Old Sins by Lynne Handy

Author Lynne Handy weaves a dark and stormy tale in Old Sins, the third ominously addictive novel in the Maria Pell Mystery Series.

Maria Pell once again finds her new home ominously plagued by death, which then draws her into the tangle of solving a spreading cliffside mystery. Despite being focused on summoning new words and poetic emotions in a much-needed cottage escape, Maria is pulled into the murder of a young woman, Bridget, which dredges up her own past trauma of discovering “Baby Doe.” What follows is an investigation of coincidence with diligence that would make Miss Marple proud, albeit with some paranormal flourishes that artfully drag readers along a riveting trail of clues.

Like other serial mysteries, the repetitive proximity of the protagonist to tragedy feels almost suspicious in the series, but it does make for a convenient premise. Some of the prose is overly blunt in serving up a scene’s emotional impact, rather than letting readers read between the lines. That said, the horrific realities of the subject matter being explored here – sex trafficking, as well as generally abusive behavior by men – are fearlessly put under the author’s incisive spotlight.

Blending themes of Pell’s emotionally vulnerable state with her maternal instincts to protect the young women of Coomara gives this sharply penned thriller perennial relevance, for a dark but engrossing Irish mystery.

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