<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Pray for the homeless who are the prey...
Review: Father Brad Reynolds, S.J. has created a winning protagonist in this mystery set amongst the pews of St. Joseph's -- and the downtown streets where the homeless youth's struggle to survive. It is nice to have a mystery that tugs the heartstrings a bit without trying to "preach." (Sorry, pun intended)I haven't read the author's two previous mysteries, but you can bet I'll be searching them out after reading this one. It is rare that a contemporary mystery can have a plot that still surprises, and motives that become apparent only in the last few pages. Deftly handled, I look forward to reading more of Father Brad Reynolds' mysteries! Highly Recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Give it a chance...I was glad I did though it took some time
Review: This books is definitely Catholic - no mistaking that. Words such as "vestry", "vestibule", "liturgy" and "homily" are used so if you're not familiar with the Catholic church, you may find yourself resorting to the dictionary more than once. What husband would love his wife less if he found out years later that she was adopted? He should love her for her; Adoption should have nothing to do with it. Besides, it's not as though she was keeping it from him; She didn't know herself until going through her now deceased mother's things, when she stumbled upon the adoption papers. When she does tell him, he doesn't want his wife looking into her adoption, using the excuse that it could jeopardize his political career. Besides the adoption discovery, the story is about inner city youth, however, the main character is Mark Townsend - a priest. Confronted with a premarital liaison involving his youth worker and his youth worker's fiance, Mark doesn't handle it. It's not that he doesn't handle it well - he doesn't handle it at all. - That bothers me. About 1/3 through and the story was still moving slowly with nothing exceptionally exciting happening. Mark and his assistant pastor, however, discover something going on in the church. Approximately halfway through, it started picking up to the point where I didn't want to put it down. It started getting interesting with the priest doing some detective work of his own. It covers well how people are often thought of as guilty by association and how people - even those you trust - can also become suspicious without good cause. Makes me wonder if I would react the same way under such circumstances. Although I can't see how the adoption factored into the story and even though there was at least one instance where the Lord's name was used in vain, this was a pretty good book. I would probably read another of the author's books if a review of it captured my interest.
Rating:
Summary: Give it a chance...I was glad I did though it took some time
Review: This books is definitely Catholic - no mistaking that. Words such as "vestry", "vestibule", "liturgy" and "homily" are used so if you're not familiar with the Catholic church, you may find yourself resorting to the dictionary more than once. What husband would love his wife less if he found out years later that she was adopted? He should love her for her; Adoption should have nothing to do with it. Besides, it's not as though she was keeping it from him; She didn't know herself until going through her now deceased mother's things, when she stumbled upon the adoption papers. When she does tell him, he doesn't want his wife looking into her adoption, using the excuse that it could jeopardize his political career. Besides the adoption discovery, the story is about inner city youth, however, the main character is Mark Townsend - a priest. Confronted with a premarital liaison involving his youth worker and his youth worker's fiance, Mark doesn't handle it. It's not that he doesn't handle it well - he doesn't handle it at all. - That bothers me. About 1/3 through and the story was still moving slowly with nothing exceptionally exciting happening. Mark and his assistant pastor, however, discover something going on in the church. Approximately halfway through, it started picking up to the point where I didn't want to put it down. It started getting interesting with the priest doing some detective work of his own. It covers well how people are often thought of as guilty by association and how people - even those you trust - can also become suspicious without good cause. Makes me wonder if I would react the same way under such circumstances. Although I can't see how the adoption factored into the story and even though there was at least one instance where the Lord's name was used in vain, this was a pretty good book. I would probably read another of the author's books if a review of it captured my interest.
Rating:
Summary: An exciting story with a twist at the end.
Review: This fascinating look at street life and the life of a Jesuit priest, makes for an easy and enjoyable read. The story opens with a dramatic murder and doesn't stop until the last page. You see the life of young street kids and the life of a parish priest and how they intertwine. Fr. Reynolds takes you through the complex maze of life with a very human approach. You know the people when you are through with the book. You identify with their trials and heartaches, their lifestyles and burdens. Just a very enjoyable book that will keep you up late to finish.
<< 1 >>
| 
