"John's limbs are still stiff with cold. He dreads going out there. He has a sudden horror of finding them all dead or disappeared. The silence is so absolute. ..."
What horrors have come to haunt Father John as he hears confessions on Ash Wednesday? Who is the stranger in the confessional threatening to do "pure evil", and what does this haunting appearance have to do with the traumas of John's past?As Lent unfolds, John finds himself caught up in events beyond his worst imaginings or fears. Surely, the serial murders of prostitutes have nothing to do with his ordinary parish and his priestly calling?
Or do they? ...
"This is one of the most enthralling books that I have read this year. … I would recommend this book to anyone. I was utterly absorbed from beginning to end."
By the time I reached the second page, I could not stop reading. What issue in the Church and indeed society, does she not embrace / challenge, in this absolute masterpiece. I would place this book in the top three fiction books I have read ..... I speak as a theologian whose first degree involved a study of English Literature.
“Tina Beattie’s novel, The Good Priest, is a gripping read with an engaging central character – John, the eponymous good priest – and an intriguing premise. … [I]f you are interested in murder mysteries, novels with religious characters, and/or books which grapple with moral complexity, I highly recommend this book.” (Rhiannon Grant, author of Between Boat and Shore)
This is a stunning debut novel. I think that Tina Beattie will be a potent force to reckon with in the field of detective and mystery and thriller fiction.
"Tina Beattie is one of the most brilliant and original Catholic theologians in this country. This is, as one would expect, a deeply theological novel, centred on a vulnerable priest’s struggle with evil. … an outstanding novel. We should hope that Beattie will carry on writing novels alongside theology." (Ashley Beck, The Pastoral Review)
