Rating: 
Summary: Fresh, delightful addition to the series
Review: Fans who have read all of the Beatitude and Blackie Ryan mysteries will be delighted by this latest tale. Fr. Greeley has delivered an entertaining mystery that is both a breath of fresh air and true to the well-established formula. New characters are as delightful as the old favorites. This one seemed to go very quickly, but is written so well, the images will linger for years, particularly of Mother Marie's wise words about love and a particular wedding ceremony near the end of the book.Not incidentally, there is an especially fine treat for longtime fans of Fr. Greeley's on the back cover of the book - praise for the author's fiction from a member of the Church hierarchy. It is long overdue. I do find it sad, and more than a bit unusual, however, that the author puts a disclaimer on a certain fictional Cardinal's remarks to Blackie in a Note at the end of the book. Has it really come to this? Mon Dieu!
Rating: 
Summary: Mystery or Sermon?
Review: Greeley exploits his Blackie Ryan Formula yet again. That formula is a locked room mystery and a bright young women who is facing a personal crisis. Blackie solves both, and at the same time delivers a sermon on Catholics in todays world. Here we have the good bishop solving the disappearance of a young priest in Paris, while he solves the problems of a young musician. Eventhough the formula remains the same, I always find the sermon refreshing. It is always wonderful to receive the lift that the sermon provides.
Rating:
Summary: Mystery or Sermon?
Review: Greeley exploits his Blackie Ryan Formula yet again. That formula is a locked room mystery and a bright young women who is facing a personal crisis. Blackie solves both, and at the same time delivers a sermon on Catholics in todays world. Here we have the good bishop solving the disappearance of a young priest in Paris, while he solves the problems of a young musician. Eventhough the formula remains the same, I always find the sermon refreshing. It is always wonderful to receive the lift that the sermon provides.
Rating:
Summary: Hail!
Review: Hail! The gang's all here! The newest installment in the Bishop Blackwood Ryan mystery series also foreshadows the lives of other Father Greeley favorites: Nualla Anne (to whose introduction to readers the eponymous Celtic/French Beggar Girl bears a striking resemblance) and the rest of the Coynes, Charles Cronin O'Malley and his wife Rosemarie Clancy O'Malley. Caveat: another of my favorite authors is Louise Erdrich. But, if you're going to read her most recent book and this one, read her "Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse" last. I'm not going to tell you why - that would be a spoiler too!
Rating:
Summary: Patently a good one
Review: I like all of Andrew Greeley's novels, yet "arguably" as Blackie Ryan would say, this is my favorite one to date. It is "patently" a well-crafted tale, to use Blackie's other favorite adverb. I was truly surprised when he found the solution to another closed-room mystery, his specialty. This is a gentler, kinder book than many of his earlier offerings. Blackie has softened over the years, and has a detached and fuller understanding of the passions of youth.
Set in Paris, and poking fun at many typically French characters and attitudes, Greeley's book will make you smile and keep you wondering until the last pages.
Rating:
Summary: First Greeley Novel Hits the Spot
Review: I've been wanting to read his stuff for years, but for some reason I'm only getting around to it now. Before the book, I only knew of him as the priest who wrote sexy novels. Being Catholic, I'm surprised I didn't jump on this sooner, but good things come to those that wait. I think the guy's writing is great! No preaching. Just an everyday guy who's profession just happens to be a priest. Definately opinionated, and covers all kinds of topics dealing with the church, from large-scale issues to petty quarrels with various members of the hierarchy. As for the sexy parts, he does address them in a mature, readable fashion. I was once told by a priest that there is a saying that "the more you know, the more you can get away with". You get from this book that if two committed people in love want to start banging a little early, nobody's feathers are going to get too ruffled. He also hints that yes, he finds ladies attractive, and will do regular solo work to try and make the awesome pressure of celibacy a bit easier to bear. Whether this jives with church thinking or this is one renegade priest shooting his pen off, I'm not sure. But he does have a new hooked fan. Oh yes, the book itself. It deals with one of his regular characters being sent to France to investigate the disappearance of a popular TV priest. It's a pretty short book, but so are Elmore Leonard novels, and I have no problem with them. He picks up the title beggar girl to be his translator, but since he speaks French already, it's probably more because she's cute. Here the story goes through standard investigation scenes, but I will admit the ending does take an unusual plot twist. How much it would have been able to be pulled off in real life is debateable, but it did make for great reading.
Rating:
Summary: First Greeley Novel Hits the Spot
Review: I've been wanting to read his stuff for years, but for some reason I'm only getting around to it now. Before the book, I only knew of him as the priest who wrote sexy novels. Being Catholic, I'm surprised I didn't jump on this sooner, but good things come to those that wait. I think the guy's writing is great! No preaching. Just an everyday guy who's profession just happens to be a priest. Definately opinionated, and covers all kinds of topics dealing with the church, from large-scale issues to petty quarrels with various members of the hierarchy. As for the sexy parts, he does address them in a mature, readable fashion. I was once told by a priest that there is a saying that "the more you know, the more you can get away with". You get from this book that if two committed people in love want to start banging a little early, nobody's feathers are going to get too ruffled. He also hints that yes, he finds ladies attractive, and will do regular solo work to try and make the awesome pressure of celibacy a bit easier to bear. Whether this jives with church thinking or this is one renegade priest shooting his pen off, I'm not sure. But he does have a new hooked fan. Oh yes, the book itself. It deals with one of his regular characters being sent to France to investigate the disappearance of a popular TV priest. It's a pretty short book, but so are Elmore Leonard novels, and I have no problem with them. He picks up the title beggar girl to be his translator, but since he speaks French already, it's probably more because she's cute. Here the story goes through standard investigation scenes, but I will admit the ending does take an unusual plot twist. How much it would have been able to be pulled off in real life is debateable, but it did make for great reading.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining entry
Review: In the blink of an eye, the charismatic and incredibly handsome Frere Jean Claude Chretien becomes the toast of France through his dynamic TV sermons. While filming a show on the excavations at Notre Dame Cathedral, Frere Jean Claude vanishes. Desperate to reduce the uproar over the missing Frere Jean Claude, the Archbishop of Paris, aware of American Bishop Blackie Ryan's sleuthing skills, asks the priest's boss Archbishop of Chicago Cardinal Cronin for help. Naturally, Cardinal Cronin assigns Blackie to solve the case while accompanying his subordinate to France. In Paris, Blackie begins to investigate. In front of St-Germain des Pres Church he meets Marie-Bernadette begging for money. When he learns she speaks English, Blackie hires her as his translator while he sifts through clues. However, as they work together, the duo soon learns that much of the French establishment do not want this case resolved. THE BISHOP AND THE BEGGAR GIRL OF ST. GERMAIN is an entertaining cozy starring an intriguing priest. Blackie is a wonderful character, but the addition of Marie-Bernadette as his sidekick adds depth while her cynical wisecracking keeps him and the readers amused. The mystery is clever, but the story line slowly moves forward. Fans of Andrew Greeley will appreciate his latest tale, but anyone who wants action need to go to a different pew. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Pure Greeley
Review: It is heart warming to read a book that entertains and satisfies without any slick gimmicks. Father Greeley is in his element with Bishop Blackie. I throughly enjoyed reading this book. Love and suspense and mystery...a wonderful combination.
Rating: 
Summary: the begger girl of st germaine
Review: Not the best of Andrew Greeley. Redundant, story dragged on. I was very disappointed and even though I am an avid fan, I don't know that I would reccommend this book.
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