Let These Bones Live Again

by David Carlson

Overview

Allyson Worthy, daughter of the renowned homicide detective Christopher Worthy always dreamt of living in Venice. Now, as a college student, she's landed a dream internship with the Venice police. She assumes she will be investigating minor crimes perpetrated on gullible American and English tourists. On the first day of her internship, however, Allyson is assigned to assist with a more bizarre case--the apparent suicides of two wealthy Americans in the city. Linking the two persons are their similar cancer diagnoses and strange incisions on their bodies.

The family of the second victim, a Detroit automaker, doubt the suicide verdict and hire Christopher Worthy to look into the death. Allyson's relationship with her father is tenuous, and she resents his intrusion into her dream summer.

After speaking at a conference in Rome, Father Nicholas Fortis is asked by the Vatican to look into the recent theft of relics, bones of saints, from Venetian churches. Father Fortis is happy to offer whatever advice he can to the case Christopher and Allyson Worthy are working on, even as the two Worthys are happy to advise Father Fortis on the stolen relics case.

An unexpected breakthrough reveals a dark undercurrent in the city of canals that changes approaches to both cases. As clues fall into place, Allyson is unexpectedly put in danger as she unknowingly agrees to rendezvous with the killer.

Book 3 in the Christopher Worthy/Father Fortis Mystery Series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603813938
Publisher:	Coffeetown Press
Publication date:	10/01/2018
Series:	Christopher Worthy/Father Fortis Mystery , #3
Pages:	190
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.48(d)

About the Author

David Carlson was born in the western suburbs of Chicago. His grade school years were spent in Springfield, Illinois, where the numerous Abraham Lincoln sites initiated his lifelong love of history. His childhood hope was to play professional baseball, a dream which died ignominiously one day in high school. He attended Wheaton College, where he fell in love with theological thinking, and earned a doctorate at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, where he learned that research is a process of digging and then digging deeper. He believes the same process of digging and digging deeper has helped him in his non-fiction and mystery writing. Franklin College, a traditional liberal arts college in central Indiana, has been his home for over four decades. David has been particularly attracted to the topics of faith development, Catholic-Orthodox relations, and Muslim-Christian dialogue. In 2007, he conducted interviews across the country in monasteries and convents about monastic responses to 9/11 and religious terrorism. The book based on that experience, Peace Be with You: Monastic Wisdom for a Terror-Filled World, was published in 2011 by Thomas Nelson and was selected as one of the Best Books of 2011 in the area of Spiritual Living by Library Journal. He has subsequently written a second book on religious terrorism, Countering ISIS: The Power of Spiritual Friendships. Much of his time in the last three years has been spent giving talks as well as radio and TV interviews on ISIS. Nevertheless, he is still able to spend summers in Wisconsin where he enjoys sailing, fishing, kayaking, and restoring an old log cabin. His wife, Kathy, is a retired English professor, an award-winning artist, and an excellent editor. Their two sons took parental advice to follow their passions. The older, Leif, is a photographer, and the younger, Marten, is a filmmaker. Learn more at davidccarlson.net.

Editorial Reviews

11/05/2018
Carlson’s workmanlike third series mystery (after 2017’s Let the Dead Bury the Dead) takes Fr. Nicholas Fortis and Detroit homicide detective Christopher Worthy to Venice, Italy: Fortis to help solve the theft of holy relics from churches and Worthy to look into the death of Detroit auto magnate James Kuiper, whose family is unsatisfied with the official verdict of suicide. Coincidentally, Worthy’s estranged daughter, novice criminology student Allyson Worthy, is doing an internship with the Venetian police. Worthy meets with Allyson and her Italian boss to discuss not one but two apparent suicides that may be murder, including Kuiper’s. Fortis learns that three Russian monks are under suspicion for the thefts, and he shares that information with Allyson, who ends up playing a key role in an investigation that ties the two seemingly separate cases together. Along the way, Fortis helps Allyson and Worthy mend their relationship, an uplifting personal development that may help readers overlook the awkward plotting. This one’s strictly for fans. Agent: Sara Camilli, Sara Camilli Agency. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"As with the other two entries in this series, the homicide detective and the Orthodox priest form an unusual investigative team that, combined with the setting, make Let These Bones Live Again an intriguing mystery and an entertaining thriller."

--NY Journal of Books

"David Carlson puts a novel twist on the challenges of 'East meeting West, ' placing Let These Bones Live Again in a contemporary setting that will appeal to American readers. His blend of police procedure, modern religious differences and medieval practice, cyber crime, deft prose, and the thorough knowledge and skillful use of Venice as the setting and backdrop makes for a winning combination and enjoyable read."

--Bill Rapp, author of the Cold War Thriller series

"David Carlson weaves a masterful story within an Italian setting. A detective father from Detroit and his daughter are thrown together in the most unorthodox fashion to solve a homicide along the canals and architecture of Venice, which he describes beautifully. The reader will bite their nails as unexpected twists and turns escalate the plot into high gear, leading to an unexpected ending."

--Marie Romero Cash, author of the Jemimah Hodge mystery series

"Fans of Donna Leon will find a good reason to visit Venice again, this time with David Carlson as a guide. Let These Bones Live Again brings together ancient religious rites, dying patients and a youthful protagonist in a compelling, dark mystery."

--Michael Niemann, author of the Valentin Vermeulen series

"Powerful portraits of strong characters finding love through trust and forgiveness, amid all the sights and scents of modern day Venice -- a masked lady who gives up her secrets begrudgingly. All this and a crackling plot with many an unexpected twist. Though this is the first Worthy/Fortis mystery I have read, it will not be the last."

--Michael Sears, author of Saving Jason

From the Publisher