It was fun to turn to the first page of Julia Spencer-Fleming's latest novel and see that it was date-stamped with the same day I started reading it: Sunday, November 30th, which also happened to be the first Sunday of Advent this year. Why is this important? Because as longtime readers of this series know, one of its key characters, Clare Fergusson, is an Episcopal priest. She and her husband, Russ Van Alstyne, often have to investigate crimes while she prepares to write her Sunday sermons.

As someone who likes a good holiday novel, I was pleased to see that this mystery --- which takes its title (like all the books in the series) from a hymn (in this case an Advent hymn) --- would take place during the four weeks leading up to Christmas.

"As usual, Spencer-Fleming does a masterful job of navigating among her various characters, plots and settings.... AT MIDNIGHT COMES THE CRY is a stellar suspenseful read for the festive season."

Although AT MIDNIGHT COMES THE CRY has its share of feel-good moments, it's hardly the literary equivalent of a cheery Advent calendar. The novel opens at an annual holiday tractor parade in upstate New York, where --- much to the dismay of Clare and Russ --- some participants unfurl a banner on their float with a racist message. This is just the latest development in a growing trend of white supremacist and militia groups setting up shop in the rural and wilderness areas nearby.

In fact, Russ, who has stepped down as police chief and is having a hard time adjusting to civilian life, has learned recently that his ex-colleague, Kevin Flynn, has been investigating such a group camping out deep in the Adirondacks --- and has fallen out of touch not only with his family but also with his professional contact. Their other former colleague (and Kevin's one-time flame), Hadley Knox, is concerned about Kevin's safety and enlists Russ to help her investigate.

Hadley, Russ and Clare (who has been using her pastoral skills to try to understand and counsel the wife of the parade disruptor) quickly realize that the web of this underground network is far more extensive then they originally suspected. Kevin and many other innocent people might be in real danger soon. The holiday countdown is underway, and time is running out for a massive plot to be stopped in time.

As usual, Spencer-Fleming does a masterful job of navigating among her various characters, plots and settings. She also continues to deepen her development of these longtime series characters, this time focusing on how Russ is struggling with redefining his identity outside the police force and within his new role as a husband and a new father. Interestingly, one major source of unresolved narrative tension is at least tentatively resolved, and a brief postscript to the narrative offers additional glimpses into the characters' futures a few years on.

Might this be the final volume in the series? Only time will tell, but either way, AT MIDNIGHT COMES THE CRY is a stellar suspenseful read for the festive season.