Ostensibly a mystery series, the real appeal of the books is the vivid characterization. Clare Fergusson is an Episcopal priest; Russ Van Alstyne, fourteen years her senior, is the chief of police in Millers Kill. Clare defies clichéd type-casting. She’s far from the stereotypical meek and retiring clergywoman; she’s headstrong and determined. Russ is principled and sympathetic, the perfect small-town lawman. Over the course of the books, their relationship has grown from purely professional to romantic. Moreover, like any good small town, Millers Kill is populated by an array of interesting individuals who make recurring appearances with their own subplots.

One Was a Soldier, the seventh book in the series, was originally supposed to be published last year. I don’t handle that kind of scheduling delay well, but my patience has been rewarded. One Was a Soldier is just the story the author’s fans have been waiting for.

At the end of the previous book, I Shall Not Want, Clare had rejoined the Army as a helicopter pilot (her career prior to becoming a priest) and was deployed to Iraq. One Was a Soldier begins a year and a half later when Clare returns; time and distance have not lessened her and Russ’s feelings. Love, however, does not always heal all wounds. Clare joins a therapy group for recent combat returnees even as she refuses to acknowledge the severity of her problems. The other veterans have their own difficulties reintegrating into civilian life. Experiences in Iraq have followed one member of the group, Tally McNabb, back to America. What initially appears to be a combat-zone extramarital affair develops into something more sinister.

This may be Ms. Spencer-Fleming’s most complexly plotted book yet. The story line operates on two levels – alternating between the therapy sessions and the more conventional revelation of criminal activity. The threads only gradually come together. The author’s sensitive treatment of the problems facing returning soldiers gives the narrative additional depth.

In spite of my strong recommendation of One Was a Soldier, I do not advise interested readers to jump in with this title. To appreciate One Was a Soldier it’s best to have the foundation of the characters and events from the earlier titles. For those who think it’s unfair of me to insist on readers tackling six earlier books before they can get to this one, I’m doing them a favor. If they started with this last book, they’d be searching out the earlier titles shortly anyway. This way they can enjoy them in the proper order, and they won’t need the same nine long years that I’ve taken.

Unfortunately, there’s a downside to this review: now the interminable wait for next book in the series begins. Please, Ms. Spencer-Fleming, write fast!

--Lesley Dunlap