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Father Koesler #24
The Gathering
The Gathering was the twenty-fourth in Kienzle's series of mysteries, featuring Father Robert Koesler as a Roman Catholic priest whose intuitiveness and caring nature have led him to an unusual solving mysteries, mostly of the murderous kind.
In this entry, revisit Koesler's adolescent and teen years, to a time when young Catholic men and women were encouraged, even expected, to become priests and nuns, whether or not their vocation was real. We meet his group of six young aspiring religious (four men and two women) who underwent the rigors of the seminary and the convent together. We learn of their individual struggles with their faith, their mentors, and their commitments to difficult choices. And we painfully discover how one member of this group is inflicted with undeserved guilt by an unspeakably cruel superior and how this dooms his life. Now in their seventies, the group gathers together, a reunion of sorts, that is cut short when one of their number is found dead. Suspicions arise, and once again Father Koesler's acumen is called on to solve the puzzle.
In this entry, revisit Koesler's adolescent and teen years, to a time when young Catholic men and women were encouraged, even expected, to become priests and nuns, whether or not their vocation was real. We meet his group of six young aspiring religious (four men and two women) who underwent the rigors of the seminary and the convent together. We learn of their individual struggles with their faith, their mentors, and their commitments to difficult choices. And we painfully discover how one member of this group is inflicted with undeserved guilt by an unspeakably cruel superior and how this dooms his life. Now in their seventies, the group gathers together, a reunion of sorts, that is cut short when one of their number is found dead. Suspicions arise, and once again Father Koesler's acumen is called on to solve the puzzle.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2002
6 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
William X. Kienzle
28 books29 followersWilliam X. Kienzle was born in Detroit, Michigan. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1954 and spent twenty years as a Roman Catholic parish priest. Kienzle left the priesthood in 1974 because of his disagreement with its refusal to remarry divorcees. He became an editor of MPLS Magazine in Minneapolis, later moving to Texas where he was director of the Center for Contemplative Studies at the University of Dallas.
He was married to Javan Herman Andrews, a journalist from the Detroit Free Press, from 1974 until his sudden death from a heart attack on December 28, 2001.
Kienzle was the author of twenty-four crime fiction/mystery novels featuring Father Robert Koesler, a Catholic priest who doubles as a detective. One of his best known novels is his first, The Rosary Murders (1978), which was made into a 1987 movie starring Donald Sutherland as Father Koesler. Kienzle's books are set mostly in Detroit, Michigan.
His biography, Judged by Love, by Javan Kienzle, was published in 2003.
He was married to Javan Herman Andrews, a journalist from the Detroit Free Press, from 1974 until his sudden death from a heart attack on December 28, 2001.
Kienzle was the author of twenty-four crime fiction/mystery novels featuring Father Robert Koesler, a Catholic priest who doubles as a detective. One of his best known novels is his first, The Rosary Murders (1978), which was made into a 1987 movie starring Donald Sutherland as Father Koesler. Kienzle's books are set mostly in Detroit, Michigan.
His biography, Judged by Love, by Javan Kienzle, was published in 2003.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 3, 2020
We are introduced to a group of tight friends led by Father Koesler. The group was established when they were all quite young, but we knew nothing about them until this 24th book. THE GATHERING tells us in the beginning that one of the Six has died, but not who or how. The book tells the history of the Six, and it isn’t until the very end that we know what death we are talking about.
Author Kienzle, former priest, digs deeply into the human toll taken by some of the rules of the Catholic church, rules that drove him away from the priesthood. I sympathize but found the book depressing.
Author Kienzle, former priest, digs deeply into the human toll taken by some of the rules of the Catholic church, rules that drove him away from the priesthood. I sympathize but found the book depressing.
June 4, 2014
In this treatise of the Catholic Church, William X. Kienzle seems to employ Father Bob Koesler’s backstory to illustrate Kienzle’s decision to leave the priesthood.
September 27, 2017
Not as good as his other books. This one is more introspective rather than the customary murder mystery.
January 20, 2018
A world I knew nothing about. Interesting, and well developed characters.
January 21, 2018
A good read ,the last book in an interesting series.
October 3, 2025
Quick-look at the Book
Koesler's friends from boyhood had a ticking bomb in the group and never even knew it. Each of them had their reasons to become priests or nuns. But one of them had so much more to lose.
Thoughts on this Book
This one was less than okayish! After having grown old with Koesler, I didn't want to connect with completely new characters from his teenage years. I didn't know them. Why'd I care about what happened to them? A snoozefest, sadly.
Thoughts on this Series
This is a nice enough cozy mystery series. The central character is Father Koesler who by no actions of his own--mostly--keeps tripping over murdered people and getting roped into police investigations.
While the characterization and motivation behind each suspect are well-described, there can be often too many POVs or too many details that detract from the action.
That said, the author repeatedly hits you over the head with the same details about priesthood and religion. If you can bear with that, and are okay with the protagonist arriving at the euphoria! moment while in the bathtub or car or...you get what I mean...read on.
My advice? Space em out. Or, they start to become a blob (Lily & Marshal style).
Also published on WP
Review of Book 23 here
Koesler's friends from boyhood had a ticking bomb in the group and never even knew it. Each of them had their reasons to become priests or nuns. But one of them had so much more to lose.
Thoughts on this Book
This one was less than okayish! After having grown old with Koesler, I didn't want to connect with completely new characters from his teenage years. I didn't know them. Why'd I care about what happened to them? A snoozefest, sadly.
Thoughts on this Series
This is a nice enough cozy mystery series. The central character is Father Koesler who by no actions of his own--mostly--keeps tripping over murdered people and getting roped into police investigations.
While the characterization and motivation behind each suspect are well-described, there can be often too many POVs or too many details that detract from the action.
That said, the author repeatedly hits you over the head with the same details about priesthood and religion. If you can bear with that, and are okay with the protagonist arriving at the euphoria! moment while in the bathtub or car or...you get what I mean...read on.
My advice? Space em out. Or, they start to become a blob (Lily & Marshal style).
Also published on WP
Review of Book 23 here
March 11, 2019
After reading "The Gathering," by William X. Kienzle, I felt that I was ready for the priesthood and literally removed all of his books from my bookshelves and my to-read list.
I guess that I am a sucker for punishment, but not any longer. Kienzle has definitely lost me as a reader. Again, "The Gathering" was more of a lecture on how the Catholic Church works, its rules and regulations, and how I can circumvent the necessity of having a well-founded family and relationship in the Catholic Church to become a priest.
I kept on asking myself, "Where's the mystery? Where's the murder?" Apparently there wasn't.
Definitely a "do not read" book. I cannot and will not ever recommend a Kienzle book.
I guess that I am a sucker for punishment, but not any longer. Kienzle has definitely lost me as a reader. Again, "The Gathering" was more of a lecture on how the Catholic Church works, its rules and regulations, and how I can circumvent the necessity of having a well-founded family and relationship in the Catholic Church to become a priest.
I kept on asking myself, "Where's the mystery? Where's the murder?" Apparently there wasn't.
Definitely a "do not read" book. I cannot and will not ever recommend a Kienzle book.
October 8, 2015
#24 in the Father Koesler series. Series finale after the death of author Kienzle on 12/28/2001.
Father Koesler mysteries - an atypical final entry. The book traces 6 young people (including Bob Koesler) from High school through the seminary / convent. The gathering takes place when they are in their 70s and one of their number has been found dead.
Father Koesler mysteries - an atypical final entry. The book traces 6 young people (including Bob Koesler) from High school through the seminary / convent. The gathering takes place when they are in their 70s and one of their number has been found dead.
August 10, 2011
It's been ages since I read a Father Koesler book! This is such a good read that I almost missed my bus stop. I guess I have to read it a home so I don't have to stop!
No so much a mystery... but a really good book none-the-less!
No so much a mystery... but a really good book none-the-less!
December 12, 2014
Six Detroit youth have plans for their futures. Fifty years later one of the group meets a violent death and retired priest Father Bob Koesler suspects that one of his four remaining friends is responsible. Soon he comes up with some shocking truths.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews