PRO CONNECT
Monsignor John F. Myslinski has dedicated his life to faith, leadership, and public service. As a Catholic priest, he has ministered to communities for decades, serving as a pastor, advocate, and mentor. His work has extended beyond the pulpit, reaching thousands through television and community outreach. With a background in law enforcement and theology, John has brought a unique perspective to his priesthood. Before entering the seminary, he served as a federal officer, later earning a Master’s Degree in Divinity. Throughout his career, he has led parishes, counseled individuals, and worked tirelessly to support the homeless and underserved. In addition to his ministry, John is a published author of Strange Gods and Something Wicked. His writing explores profound themes of morality, justice, and faith. As host of the television program Real to Reel and celebrant of the televised Mass in Washington, D.C., he has shared his message with a wide audience. Now residing in the Berkshires, John remains active as a priest and author, dedicating his time to ministry, writing, and community engagement. Through his books, blog, and mentoring, he continues to inspire others with reflections on faith, leadership, and service.
Michael McKinley was educated at the University of British Columbia and Oxford University, where he also directed academic summer schools. He has written more than a dozen books, many of them sharing his love for his native country Canada’s national sport, hockey, including his book Willie: The Game Changing Story of the NHL’s First Black Player which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. His first novel, the hockey-inspired murder mystery, The Penalty Killing, was nominated for an Arthur Ellis Award for best debut crime novel. Michael has also written and produced TV shows for CNN, the History Channel, Discovery, TSN, CBC, and NBC Peacock/Sky UK’s ratings-hit Epstein’s Shadow: The Ghislaine Maxwell Story. His newest documentary, which he also directed, Let’s Do A Miracle, recently debuted at the Big Apple Film Festival. Michael lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and daughter who are also bookworms.
“An intriguing mystery within the Catholic church.”
– Kirkus Reviews
A Jesuit priest tries to find who is responsible when a church explodes in Jerusalem in Myslinski’s mystery novel.
Sister Marie Therese is in Jerusalem for a conference on women and the church; she’s young, and bristles at what she sees as domineering male authority. One of the speakers at the conference, Sister Maureen, believes women should be priests and have more power in the church. While she is speaking, the church explodes, killing Maureen. Marie Therese was late to Maureen’s speech—she finds Maureen’s body after the explosion and vows revenge. Father Dan, the Jesuit priest at the church, wants to investigate. Dan and Marie Therese go to see Inspector Bennett, who is leading the investigation and is certain the bomb was a professional job; he suspects it’s a terrorist group, such as Hezbollah. The Pope is also interested in the case—he is in poor health and wants to solve the mystery before he dies (“while I am here, I want to get things done”). The narrative goes in circles for a bit as the characters investigate. The list of suspects is long, including terrorist and fundamentalist groups who might harbor hostility for Maureen (for her activism) or Dan specifically (before becoming a priest, he spent time in Beirut, and now his past is catching up with him), or who might not take kindly to women stepping out of their place. The threat could be from within the church as well. Dan doesn’t quite trust the investigators and does some of his own sleuthing, stumbling into a larger conspiracy. The novel has a lot of compelling supporting characters, particularly the clergy jockeying for position on the assumption that the Pope’s death is imminent. The mystery is engaging, with enough intrigue for readers to keep turning the pages. While set in the world of the Catholic church, the characters are not all stuffy nuns and priests; many have progressive views and run into obstacles while pushing for change. The story goes to some surprising places, andis overall a good mystery.
An intriguing mystery within the Catholic church.
Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2025
ISBN: 9781953136886
Page count: 312pp
Publisher: Pierian Springs Press
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2025
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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