The Deadly Weed by Cora Harrison

Publication Date: 7/3/2023

‘Is that the police? I want to report a murder.’

Cork, Ireland in the 1920s. A man is found dead after a fire at a local cigarette factory. The Reverend Mother receives the news the following day. Ten of her former pupils had been given steady jobs there, steady jobs at a time when Cork is full of unemployment, poverty and political unrest. The Reverend Mother is concerned: there is talk that one of her ‘girls’ was responsible.

Inspector Patrick Cashman is the investigating officer and is under pressure to find the cause of the fire and to identify a suspect. The Lord Mayor is visiting together with the Police Commissioner and Inspector Cashman is in line for a promotion.

The fire is quickly determined to be arson and when a local woman, Mrs Maloney,  reports that one of the girls, Maureen McCarthy, often stayed late with the man who is now dead, Maureen is taken in for questioning. Maureen makes things worse for herself by spitting at the police superintendent and is gaoled. Even though the bishop refuses the Reverend Mother permission to visit Maureen, she draws on her cousins and other connections to investigate the case.

‘You mark my words, people in the future will be calling those tobacco leaves of yours the Deadly Weed.’

This is the tenth of Ms Harrison’s Reverend Mother mysteries the pace is slower than the others I have read. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the way in which the Reverend Mother investigates and uncovers the truth. Along the way we see the stark contrast between the poor in their slums and those with influence and money.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith