Reviews for A Secret and Unlawful Killing: A Mystery of Medieval Ireland

The average rating for A Secret and Unlawful Killing: A Mystery of Medieval Ireland based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-12-06 00:00:00 Richard Troup I have enjoyed this novel and its precursor, My Lady Judge, by Irish author Cora Harrison because the events take place in an interesting period of Irish history, around 1500AD. It is an era in which the traditional way of life is being threatened by the spread of English culture. This tension is played out in Harrison's novels by the challenge of English law to the traditional legal system, which had existed for over 1,000 years, and which has an entirely different underlying philosophy. Harrison's heroine, Mara, the Brehon (judge) of the Burren, in western Ireland, is a strong defender of the time-honoured practices which have kept the peace in this remote and harsh landscape, and she is one of the most highly respected officials in the region. In this, the second instalment in the Burren series, Mara must investigate two murders that occur around the time of the Michaelmas feast. One of the crimes allows the author to explore issues relating to kinship, inheritance and traditional land ownership, while the other killing examines details of relationships, marriage and honour. Harrison weaves into the story intriguing little snippets about the way of life in the 16th century, e.g. social mores, the local diet, how people conducted commerce in a society which does not use money as we understand it, and the social hierarchy. I find it all rather fascinating, particularly enjoying the contrast with the British institutions with which I am so, so familiar. Mara is a delightful character, strong, intelligent, caring and diplomatic. Her status as Brehon makes her the second most important person in the Burren after the King, with whom she has an affectionate relationship. Mara's word is law, literally. She delivers her judgements on a regular basis at the foot of the remarkable megalithic monument, the Poulnabrone dolmen, many thousands of years old, but honoured as a site of power and respect. If you've ever visited the Burren, as I have, you will know how well Harrison writes about this unique and remarkable stony landscape. I only have one minor complaint about this novel - Harrison dots the narrative with many words and phrases in Irish Gaelic, but does not give translations. Not being an Irish citizen, it makes it hard for me to understand what she's on about in some instances. 4★s

Review # 2 was written on 2016-02-04 00:00:00 Randy G Oreilly Excellent book 2. The mysteries are cleverly woven giving little hints how future historical events will effect this series. The romance with Mara and the King is charming and tastefully done. I love her reasoning. Just a very good read.