Sign of the Cross: A Collins-Burke Mystery, Book 1

By: Anne Emery

Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Monty Collins is a sharp-tongued public defender who just wants to represent an upstanding character for a change. A priest with something to hide isn't quite what he had hoped for, but when the literate, arrogant, and tight-lipped Father Brennan Burke is implicated in the strange murder of a young woman, Monty doesn't just take the case - the case takes him. When Burke won't come clean, Monty is forced to play private detective, traveling into his client's past.

Things look good for the case until another body is found, marked with the same telltale sign as the first. Burke keeps mum, alternate suspects are ruled out, and the trial looks like it might be lost before deliberation. As if it couldn't get any worse, Monty's wisecracking ex-wife enters the picture, and she seems to know more about Burke than Monty does. Evidence and coincidence pile up, leading to a revelation neither Monty nor the listener see coming.

©2006 Anne Emery (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Halifax writer Emery will keep your already hot blood boiling thanks to this compelling legal drama." (Hour)

"A smart, elegantly written courtroom drama that will, I hope, be the first of many." (Calgary Herald)

A Classic in the tradition of Dick Francis

What did you love best about Sign of the Cross: A Collins-Burke Mystery, Book 1?

The plot was well thought out and gripping. It kept me listening until 2:00 am to find out whodunnit.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoy Dick Francis because all of his characters have a backstory and motivation, even the villains. This was similar. Anne Emery wants you to understand why the crimes happened, and I found the motivations credible and even moving.

Which character – as performed by Christian Rummel – was your favorite?

Fr. Burke. Rummel has a great range and does children and women well, too. But the slight Irish accent and clipped intonation he gave Burke were perfect for the character.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The revelation of who the killer was and why did bring tears to my eyes. I bought it; it did not seem forced or manipulative.

Excellent book in every way!

So I began listening to this yesterday, for about the first hour believing this would be a solid "4" (stars) on everything. Then in about the 2nd or 3rd hour--I realized I was hooked in a big way, and at 2am this morning, still wide awake listening, I understood that this was an Exceptionally Good Book.

Sometimes (in my own mind, at least) I separate out whether a book is going to be a serious novel--requiring a sort of deep and intent listening, or a lighter mystery--which is an easier read. This book, while certainly a mystery, was a "Deep Listen" experience. It has a good mystery, but it is a fascinating exploration of character.

Monty Collins is an attorney in Hailfax who is asked to take on the case of a priest who (at the time) is possibly going to be arrested for a murder. He is somewhat put-off by the priest who is not very forthcoming or friendly to him, but over the course of the book, he & Ftr Brennan Burke get to know each other very well indeed.

This book depends upon development of each of the main characters. At first I sort of felt the author was spending too much time on this--peppering the beginning of the story with events that seemed casual, a bit too much time spent on showing incidents in which the two get to know each other better (such as playing cards together, getting drunk together in a social situation, a lot of interaction between Collins and his ex wife & kids, etc). I can only say that there came a point in the book where I completely understood how integral this all was to the whole.

This book has a good mystery--but it would have been very simple and flat without all the ways the author draws the listener right into the places where things are happening and learning much of the back story. Although this is a story about a priest, I felt nothing but interest in the religious pieces that are seamlessly woven in--and important, since they help the listener know who & how complex this character is.

One last point--I think the narrator was unusually good. In the beginning, I felt he was so-so, but as the plot developed, and the story depended upon understanding the deepest personality traits of the priest, it was his narration that truly brought it all alive. I think it would have been apparent reading the book, but he was a skillful actor in his ability to make me grasp some of the priest's most complicated aspects by his tone of voice, his range of emotions that clearly came across. I highly recommend this book--and will soon be moving on to its sequel.

Maybe even a 4.5

I really enjoyed this story... Anne Emery put together an amazing cast of characters... They are Imperfect in nature - But not to the extreme. I have to credit the narrator christian Rummel (One of my new favorite narrators) He brings Burke to life with a great Irish accent.
If he had Burke's character and voice, read a menu - I probably would have enjoyed it. The story did intrigue me as well. This is my first Anne Emery book - And after listening to this - I went and got the 4th book in the series because 2 & 3 did not great reviews by others. I enjoyed that one as well and probably would have enjoyed 2 & 3...... 1 & 4 have a little bit of everything in them. Murder - Mystery - Theology & Law

I will probably get more....... John

Tight little mystery/legal thriller

I was very surprised with how enjoyable this little mystery was. I had never heard of the author or the series. Read it based on the reviews of two Audible readers I follow. Well, thank you! I just finished it and already downloaded the second in the series!

Monty Collins is a sharp tongued lawyer with an estranged wife who has an even sharper tongue. They defend a priest accused of murder and for a while neither you nor his attorney are quite sure whether Father Burke is guilty or not. The character development is very good, making even the mystery secondary to the players. But the mystery is quite good. You are given enough of the pieces to solve it -- and Anne Emery wraps the whole thing very nicely, making it just surprising enough.

Have a bit of patience at the beginning. There are phrases to the effect of "little did I know how wrong I was," or "I would come to regret those words soon enough" (not direct quotes, but this kind of unnecessary foreboding) a tad too often. However, once the story gets going, Ms. Emery's writing seems to get better as well. I had a hard time putting it down towards the end.

I thought Christian Rummel's narration was great. Yes, some of the Irish priests were a bit much -- but what could he do? They are meant to have Irish accents and he had to separate them from each other, so some do go a bit over the top. He made up for that minor fault with everything else -- even managing to make Monty's wife sound sharp tongued but likable (something that I have found is often hard for male narrators reading a woman's voice).

Like I said, I've already downloaded the second in the series (I am so happy when I find a new author who has a SERIES out already!). It's a testament to the character development that I am looking forward to finding out what happens to THEM as much as to the next mystery!

Not convicing, but not a total waste of a credit

There are many terrible and reactionary things about the social policies of the Catholic Church, but for Catholics, the pull of the sacraments is tidal. If you wonder how anyone with a social conscience could still be Catholic, Anne Emery tries and I think largely fails to address that question. She has done her research, but I just don't believe her characters. She's on the edge of the experience instead of at its center. Even so, this is not a terrible book. It rolls right along and doesn't sensationalize, considering the subject matter, a priest accused of grisly murders.

Love it!

I thought the writing in this mystery was really well done. The characters had depth and I cared about all of them. I am looking forward to listening to more!

Very good story, irritating reader

If you could sum up Sign of the Cross: A Collins-Burke Mystery, Book 1 in three words, what would they be?

Entertaining, implausible, grating

Who was your favorite character and why?

Monty. He was a regular guy with common sense and a brain.

Would you be willing to try another one of Christian Rummel’s performances?

No. He seemed so uncomfortable with all the female characters, read them all at 78rpm, and gave them all a caustic tone. The male characters were fine.

Any additional comments?

Father Burke's actions were often unbelievable, especially the big fat kiss in front of many witnesses. I liked Monty enough to read another one, but can't listen to Christian Rummel.

A perfectly narrated and written murder mystery

Christian Rummel has become a favored narrator of mine. With 10 titles in my library narrated by Rummel, “Sign of the Cross” again introduced me to a new author, Anne Emery. Had I not searched in Audible for “Christian Rummel,” I very well might have missed this series. I search by narrator often and I have been pleased with the results. Author Anne Emery pens this complexellent and intricate legal thriller. The defense of a priest by attorney Monty Collins includes twists turns, surprises, humor and so much more. Try to take a break. I think not! I am most definitely buying “Obit,” Book 2 in this series. There came a time when I realized there was no way I could have figured out the astounding jaw-dropping finale; I was completely shocked. Thankfully, Rummel performs in the next few books. His impeccable narrative skill shines through; his inflections, vocal tones, accents and comical technique proves just how talented he is. I enjoyed plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. (How does he do it?) I found this a common trait of his in books by other authors as well. Worth a cherished credit! Kudos to all involved for bringing this series to Audible! So highly recommended in both narration and plot, I want to scream it from the rooftop, Epic, I say. Epic! Epic! Epic!

👏✍🏻🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟✍🏻👏

WOW! Quite a surprise!

I fell upon Anne Emery when searching for a good audible book. I read her latest and enjoyed it so much I started back to Book 1. I enjoyed this book even more. Apart from being enthralled by the intricacies of this modern 'whodunit' I was quite fascinated by the development of the relationship between Father Burke and Monty Collins.
This is a solid mystery situated in Halifax, NS and it relies heavily on the Nova Scotian culture. Emery creates and develops strong secondary characters which makes the book that more interesting. Christian Rummel is excellent as he portrays all the people - men, women, Irish, American, Canadian as well as young boys and girls.
Certainly worth the credit.
Now on to the next Emery book is the series.

Bought as a lark, glad I did

What made the experience of listening to Sign of the Cross: A Collins-Burke Mystery, Book 1 the most enjoyable?

The narration is outstanding. Mr. Rummel makes each character very distinctive with his voice. I particularly like his voice for the priest, Fr. Burke.

What other book might you compare Sign of the Cross: A Collins-Burke Mystery, Book 1 to and why?

This reminds me, somewhat, of "Presumed Innocent," where the story delves into and develops both the personal and professional lives of the main characters. I read a lot of mysteries, though, and this is not easily comparable to any others.

Have you listened to any of Christian Rummel’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I enjoyed pacing it out over time. I would get frustrated with Fr. Burke - his arrogance and intransigence - and so it was good to take a break. I should add that my frustration with Burke came from his rich and complex personality. There is much, much more to his character than arrogance and stubborness!

Any additional comments?

I bought this book because it was recommended by Audible - one of those "Before you check out, try one of these other books on sale." So glad I gave this a chance.

I was a bit disappointed in the ending. No spoilers, but there is a dinner party at the end that just does not ring true. I also don't care for books that use the end of book 1 to dangle book 2 of a planned series before the reader.