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"Kienzle's sharp knowledge of diocesan politics and the sights, sounds, and stresses of both priestly and lay Catholic life in a changing world enriches his story significantly. His plotting has never been more intricate or suspenseful than in the new book. which future historians can probably study for evidence of the way we live now."--Los Angeles Times It's 1960 and Agnes Ventimiglia, a plain young woman working at the Wayne County Clerk's Office, is suddenly swept off her feet by a kind, show more gentle, handsome young man. After a month-long whirlwind courtship, the special nigh comes when she expects he will pop the question. Instead . . . Dead Wrong, William X. Kienzle's fifteenth entry in the million-selling Father Koesler mystery series, explores a thirty-year-old unsolved homicide, and uncovers thirty years of repressed anger that explodes in revenge. Kienzle's venerable priest and reluctant detective, Father Robert Koesler, is called to the side of real estate magnate Charlie Nash, a lapsed Catholic, suffering from emphysema and fast approaching death. Koesler expects to deliver Nash spiritual guidance, but Nash has something earthier in mind--he wants Koesler to intervene in the rumored between Koesler's niece and Nash's only son. This interview starts Koesler down a twisting path, where he will discover long-held secrets about his closest kin--and expose thirty years after the fact, what really happened to Agnes Ventimiglia. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This time the plot becomes more personal for father koesler. the story opens with the brief details of a murder in 1960 and jumps forward to 1993, slowly unraveling the connection between drama unfolding and the 30 year old unsolved mystery. I didn't enjoy this book as much as The Rosary Murders, the plot had several twists up to and including the last page but it somehow felt too contrived. I may have been put off by the depiction of catholicism and its influence over the characters behaviors (yes I am aware this was written by an ex-priest). Maybe I couldn't relate to prominence of religion in someone's day to day actions as I view myself more spiritual than religious. I enjoyed Brenda and Charlie, in my opinion the two least show more religious of the bunch but was especially baffled by Ned and his behavior. I loved that the story was based in Detroit. I will probably pick up another Kienzle just for the setting but I am lowering my expectations from murder/mystery thriller to cozy arm chair mystery with a murder thrown in. show less
This was one of the best in the series.
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1,629 works; 51 members
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Author Information
27 Works 2,444 Members
Mystery writer and educator William Kienzle was born in Detroit, Michigan on September 11, 1928. Kienzle is a former Catholic priest who served for 20 years until he left the priesthood in 1974. He has served as director for the Center for Contemplative Studies at the University of Dallas and taught writing at St. Mary's College in Orchard Lake, show more Michigan. Kienzle wrote The Rosary Murders, a mystery novel featuring Father Robert Koestler, a Catholic priest from Detroit. Koestler appears in almost 20 other books. Kienzle died on December 28, 2001. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Common Knowledge
- People/Characters
- Father Robert Koesler; Walter Koznicki
- Important places
- Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Statistics
- Members
- 105
- Popularity
- 307,118
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.57)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 4
