No Greater Love (Father Koesler Mystery) [Mass Market Paperback]

William X. Kienzle (Author)

Book Description

Series: Father Koesler Mystery | Publication Date: February 1, 2000

PREY FOR SINNERS

Scarcely has Father Koesler begun counting his blessings of retirement when his old friend Bishop McNiff spirits him back to restore harmony and balance at St. Joseph's in downtown Detroit. The seminarians are edgy: Senior women Patty and Andrea have revolutionary liberal goals. Their classmate Bill Page is organizing an unholy agenda. And Al Cody, confused about the sincerity of his vocation, seems fair game for everyone. When Al's dad asks Father Koesler to ensure that his son remains committed to the priesthood, tragedy becomes inevitable--as St. Joseph's volatile brew of innocence, evil, prejudice, and devotion explodes into murder. . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

"CHILLING . . . [A] COMPELLING MYSTERY."
--Booklist

"Kienzle's grasp and detailing of church problems is impressive. Well-conceived characters . . . add depth to the conflicts."
--Publishers Weekly

From the Inside Flap

PREY FOR SINNERS

Scarcely has Father Koesler begun counting his blessings of retirement when his old friend Bishop McNiff spirits him back to restore harmony and balance at St. Joseph's in downtown Detroit. The seminarians are edgy: Senior women Patty and Andrea have revolutionary liberal goals. Their classmate Bill Page is organizing an unholy agenda. And Al Cody, confused about the sincerity of his vocation, seems fair game for everyone. When Al's dad asks Father Koesler to ensure that his son remains committed to the priesthood, tragedy becomes inevitable--as St. Joseph's volatile brew of innocence, evil, prejudice, and devotion explodes into murder. . . .

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345426398
• ISBN-13: 978-0345426390
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,616,040 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A refreshing change of pace, November 28, 2000

By 

Mike Schroeder - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Greater Love (Father Koesler Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

Contrary to most reviewers, I found Kienzle's departure from his standard format quite a refreshing change. The Prologue definitely got my attention, and I kept wondering "what's going to happen with this?" As a Baptist seminary student, I found Kienzle's insights into and explanations of Catholic theology personally helpful in understanding that faith and the politics within it. I wouldn't recommend this book to those looking for the standard mystery novel, but I truly enjoyed it.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a mystery, July 14, 2000

By 

"ellebee" - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Greater Love (Father Koesler Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

I don't know what this book is, but it is not a mystery. It starts with a prologue that finds Father Koesler regarding a coffin with an unknown to the audience corpse. Father Koesler is lamenting that the death did not need to happen.

What follows is a treatise on pre- and post-Vatican II politics, Catholic history, etc. The merger of mystery and theology in Kienzle's previous books is what made them interesting to me. Here, there is no merger. There's no mystery, really. No action, and no puzzle to work out while you slog through it all.

I've enjoyed most of the other books in this series, so this was a big disappointment to me.

2.0 out of 5 stars An ecclesiastical yawn..., March 7, 2000

By 

Judith Lindenau "dulcie22" (Traverse City, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: No Greater Love (Father Koesler Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

I used to enjoy the Father Koesler mysteries: I used to look forward to each new offering, and often read them more than once. I remember discussing the insights with a devout Catholic friend, and the suspense with another friend, an addicted mystery novel reader. But with "No Greater Love", I am hesitant about passing the book on to the folks with whom I share books, in fear that they may think I am encouraging them to spend their time reading it. I certainly am not! This is a boring book. The "mystery" structure is a gimmick--four pages of prologue which are supposed to set the scene and carry the suspense throughout an otherwise dull novel. The philosophical examination is outdated as well: the role of women in the church, priestly politics, the aftermath of Vatican II. Somehow it all seems cloistered and out of touch with the real world--an outdated ideology populated with allegorical characters who represent concepts, not people. Four pages of italicized prologue can't save 285 pages of boredom.