Rating: 
Summary: One of her best
Review: My favorite Haddams are those which have a strong church link and this one does three times over. It is also nice that Gregor and Bennis have at long last gotten together since that relationship was long in the tooth to be so up in the air. Haddam puts together her usual large cast of complex and convincing characters and suspects, in this well-plotted and fascinating mystery.
Rating:
Summary: True Believers -- A Nice Duality Plus A Dandy Plot!
Review: One of the nicest surprises from Jane Haddam's work is her sudden use of humor. Few authors make me laugh out loud but Haddam 'got me' this time with pitiable followers of a religious right manipulator being dressed up in bed sheets and angel wings, all to protest the usual goings on down the street.And what a street it is! I found the setting so interesting with such diversity among the Catholics, the gay Episcopalians, the ultra Right and a resident Atheist -- all within spittin' distance of each other. And what a contrast to the cohesion on Cavanaugh -- all in all, a nice duality. It was refreshing to see no real sympathy extended to Bennis' dread sister -- the woman was a sociopath of the highest order and deserves exactly what she gets. My only complaint -- as usual -- is I read it too fast and wanted there to be more. And one suggestion of sorts -- I love Sister Scholastica in anything. And I love Father Tibor. Have they ever met? What a clerical Nick and Nora they could be! Rumor has it the next book will be twice as long -- now, there's a happy thought!
Rating:
Summary: True Believers is Solid Gold
Review: People are being poisoned in neighboring Philadelphia Churches. First the Cardinal Archbishop, then the police call in retired FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. Gregor's lover Bennis Hannaford restlessly anticipates the execution of her sister amid the swirl of life on Cavanaugh Street. Jane Haddam provides a world of crime and religious passions that contains a first rate puzzle of murder. Is the motivation love, money or both?
Rating:
Summary: This series never grows stale
Review: The Philadelphia Inquirer calls former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian the "Armenian-American Hercule Poirot," but the ex FBI chief of the Behavioral Science Unit prefers less of a public role. In spite of his good intentions, Gregor seems to always become involved in a high profile homicide investigation that turns him into a media pizza. Gregor's lover Bennis Hannaford suffers from a rough period as the state readies to execute her sister with no appeals or stay in sight. Gregor tries to help Bennie obtain closure, but is yanked into the murders inside churches in their neighborhood. For instance, a churchgoer dies from arsenic poisoning and her husband brings her to their place of worship where he commits suicide. A nun and a pastor also die from arsenic poisoning. Gregor begins to seek the common theme besides the weapon that binds these deaths. One of the great qualities of the excellent long-running Demarkian novels is that the reader does not need to follow some pre-designed sequence as each book can stand-alone. Still, fans will tell newcomers that watching Gregor grow and change is fun. TRUE BELIEVERS is rich in detail and strong on plotting. The complex characters make the story line believable and keep the pace of the novel steady but always going forward. Jane Haddam will make TRUE BELIEVERS out of anyone who reads any of her books. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: The Subject is Murder!
Review: The subject is murder. It's happening in a fading Catholic church in the heart of Gregor Demarkian's Philadelphia; it's happening across the street in the counterpart Episcopalian church that befriends a community of gay men; and Bennis's older sister, who's about to be executed by the state for killing her father and two other sisters, is finally going to reap the rewards of murder. The impending execution forms an intriguing backdrop to the murders that make up the fabric of Gregor's 16th (or 17th, who's counting) encounter with the most base human crime. What I've always loved most about Jane Haddam's novels is the array of unusual, intense, and fully-developed characters. She did not disappoint me with TRUE BELIEVERS. Each one was crisp and clear within the pages of the story as he/she drove the action forward to its amazing conclusion. Add to that the wonderfully imaginative plot that twists and turns itself from confusion to clarity, and you'd have a well-constructed, enjoyable mystery novel with apologies to none, thank you. But Jane Haddam has taken TRUE BELIEVERS a step higher by placing before the reader a plethora of contrasting philosophies as traditional and diverse Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, fundamentalist Baptist, athiest, and agnostic characters find they must share the same space and either learn to fight or to coexist there. She gives her readers much more than simple plot to digest as they seek to understand the viewpoints of others around them. Perhaps that's why Jane Haddam's book can be read and reread many times without ever losing their freshness. And for her fans (like I am), that's a blessing.
Rating:
Summary: The Subject is Murder!
Review: The subject is murder. It's happening in a fading Catholic church in the heart of Gregor Demarkian's Philadelphia; it's happening across the street in the counterpart Episcopalian church that befriends a community of gay men; and Bennis's older sister, who's about to be executed by the state for killing her father and two other sisters, is finally going to reap the rewards of murder. The impending execution forms an intriguing backdrop to the murders that make up the fabric of Gregor's 16th (or 17th, who's counting) encounter with the most base human crime. What I've always loved most about Jane Haddam's novels is the array of unusual, intense, and fully-developed characters. She did not disappoint me with TRUE BELIEVERS. Each one was crisp and clear within the pages of the story as he/she drove the action forward to its amazing conclusion. Add to that the wonderfully imaginative plot that twists and turns itself from confusion to clarity, and you'd have a well-constructed, enjoyable mystery novel with apologies to none, thank you. But Jane Haddam has taken TRUE BELIEVERS a step higher by placing before the reader a plethora of contrasting philosophies as traditional and diverse Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, fundamentalist Baptist, athiest, and agnostic characters find they must share the same space and either learn to fight or to coexist there. She gives her readers much more than simple plot to digest as they seek to understand the viewpoints of others around them. Perhaps that's why Jane Haddam's book can be read and reread many times without ever losing their freshness. And for her fans (like I am), that's a blessing.
Rating: 
Summary: grammar
Review: The word "Episcopalian" is a noun. An Episcopalian attends the Episcopal Church. There is no such thing as an Episcopalian Church.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible Writing
Review: This book was awful! I was very disappointed. The writing style and plot were extremely amateurish. Jane Haddam does a terrible job developing her main character, Gregor. Haddam took many liberties in presenting her off-balance beliefs regarding religion, the death penalty, and murder through her uncolorful characters. Okay, so she uses a few big words here and there. NOT impressive. The only reason I finished the book was because I paid money for it and wanted to justify the purchase. I couldn't wait until I was finished!!
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