Ralf Isau

Hester McAteer is a Special Investigator attached to the Holy See, who is called in to investigate suspected miracles. When in Duiske Abbey a figure from a crucifix disappears, leaving in its place a man with wounds in his hands and feet, wearing a thorn of crowns, and calling himself Jeschua , Hester is sent to Graiguenamanagh. Coincidentally, Graiguenamanagh (Co. Kilkenny, Ireland) is where Hester himself grew up, and where his daughter Annie, her mother Fiona, as well as Hester’s own show more father Séamus (a former priest) live. Meanwhile, bizarre deaths have been taking place around Graig, including lightning strikes splitting people in two – one a reporter known to have fathered have a dozen children around the area, the other a tramp who had stolen the church collections.

Hester’s job is to try and find out whether this apparent Messiah is what he seems or not. Meanwhile, he has to deal with his own family - both he and his father have children born in spite of vows of celibacy, and Hester now has to try and make peace with his father and daughter as well as decide what Fiona, the mother of his child actually means to him. On top of that, Séamus and Hester even belong to a family with a curse – a 15th Century novice at Duiske Abbey accidentally killed a child while distracted by the sight of a beautiful young woman. That night he is told by an angel that in order to atone he and his descendants have to save 100 hopeless cases – 100 miracles. By the time the book opens, about three are left.
The book is very readable and fun, though fully in Dan Brown territory, complete with an evil monk (with pale eyes) and fears that the entire Catholic Church is going to schism. Various miracles occur, some more real than others. At the same time there are lighter parts like the Garda Superintendent who appears to be surgically attached to his Bluetooth headset, and thus can be relied upon to comment on something utterly unrelated to the ongoing conversation. Originally, I had planned to read a few pages to see whether it would be a good book to bring on a long plane trip. When I looked up, I was about a quarter of the way through it…

My attention was actually brought to the book by the Festival of Books which takes place in Graiguenamanagh. I can’t judge how well Graig is described, as I don’t know it very well.The 13 pubs sounds about right. The description of Duiske Abbey does match my recollections of it.

(Read in German edition) show less

Sehr Isau, viele Referenzen. Bisschen billige Grundannahme, und das erste Drittel sehr unerträglich in der Beschreibung des love interests, aber macht halt trotzdem Spaß, weil Isau.

Too much christian undertones, overtones, and everything in between. Very Narnia style.

Horrid amounts of weirdly religious propaganda... Very similar to Narnia, only for adults.