A Fountain Filled with Blood (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries)

I was disappointed in this book. Clare doesn't become a more interesting or complicated person. Instead, she continues to be the most enlightened person in town (at least of the people we meet). And Russ continues to be a questionable police chief. Once again, Clare interjects herself into various criminal investigations, without any real justification to do so, and Russ just lets her because he finds her so charming. It is amazing to me that no one calls him on letting Clare involve herself. There is a sequence about 2/3 into the book where Clare takes it upon herself to search a bedroom in a home that she's visiting; it's absolutely astonishing that she has no qualms about taking advantage of her host's hospitality and invading their privacy. And, of course, she ends up in another perilous situation that she rescues herself from due to her inimitable pluck.
The climax of the book is another improbable threat--this time to both of them. And the solution to the mystery may make sense for one of the crimes in the book but in no way explains the event that starts off the investigation.
The reader is once again asked to root for Clare and Russ' relationship, even though it's pretty clear that they are committing adultery in their hearts and minds, if not physically. And the fact that Russ' wife continues to be just a name and apparently completely detached from Russ' life is clearly designed to minimize the betrayal (Russ of his marital vows, Clare of her clerical ones).

This is a very enjoyable series. This was the second entry in it. The two "detectives" are a female Episcopalian priest and a male small town police chief. They are both ex-Army. He was an MP and she was a captain, a helicopter pilot. In all of the books they have to fight an attraction to one another since he is married. Over the course of each book, the author progresses the relationship a notch further.

The mystery at the core of Book Two is that there are gay hate crimes going on in the small town. Two gay men are almost beaten to death and it looks like more beatings or a murder will occur next. Meanwhile there is a new enterprise in town, a developer who is putting in a huge spa and hotel. There is also a local property owner who is planning on getting rich off selling her land to the developer.

This is all set in upstate New York in the Adirondacks. It is a very good setting for the books and enhances the stories quite a bit.

This is obviously written by someone who is Episcopalian. It makes the series quite unique. Sometimes I find that aspect a bit too much as she really gets into it over the services or super long quotes. But when she connects it to say the committee who runs the church, that is pretty interesting. They are as capable of being petty as anyone else! The bishop and his deacon are also interfering types so they are pretty good too.

I recommend the series as a whole. In this one she's still building up to some things which occur in the later books. So stick with it.

Julia Spencer-Fleming writes an action-packed mystery that inserts a little religion into the story. My feelings for Clare change during the story. I sometimes feel that Clare goes too far in proving herself to be worthy of respect. The story displays the downfall of greed and in keeping up appearances. Many of the characters pop in and out of the series, and some of the characters would be better omitted from the pages. The book provides an interesting and speedy read.

First Line: The yahoos came by just after the dinner party broke up.

Small towns have a reputation for being quiet and safe that's not always deserved. The same holds true for Millers Kill, New York. The Fourth of July weekend brings a spate of vicious attacks that have Reverend Clare Fergusson and Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne reeling-- not only because of the brutality but because the victims seem to have been chosen because they're gay.

When the third attack on an out-of-town developer ends in murder, Clare and Russ begin thinking outside the box. Could these attacks be connected to the murder victim's plan to open an upscale spa outside of town? What Clare and Russ don't know is that their thinking is going to lead them straight into danger.

It hasn't been that long since I read-- and fell in love with-- the first book in this series, In the Bleak Midwinter. I wasn't even halfway through that book when I began ordering all the rest of the volumes in the series. I honestly try to pace myself through series, especially when they're as good as this one started out being. After all, the faster I gobble them up, the longer I'll have to wait for the next book to be published. However, I don't feel quite so guilty about reading A Fountain Filled With Blood so soon after the first. You see... I told my husband about In the Bleak Midwinter, and as of the writing of this review, he's already finished all the books in the series. When he found out I was only on the second book, two words came to mind to describe his facial expression: "cat" and "canary."

As I read this book, I see that Clare and I are doomed to disagree about her choice of transportation, but as long as her choice doesn't put her life in danger again, I'll just smile and shake my head. One of the things about this series that has grabbed me by the throat is the sheer power of Spencer-Fleming's characterizations. Clare and Russ are real. I catch myself talking to them as I read. (This time I remember yelling, "Check the helicopter!" several times.) They have wonderful senses of humor. They make mistakes and wonder how they're going to make things right. And neither one is about to stand idly by when someone is in trouble. A Fountain Filled With Blood shows both of these characters in action: Russ in his protective police chief best, and Clare putting her Army helicopter pilot training to good use.

I know I've been praising the characters in this book to the skies, but that's not the only good thing to be found. Spencer-Fleming provides some excellent misdirection throughout as to the true motivations behind the crimes. I didn't put all the pieces together until the action was gearing up for the grand finale.

As much as I've enjoyed the first two books in this series, I'm going to make myself slow down. I don't want to be a whiner, impatiently waiting for the next book to be published. And if you haven't read any of Julia Spencer-Fleming's books, I have only one question for you: What on earth are you waiting for?

The rector of St. Alban's Episcopal Church, Clare Fergusson, has survived her first upstate New York winter. The little town of Millers Kill is celebrating the Fourth of July, and Chief Russ van Alstyne of the local police force finds himself investigating a string of three assaults on gay men - one of them fatal. Of course Reverend Clare is involved in each case, one way or another. Once again, as in "In the Bleak Midwinter" (first novel in a series in which this book comes second), the attraction between the married chief of police and the 30-something single rector complicates their investigative partnership as well as their growing friendship. Both are Army veterans - Russ a retired warrant officer who too clearly remembers the jungle battles of Vietnam; Clare a former commissioned officer and helicopter pilot with Gulf War memories. As they combine forces (not willing on Russ's part!) to solve this growing mystery, Clare learns more about Russ - including the memory that he can't escape, and doesn't believe he can confront.

Gay bashing, environmental concerns, outside development transforming and quite possibly destroying a small town. Greed, drugs, and deliciously mundane worries like who's going to take care of a gay couple's huge dogs during an emergency hospitalization. Chief van Alstyne's beloved but exasperating mother, a 60s activist grown old but neither mellow nor silent. This book is a delight for readers who prefer their mysteries character driven, and its long action sequence toward the end - with Clare calling on her piloting skills to save a life - made me keep reading when I should have been going to sleep. I've already started reading the third book in the series.

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 EPPIE science fiction winner "Regs"

Sophomore novels usually suffer from a let-down, either the author has been pushed to produce a second novel in too-short a time or they themselves want to produce so as to keep the readers interested. Drawing on the military experiences of both main characters (Fergusson and Van Alstyne) and her own childhood as as 'army brat' Spencer-Fleming (SF) weaves a tale of ecological deceit and gay-bashing.

When is a hate crime not a hate crime? When it is committed to throw off suspicion from some other criminal activity. After many years, the Landry property is finally going to be developed into a modern 'destination' spa. The development will mean jobs and increased tourism for the town of Miller's Kill. But at what cost?

What begins as an episode (actually two) of random gay bashing proceeds to lead to a murder mystery. In between Rev.Clare and Police Chief Russ are trying to sort out their feelings for each other while maintaining their professional distance. SF does a masterful jobs of reminding us of what the 'true' work of Rev.Clare represents, with her performing marriages and 'mass' while questioning the the workings of Gd and her vestry. Russ is busy trying to keep a lid on the town during the Fourth of July weekend.

There is a marvelous ending with Clare and Russ making an helicopter rescue and then surviving a crash. Only some poor dialog by a character near the end weakens a strong story. Why is it poor? How many people involved in a crime and at their wits end, will spend their final time on earth explaining why they did what they did to the police (during a shoot -out)?

"Fountain" starts with an attack on a gay physician and keeps the pace going from there.

The town is in an uproar because PCBs are found at the proposed site of a high dollar resort. Economic advocates want the jobs and tourism the resort will bring. Liberal 'tree huggers' want the resort plans shelved.

Unfortunately, this controversy pits Police Chief Russell Van Alstyne against his 70-ish Mom, Margy. When she lands in jail, it's no surprise to anyone that her son was the one arresting her!

A second attack on a gay man, this one a video store owner, has the Chief now pitted against the story's other protagonist, Anglican Priest Reverand Clare Fergusson.

And if that wasn't enough--the Chief and the Reverand are in love. One big complication is that the chief has a 'beautiful wife of 25 years'. This second novel shows the chink in the chief's marriage. Linda doesn't show much interest in police work--and Russ' Mom doesn't like Linda, either.

Things are definitely going to be interesting when I read the third book--and have no doubt I will!

Millers Kill has its problems. Hate crime has reared its ugly head when some gay men are assaulted. Move in Rev. Clare and Police Chief Russ: the clock ticks.

Clare and Russ first formed their unlikely friendship in A BLEAK MIDWINTER. The second story in this series has their working companionship expand. These allies soon find themselves knee-deep in murder. But the question is why?

This mystery is another fast-paced read. Shadowy men, a dark subplot and trust are some of the issues. Russ and Clare do their best to solve this who-done-it. And a tiny seed of attraction develops between this very-much married man and devout Episcopal woman. And both do their best to crush it.

Despite its title, which was taken from an old hymn by the English poet Thomas Cowper, A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD is neither grisly nor especially violent. This book, the second in a series by new author Julia Spencer-Fleming, is a traditional mystery that is unlikely to offend anyone and quite likely to entertain many.
Clare Fergusson is a former Army helicopter pilot, now an Episcopal priest in the small upstate New York town of Millers Kill. In her late 30s and unmarried, she has in general a healthy, no-nonsense attitude toward life and a particular calling toward her religion, which is also now her livelihood. Her faith is strong but unobtrusive --- there's no proselytizing here. Rather, the author uses the occasional inclusion of a prayer or a bit of ritual to add atmosphere while also providing insight into Clare's character.
Here, as in the first book in the series, IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER, Clare partners up with Sheriff Russ Van Alstyne to solve a crime into whose path she, literally, stumbles. It seems someone around Millers Kill doesn't like gay men. Two are badly beaten in a manner that suggests a hate crime and then one more is found dead; he's the body Clare stumbles into. There happens to be a connection between the dead man and a young couple whose marriage she is to perform in a couple of weeks, which gives Clare opportunity to learn some things Russ and his deputies might not. Because of her military training and a healthy dose of curiosity --- of the sort that amateur detectives must have or these books would never go anywhere --- Clare doesn't hesitate to learn all she can, though at some cost to herself.
The small-town setting will feel familiar to a large number of readers, regardless of the specific upper New York State locale; there is a sort of comforting togetherness going on. There's a Fourth of July celebration in the park and a town meeting where a new development is opposed on environmental grounds. There's a big old Victorian house on the edge of town that has been turned into a bed and breakfast and is run by a pair of openly gay men who are life-partners. There are summer tourists with their stiff, new city-bought leisure clothes, necessary to the fragile economy but getting in the way. Even the nature of the crimes and their impact on the community seem familiar, especially when Clare proposes to her vestry that their church should show support for the victims of a crime that the older, uptight vestry members would rather pretend had no connection to sexuality.
An interestingly different thread of tension runs through the entire book, in the form of a strong sexual attraction between the priest and the sheriff, who not only is a very married man but also loves his wife --- and they both know it. These two characters are extremely well drawn, real people in a very personal conundrum.
Spencer-Fleming is at her best with action scenes --- most interesting in that she portrays them vividly yet without gratuitous violence. She writes so well that she doesn't need blood and gore to get our attention. In the latter half of the book, there is an extended episode in which Clare uses her helicopter pilot skills, honed during the Gulf War, that will have you breathless as you await the outcome, unable to guess what it will be.
For readers who prefer conventional mysteries --- and for anyone who might like a change of pace from the tougher, darker thrillers --- A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD would be a good choice. Especially since, if you like it, the author's previous novel, IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER, is now out in paperback.
--- Reviewed by Ava Dianne Day

Clare Fergusson was a US Army Captain helicopter pilot when she got the calling to serve God. She resigned her commission, went into seminary school and graduated to become an Episcopalian Minister in the small Adirondack town of Miller's Kill. She and Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne have kept their distance from each other for over a year because they don't want their mutual attraction to each other to be revealed to his wife.
When two gay men are brutally attacked and a third one is killed Claire finds herself in the middle of the investigation despite Russ' efforts to keep her out of it and safe. Although she takes reckless chances, she discovers some important evidence that leads them to the ringleader of the conspiracy plot. However, Russ and Clare almost lose their lives in a sabotaged helicopter when they try to save a man who is near death even though he played a part in the conspiracy.
Julia Spencer-Fleming follows up her award winning IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER with a great amateur sleuth-police procedural. The protagonists make a good team and their attraction to one another is handled with delicacy and good taste. There are so many red herrings interwoven in the plot that readers won't know why these crimes have been committed until the very last page.
Harriet Klausner

A Fountain Filled With Blood is the second book in the Rev. Clare Fergusson series. I read the first book in the series which is In the Bleak Midwinter. I liked it very much so I purchased several more in the series. Perhaps that was a mistake as I had a problem finishing this book. The plot failed to keep me interested and I was glad when the book was finished. On the plus side, I do like the characters of Rev. Clare Fergusson and Russ van Alstyne. So perhaps the 3rd book in the series, which I have, will engage me more than this book since I did like the first book.

Spencer- Fleming builds on the foundations created in the first of the series, "In the Bleak Midwinter" in this followup.

To me the main interest in the book revolves around the relationship between the two main characters, Clare and Russ. The author does a good job in developing this more and more, the sexual tension between the two still rife and giving us as readers something to wonder about as the series goes on - will they or won't they? Move over Maddie and David (of "Moonlighting" fame)!

Meanwhile there is a decent who-dunnit plot to get to the bottom of, all done neatly of course.

All in all, a series well worth your time.

As both "Publishers Weekly" and "Booklist" indicate, "A Fountain Filled With Blood" is a compelling and exciting follow-up to the author's debut novel, "In a Bleak Midwinter." In this book, Clare Fergusson, an Episcopal priest, and Russ Van Alstyne, the local police chief, must deal with such serious issues as gay-bashing and environmental protection vs. community development to solve the murder of a local developer. The book has realistic characters, a great sense of setting, and some page-turning action. Highly recommended. And when you are finished with the book and want more of Clare and Russ, go back and reread "In the Bleak Midwinter" and see things that you didn't catch the first time around. Can't wait until the next installment.

As both "Publishers Weekly" and "Booklist" indicate, "A Fountain Filled With Blood" is a compelling and exciting follow-up to the author's debut novel, "In a Bleak Midwinter." In this book, Clare Fergusson, an Episcopal priest, and Russ Van Alstyne, the local police chief, must deal with such serious issues as gay-bashing and environmental protection vs. community development to solve the murder of a local developer. The book has realistic characters, a great sense of setting, and some page-turning action. Highly recommended. And when you are finished with the book and want more of Clare and Russ, go back and reread "In the Bleak Midwinter" and see things that you didn't catch the first time around. Can't wait until the next installment.

Although I found the gay-bashing theme at first compelling and sympathetic, as I got further into the story the plot took off at the expense of further character development. Clare as a priest who is the pastor of a church faded into the background, getting only superficial attention.

By the end I was exhausted, trying to keep up with the galloping plot. Two irritable details about the Chief, Russ, had me saying out loud to the author, "Please don't mention Russ adjusting his glasses again, and please don't have him saying for the upteenth time, "Excuse my French."

A good idea for a plot, but more character development and slower pacing would help a lot.

Listening to the audio book. Every male character sounds the same. I have never listened to an audio book with such poor acting for the male characters. It's distracting. The writing is pretty good and entertaining.

Julia Spencer-Fleming hooked me with In the Bleak Midwinter because I enjoyed her protagonist, the Rev. Clare Ferguson. I found Fountain an even better read, with well drawn characters. The romantic tension is nicely balanced, never impeding plot movement nor oversimplifying human emotion. The plot itself left something to be desired but I don't read Spencer-Fleming for plot; she has other gifts to offer.

I just found the works of Julia Spencer-Fleming. I am enthralled. Her way of intertwining Clare humanity and her faith is so interesting, well done and refreshing. I love this new angle on mysteries. Pam Costa

I absolutely LOVE the characters and the dialogue. The only issue I've had with the first two books is that the scene descriptions are difficult to understand or visualize. In the first book, there are pages and pages of a battle in the woods and in the second book, pages describing the cockpit of a helicopter after a crash. I'd say less with descriptions and more dialogue. Wonderful books. I'm now on the third!

Once again Julia Spencer-Fleming gives us a fine mystery to unravel as well as the development of two thoroughly modern heroes who work well together while avoiding the inevitable -- their burgeoning affection for each other.
Rebeccasreads recommends A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD as a satisfying read.

After the author's first work, I was really looking forward to this book. I was mildly disappointed at the pacing. In a nutshell the story revolves around apparent hate crimes against gays, culminating in the murder of a gay developer. Claire and Russ try to find out who is behind the crimes. The plot, as well as their relationship, drug throughout the book.

Good story. A priest and a lawman artfully thrown together against the backdrop of crime in small town America. Engaging though the tale, a pageturner its not. The e-format of this edition is so clumsy that the slow-turning pages are a true barrier to their enjoyment.

Julia has produced another winner. Her mysteries keep me guessing until the very end. This is the key to good mystery writing. Julia does a great job designing and coloring her characters. Her sleuth, who is an intelligent,articulate, though not always tactful, woman, is refreshing. Keep up the good work Julia.
Larry

The first book I read in this series was actually the 3rd book in the series. I loved it and went looking for the first two. I enjoyed the first book but I could barely make myself finish this one.

It's more of a liberal preaching her politics through the main character with a mystery thrown in than anything else. I got so sick of it I started skimming the book just to find out who done it.

It was so predictable. Every liberal is a good guy and all conservatives are closed minded and bigoted (unless the "enlightened" Clare wins them over to her side). I hope the author goes back to writing mysteries and keeps her politics out of it. Or this will be the last book by her I read.