Dead Wrong

Father Koesler #15

by William X. Kienzle

In the 15th entry in the bestselling Father Koesler mystery series, Kienzle's venerable priest and reluctant detective explores a 30-year-old homicide and uncovers 30 years of repressed anger that explodes in revenge. Koesler's encounter with a dying man sends him down a twisting path filled with long-held secrets.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Religion, Catholic

269 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1993

About the author

William 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.

Reviews

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Wrong (Father Koesler, #15) by William X. Kienzle.

My mouth is still hanging open and I'm barely able to catch my breath. This author showed no mercy in this my latest read in his Father Koesler series. The ending was something I never saw coming.
Have you ever wondered what in the world a single mother barely making ends meet to feed her children and an extremely successful CEO of a business empire have in common? Read this book and find out!
This story elaborates on Father Koesler's extended family when he goes to his cousin's home to celebrate a birthday. That birthday party opens up a can of worms that Father Koesler will become aware of and then comes the investigation into what's true and what isn't.
Astonishing and mind boggling! Best ever in this series. Loved it and highly recommend it.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first William X. Kienzle novel of the 'Rosary Murders' I've read. I was engrossed in the 30yr mystery and am now sold on the series.

I was surprised by the ending and after reading murders for so long, that is amazing. I will look for more novels to update myself. This is the 15th novel in the series so I've some reading to do!

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like literature with a Catholic setting. This book, which is just that, made me so angry that I would have thrown it against the wall except that it was on my Kindle. Father Koestler is not only a pre-Vatican II priest always worried about someone getting to confession, but the whole schema revolves around the benighted views of the Catholic Church on sexual sins.

I can't believe that I read so many in this series before. I probably should go back and see if they all raised my hackles as this one does.

The mystery wasn't very goo either.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

DEAD WRONG
by
William X. Kienzle
William Kienzle takes us on a wild ride in this his 15th book. This story has everything. Love,deceit, denial,broken hearts, lies, revenge and even murder. And as always because of the Catholic elements of this mystery Inspector Koznici needs to call on his friend Father Bob Koessler. This is one of Kienzle's best tales yet , it has more twists than Arkansas road. Read it enjoy it and move on to another Father Koessler Mystery.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ex-priest William X. Kienzle mixes details about how the Catholic Church works with good mysteries. This was a good one that kept me wondering "who done it" but still tied up the loose ends in a believable way at the end.

[Sheila Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Dead Wrong" is classified as a mystery and does have many of the plot twists of one and also a fairly good twist at the end; however, to me this book read more like a drama than a mystery. I was a little disappointed with this one.

[Mary Keroson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a twist.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was by far the best of the 3 Kienzle books that I have recently read. The plot was complicated and unique. As usual the inside view of the Catholic Church was interesting.

[Pennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story. One of the best books in this series.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great read, loved the storyline, would have given it 4 stars except for one thing. Too much in-depth religion. A bit for the story would be good, but this was excessive.

[Midu Hadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick-look at the Book
Some family secrets can destroy so many lives. This one's about one that rocks Koesler's family and his cousins, connecting them all to the murdered man.

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).

Review of Book 16 here

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

FatherRobert Koeseler is called to the death bed of a lapsed Catholic who asks Father Koeseler to look into a rumored affair between his son and the priest's niece. Elsewhere a young woman is murdered. The priest is torn between duty and family.