Stained Glass

Father Dowling #31

by Ralph McInerny

Art is long…

And life is short. Word has come to Father Dowling that his beloved St. Hilary's is about to be closed. While the popular parish priest manages to take the curveballs of life—and death—in stride, his flock is in an uproar. Especially the church's most influential benefactor. Her grandfather commissioned a famous artist to create St. Hilary's gorgeous stained-glass windows generations ago. Now she's using her family fortune to pay a writer to showcase the artist's work and hopes to save the church.

But skeletons in the family closet start rattling with the discovery of a body hanging in a garage. The victim is misidentified until surprising details link her to the church benefactor's family. Will Father Dowling and the St. Hilary's community unearth the deepest secrets of a family, a community and a church in time to save them all?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

298 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Ralph Matthew McInerny was an American Catholic religious scholar and fiction writer, including mysteries and science fiction. Some of his fiction has appeared under the pseudonyms of Harry Austin, Matthew FitzRalph, Ernan Mackey, Edward Mackin, and Monica Quill. As a mystery writer he is best known as the creator of Father Dowling. He was Professor of Philosophy, Director of the Jacques Maritain Center, and Michael P. Grace Professor of Medieval Studies at the University of Notre Dame until his retirement in June 2009. He died of esophageal cancer on January 29, 2010.

Reviews

[Lucretia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read and somewhat entertaining. There are a lot of characters and the action is confusing, but it does have some humorous parts and good puns. It's an older book and lacks what we now expect of character development. Admittedly, it is #31 in the series and might have been more comfortable for a reader who'd read more of them.

[David Meyers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a hard read for me. The pages just didn't fly for such a small book. I feel bad because I loved watching Father Dowling on TV.
It was very predictable fo solve, but it took forever to get there.

[Angela]

Just as much fun as the tv series about the United Kingdom Rector. Well developed quirky characters skillfully woven to a satisfying conclusion.

[Travelmaven · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slower pace. Lots of characters. Didn't grab me. Plot was pretty easy to figure out.

[Becky Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just a little too much like the rest of the series; the Catholic is never the guilty one. Kind of predictible. That being said I enjoy his writing style and the interesting insights into how the Catholic hierachy works. One thing that really bugs me is the large emphasis on drinking and smoking. Do that many people still drink and smoke? Or is the priest just obsessed with it?

[Beverley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good read for a lazy afternoon. The plot revolves around a church closing and the effect on the surrounding community. The plot seems simple until the murders occur. It has a perfect ending.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Father Dowling mystery. Peopleattached to the wealthy Dveres family are been killed and Father Dowling investigates which struggling to save his church.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book with a great story line. It just doesn't seem like classroom material for me, but a possibility to have on the book shelf.

[V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lazy afternoon read - Father Dowling Mystery . . .

[Cassaundra McClure · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so incredibly boring and predictable that I am glad I didn't waste my time reading any of the others in the series.