Lynne Handy

Old Sins by Lynne Handy is a story set in Ireland, in the quaint village of Coomara. Maria Pell is on a sabbatical from Indiana, with the goal to write poetry. Even though this is #3 in the Maria Pell Mystery Series, it is definitely a standalone novel.

Maria is able to 'see ' things that are quite recent but even further back in time. She is currently living in a cottage with her cousin, who over time starts to act strange, especially when Maria brings up a baby she found as a child floating dead in a river. Maria was quite young at the time but still has disturbing memories of the incident.

Her ex, who had cheated on her is also there, he is an archaeologist who wants to get back together with her, but she is reluctant as he hurt her with his cheating. A young girl's body is found, and Maria feels compelled to find out who murdered the girl. The police inspector would rather she keep out of it, for her own safety, but Maria insists.

Then girls are abducted, and it is found that there is a slave trade going on off the coast. Maria is determined to find the girls and again almost loses her life in a scary scenario. Old sins come into play once she finds out what is going on.

I loved the fact that this novel takes place in Ireland, my favorite place to be. There is mystery and magical elements at play. The history of the town and local legends abound. Written with the knowledge that only someone who does their research knows, this is a mystery story that will keep you reading.

I definitely want to read more by this author! I give it 5 stars!… (més)

A fantastic standalone sequel in the Maria Pell Mystery series!

Old Sins is the fantastic third book in author Lynne Handy’s Maria Pell Mystery series, but it is easily read and enjoyed as a standalone novel. Frankly, I’d forgotten it was part of a series until I reached the end of the book and discovered the titles of the previous books.

Maria is a strong and intelligent protagonist. She’s interesting, well-spoken, and clear-thinking as she investigates the terrifying happenings in Coomara. She also has the patience of a saint to deal with her cousin and former lover showing up uninvited. Elizabeth has enmeshed herself in the life of the local Catholic Church in the short time she’s been there. She seems to dither and waffle at first, but slowly these characteristics change to irritability and self-righteousness and a gradual descent into something much darker, which provides a significant plot twist in Maria Pell’s backstory. Inspector Flint is suitably stand-offish as the detective in charge of the cases and is appropriately reluctant to share information with Maria until he discovers she has the second sight. I loved his ready acceptance of this, as he’s got relatives with the same gift.

Bridget’s baffling murder and the girls going missing are frightening; their resolutions are difficult going for Flint and Maria. There are a lot of possible suspects, even when it looks like someone they know in the village is orchestrating the kidnappings. You could feel the rising panic and loss of control, that feeling of no safe space, escalating as each incident with a girl occurs, especially when there are botched attempts at snatching new victims. The author ups the atmospheric feeling of the whole with the constant fog and mist and the arrival of a torrential storm that hits in the middle of the terror. The unrelenting wind puts the characters and the reader on edge.

With its moody coastal setting, chilling weather, and baffling investigation, I recommend OLD SINS to mystery readers who enjoy strong female characters, exciting, fear-inducing plotlines, and an atmospheric Irish countryside.I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.… (més)

So I don't normally read a lot of mystery or thriller books but this one sparked my interest. The cover is what initially drew me in and I have to admit I was curious about the connections between a childhood murder, present day murder and a sex trafficking ring. Let me just say this book did not disappoint. I finished it in ONE day!

Maria is a poetry writer and teacher who is currently on sabbatical in Ireland, where she is also working on research for a new poetry book. While there a young girl is brutally murdered and before the police have chance to solve that crime more girls start to go missing. Maria soon finds herself working with the detectives to discover who could have murdered the girl she was close to and who is responsible for the girls that keep disappearing. Are the two crimes connected? Are larger forces at work? Will they find the girls before more people die?

Old Sins is a standalone novel in the Maria Pell mysteries series. Lynne Handy gives the reader enough information that you don't miss anything by not reading any of the others within the series. Though not a huge fan of mysteries because I find most of them predictable I loved this book. Lynne Handy's writing is beautiful, enthralling and even enlightening. She paints a picture that easily transports the reader into the novel. It does have some highly sensitive content with a 13 year old being murdered and references to dead infants and a sex trafficking ring. Yet the book is a page turner from the beginning. I will say that it seemed to lose some zest towards the end (like the last 2 chapters) but other than that the novel was an engrossing read which I truly struggled to put down. I truly enjoyed it and would recommend it to those who love a good Thriller.… (més)