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Ancient Religious Mysteries

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In A Murder of Furies, Martis undergoes an initiation in order to embark upon several quests.

Although I imagined most of what Martis endures, I read widely about the ancient mysteries, particularly about Dionysus and Artemis. Both are very old Gods and it is believed both were present in the pantheon of Bronze Age Crete. Because these were mysteries, known only to the initiated, not much was known about either.

However, we can make some educated guesses.

Since Dionysus was the God of wine, ecstasy, and music, it is thought his rites involved all three. (Both wine and hallucinogenics, as well as sex , dancing and singing.) The following is a quote from The Bacchae by Euripides.

“Following the torches as they dipped and swayed in the darkness, they climbed mountain paths with head thrown back and eyes glazed, dancing to the beat of the drum which stirred their blood’ ‘In this state of ekstasis or enthusiasmos, they abandoned themselves, dancing wildly and shouting ‘Euoi!’ [the god’s name] and at that moment of intense rapture became identified with the god himself. They became filled with his spirit and acquired divine powers.

Dionysus predates the Olympian pantheon so this wild release is wholly different from the cool logic of an Athena or measured behavior of Apollo.

The other God, or Goddess in this case, that I researched was Artemis. Her great temple at Ephesus was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Like Dionysus, she is thought to be of pre-Greek origin, a goddess in her own right, before the Classical Greeks tied her to Zeus and put her in with their Olympic Gods. In Minoan Crete, there was a link between a goddess Britomartis and Artemis. Both were hunters, nurturers of the young, and virgins. In both cases, the bear was sacred to them. (In Murder of Furies, I begin with a ceremony in which little girls dress as bears, a ceremony also described as occurring in Classical Athens.

In both cases, we know very little of the mysteries involving their rites. (No one talked, apparently.) My takeaway, though, was that the initiations involved a transformation into someone different and that is what I tried to convey with Martis (whose name I adapted from Britomartis. I will add that the initiation was as difficult as the final quest itself.

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The mystery really begins with a bang when a masked intruder bursts into Blubber B Gone ( a weight loss chain) and murders the owner.

Camerin Torres takes a new job with Trend magazine and although assigned to copyediting, begins to investigate the murder. She soon realizes that murders always follow visits by Terry Mangel, and his body positivity traveling group, and the murders are always of people associated with weight loss businesses. Since Camerin herself has unresolved issues surrounding weight and weight loss, she is drawn further and further in to the investigation, even traveling to Philadelphia to visit the most recent stop of Mangel’s show. Her impulsive action puts her in legal trouble and her life in danger.

An unexpected romance blossoms between Camarin and Trend’s owner, who has secrets of his own.The romance distracts a bit from the mystery, but the central theme of this society’s focus on weight was captivating. The list of research materials at the end was also very interesting. A mystery that makes one think.

Recommended

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The Changeling Queen, by Kimberly Bea, begins with the English folk song, Tam Lin. For those unfamiliar with the song, Tam Lin, an earthly knight, is the lover of the Faerie Queen. He is destined for the teind, a fee Faerie pays to Hell. But Janet, a human woman who is carrying Tam Lin’s child, pulls him from his horse and holds on through the magical changes the Queen throws on him. (A snake, a burning brand etc.)

The Faerie Queen, determined to win, tells Tam Lin and Janet her story. She hopes to trick them into surrender.

The Queen was raised by a human midwife and given a human name, Bess. For a time, Bess chooses to remain in the human world, working as a healer, and falling in love with Thomas Shepherd, the bastard son of a noble. But he chooses to marry a human woman and Bess, hurting and vulnerable to the machinations of the Dark God Amman, returns to the faerie realm.

Recommended. I enjoyed this. A better book in my opinion that deals with the Faerie Realm and the teind is The Perilous Gard, by Elizabeth Marie Pope. The Elizabethan world is believably depicted and the Faerie Realm and Faerie Queen carry an aura of menace. I reread this book regularly; it is that good.

Zeus and Dionysus in Crete

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The Cretan Zeus is not quite the same as the Classical Greek version of the God. For one thing, the Cretan Zeus is more of a harvest God who is born again each spring and dies in the Fall. Since Classical Greeks thought all Gods and Goddesses should be immortal, they changed the attribute of the God whose name they’d taken and declared all Cretans are liars. They kept, however, the story of his upbringing in a cave after his father, Cronus in Classical Greek mythology, swallowed all his children.  A prophesy declared one would be his killer. To prevent that, Cronus swallowed them. But Rhea, to protect her remaining child, dressed a stone in swaddling clothes so Cronus swallowed the rock instead.

In both versions, Zeus was nursed by a nanny goat – or one of several other animals such as a pig. Take your pick. I’ve now read several variations. Zeus’s crying was masked by the Kouretes, a group of armed men who clashed their weapons together to hide the cries.

So what does this have to do with Dionysus? Well, the Cretan Zeus is more like Dionysus. A mortal harvest God followed by ecstatic worshippers.

When I was in Greece at Delphi I asked our tour guide why Dionysus was so different from the Classical Greek Gods. They do not embody the Dionysian wildness and several represent rationality. She didn’t know but I have the answer now. Dionysus is a very old God. He is named in the linear B tablets. And in many, if not most, of the other Middle Eastern Bronze Age religions there are other Gods like him.

These early beliefs were concentrated on fertility – not just human fertility although in Bronze Age Crete the High Priestess, as an earthly representation of the Goddess, represented that fertility. Ritual intercourse was practiced not only in the Mediterranean but as far away as Norway. For these early farmers, fertility among the livestock and of course a good harvest meant the difference between life and death. According to Joseph Campbell, in very early times the king of the land, (or the consort to the Priestess) was sacrificed so that his blood would nourish the land and promote that fertility. This practice evolved to a ritual sacrifice, using animals or other rites that stood in for the death of the king.

That is why the High Priestess had such power. Although we are not entirely sure how much, I imagined her as THE power, with her consort controlling the administration of the state. Bulls and other animals were sacrificed, but other rituals were also employed. I suggest that the consort is required to reestablish his strength by facing a bull in the ring.

Of course, as the Priestess comes to the end of her fertile years, she would be replaced with a younger woman.

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The Red Queen is the 26th entry in the Richard Jury series. And what a disappointment.

Tom Treadnor is shot through the window in a local pub, The Queen. When Jury investigates, he sees someone has edited the pub’s name to The Red Queen. When he begins investigating, he discovers everyone has a different opinion of the victim. Jury sends his friends Melrose Plant and Gerrard Gerrard to the Treadnor estate to do some undercover investigating. I was never sure why this section was included since it offered nothing to the mystery.

About halfway through, Jury’s sergeant suddenly leaves Scotland Yard to look for a sister that disappeared five years ago and has suddenly reappeared. (In past novels, the sister is believed dead.)

I’ve read almost all of the Grimes’ mysteries and yet I felt as though I’d gone to a party where I knew no one, but they knew each other. There was almost no back story to help put the reader in the know. There was, however, an awful lot of empty banter. And the murder mystery was not very good. But at least there was an ending, albeit not a very plausible one. Wiggins’ story feels half-finished with several unanswered questions.

Don’t waste your time. Not recommended.

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This past week I read Dachshund Through the Snow by David Rosenfelt. I love these books. They are funny and with good mysteries as well.

In this one, Andy Carpenter is persuaded by his wife and by a Christmas wish from a young boy, to bring his father home. But he doesn’t want to be found. He knows he is suspected of a murder that happened long ago, a murder he assures Carpenter he didn’t commit.

As he investigates, Carpenter begins to believe the young man is telling the truth. Especially after several people assigned to watch Carpenter are murdered. Then another man who was asking questions.

Sure enough, the case is way more complicated than it first appears. But Andy pursues it to the end and justice is served.

Recommended.

The Bull in Ancient Crete

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Bulls in Ancient Crete were sacred. We know that from the murals and the statuary that show how valuable the bull was. Rhytons, drinking cups, were even made in the shape of a horned bulls head. I’ve certainly discussed at length the ritual of bull leaping. Teenagers, little more than kids actually, ran at a charging bull, grabbing the horns, and flipping over the beast.

These are not out modern bulls either. These were bulls that were especially fast. They are not extinct, a poacher killed the last one that was housed in a Polish zoo.

How do we know about this ritual? Well, anyone who knows the Theseus myth is familiar with the minotaur. Athens had to send 14 tributes to Knossos; 7 boys and 7 girls. In the myth, they face the minotaur in the labyrinth. Theseus, with the aid of a ball of string and a sword given him by the king’s daughter Ariadne, defeats the minotaur.Frescoes from Knossos show they teenagers leaping over a charging bull. Another member of the team caught the jumper. There seems to be no doubt this ritual occurred.

What is behind the veneration of the bull? I’ve read varying explanations. Is it because the Bull represented the male principle, even in a society with a Supreme Goddess? Is it because of the connection with Poseidon. also a God in this culture. (I have mentioned previously how much the Classical Greeks borrowed from the Minoans).

A stylized version of the bull’s horns, called the Horns of Consecration, were used everywhere. Examples have survived in Knossos.

Hatshepsut

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A Murder of Furies, the third in the Bronze Age Crete series, will be released January 31.

In this outing, Ancient Egypt plays a large role.

A minor prince seeks the hand of Hele, the High Priestess’s daughter. She has turned him down multiple times but he won’t take no for an answer. He arrives in Knossos to press his suit in person. While he is there, Martis discovers that the prince is allying himself with Khoranos, the High Priestess’s son, who is planning to take the throne.

And then the High Priestess is murdered! Martis suspects the Egyptians.

I don’t know if this could have happened but I thought it might be possible. Crete and Egypt were trading partners and some time after the time frame in which this story takes place, Ramses appealed to Crete for help in stopping the Sea Peoples, the pirates who attacked Egypt regularly. We know, therefore, that there was regular contact between the two.

When this mystery takes place, Hatshepsut, a woman, was the pharaoh of Egypt. Although women enjoyed a comparatively high status, there are very few women pharaohs. Hatshepsut was the daughter, the sister, and the wife of a king so her bloodline was impeccable.

The daughter of Thutmose I, she ruled jointly with her brother/husband, Thutmose III. She reigned for over 20 years and is generally regarded as a successful pharaoh.She reestablished trade networks that had been disrupted during a previous war and although was engaged in warfare in the early part of her reign, oversaw a long and prosperous era. She also embarked on many building projects.

She was almost lost to history since her cartouche was removed from her monuments. Her brother, Thutmose III, did not remove her cartouche until the end of his reign. Since by the little we know, the relationship between Thutmose and Hatshepsut was a good one, it is suggested that his son, Amenhotep II was the defacer.

Not much is known about her. She had one daughter and seems to have been a good ruler. A mummy believed to be hers has been discovered. An examination shows she had diabetes, cancer and bad teeth.

As even many layman know, the Egyptians married siblings, nieces, and daughters. The accepted explanation is that only another royal had the proper bloodline. Another theory is that this was an effort to keep the power concentrated in one family’s hands.. One suggestion I find particularly interesting is that, because of a woman’s connection to a Supreme Goddess, a holdover from the Goddess worship of earlier times, only a female member of the royal family could give legitimacy to the throne and to her relative’s rule.

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Our Lady of the Overlook, by R.L. Carpentier III is a police procedural.

Mike Ellis is a rookie cop, working under the shadow of his father. Charles Ellis had been the police chief in the little town for years.

Now it looks like history is repeating itself. Mike Ellis finds the body of a woman murdered, at the overlook, just like his father had forty years ago. Although Mike’s investigation takes a heavy toll on him, he pursues it to the end. Mike’s character evolves and changes as he faces truths that are, at best, uncomfortable.

The mystery takes a little while to get started but once it does, I couldn’t put the book down. I’m glad Carpentier has planned a trilogy as I have already ordered the second one in the series.

Recommended.

Mavens of Mayhem News

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As many know, I am a member of the Mavens of Mayhem, a chapter of the national organization: Sisters in Crime. We have programs every month.

Coming in January:

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Next up: An opportunity for writers. Here’s a chance to have your short story featured in the Mavens Anthology. Rules below.

The Mavens of Mayhem are pleased to announce that submissions are now open for our upcoming anthology. All subgenres of mystery and crime fiction are welcome, including but not limited to: traditional mysteries, cozies, police procedurals, psychological suspense, thrillers, hardboiled detectives, noir, historicals, capers, comedy, and cross-genre stories including elements of urban fantasy, paranormal, and speculative fiction.

Stories must include a crime and a New York setting. We welcome stories set anywhere from Adirondack State Park to Central Park; from the Hudson River to Niagara Falls, and from Fire Island to Henderson Harbor [pop. 1,400] Whichever you choose, the Empire State offers a range of possibilities for artful dodgers and evil masterminds.

Word count: Stories must be between 1,500 and 5,000 words

Content: Stories must be original to the author and cannot rely, in whole or in part, on AI-generated content.

Requirements for Submission

Each author must be a member in good standing of both Sisters in Crime National and a local New York State chapter: the Upper Hudson River Mavens of Mayhem, OR the New York/Tri-State Chapter, OR Central/Western NY Murder on Ice.

(You can update your membership with the Mavens at https://upperhudsonsinc.com/join-us/)

Only one story per author may be submitted.

Only previously unpublished stories will be considered. The story may not have appeared in print, online (including e-zines and personal websites) or in any other public forum.

Mandatory Manuscript Guidelines

1. Formatting and Font: · MS Word document (.doc, not .docx, please), 12 point Times New Roman, double-spaced, one-inch margins on all sides. You may use italics as needed within the text.

2. Leave two lines, then center title, ALL CAPS BOLD, Leave two lines below title, then start story – do not indent first line of first paragraph · Use Format > Paragraph > to indent the first line of paragraphs 0.5″ (do not use the tab key to indent) ·

3. Separate sections with a centered # and do not indent first line of first paragraph beginning new section/ Indicate end of story with ### centered (format line for no indentation before centering)

4. Pagination and Rubrics: Paginate with page numbers at top right, including first page · Add story title only (not author name) as header at top left on all pages ·

5. Manuscript file name should be story title only ·

6.Strip manuscript of all metadata before submitting, as submissions will be evaluated anonymously.

7. Cover Sheet: Submit a cover sheet along with the story manuscript as a separate email attachment. The cover sheet must include: author/member real name, pen name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, title of story, and word count

8. Cover sheet file name should be author name and story title or an appropriate abbreviation.

9. Submissions: The story and cover sheet should be submitted together as two (2) attachments to anthology@upperhudsonsinc.com

The subject line should read: Anthology Submission – [Author Name] – “[Story Title]” ·

10. Anonymity: Do not include the author’s name below the title or anywhere on manuscript. Strip manuscript of all identifying metadata before submitting.

Decision-making and Revisions: All stories will be read and ranked anonymously by at least two volunteer evaluators in addition to the editors. The final selection for inclusion in the anthology will be ratified by the Board of Directors of the Mavens of Mayhem and may include editorial considerations beyond numeric scores. Authors and the chapter at large will be notified when final selections are made. · Please note that you may be asked to make revisions, either as a condition for selection or after selection as part of the editorial process.

All editing will be done using Word’s Track Changes, which has become standard for most publishers these days and is worth learning if you haven’t used it before.

This anthology is tentatively scheduled for publication October 2026, but that date may change.

Payment is $25 for accepted entries.

We look forward to reading your work!

Empire State Crimes Co-Editors: Ellen Higgins and Lori Robbins

Empire State Crimes Co-Editors: Ellen Higgins and Lori Robbins

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