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Contrition
In a tiny community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Brother Placidus finds little Amanda LeFleur sacrificed below a crucifix, in the attic of The Brothers of the Holy Cross. It is not the first body he's found there.
Assigned to the investigation is detective Peter Toche whose last case was that of a murdered child, a child that has been haunting his dreams, forcing him to face his worst fears and the evil that has targeted his town.
As additional victims are discovered, Tristan St. Germain, a mysterious man who was rescued by a parish priest from the waters near his home, may hold the key to the safety of all mankind.
Little Amanda was only the beginning...
Assigned to the investigation is detective Peter Toche whose last case was that of a murdered child, a child that has been haunting his dreams, forcing him to face his worst fears and the evil that has targeted his town.
As additional victims are discovered, Tristan St. Germain, a mysterious man who was rescued by a parish priest from the waters near his home, may hold the key to the safety of all mankind.
Little Amanda was only the beginning...
260 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2012
4 people are currently reading
247 people want to read
About the author
Robert E. Hirsch
8 books23 followersRobert Hirsch was born in Pusan, Korea in 1948. As the Korean War was ending in 1953, his mother sent him at age five to the United States to live with his biological father due to Korea’s harsh wartime conditions of starvation, disease and destruction.
He spent the next thirteen years as a military dependent, traveling all over America and spending three years in France where he attended school at a French lycee. He graduated from Cameron University in Lawton Oklahoma and entered the teaching profession as a French and Social Studies instructor.
He retired after forty years in June of 2012, having served during his career as a teacher, bus driver, assistant principal, Dean of Discipline, principal and superintendent. He resides with his wife, Melissa Ann Hirsch, in Ocean Springs, Mississippi along the Gulf Coast which they have claimed as their home since 1980.
He spent the next thirteen years as a military dependent, traveling all over America and spending three years in France where he attended school at a French lycee. He graduated from Cameron University in Lawton Oklahoma and entered the teaching profession as a French and Social Studies instructor.
He retired after forty years in June of 2012, having served during his career as a teacher, bus driver, assistant principal, Dean of Discipline, principal and superintendent. He resides with his wife, Melissa Ann Hirsch, in Ocean Springs, Mississippi along the Gulf Coast which they have claimed as their home since 1980.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
September 2, 2012
Book Info: Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy/Religious Theme Reading Level: Adult
Disclosure: I received an ebook copy from Journalstone via the LibraryThing Early Reviewer’s Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: In a tiny community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Brother Placidus finds little Amanda LeFleur sacrificed below a crucifix, in the attic of The Brothers of the Holy Cross. It is not the first body he’s found there.
Assigned to the investigation is detective Peter Toche whose last case was that of a murdered child, a child that has been haunting his dreams, forcing him to face his worst fears and the evil that has targeted his town.
As additional victims are discovered, Tristan St. Germain, a mysterious man who was rescued by a parish priest from the waters near his home, may hold the key to the safety of all mankind.
Little Amanda was only the beginning...
My Thoughts: Contrition is all about redemption, and a book with strong Catholic themes. I believe those who are looking for darker fiction in the Christian category will particularly enjoy this book; I found it a bit preachy at times, but was unable to deny the fact that it is a strong story, well-written, with outstanding character development and plot flow.
The major theme in the book is about seeking not only forgiveness, but also finding a way to redeem oneself from former sins and failures – expressing contrition for those sins and failures. While I cannot comprehend a loving, forgiving God that would subsequently damn people to eternal torment, the structural basis of the story is sound and follows internal logic. In other words, if you have these beliefs, you will find the story particularly satisfying and enjoyable. Recommended for Christians, particularly those of the Catholic faith, who are looking for a dark fantasy, or those for whom the occasional preachiness will not detract from an engaging dark-fantasy read.
Disclosure: I received an ebook copy from Journalstone via the LibraryThing Early Reviewer’s Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: In a tiny community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Brother Placidus finds little Amanda LeFleur sacrificed below a crucifix, in the attic of The Brothers of the Holy Cross. It is not the first body he’s found there.
Assigned to the investigation is detective Peter Toche whose last case was that of a murdered child, a child that has been haunting his dreams, forcing him to face his worst fears and the evil that has targeted his town.
As additional victims are discovered, Tristan St. Germain, a mysterious man who was rescued by a parish priest from the waters near his home, may hold the key to the safety of all mankind.
Little Amanda was only the beginning...
My Thoughts: Contrition is all about redemption, and a book with strong Catholic themes. I believe those who are looking for darker fiction in the Christian category will particularly enjoy this book; I found it a bit preachy at times, but was unable to deny the fact that it is a strong story, well-written, with outstanding character development and plot flow.
The major theme in the book is about seeking not only forgiveness, but also finding a way to redeem oneself from former sins and failures – expressing contrition for those sins and failures. While I cannot comprehend a loving, forgiving God that would subsequently damn people to eternal torment, the structural basis of the story is sound and follows internal logic. In other words, if you have these beliefs, you will find the story particularly satisfying and enjoyable. Recommended for Christians, particularly those of the Catholic faith, who are looking for a dark fantasy, or those for whom the occasional preachiness will not detract from an engaging dark-fantasy read.
June 7, 2012
When Brother Placidus went to open the building at Saint Gregory School he did not expect many if any surprises. When he found the side door forced open, he didn't worry that much figuring that like had happened before it was done by kids or homeless people raiding the food pantry or the wine cabinet or both. As he suspected he found both but as he checked the rest of the building, the last thing he expected to find was the door to the attic open. A door that was always kept closed for many reasons. When he checked the last thing he expected to see was the nude mutilated body of the young girl.
It is hard to say exactly what kind of story this is;
Is it a religious/human interest story, yes it is with the edge to human interest.
Is it a murder mystery, yes it is.
Is it a supernatural story, there are elements of the supernatural.
but id I had to choose I would say a human interest/murder mystery.
It is hard to write a story with elements like this but it is even harder to write one that has the reader wanting to read just a little more and keeps them turning the pages to see what happens next but this story does it and does it very well. It does it so well that this is one of a very few books that I wished I could give higher than 5 starts to.
It is hard to say exactly what kind of story this is;
Is it a religious/human interest story, yes it is with the edge to human interest.
Is it a murder mystery, yes it is.
Is it a supernatural story, there are elements of the supernatural.
but id I had to choose I would say a human interest/murder mystery.
It is hard to write a story with elements like this but it is even harder to write one that has the reader wanting to read just a little more and keeps them turning the pages to see what happens next but this story does it and does it very well. It does it so well that this is one of a very few books that I wished I could give higher than 5 starts to.
May 4, 2012
In the fictional war between the Church and the devil Dan Brown has company, a new player has arrived, Robert E. Hirsch.
Jocko Lee
Jocko Lee
July 25, 2012
(My actual ranking is 3.5 stars)
Heavily steeped in Catholicism, Contrition is an archetypical horror/thriller tale of good versus evil. But the good vs. evil isn't always obvious, and those who are decent people sometimes have dark secrets and those who are... less-than-decent... never seem to portray themselves as anything more, which is refreshing. Even saying that, there's more complexity here, showing that life simply isn't a dichotomy; there's a whole lot of shadow in this fishing town--good people make bad decisions, or make bad judgments, and sometimes selfish people end up doing the right thing.
Hirsch creates a fantastic world. He does description very well: I could hear the waves crashing, the floors creaking, the seagulls calling. There's primarily two cultures here: French and Slavic. Even so, there's one religion and one theme: Contrition. The lesson is that you can't just try to forget the bad things you've done---you have to confess your sin; you have to be genuinely remorseful; you have to atone. Sometimes that means telling your friend the terrible thing you did to him decades ago. Sometimes it means confessing to breaking your vows. Sometimes it means acknowledging you aren't any more righteous than the bully, the whore, the abuser.
There are some weaknesses in this story and one of those is how inconsistently Tristan behaves near the end. Given how wise and gifted he is in guiding others to acknowledge their talents and roles, his reaction to when Father Joseph falters came across as petulant. I also found I had little sympathy or patience for Brother Placidus, which perhaps might have been different had I known his sin a little earlier. He really wasn't a major character and I think the theme of contrition would have been just as profoundly served had we made this discovery earlier.
I adored Didier LaFleur and Joe Kuluz. I think even with the the Big Bad and the Big Good being the overarching part of the story, these two--and by a slightly lesser extent, Peter Toche--really represent what Hirsch means when he prefaces his story with this:
"It is often said that time heals the wound... and too often forgotten that nature leaves a scar so the injury may never be forgotten. The gift of memory has been bestowed upon man not so much to enable him to celebrate and memorialize his past actions, but to enable him to work his way through reflection, contrition and redemption... and be forgiven for these past actions."
(Disclosure: I received an ebook version of this story for free via LibraryThing's Early Reviewers.)
Heavily steeped in Catholicism, Contrition is an archetypical horror/thriller tale of good versus evil. But the good vs. evil isn't always obvious, and those who are decent people sometimes have dark secrets and those who are... less-than-decent... never seem to portray themselves as anything more, which is refreshing. Even saying that, there's more complexity here, showing that life simply isn't a dichotomy; there's a whole lot of shadow in this fishing town--good people make bad decisions, or make bad judgments, and sometimes selfish people end up doing the right thing.
Hirsch creates a fantastic world. He does description very well: I could hear the waves crashing, the floors creaking, the seagulls calling. There's primarily two cultures here: French and Slavic. Even so, there's one religion and one theme: Contrition. The lesson is that you can't just try to forget the bad things you've done---you have to confess your sin; you have to be genuinely remorseful; you have to atone. Sometimes that means telling your friend the terrible thing you did to him decades ago. Sometimes it means confessing to breaking your vows. Sometimes it means acknowledging you aren't any more righteous than the bully, the whore, the abuser.
There are some weaknesses in this story and one of those is how inconsistently Tristan behaves near the end. Given how wise and gifted he is in guiding others to acknowledge their talents and roles, his reaction to when Father Joseph falters came across as petulant. I also found I had little sympathy or patience for Brother Placidus, which perhaps might have been different had I known his sin a little earlier. He really wasn't a major character and I think the theme of contrition would have been just as profoundly served had we made this discovery earlier.
I adored Didier LaFleur and Joe Kuluz. I think even with the the Big Bad and the Big Good being the overarching part of the story, these two--and by a slightly lesser extent, Peter Toche--really represent what Hirsch means when he prefaces his story with this:
"It is often said that time heals the wound... and too often forgotten that nature leaves a scar so the injury may never be forgotten. The gift of memory has been bestowed upon man not so much to enable him to celebrate and memorialize his past actions, but to enable him to work his way through reflection, contrition and redemption... and be forgiven for these past actions."
(Disclosure: I received an ebook version of this story for free via LibraryThing's Early Reviewers.)
June 25, 2012
con·tri·tion
[kuhn-trish-uhn]
noun
1.
sincere penitence or remorse.
2.
Theology . sorrow for and detestation of sin with a true purpose of amendment, arising from a love of God for His own perfections (perfect contrition), or from some inferior motive, as fear of divine punishment (imperfect contrition).
The body of a little girl is found brutally murdered and posed beside a statue of Jesus in the attic of a Catholic school. It becomes clear that the man who committed this crime is no ordinary killer - in fact, he may not be a man at all. As the body count rises and a storm looms, many of the characters reveal long hidden secrets and seek contrition, each in their own way.
Since Contrition is published by Journal Stone, I expected a horror story but, at its most basic level, it is a classic tale of good versus evil. I guess the best way to describe it is Christian, in this case Catholic, horror. And, herein lies my biggest problem with the book. Don't get me wrong - I am a huge fan of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and G.K. Chesterton, Christian writers all - and, as long as I know what to expect, I am not annoyed. If I haven't been warned, however, it feels kind of like having a gang (herd, chapel, murder?) of Jehovah's Witnesses show up, uninvited, in my living room, determined to show me the true path to righteousness (personally, I'm a great believer in the path less taken) and this is especially true when I have no criteria for the underlying theology. I am not, nor have I ever been, a Catholic and there were parts of this book that just failed to resonate with me. To be fair, I never understood the appeal of The Exorcist or thought it particularly scary for the same reason and, to be even fairer, not labeling the book as Christian is more the fault, I expect, of its publicists than the author.
However, like every other book I have read from Journal Stone, it is well written and, if I did not find it as scary as others might, I thought author Robert Hirsch created some very human and very sympathetic characters, something you don't always find in the horror genre.
[kuhn-trish-uhn]
noun
1.
sincere penitence or remorse.
2.
Theology . sorrow for and detestation of sin with a true purpose of amendment, arising from a love of God for His own perfections (perfect contrition), or from some inferior motive, as fear of divine punishment (imperfect contrition).
The body of a little girl is found brutally murdered and posed beside a statue of Jesus in the attic of a Catholic school. It becomes clear that the man who committed this crime is no ordinary killer - in fact, he may not be a man at all. As the body count rises and a storm looms, many of the characters reveal long hidden secrets and seek contrition, each in their own way.
Since Contrition is published by Journal Stone, I expected a horror story but, at its most basic level, it is a classic tale of good versus evil. I guess the best way to describe it is Christian, in this case Catholic, horror. And, herein lies my biggest problem with the book. Don't get me wrong - I am a huge fan of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and G.K. Chesterton, Christian writers all - and, as long as I know what to expect, I am not annoyed. If I haven't been warned, however, it feels kind of like having a gang (herd, chapel, murder?) of Jehovah's Witnesses show up, uninvited, in my living room, determined to show me the true path to righteousness (personally, I'm a great believer in the path less taken) and this is especially true when I have no criteria for the underlying theology. I am not, nor have I ever been, a Catholic and there were parts of this book that just failed to resonate with me. To be fair, I never understood the appeal of The Exorcist or thought it particularly scary for the same reason and, to be even fairer, not labeling the book as Christian is more the fault, I expect, of its publicists than the author.
However, like every other book I have read from Journal Stone, it is well written and, if I did not find it as scary as others might, I thought author Robert Hirsch created some very human and very sympathetic characters, something you don't always find in the horror genre.
July 29, 2012
I won this as a free e-book from librarything.com.
It took me a while to get into the book. Not that it was bad, but the writing style just didn't grab me. It reads as though it might be his first published book.
It does have very heavy under and overtones of religion and redemption that definitely overshadows the murder/mystery aspect. That didn't bother me since I'm a practicing Catholic. It definitely feels very Catholic. But if I were just wanting a good old fashioned murder/mystery book, the redemption/religion aspect would turn me off. It's also a bit more supernatural than I care for. Also, since it involves the killing of a child, it had me feeling uncomfortable at times. He does take liberties with the persona of alcoholic, swearing priests and the Father Joseph character definitely lives up to that!
However, I DO like the storyline. After I've filtered out the things that made me feel uncomfortable, it's a good plot.
I'd say by half way through it started picking up for me and I finished it quickly from there. I'm glad I read it. But I won't re-read it and I'm not sure if I would recommend it to just everybody.
It took me a while to get into the book. Not that it was bad, but the writing style just didn't grab me. It reads as though it might be his first published book.
It does have very heavy under and overtones of religion and redemption that definitely overshadows the murder/mystery aspect. That didn't bother me since I'm a practicing Catholic. It definitely feels very Catholic. But if I were just wanting a good old fashioned murder/mystery book, the redemption/religion aspect would turn me off. It's also a bit more supernatural than I care for. Also, since it involves the killing of a child, it had me feeling uncomfortable at times. He does take liberties with the persona of alcoholic, swearing priests and the Father Joseph character definitely lives up to that!
However, I DO like the storyline. After I've filtered out the things that made me feel uncomfortable, it's a good plot.
I'd say by half way through it started picking up for me and I finished it quickly from there. I'm glad I read it. But I won't re-read it and I'm not sure if I would recommend it to just everybody.
April 29, 2012
In a tiny community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Brother Placidus finds little Amanda LeFleur sacrificed below a crucifix, in the attic of The Brothers of the Holy Cross. It is not the first body he’s found there.
Assigned to the investigation is detective Peter Toche whose last case was that of a murdered child, a child that has been haunting his dreams, forcing him to face his worst fears and the evil that has targeted his town.
As additional victims are discovered, Tristan St. Germain, a mysterious man who was rescued by a parish priest from the waters near his home, may hold the key to the safety of all mankind.
Little Amanda was only the beginning...
Assigned to the investigation is detective Peter Toche whose last case was that of a murdered child, a child that has been haunting his dreams, forcing him to face his worst fears and the evil that has targeted his town.
As additional victims are discovered, Tristan St. Germain, a mysterious man who was rescued by a parish priest from the waters near his home, may hold the key to the safety of all mankind.
Little Amanda was only the beginning...
June 21, 2012
This book was . . . interesting. I found the plot dramatic and inspired. However, the writing style left something lacking in my literary palette. Perhaps I am old-fashioned, but his main characters, although flawed, seemed to use profanity to a point that was unexpected and (to me) unrealistic. A priest who drinks too much using "Christ" and "Jesus" as exclamatory remarks is believable, but fairly unnecessary in driving the plot forward. The twists and turns in the plot kept me guessing, and the book was fairly easy to read, but the writers constant profane exclamations were quite distracting.
July 2, 2012
I received this book as a giveaway through librarything.com. I really enjoyed this book. The story kept me interested and I really enjoyed the characters and their emotional journeys throughout the book. The only part that I noticed that sort of annoyed me was the very descriptive parts of the book. Sometimes it got too descriptive so I just jumped ahead to where the story started again. The end was great. I would definitely read another book by Robert E. Hirsch.
November 19, 2012
*I received this for free from Goodreads First Reads*
Excellent religion based murder mystery that also has a supernatural side (the murderer is a demon from hell). The parts of the books describing the murder scenes or the murders themselves were very grim and grotesque, and I feel the detail that went into those descriptions really help you get a good vision of this evil demon on a killing rampage.
Excellent religion based murder mystery that also has a supernatural side (the murderer is a demon from hell). The parts of the books describing the murder scenes or the murders themselves were very grim and grotesque, and I feel the detail that went into those descriptions really help you get a good vision of this evil demon on a killing rampage.
July 23, 2012
This book was well written. I liked the way that the authors words flowed. The descriptions weren't over the top and you really could get a visual of what was going on. Felt like I was in the South during a hot summer.
The characters in the book were all a bit troubled but likeable. The story line was a little out there at times and somewhat supernatural/other worldly. It kept my interest and I wanted to find out who killed the little girl.
Not a bad read but not great either.
The characters in the book were all a bit troubled but likeable. The story line was a little out there at times and somewhat supernatural/other worldly. It kept my interest and I wanted to find out who killed the little girl.
Not a bad read but not great either.
June 15, 2012
Really enjoyed this book. Part mystery, part supernatural, part religious, part detective story - kept me reading until the last page. Lovely use of language in the part of the author made it a pleasure to read.
August 17, 2012
I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy. Wow - this book is definitely a page turner! If you Catholic and a bit of a non believer this book could really scare you, maybe give you nightmares. Robert Hirsch has a great imagination.
May 25, 2023
Contrition is a retelling of the age old battle of good versus evil with macabre elements which takes place in a sleepy, backwards Gulf Coast fishing town where folks hold on to their traditions and their secrets, too. Detective Peter Toche, haunted by the brutal murder of a young girl in Atlanta has been called upon to investigate the horrific murder of Amanda Lefleur, a young girl whose grandfather is a family friend of Peter's and a longtime seaman of the area. Brother Placidus discovered her mutilated body in the attic of the Brothers' home, The Brothers of the Holy Cross, as he was readying to open the place up for habitation again, as he had time and time again. It is a shock from which Brother Placidus can't seem to recover.
Father Joseph, an erstwhile priest recalled back to his home town ostensibly to reform their local Catholic school stumbles upon a mysterious young man, who seemingly sprang forth from the ocean itself.
A series of brutal killings is meanwhile unfolding in this small fishing town and this community has never experienced anything like this before.
Peter and Father Joseph are drawn to the new arrival in their town, Tristan; a soulful young man of solid faith. They were called to this place at this time for a purpose and only Tristan can shine the light on the path they must take to battle and triumph over the ultimate evil, before it is too late. Before the whole town is massacred, and worse yet, before their souls are lost to eternal damnation.
Contrition will draw you in and keep you turning page after page as the action unfolds. I thoroughly enjoyed the read. Not keen on gore, but while this book does have some macabre descriptions, they are not too frequent and not overdone. They blended in with the dark elements of the story and seemed to be a fundamenatal part of it.
I definitely recommend Contrition, which I received through Library Thing Early Reviewer's program at the time of its publication.
Father Joseph, an erstwhile priest recalled back to his home town ostensibly to reform their local Catholic school stumbles upon a mysterious young man, who seemingly sprang forth from the ocean itself.
A series of brutal killings is meanwhile unfolding in this small fishing town and this community has never experienced anything like this before.
Peter and Father Joseph are drawn to the new arrival in their town, Tristan; a soulful young man of solid faith. They were called to this place at this time for a purpose and only Tristan can shine the light on the path they must take to battle and triumph over the ultimate evil, before it is too late. Before the whole town is massacred, and worse yet, before their souls are lost to eternal damnation.
Contrition will draw you in and keep you turning page after page as the action unfolds. I thoroughly enjoyed the read. Not keen on gore, but while this book does have some macabre descriptions, they are not too frequent and not overdone. They blended in with the dark elements of the story and seemed to be a fundamenatal part of it.
I definitely recommend Contrition, which I received through Library Thing Early Reviewer's program at the time of its publication.
December 1, 2017
very interesting because it incorporated names and places here on the MS Gulf Coast
not best writing
not best writing
March 30, 2025
Cheesy cover art aside, I was hooked by the first couple of chapters. However, the story seemed to drag on and on and I found the rest hard to get through.
April 12, 2013
Unsurprisingly to those of you who have read my last dozen reviews this is yet another FirstReads book from GoodReads, forged in the furnace of randomness and tempered with an increasingly surprising tolerance for the inane.
This title though requires little tolerance on the reader's part. While the packaging is nothing fanciful, the cover is adequate and represents the contents reasonably well. Despite the fact that this was an unedited advance copy the text itself left little to be corrected. It's a fairly tightly wound ball of string, to coin a phrase.
At its heart (or more appropriately, soul) Contrition is a crime drama with a very well executed supernatural element. I religiously refuse to even read the back of the book before starting so when things started to go rather odd about a third of the way in I was intrigued. One is very gently and naturally introduced to elements of woo-oooo-ooooo (cue the theremin music) and it all comes across as fairly believable. In a broad sense this is the way the preternatural should be represented in fiction, as just a thin veneer to the story that leaves the skeleton of the narrative intact.
Flipping to the constructive for a moment there are a few foibles. Our protagonist is a police officer and at various points during the story he employs interrogation tactics that would not fool a five-year-old. Similarly, for the most part the supernatural elements were well played but the injudicious use of certain words with a negative connotation like 'psychic' or 'channeling' broke the spell from time to time. The author is subtle but should be aware of the impact that just a single word can have on the reader.
To sum up, Contrition is a delightfully suspenseful work that at times consumes the reader's attention entirely and one is lost in the printed page. Luckily for all the dogs waiting patiently for their supper this effect is relatively transient but it is a testament to the dramatic construction that they should wait even a few minutes longer for their kibble. Hirsch's work is a rare gem in a genre that usually earns very critical reviews from this observer.
This title though requires little tolerance on the reader's part. While the packaging is nothing fanciful, the cover is adequate and represents the contents reasonably well. Despite the fact that this was an unedited advance copy the text itself left little to be corrected. It's a fairly tightly wound ball of string, to coin a phrase.
At its heart (or more appropriately, soul) Contrition is a crime drama with a very well executed supernatural element. I religiously refuse to even read the back of the book before starting so when things started to go rather odd about a third of the way in I was intrigued. One is very gently and naturally introduced to elements of woo-oooo-ooooo (cue the theremin music) and it all comes across as fairly believable. In a broad sense this is the way the preternatural should be represented in fiction, as just a thin veneer to the story that leaves the skeleton of the narrative intact.
Flipping to the constructive for a moment there are a few foibles. Our protagonist is a police officer and at various points during the story he employs interrogation tactics that would not fool a five-year-old. Similarly, for the most part the supernatural elements were well played but the injudicious use of certain words with a negative connotation like 'psychic' or 'channeling' broke the spell from time to time. The author is subtle but should be aware of the impact that just a single word can have on the reader.
To sum up, Contrition is a delightfully suspenseful work that at times consumes the reader's attention entirely and one is lost in the printed page. Luckily for all the dogs waiting patiently for their supper this effect is relatively transient but it is a testament to the dramatic construction that they should wait even a few minutes longer for their kibble. Hirsch's work is a rare gem in a genre that usually earns very critical reviews from this observer.
April 25, 2013
This is the first time I read this author; and was amused by the title and the book cover to see what this book would be about. I also love suspense, mystery, and the thriller element to a novel.
At first, I stopped in spurts to read this book. The beginning of the novel started out with the suspense element but later I was turned off by the foul language used by a so-called priest. Once I stepped out of my norm, I was able to read further and at first, a little hard to keep up with the characters until I found one of interest which was Peter Tosche, detective, trying to solve the mystery of the case. Later, Placidus is facing demons and evil forces while in the sanctuary and playing with his mind; unable to distinguish truth from fantasy.
I wasn't sure if it was more or less the pace, the flow, or dialogue that kept me from reading on and off for nearly three months. Once I got into the storyline and found an interest in a character, was able to finish the novel and see why these supernatural events are taking place.
Moreover, there was bits to chew in the beginning because of my dislikes with a priest profane language and hooked me in the middle, and hoping the ending was worth eating the meal--reading the novel that is.
"Ingesting the innocent"--concerning the mystery killer that started with an innocent small young girl, then later killing other neighboring links. This the part that hooked me in for sure!
*I received a copy from the publisher via eBook for a book review (LibraryThing contest win).
Adrienna Turner
Author of "The Day Begins with Christ"
www.dream4more.org
At first, I stopped in spurts to read this book. The beginning of the novel started out with the suspense element but later I was turned off by the foul language used by a so-called priest. Once I stepped out of my norm, I was able to read further and at first, a little hard to keep up with the characters until I found one of interest which was Peter Tosche, detective, trying to solve the mystery of the case. Later, Placidus is facing demons and evil forces while in the sanctuary and playing with his mind; unable to distinguish truth from fantasy.
I wasn't sure if it was more or less the pace, the flow, or dialogue that kept me from reading on and off for nearly three months. Once I got into the storyline and found an interest in a character, was able to finish the novel and see why these supernatural events are taking place.
Moreover, there was bits to chew in the beginning because of my dislikes with a priest profane language and hooked me in the middle, and hoping the ending was worth eating the meal--reading the novel that is.
"Ingesting the innocent"--concerning the mystery killer that started with an innocent small young girl, then later killing other neighboring links. This the part that hooked me in for sure!
*I received a copy from the publisher via eBook for a book review (LibraryThing contest win).
Adrienna Turner
Author of "The Day Begins with Christ"
www.dream4more.org
April 12, 2017
I have to admit I wasn’t able to finish this book. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it. I just found it too wordy, too descriptive, and too religious. I made it about halfway before I had to stop.
I think the biggest problem for me was that this book was advertised as a murder mystery/thriller when it was actually an overly religious novel. The murder was in the background and only as a plot device to consider the major point of the book…the battle between good and evil. I just found myself frustrated with the religious themes and all of the unnecessary Latin phrases thrown in just for kicks.
The characters were all such characters. There wasn’t a regular one among them. Almost every character introduced had their own completely farfetched backstory. The police officer has psychic tendencies…come on! It wasn’t even introduced in an organic way…it was just told to the reader.
Honestly, I don’t mind theological elements in the books I read, but I can’t read novels that are centered around it. Perhaps it’s my fault for not understanding what this book was going to be about, but I felt cheated. I tried to give it a fair shot, but unfortunately it didn’t hold my attention.
I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
I think the biggest problem for me was that this book was advertised as a murder mystery/thriller when it was actually an overly religious novel. The murder was in the background and only as a plot device to consider the major point of the book…the battle between good and evil. I just found myself frustrated with the religious themes and all of the unnecessary Latin phrases thrown in just for kicks.
The characters were all such characters. There wasn’t a regular one among them. Almost every character introduced had their own completely farfetched backstory. The police officer has psychic tendencies…come on! It wasn’t even introduced in an organic way…it was just told to the reader.
Honestly, I don’t mind theological elements in the books I read, but I can’t read novels that are centered around it. Perhaps it’s my fault for not understanding what this book was going to be about, but I felt cheated. I tried to give it a fair shot, but unfortunately it didn’t hold my attention.
I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
January 25, 2014
The story starts when a child, Amanda, is found murdered and posed below a cross in the attic of a Catholic school. Peter Toche is the detective assigned to this case, but he is still haunted by his last case that involved another child. This is no an isolated case, more bodies start popping up. It is up to Peter to find the killer before something bigger develops.
I am torn reading this story. I liked the idea behind the plot but it took time to get into the story. There is a religious base to the story but it went above and beyond what I can normally tolerate, which made it a bigger distraction while reading. There were also a lot of characters which make keeping up with the different points of view a little challenging. There were spots where you were flashing back and forth between people. It just made it more confusing.
I liked how the paranormal aspect was hinted at. It wasn’t so overwhelming to detract from the story but was enough to leave with a hint of something else. Overall, it was a good story for one read but it’s not enough to make me want to reread it in the future.
I received this book from the Early Reader Program at Library Thing in exchange for an honest review.
I am torn reading this story. I liked the idea behind the plot but it took time to get into the story. There is a religious base to the story but it went above and beyond what I can normally tolerate, which made it a bigger distraction while reading. There were also a lot of characters which make keeping up with the different points of view a little challenging. There were spots where you were flashing back and forth between people. It just made it more confusing.
I liked how the paranormal aspect was hinted at. It wasn’t so overwhelming to detract from the story but was enough to leave with a hint of something else. Overall, it was a good story for one read but it’s not enough to make me want to reread it in the future.
I received this book from the Early Reader Program at Library Thing in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2012
Contrition is the gripping story of an epic battle of good against evil in a small community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The mutilated body of a young girl mysteriously appears under a crucifix in the attic of a Catholic school. In this novel peopled with priests and police officers, it's sometimes hard to keep track of a seemingly endless cast of characters.
To be fair, I must confess I'm not a big horror fan and it was very difficult for me to finish this book, but I did so because I had received it as an early review copy from Library Thing. It was scary, creepy, very violent and kept giving me chills. The book is quite religious, which wasn't an issue for me, but could make some readers uncomfortable.
The vivid language used to describe setting and characters was well-done if occasionally excessive and the plot had all of the twists and turns expected of a murder mystery, although it got off to a slow start. Not often, but often enough to create some minor confusion, switching between multiple point-of-views made the story difficult to follow.
To be fair, I must confess I'm not a big horror fan and it was very difficult for me to finish this book, but I did so because I had received it as an early review copy from Library Thing. It was scary, creepy, very violent and kept giving me chills. The book is quite religious, which wasn't an issue for me, but could make some readers uncomfortable.
The vivid language used to describe setting and characters was well-done if occasionally excessive and the plot had all of the twists and turns expected of a murder mystery, although it got off to a slow start. Not often, but often enough to create some minor confusion, switching between multiple point-of-views made the story difficult to follow.
June 7, 2012
Read as part of the Librarything Early reviewers program. Contrition shows promise as a gripping story of horror and swirling mystery set in an aging college for priests. When a young girl's mutilated body appears, memories and past evils start moving around. The setting is interesting; the characters are troubled; the writing is erudite and wordy. The writing is also in need of editing. In several places the author is guilty of rapidly changing points of view, placing us in the heads of one person and then another in rapid succession. The book is also overwritten, using many descriptors where one or two would do. It is to the author's credit that, despite this, the story pulls us along for quite a while. I eventually had to give up in despair, though, as I lost track of characters. One more go-through with a good fresh reader would have helped make this book much better. I hope the author takes the time to do so before wide release because of the book's great promise.
October 30, 2012
I did find CONTRITION to be an enjoyable if slow read. Mr. Hirsch does a great job on developing his characters and they do carry the show when the pacing slows down. I really enjoyed Detective Toche and sympathized with his fears of madness.
CONTRITION is an interesting book with a great premise and promise however it does need going over by an editor with a fresh set of eyes as the author is prone to wordiness. It is also a bit too religious for my tastes as it leans heavily upon the catholic mythos however I did expect that going into this book. I also want to give my readers a warning as there is graphic violence portrayed in this book starting with the murder of a child.
I am only rating this book a 2.8 due to the lack of proper editing as it kept pulling me out of the story. I feel that the premise deserved more but not with the glitches included.
I was given this book at no charge by Library Thing in exchange for a fair and honest review.
CONTRITION is an interesting book with a great premise and promise however it does need going over by an editor with a fresh set of eyes as the author is prone to wordiness. It is also a bit too religious for my tastes as it leans heavily upon the catholic mythos however I did expect that going into this book. I also want to give my readers a warning as there is graphic violence portrayed in this book starting with the murder of a child.
I am only rating this book a 2.8 due to the lack of proper editing as it kept pulling me out of the story. I feel that the premise deserved more but not with the glitches included.
I was given this book at no charge by Library Thing in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 7, 2013
http://www.amazon.com/Contrition-Robe...
In a tiny community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Brother Placidus finds little Amanda LeFleur sacrificed below a crucifix, in the attic of The Brothers of the Holy Cross. It is not the first body he's found there.
Assigned to the investigation is detective Peter Toche whose last case was that of a murdered child, a child that has been haunting his dreams, forcing him to face his worst fears and the evil that has targeted his town.
As additional victims are discovered, Tristan St. Germain, a mysterious man who was rescued by a parish priest from the waters near his home, may hold the key to the safety of all mankind.
Little Amanda was only the beginning...
In a tiny community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Brother Placidus finds little Amanda LeFleur sacrificed below a crucifix, in the attic of The Brothers of the Holy Cross. It is not the first body he's found there.
Assigned to the investigation is detective Peter Toche whose last case was that of a murdered child, a child that has been haunting his dreams, forcing him to face his worst fears and the evil that has targeted his town.
As additional victims are discovered, Tristan St. Germain, a mysterious man who was rescued by a parish priest from the waters near his home, may hold the key to the safety of all mankind.
Little Amanda was only the beginning...
November 3, 2012
Won this book on Library Thing and found it to be pretty good. However, as others have said there are a few issues ... one is the rapid point of view shifts - often from one paragraph to the next. While I could follow along OK, at first it was a little jarring to realize whose thoughts we were dealing with at any given time. Also, the final show-down seemed anti-climactic given the huge lead-up throughout the story and it felt rather flat as an overall scene. And then it just ended right there - abruptly, almost as if the author had trouble thinking of a suitable way to wrap everything up. Still, it was an interesting read with a decent plot.
November 2, 2012
I don't think I've ever read religious Catholic fiction before. I was uncertain about it because it could either be really good or offensive but I wasn't expecting it to be this engrossing. At times it was dark, some of the deaths were gruesome, but it was gripping because although there were a few characters that were important players in the story, their development just made them seem more real. No body is perfect but it's the choices you make and acceptance of what life brings that makes some people stronger. I recommend this book to dark fiction readers who always hope that in the end good triumphs over evil.
January 6, 2013
I got this book as an advanced reader's copy from Goodreads. The story itself was an interesting concept but the writing took away from that. I found the writer repeated himself several times. There was no reason for the author to remind the reader every two or three chapters that one of the characters had a supernatural ability to detect things at crime scenes. I agree with a previous reviewer, the novel reads like it is the authors first published work. Personally I wouldn't recommend this book to any of my friends.
December 26, 2014
Received a free ebook review copy.
Quite good and a bit creepy in places.
Found it a little convoluted at times and it took me a while to figure out what the deal was with Tristan and Malik.
Some of the religious stuff was a bit lost on me.
The ending was a bit rushed for me, I found it hard to picture exactly what was happening.
It was an interesting concept, blending religion, horror and fantasy.
Quite good and a bit creepy in places.
Found it a little convoluted at times and it took me a while to figure out what the deal was with Tristan and Malik.
Some of the religious stuff was a bit lost on me.
The ending was a bit rushed for me, I found it hard to picture exactly what was happening.
It was an interesting concept, blending religion, horror and fantasy.
July 26, 2015
I somewhat managed to get through the whole book. Let me say that I won this through goodteads giveaway.
All I can really say about this book is that it was definitely hard to get through. There were a lot of times where I was more skipping through parts because it was jusy such a slow read. I can't say I would recommend this book.
All I can really say about this book is that it was definitely hard to get through. There were a lot of times where I was more skipping through parts because it was jusy such a slow read. I can't say I would recommend this book.
February 9, 2013
Part religious experience, part mystery, the story was entertaining overall. I loved the veiled references to my hometown and the French phrases sprinkled throughout. Even the Katrina similarities were spot on.
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