A Murder of Furies

Bronze Age Crete Mystery, #3

by

Eleanor Kuhns

Another top-notch historical cozy mystery set in ancient Crete!

A Murder of Furies is the third book in veteran author Eleanor Kuhns’s excellent Bronze Age Crete Mystery series, and with its riveting murder, political intrigue, and impeccably crafted, highly visual settings, historical mystery fans are sure to be absorbed by this mesmerizing tale just as I was. Martis, the young bull dancer and series sleuth, is drawn into the search for the missing daughter of her friend, Tinos, the consort of the high priestess, Potnia. Atana had stormed off after a heated argument with her father earlier in the week and had been avoiding him, but after her absence stretched to several days and several missed appearances at important religious rites, it is feared that she may have come to harm. The suspense rises when a young priestess, Tino’s younger sister, dies during a public ceremony, when she is bitten by an asp that had been secretly substituted for the sacred serpent that should have been in the basket the girl carried. To make matters worse, the young priestess had just been given Martis’s mother’s place in the ceremony and Nephele would normally have been carrying that basket. 

Martis is such a fun, relatable character, and I love coming back to this series just for her. She’s young and chafes at the restrictions and expectations placed on her by her mother and society for girls of her age and status. She just attained marriageable age, but marriage doesn’t interest her. However, she feels guilty about wanting to follow her own path for her mother’s sake, as she’s lost all three of her other daughters. Martis’s infatuation with Tinos is still causing her some heartache, but she’s perhaps beginning to feel less enamored as she matures. She continues to do all she can to avoid household chores and being stuck at home, though. 

Martis is diligent in her search for the missing Atana, and at the same time, she conducts a pretty logical investigation into the death of Phytia, Tinos’s sister, which includes sneaking into the House of the Priestesses and down to the docks and visiting with Tetis, in a complete disregard of her mother’s admonitions. She does a good job covering all the bases and chasing down any avenue of inquiry she can in pursuit of the truth, even when the stakes become so much higher. 

I loved the colorful and detailed descriptions of the Cretan settings, on land or in the harbor. The choreography of all the different religious and community ceremonies was fascinating and cinematic. The author really puts her readers smack in the middle of every scene. 

As the political intrigue enters the picture, the suspense intensifies, with the looming threats of betrayal, hunger for power, and jealousy. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering whether Martis would be able to get the answers she needed and if she would even be in a position to thwart the shocking plans that would change everything in her world. 

I recommend A MURDER OF FURIES to readers of historical cozy mysteries. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.