From Publishers Weekly
The cozy village of Alesford, Mass., may seem an unlikely spot for murder, but such crimes gravitate toward Faith Fairchild, the local minister's wife and self-employed caterer. In her seventh case (after The Body in the Kelp), the sleuthing mother of two and her husband, Tom, find themselves in the middle of a town controversy over the proposed development of Beecher's Bog, a popular nature spot. The disagreement turns nasty when opponents of the planned luxury housing begin receiving poison pen letters. An arson fire and a corpse later, the town's residents are enraged and fearful as they plan the annual Patriots' Day celebrations. Faith keeps an eagle eye out for the murderer, whom she eventually encounters in her own company kitchen. While Page's pacing lacks crispness, some unusual characters-a preschool teacher who has an apparent double life and the feisty town historian who heads up POW! (Preserve Our Wetlands!)-and Faith's good nature generally compensate in this New England mystery, which is accompanied by five recipes, including one for Faith's Yankee Pot Roast. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Although Page (The Body in the Cast, LJ 10/1/93) employs an alliterative title gimmick, the real hook lies in the recipes she has included in her book. Series sleuth Faith Fairchild occupies her time in small-town Massachusetts with her husband, Tom, a preacher; their two small children; Have Faith, her catering business; and an occasional murder. When wetlands are converted into a chi-chi housing development, poison pen letters fly, one of the houses burns, and police discover murder. Faith's persistent quest for clues exposes many secrets, but the ultimate confrontation occurs in Have Faith's kitchen. Well-delineated action and characters mix easily with Faith's attendant domesticity. A good read.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
The seventh in the author's recipe-laden, rife-with-murder adventures set in Aleford, the small Massachusetts town where amateur snoop Faith Fairchild (The Body in the Basement, 1994, etc.), wife of the minister and mother of two, runs a catering service. Aleford's citizenry is being torn apart by the plans of builder Joey Madsen, brash and ambitious, who wants to convert Beecher's Bog to Alefordiana Estates--a swath of high-priced houses. Town doyenne Millicent Revere McKinley, with computer expert Brad Hallowell, bird-watchers Nelson and Margaret Batcheldor and others, are busy recruiting members to POW--Preserve Our Wetlands. Meanwhile, Brad's ex-girlfriend, prim nursery-school teacher Lora Deane, one of the extensive clan, is having her own problems with threatening phone calls, a brick through her window, and a second identity, soon ferreted out by Faith. All this pales when Margaret Batcheldor's body is recovered from a new, unoccupied house--one of Joey's--that has burnt to the ground. The verdict is murder; weeks later, in midst of Patriots' Day celebrations, husband Nelson gets a near-fatal dose of poison. There's yet another death--this corpse discovered by Faith, who, between meetings, meals, catering jobs, funerals, sermons, and child care, resolves to set a trap for the killer in a clich‚d climax. A good-humored but soon tedious domestic chronicle (mercifully sans dogs and cats), allied with talkative, mildly interesting characters and makeshift plotting. Cozies' fans will find it comfy if not compelling. (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.



"Another delightful installment in a charming series, again complete with appealing recipes."



"Mouth-watering...intriguing...charming...Mystery lovers will enjoy THE BODY IN THE BOG."


Book Description

Faith Fairchild is momentarily shocked to find her husband, the Reverend Thomas Fairchild, embracing Lora Deane -- and relieved to discover the distraught nursery school teacher is merely seeking solace and advice. Lora has been receiving threatening phone calls. And she's not the only resident of tiny Aleford, Massachusetts, who is being terrorized. Ever since local environmentalists have begun protesting the proposed housing development that will destroy Beecher's Bog, the more vocal opponents have become targets of a vicious campaign of intimidation-which is more than enough reason for Faith to launch into some clandestine sleuthing. But when a body turns up in the charred ruins of a very suspicious house fire, Faith is suddenly investigating a murder -- and in serious danger of getting bogged down in a very lethal mess indeed!


About the Author
Katherine Hall Page was born and grew up in New Jersey, graduating from Livingston High School. Her father was the Executive Director of The Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and her mother is an artist. She has a brother and sister. Early on the family developed a love of the Maine coast, spending summer vacations on Deer Isle. She received her BA from Wellesley College, majoring in English and went on to a Masters in Secondary Education from Tufts and a Doctorate in Administration, Public Planning, and Social Policy from Harvard. College had brought her to Massachusetts and she continues to reside there. Before her career as a full-time writer, Ms. Page taught at the high school level for many years. She developed a program for adolescents with special emotional needs, a school within a school model, that dealt with issues of truancy, substance abuse, and family relationships. Those five years in particular were rich ones for her. This interest in individuals and human behavior later informed her writing.Married for twenty-seven years to Professor Alan Hein, an experimental psychologist at MIT, the couple have one nineteen-year-old son. It was during her husband's sabbatical year in France after the birth of their son that Ms. Page wrote her first mystery, The Body in theBelfry, 1991 Agatha Award winner for Best First Mystery Novel. The thirteenth in the series, The Body in the Lighthouse, will be published by William Morrow in the spring. Ms. Page was also awarded the 2001 Agatha for Best Short Story for "The Would-Be Widower" in the Malice Domestic X collection (Avon Books). She was an Edgar nominee for her juvenile mystery, Christie& Company Down East. Descended from Norwegian-Americans on her mother's side and New Englanders on her father's, Ms. Page grew up listening to all sorts of stories. She remains an unabashed eavesdropper and will even watch your slides or home movies to hear your narration. Her books are the product of all the strands of her life and she plans to keep weaving.

ANNOTATION

The seventh mystery in the Agatha Award-winning series featuring the irrepressible parson's wife/sleuth Faith Fairchild. In the midst of Aleford's annual Patriot's Day celebration, a woman's corpse is discovered in an unfinished house that has been burned to the ground by an arsonist. Faith finds herself investigating the murder--and being stalked herself.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Body in the Bog is the seventh mystery by Katherine Hall Page featuring the irrepressible Faith Fairchild. Set in the fictitious town of Aleford, Massachusetts, the series has delighted readers with its combination of suspense, murder - and recipes. One spring evening Faith walks in on her husband, the Reverend Thomas Fairchild, embracing another woman. It's a terrified Miss Lora, Ben Fairchild's beloved nursery-school teacher, who has been receiving threatening phone calls. In addition, controversy is raging over the fate of Beecher's Bog, a large tract of land behind the church. Opponents of the proposed development receive poison-pen letters. A connection to Miss Lora's calls? Finally, when an unfinished house is set on fire and a corpse discovered in the flames, Faith finds herself investigating a murder ... and being stalked herself!

FROM THE CRITICS

Index-Journal Greenwood

Mouth-watering...intriguing...charming...Mystery lovers will enjoy The Body In The Bog.

Publishers Weekly

The cozy village of Alesford, Mass., may seem an unlikely spot for murder, but such crimes gravitate toward Faith Fairchild, the local minister's wife and self-employed caterer. In her seventh case (after The Body in the Kelp), the sleuthing mother of two and her husband, Tom, find themselves in the middle of a town controversy over the proposed development of Beecher's Bog, a popular nature spot. The disagreement turns nasty when opponents of the planned luxury housing begin receiving poison pen letters. An arson fire and a corpse later, the town's residents are enraged and fearful as they plan the annual Patriots' Day celebrations. Faith keeps an eagle eye out for the murderer, whom she eventually encounters in her own company kitchen. While Page's pacing lacks crispness, some unusual characters-a preschool teacher who has an apparent double life and the feisty town historian who heads up POW! (Preserve Our Wetlands!)-and Faith's good nature generally compensate in this New England mystery, which is accompanied by five recipes, including one for Faith's Yankee Pot Roast. (Apr.)

Library Journal

Although Page (The Body in the Cast, LJ 10/1/93) employs an alliterative title gimmick, the real hook lies in the recipes she has included in her book. Series sleuth Faith Fairchild occupies her time in small-town Massachusetts with her husband, Tom, a preacher; their two small children; Have Faith, her catering business; and an occasional murder. When wetlands are converted into a chi-chi housing development, poison pen letters fly, one of the houses burns, and police discover murder. Faith's persistent quest for clues exposes many secrets, but the ultimate confrontation occurs in Have Faith's kitchen. Well-delineated action and characters mix easily with Faith's attendant domesticity. A good read.

Kirkus Reviews

The seventh in the author's recipe-laden, rife-with-murder adventures set in Aleford, the small Massachusetts town where amateur snoop Faith Fairchild (The Body in the Basement, 1994, etc.), wife of the minister and mother of two, runs a catering service. Aleford's citizenry is being torn apart by the plans of builder Joey Madsen, brash and ambitious, who wants to convert Beecher's Bog to Alefordiana Estates—a swath of high-priced houses. Town doyenne Millicent Revere McKinley, with computer expert Brad Hallowell, bird-watchers Nelson and Margaret Batcheldor and others, are busy recruiting members to POW—Preserve Our Wetlands. Meanwhile, Brad's ex-girlfriend, prim nursery-school teacher Lora Deane, one of the extensive clan, is having her own problems with threatening phone calls, a brick through her window, and a second identity, soon ferreted out by Faith. All this pales when Margaret Batcheldor's body is recovered from a new, unoccupied house—one of Joey's—that has burnt to the ground. The verdict is murder; weeks later, in midst of Patriots' Day celebrations, husband Nelson gets a near-fatal dose of poison. There's yet another death—this corpse discovered by Faith, who, between meetings, meals, catering jobs, funerals, sermons, and child care, resolves to set a trap for the killer in a clichéd climax.

A good-humored but soon tedious domestic chronicle (mercifully sans dogs and cats), allied with talkative, mildly interesting characters and makeshift plotting. Cozies' fans will find it comfy if not compelling.