Summary
The Madonna Murders is a mesmerizing novel about the priceless Icon of Kazan, first made famous by Tolstoy and shown at the 1964 New York Worlds Fair. It also features the Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull seen in the Spielberg movie: “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” It is a story about obsession, love and murder which takes the reader into the world of icons, the struggle between the holy and the demonic, and the Russian history of San Francisco and the USSR. From the Publisher Synopsis: A MIRACULOUS ICON WORTH DYING FOR . . . The Madonna Murders by Pamela Cranston is a mesmerizing tale of intrigue, romance, and the supernatural about the priceless Icon of Kazan, first made famous by Tolstoy and shown at the 1964 New York Worlds Fair. In the tradition of Steven Spielberg's movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Charles William's book War in Heaven, it is a story about obsession, love and murder which takes the reader into the world of icons, the struggle between the holy and the demonic, and the Russian history of San Francisco. When Andrea West, a theology professor in Berkeley, California, agrees to examine a rare and valuable Russian icon for signs of forgery, she plunges headlong into a tangled plot of blackmail, murder, and pure Evil! The Icon of Kazan is priceless not only for the gold and precious jewels covering its surface, but also for its miraculous powers. Its veneration by Russian troops led to the defeat of Napoleon in 1812, and its healing powers made it sought after by the devout and the desperate. After the Russian Revolution, the icon was smuggled out of the USSR, bought by Frederick Mitchell-Hedges, also the owner of the real Crystal Skull, and finally resurfaced for sale in San Francisco. A shocking ritual murder sends Andrea on the trail of the killers which leads to the shadowy Inner Circle-a group of Russian aristocrats and shady art dealers who will do anything to steal the icon, including resorting to the Black Arts! As Andrea unravels the truth about the Icon of Kazan, she makes surprising discoveries that hit much too close to home . . .
About the Author
Pamela Cranston is a poet and a writer whose work has appeared in the: Adirondack Review, Anglican Theological Review, Tales for the Trail: Adventures in Air, Land, & Water by Birch Brook Press, The Blueline Anthology published by Syracuse Press, Forward Movement Publications, Mystic River Review, Penwood Review, and many other publications. Formerly an Anglican Franciscan nun, she majored in Russian History and Journalism in college, and ultimately received her BA in Interdisciplinary Social Science from San Francisco State University in 1984. She received a Master of Divinity degree in 1988 from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, (CDSP), Berkeley, California. She was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1990. For the past 18 years, she has served churches and hospices in San Francisco Bay area, where she lives with her husband.
Reviews
East Bay Express Best Of 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Best Clergyperson/Mystery Novelist: Holiest writer Pamela Cranston
In Cranston's debut novel The Madonna Murders, a theology professor at a Berkeley Episcopal seminary tackles crises of both body and soul and becomes a spiritual sleuth when gruesome murders happen on hallowed ground under the watchful eyes of the Icon of Kazan. In real life, this image of the Madonna and Child has been venerated in Russia since the 16th century, disappeared in 1918, reappeared in a European auction, spent ten years in a San Francisco church, and was returned to Moscow in 2004. Cranston, who is also a published poet, followed that creative-writing-class credo to "write what you know" - if not about vicious killings, then at least about the cloth. The Oakland author is an Episcopal priest, ordained in 1990 after attending Berkeley's Church Divinity School of the Pacific and a stint in England as a nun. Losing a brother to hepatitis in 1995 - she gave him the last rites - further confirmed Cranston's commitment to hospice work and chaplaincy. Largely set in the Berkeley Hills, this novel joins the ever-rising stack of East Bay puzzlers, a genre unto itself.
"The Adirondacks has Julia Spencer-Fleming, Boston has Michelle Blake and now the San Francisco Bay Area has Pamela Cranston. We welcome Pamela to the world of theology and murder! Her character, Andrea West, a theology professor in Berkeley, is a welcome addition to the new wave of strong and independent female 'theological sleuths'. If you're looking for a mystery with a delightful local setting, The Madonna Murders will be your cup of tea. It certainly is mine. Come along with Andrea and visit Fort Mason, the Berkeley Hills, and along the way, learn about the rich cultural history of the Russian community in San Francisco as Andrea tracks down a mystical Icon and attempts to solve the vicious murder of an old friend. The Madonna Murders is a damn good mystery (forgive the blasphemy). It's not often these days that I can find a good mystery that I can't put down. The Madonna Murders is a book that will keep you turning the pages and wanting more of Andrea West. I am so sure of this book that I have already reserved a place for it on our recommended rack and I can't wait until it comes out. I am looking for more exciting mysteries from Pamela Cranston."
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Diane Kudisch, Owner San Francisco Mystery Book Store
"Fast-paced, fascinating, and fun...Pamela Cranston enlivens a murder mystery with iconography, musings about good and evil, Russian History, wit and compelling characters. A smart, elegant, spiritual whodunit."
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Lindsey Crittenden, author of The Water Will Hold You: A Skeptic Learns to Pray (Harmony Books, 2007) and also The View From Below, 1997 winner of the Mid-List Press First Series Award in Short Fiction.
"What an honor and a joy for us to read The Madonna Murders. This is such an incredible premise and the history is so fascinating we found ourselves wondering how much of it is true! Well done! We will personally pass the word on to EVERYONE!"
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Brock and Bodie Thoene, Authors of The Zion Chronicles, First Light, and The A.D. Chronicles
"Pamela Cranston has hit on the unusual coincidence of a good mystery combined with solid historical facts, well-drawn characters and a serious understanding of Christian theology and iconography."
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Editor, The Anglican,Vol. 34, No. 2, April 2005, p. 25
"This is a fast-paced book that works on many levels, so I think it will be appealing to many different types of readers. My husband enjoyed it because it is a thrilling mystery. My teenage daughter liked the strong sense of place. She really felt like she was there, with the characters, in the Bay Area at a posh restaurant. She said that it was like reading a great travel memoir. I liked how well-researched this book is on so many topics. Whether it is Russian history, or art, or Christianity, the author dives into her subjects with great insight and detail. I hope this is the beginning of a series! I want to read about the trials and tribulations of these characters again and again."
- Posted on Amazon.com
An Excellent Read, March 15, 2004 Reviewer: J.D. Evans Chico, CA USA
"The Madonna Murders is a wonderful mystery, but also educational with a touch of romance! I loved that it was located here in the San Francisco bay area. I highly recommend it."
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Tori Campbell KTVU Reporter/Anchor
