Very good novel. A great time to read a snowy, stormy book like this is in the middle of the summer. lol. Interestingly enough, I didn't mind the wife of a pastor as the heroine. The ending seemed to fall together too easily though. May read more of hers. ( )

This was a little of a diversion from the others as there were several pertinent and main characters other than Faith fairchild whonwere in the thrust of the story. I enjoyed the overlapping story lines and was eager to figure out their connections. Miriam was a strong amazing young woman who had had a horrible and lonely childhood and does right ipuntil the end by placing her newborn with a terrific 'mother', Mary the goat hereder.
( )

The Body in the Sleigh (A Faith Fairchild Mystery) – Reviewed by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

As Mary entered the barn to milk her goats, the first thing she spotted was a large basket with a big red bow, nestled against a bale of hay. It must be a gift from a neighbor. A tag hung from the bow: “For Mary Bethany.” She ignored the goats for a moment and knelt down before the gift. It was an afghan in soft pastel colors. That would be Arlene Harvey who crocheted so beautifully. But this was too much! It must have taken Arlene a long time to make. Then she heard a tiny sneeze. The merest whisper of a sneeze. She pulled back the blanket and she uncovered – a baby! “You poor thing,” she said aloud. “Who are you? And how could anyone bear to give you up?” She pulled the afghan out of the basket. Underneath it was an envelope with her name on it, some baby clothes, diapers, bottles and a package wrapped in brown paper. The note was short. ‘Dear Mary, Keep him safe and raise him to be a good man. His name is Christopher.’ And to Mary’s surprise, when she opened the package she found packets of hundred dollar bills. A lot of hundred-dollar bills.

Mary found her beautiful gift on Christmas Eve but her friend Faith had found a not so pleasant gift a few days before. Faith had taken her son and daughter round to see the different Christmas decorations of Sanpere Island in Maine. While viewing the antique sleigh in front of the Sanpere Historical Society, she discovers that there are more than mannequins posed with packages in the sleigh. There has been an addition of a young girl’s body added to the scene. Is she possibly Christopher’s mother? If not, is there a connection between the discoveries of the girl’s body, the money and Christopher?

The Body in the Sleigh is written with a Christmas theme but it’s enjoyable reading no matter what time of year it might be. It would find myself reading “just one more page” to see if there is a connection and if so, what that connection might be. I’ve enjoyed The Body in the Sleigh enough that I plan to back up and read more of the Faith Fairchild Mysteries.

HarperCollins Publishers
2009
256 Pages
ISBN 978-0-06-147425-5 ( )

This is the 17th in Page's Faith Fairchild mystery series. I had not read any in the series before, but got this volume free at a professional conference. Now I have read it, I want to go back and read the rest of the series. Page is a writer who has earned my respect. She has a good touch with characters, the plot is believable.

Faith's husband is a minister, and normally Christmas is their busiest time of the year. This year, however, Faith's husband, Tom, is recovering from a serious illness and surgery. Faith, Tom, and their two children turn the church over to others and go Sanpere Island, Maine, to recover.

Faith finds the body of a young women in an antique sleigh outside the local historical society. Norah had been only a part-time resident of the island and had recently changed personalities, not for the better. While Faith is dealing with the aftermath of such a discovery, a local woman, Mary Bethany, calls her and asks for her advice - a baby boy has just been left for her to raise. How do these things connect? Faith must figure it out in order to help Mary.

Page's writing strikes me as just right in a number of places. The plot moves well and is exciting without the heroine's being stupid. The character's are deftly drawn... one feels the reality of Norah's loss through the eyes of the young man who loved her, and Mary Bethany is simply delightful. I will be reading more in the series. ( )

Faith Fairchild and family have gone to their usual summer haunt, Sanpere Island, so that her husband Tom can recover from an injury. It doesn't take long for Faith to discover the body of a young woman in a sleigh being used in an island Christmas display. At first, it seems straight-forward. The young girl died of a drug overdose, but things don't quite add up. Island goat-herder and cheese maker Mary discovers a baby in her barn about the same time with a note for her to take care of it. Could the two be related? Those of us who have read previous installments in this series know that if there is a connection, Faith will find it. Author Katherine Hall Page is one of the better "cozy" writers. I'll have to admit that I really didn't want to read about drug trafficking at Christmas though. A well-written book, but not exactly the best plot for a Christmas book. ( )