"Terrific exciting thriller"

In 1915, though they remain in mourning over the vehicular murder of their parents, the Reavley siblings continue to their efforts to help England at war with the Kaiser. Joseph serves as a chaplain in the trench warfare in Belgium and France. Judith works as a driver and translator for General Cullingsford, who leads the English Expeditionary Force fighting in these trenches. Matthew is in London working Intel while trying to uncover information on the mythical power broker Peacemaker, who he believes is the killer of his parents and the broker of a Kaiser King alliance.

Joseph finds the corpse of detested journalist Eldon Prince, Cullingsford's nephew, who apparently died at the hands of "friendly" fire. Though he would prefer to ignore this homicide, Joseph investigates, which makes his preaching on God's love more difficult to his already disbelieving flock, who are pleased with Eldon's death. His sister wonders if her employer whom she is in love with could have arranged the murder of his odious relative.

SHOULDER THE SKY, the second book in Anne Perry's World War I opus, is a terrific exciting thriller that contains two exciting fronts. Judith and Joseph working a murder investigation with the backdrop of the horrors of war, especially trench warfare, are painting a panorama of horror because conditions are that terrible. In England, Matthew continues his inquiries into the Peacemaker that he previously started in NO GRAVES AS YET. Other family members serve as comparisons between the war efforts and the home. All is not quiet on the western front as Ms. Perry furbishes a terrific historical military thriller with amateur sleuth and espionage elements enhancing the dark sky of war.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 16, 2004