My Lady Judge Cora Harrison St. Martin's Sept 07

The year is 1509, A dozen or so years earlier, King Turlough Don O Brien appointed a woman as one of his provincial judges or Brehon's. Since then Mara has served him well acting not only in trial but also running the law school. Mara's current students range in age from 12 to 19. She tends to them as carefully as she tends to her flower garden. Western Ireland is still clan dominated. Clan Irish law prevails. Penalty in Irish law is always in the nature of retribution rather than punishment. Because of this, the guilty almost always come forward. What the guilty individual cannot pay his family or clan will often contribute. Mara's assistant is murdered on the eve of a festive celebration. No one admits to it. It's up to Mara to determine the guilty party. Her investigation makes up the main part of the novel.

Cora Harrison writes with an easy grace. The relationships between her characters reminds one, very much, of Ellis Peters and her Brother Cadfael. My Lady Judge has a nice little twist ending that in hindsight I should have caught but since I didn't, good on Ms. Harrison. That's a sign of good things to come. Fans of the traditional mystery, Irish history, off stage violence, subtle romance and a well paced and plotted read should thoroughly enjoy My Lady Judge.

Dave Biemann