Book number 7 in the Christine Bennett mystery series. The former nun is invited to a Passover seder by her neighbor. During the event she learns that sixteen years prior, the neighbor’s aunt Iris disappeared in the middle of the Passover meal. Her body was found a few days later but the mystery of her death has never been solved.

I really like this main character. Christine is intelligent, calm, deliberate, tenacious and compassionate. She gains the trust of those she interviews and manages to ferret out information that even the police failed to uncover. Her husband, Jack, is a detective with the NYPD, and also going to law school, so while he’s always willing to listen and offer advice (and some “inside” help now and again) Christine manages quite well on her own.

One thing I like about this series (and the Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton) is the setting in a time period before cell phones, computers and googling. The person doing the detecting has to rely on lots of tedious footwork and research, as well as keen observation and a well-hone intuition when interviewing suspects / witnesses. ( )