it bought the characters to life.

I am looking forward to settling down with book 2 Obit to continue the adventure of Monty and father Burke.

Thoroughly enjoyed the joyed the journey

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What made the experience of listening to Sign of the Cross: A Collins-Burke Mystery, Book 1 the most enjoyable?

Excellent narration, each character's personality brought out by the narrator which could be missed if just reading to yourself

What does Christian Rummel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Narrator defines the personalities more than if reading to oneself. Great Irish accents and always knew which characters were speaking

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, the enjoyment was in looking forward to listening over a number of days

Any additional comments?

I note the same narrator has narrated the other books in the series therefore I look forward to listening to them

Narrator brings characters to life

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I loved the main characters in this novel, they were well defined and really likeable. The story was well crafted with a good ending, certainly I will look for more of the Collins - Burke series. My only disappointment was that some of the accents by the narrator were awful, especially the 'upper crust English toff' voice', however, apart from that it was quite nicely narrated, and I managed to switch off my dislike of the accent. Definitely worth reading!

Couldn't put it down

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This was my first Emery mystery. I'm a vicar and I enjoy books set in the church. This did not disappoint. I love the detective and grew to appreciate the priest. The characters were engaging and well developed through the story. The plot focused on the current church controversy over paedophilia and the issues around celibacy and was handled very well by the author, I thought. The ending was held in suspense to the end which kept me wanting to stop everything to listen awhile longer than I had! Christian Rummel is an excellent narrator.....clear and engaging. I'm looking forward to listening to the rest of the series.

A very current issue

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A good mystery means that you are keen to follow the path of clues and get to the end to see if you were right. But a good story carries you with the characters as they follow the path. Anne Emery has written a very good story. She takes you into the hearts and minds of the characters while they trace their journey past and into the present unraveling the effect that their words and actions have had on others. It reminds us of how simple words can have profound and long lasting effects. She has done this exceptionally well. Whilst a good story from an excellent author has often been spoiled for me by a poor narrator the choice in this case fitted perfectly. Christian Rummel toned his characters just right. It was like listening to a play at times. This is a book I will listen to again. Anne Emery and Christian Rummel are names I will search for again. What a good find this was! It all just came together.

When it all comes together

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