Death in the Shadows

For fans of pure mystery, Paul McCusker’s latest Father Gilbert novel is a very satisfying read. I loved the British flavor, the complex characters and the thought-provoking themes that define Death in The Shadows. Father Gilbert is attending an ecumenical conference at a seaside resort town when he again is confronted with evil. Murder is the crime to be solved, but there is also the degrading and dehumanizing sin of human trafficking that is confronted. This novel struck a personal note with me. My daughter is employed by a non-profit that works to free women from the prison of sex trafficking. Death in The Shadows explores the very dark and ugly side of what many term victimless activity — timely subject matter.

Setting plays a show more big role in Death in The Shadows, with this novel having a very atmospheric feel to it. Father Gilbert is an intriguing character with a past that informs his present — he is former police detective who is now a Church of England priest. As in a previous novel featuring Father Gilbert, the supernatural is again a part of the story, which I found very apt. At one point Father Gilbert ponders the many realities that people confront, and the supernatural reality is one many dismiss or deny, yet is very real. The mystery unfolds slowly, yet this book is not one to be put down easily. You’ll want to keep turning those pages into the wee hours of the night.

A book to keep you puzzling and pondering along with Father Gilbert, Death in The Shadows is one I can recommend.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Kregel and Lion Hudson for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

Father Gilbert is attending a church conference. He becomes involved in an investigation led by his friend and former law enforcement colleague Detective Inspector Gwynn. A prostitute was murdered, and one of the suspects is a fellow clergyman. The area is saturated with "spas" offering under the table services. I was uncomfortable reading this book. Lion Fiction has published some of the better written Christian fiction. However, I do not think many Christian readers will be comfortable reading about sexual slavery. I think even fewer of them want a sleuthing priest to make a call requesting services even if he is only investigating and does not engage the young woman for her services. The book is well-written, but it is far outside my show more comfort zone. I considered abandoning it. This review is based on an advance readers copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes. show less

I started reading mysteries about 10 years ago, but I have tried to read a lot of classic mystery fiction as well as some newer popular writers; This is the first time I have read a mystery series starring a priest who also sees ghosts. They are not just ordinary ghosts, they are usually related to the crime he is investigating. Father Gilbert is a former police detective turned Anglican Priest. And he sees ghosts of victims. In this case he sees a woman recently murdered in a small English town of Englesea. He decides to check with the local police inspector, who happens to be an acquaintance of his, and soon is deeply involved in the mystery. I enjoyed this odd mixture of a cozy mystery and the supernatural although some of the plot show more is a bit too coincidental. Also, too many characters are hiding secrets from the past. But on the whole the writing is clear, the characters are well defined and the story is told with an urgency which does not skip over details. I would read another Father Gilbert mystery by Paul McCusker. Since this is the second in a series, I am on the lookout for the first, "The Body Under the Bridge". show less

Father Gilbert, an Anglican vicar and former detective, attands a Church conference in Eastbourne and gets drawn into an investigation involving murder and human trafficking.

This is the second Father Gilbert mystery, and it was a good read which was very easy to get into. I haven't yet read the first book, so there was one thing which took me by surprise: when the write up stated "The vision of a dead woman, water dripping from her body, draws Gilbert into a mystery" I thought it meant the sight of a dead woman. It doesn't mean that at all. Father Gilbert sees ghosts.

The addition of a supernatural element to what is a very good detective story is done really very well. Far from seeming like a gimmick, it's a surprisingly subtle addition show more to the story and shouldn't put people off if they normally only read straightforward crime fiction. The novel itself has a good storyline and manages to avoid the trap of being complex 'for the sake of it' that some crime books fall into. It does rely on coincidence a little more than it should, but I'm yet to find a crime novel that doesn't!

I was initially worried that a book which included the Church, supernatural ghost/demon happenings and the issue of human trafficking would make my religious side wince, but everything was approached quite sympathetically.

Overall I enjoyed reading this book and would like to read more in the series. show less

The premise here is interesting and the book itself is not unenjoyable. There's a lot of telling where there should be showing, though, and a lot of moralizing where the reader might be better left to draw his or her own conclusions. (Most readers, for instance, can probably discern that human trafficking is bad on a number of levels without having it spelled out beyond the facts presented.) In this iteration Father Gilbert comes across as ill-suited for and frankly bored by his chosen profession: he has a clear choice between attending to his responsibilities as a priest and inserting himself into a police investigation, and he wholeheartedly, deliberately, and repeatedly chooses the latter, and so the central question is not how the show more mysterious underworld of the sex trade operates, but rather why this person has chosen to stick with a profession that simply doesn't suit. He's not a priest who gets sidetracked, he's a cop who's changed his uniform but hasn't moved on and he's not getting drawn in to murder cases, he's actively seeking involvement in this book. That fact seems to be in danger of overwhelming the series and undercutting the premise. Still, it's a quick and diverting read. I'm not sure I'll keep following the series, however. show less

As a detective turned priest, Father Gilbert is even more active in the community than most clergy. That’s not the only unique trait about Father Gilbert, though. He sees things most other people don’t. Death in the Shadows employed a well-stirred mix of theology and the paranormal without seeming overdone or forced. Although Father Gilbert is more active with the local police force than with the church conference he is supposed to be attending, he still manages to fulfil the duties of his chosen profession. The ending didn’t leave readers hanging, and closed in a satisfying way.

The topic (the sex trafficking industry) of Death in the Shadows is difficult in general – but McCusker writes about it clearly without any sugar show more coating. His characters are complex and realistic, breaking out of the cookie cutter molds that some writers embrace when working with a challenging topic. Not every character had a happy ending, but that just makes Death in the Shadows come to life even more. Try as hard as you might, but you cannot help every single person – and it’s even harder to help those who don’t want you to help them.

The interesting character of a priest solving a mystery drew me in right from the beginning; McCusker writes in an engaging way that makes Death in the Shadows difficult to put down. As someone easily spooked, I did not find this particular Father Gilbert Mystery too scary – even though some scenes are a bit disturbing.

If you are a mystery lover and want something a little different, Death in the Shadows is sure to draw you in. I would only advise caution to readers who are easily led to believe things that they would not normally believe. The scenes Father Gilbert experiences come to life with McCusker’s pen, and seem very real.
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. show less

Father Gilbert finds himself involved in another murder mystery. Given his background as a policeman before becoming a priest, it seems quite natural. The priest travels to a religious meeting in another town. While eating his breakfast the next morning he opens the newspaper and reads of a local prostitute found dead. Before his meal is over he sees the spirit of the female victim floating in front of him. This spurs him on to solve the crime, leading him into many evil and dangerous places.
I applaud the author for addressing the social problem of sex trafficking. He does a wonderful job of tackling the problem without being graphic or coarse. It is a horrible reality of our times that most know little about. Mr. McCusker is a skilled show more mystery writer and can definitely keep your attention.
I was disappointed in the book because of the strong demonic, supernatural, thread that ran throughout. I found the book to be very disturbing. I definitely do not think it can qualify as Christian reading material.
I received a copy of this book from Kregel publications in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have stated are my own. show less