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Gregor Demarkian #17
True Believers
Early One Morning at St. Anselm's Church in Philadelphia, a parishioner sneaks the body of his wife into the sacristy and then commits suicide. The husband, known to be devoted to his wife, is presumed to have killed himself out of grief. His wife, a severe diabetic, is assumed to have died of natural causes - until the coroner discovers that she actually died of arsenic poisoning. The police close the murder case, believing that the husband was clearly responsible, but one of the nuns at St. Anselm's doesn't accept the prevailing wisdom. Sure that the husband is innocent, she asks Gregor Demarkian, the retired head of the FBI's Behaviorial Science Unit, to investigate.
With tensions mounting among the city's religious groups, agitated by outside extremists, Demarkian's investigation is made difficult by the environment. Bennis Hannaford, an acclaimed author and Demarkian's lover, is undergoing a crisis of her own while the many and various denizens of Cavanaugh Street - their Armenian-American neighborhood - are involved in various uproars themselves. But at the base of everything is a mysteriously murdered young woman and the most perplexing case yet for Gregor Demarkian.
With tensions mounting among the city's religious groups, agitated by outside extremists, Demarkian's investigation is made difficult by the environment. Bennis Hannaford, an acclaimed author and Demarkian's lover, is undergoing a crisis of her own while the many and various denizens of Cavanaugh Street - their Armenian-American neighborhood - are involved in various uproars themselves. But at the base of everything is a mysteriously murdered young woman and the most perplexing case yet for Gregor Demarkian.
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
41 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Jane Haddam
55 books133 followersAka Orania Papazoglou
Jane Haddam (b. 1951) is an American author of mysteries. Born Orania Papazoglou, she worked as a college professor and magazine editor before publishing her Edgar Award–nominated first novel, Sweet, Savage Death, in 1984. This mystery introduced Patience McKenna, a sleuthing scribe who would go on to appear in four more books, including Wicked, Loving Murder (1985) and Rich, Radiant Slaughter (1988).
Not a Creature Was Stirring (1990) introduced Haddam’s best-known character, former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. The series spans more than twenty novels, many of them holiday-themed, including Murder Superior (1993), Fountain of Death (1995), and Wanting Sheila Dead (2005). Haddam’s most recent novels are Blood in the Water (2012) and Hearts of Sand (2013). Wife of William L DeAndrea.
Jane Haddam (b. 1951) is an American author of mysteries. Born Orania Papazoglou, she worked as a college professor and magazine editor before publishing her Edgar Award–nominated first novel, Sweet, Savage Death, in 1984. This mystery introduced Patience McKenna, a sleuthing scribe who would go on to appear in four more books, including Wicked, Loving Murder (1985) and Rich, Radiant Slaughter (1988).
Not a Creature Was Stirring (1990) introduced Haddam’s best-known character, former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. The series spans more than twenty novels, many of them holiday-themed, including Murder Superior (1993), Fountain of Death (1995), and Wanting Sheila Dead (2005). Haddam’s most recent novels are Blood in the Water (2012) and Hearts of Sand (2013). Wife of William L DeAndrea.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 16, 2019
True Believers (Gregor Demarkian, #17) by Jane Haddam.
Jane Haddam remains faithful to her style and format beginning with the background of the main characters in this story. The main churches in this surrounding neighborhood are St. Stephen's Episcopal with the Reverend Dan Burdock, the Catholic Church/ St. Anselm's with Father Healy, Roy Phipp's church that stood facing Dan Burdock's. Edith Lawton -the well-known atheist plays a part among the religious in Philadelphia. These are the main characters but not the only characters within these churches.
Bennis, Demarkian's lover, is awaiting with anxiety the execution of her sister Anne Marie for the murder of their father and others.
This author can have a litany of characters both part of Cavanaugh Street's mainstay and others without becoming chaotic and losing the focus of the story. This is part of her gift as an accomplished author.
Jane Haddam remains faithful to her style and format beginning with the background of the main characters in this story. The main churches in this surrounding neighborhood are St. Stephen's Episcopal with the Reverend Dan Burdock, the Catholic Church/ St. Anselm's with Father Healy, Roy Phipp's church that stood facing Dan Burdock's. Edith Lawton -the well-known atheist plays a part among the religious in Philadelphia. These are the main characters but not the only characters within these churches.
Bennis, Demarkian's lover, is awaiting with anxiety the execution of her sister Anne Marie for the murder of their father and others.
This author can have a litany of characters both part of Cavanaugh Street's mainstay and others without becoming chaotic and losing the focus of the story. This is part of her gift as an accomplished author.
August 19, 2018
I recently discovered the Gregor Demarkian Mystery series. This was my 2nd in the series. I would rather read them in order, this was the 7th I think, but I'm not willing to pay the $9.99 per Kindle book and there are only a few of them, including this one, in the library. I am grabbing any I find on early bird books or bookbub if they are cheaper. I enjoy the writing, this one was heavily into the lives and work of a Catholic priest and an Episcopalian priest (with a gay membership) and a very fundamentalist pastor. I'm not really knowledgeable about these religions so it's interesting to get into some of the nitty gritty.
The series appear to be structured in a very specific way and are slow to get started - at least to get to the mystery and the solving of the mystery. But I like the way Gregor approaches finding answers - he's methodical and thoughtful. I like getting to know the people who live in Gregor's neighborhood and the goings on in the community. There's an incredible amount of detail in the books. These are not easy going beach-type reads.
The drawbacks to this book are: 1) a lot of detail that may be over the head of the non-Catholic - they were for me, and 2) the detail about and concept of the mega-generational rich in Philadelphia (the Main Line) and their insular community and influence is significant and runs through several of the books in the series, and 3) the characters, especially ones we don't like, are often way too whatever they are; if they are mean spirited, they are uber mean spirited - perhaps a little one dimensional or unbelievable.
I'm on my 5th one, so I guess I like them enough to keep reading.
The series appear to be structured in a very specific way and are slow to get started - at least to get to the mystery and the solving of the mystery. But I like the way Gregor approaches finding answers - he's methodical and thoughtful. I like getting to know the people who live in Gregor's neighborhood and the goings on in the community. There's an incredible amount of detail in the books. These are not easy going beach-type reads.
The drawbacks to this book are: 1) a lot of detail that may be over the head of the non-Catholic - they were for me, and 2) the detail about and concept of the mega-generational rich in Philadelphia (the Main Line) and their insular community and influence is significant and runs through several of the books in the series, and 3) the characters, especially ones we don't like, are often way too whatever they are; if they are mean spirited, they are uber mean spirited - perhaps a little one dimensional or unbelievable.
I'm on my 5th one, so I guess I like them enough to keep reading.
August 29, 2020
I usually love Haddam’s books. The basic story line was really interesting but somehow the writing got really bogged down with too many details about churches and Christianity and atheists and gays and nuns and arch bishops....you get the picture. The book should have ha d a good editing and it would have been 5 stars.
August 21, 2019
I liked this book for all the background details on the ongoing characters, as well as the mystery. I liked the comparison of churches. I liked the thoughts on what being a good person entails. it felt less like a book and more like the insights into someone's life.
Reread,and I still like it for the church insights. I liked the parts where church leaders just get fed up with assorted BS.
Reread,and I still like it for the church insights. I liked the parts where church leaders just get fed up with assorted BS.
June 23, 2019
Philadelphia. Two churches - one Catholic, the other Episcopalian - plus one more, an extremist church that pickets the Episcopalian church because of its open acceptance of gays. The Catholic church, St. Anselm's, works to overcome its history of priest-molesters by replacing accused priests as well as upper-level luminaries.
On the same street lives a woman who is a "professional atheist" - writing for an atheist publication and sending letters to local newspapers. Edith Lawton also makes a life out of resenting a writer-acquaintance, Bennis Hannaford, who is successful at her writing career while Edith is not. And Bennis is the lover of Gregor Demarkian, police consultant (he prefers the title to "private detective" and prefers to work with the police).
Murder intrudes on the already-tense scene. A woman with diabetes dies and it turns out she was poisoned. Then a young man dies of the same poison. Demarkian is invited to help uncover the murderer.
Many unsavory characters and many vulnerable persons. Danger is at the door.
I have enjoyed Demarkian mysteries before. I liked but did not love this one. While more than one person is an atheist in this group, only Edith identifies as one, and she is crazy as well as careless and ignorant. While I recognize that the writer is not likely intending that we take her as an example of all atheists, nevertheless I felt some prejudice here, particularly considering that one of the traditional nuns at St. Anselm's is portrayed as the sane one, the sensible one. In my experience, and in studies, atheists tend to be more intelligent and longer on science and truth than the population in general.
I also felt that Demarkian was doing less detecting than landing on answers or maybe his intuition. It seemed like there was a big reveal at the end yet little to suggest an investigation throughout.
On the same street lives a woman who is a "professional atheist" - writing for an atheist publication and sending letters to local newspapers. Edith Lawton also makes a life out of resenting a writer-acquaintance, Bennis Hannaford, who is successful at her writing career while Edith is not. And Bennis is the lover of Gregor Demarkian, police consultant (he prefers the title to "private detective" and prefers to work with the police).
Murder intrudes on the already-tense scene. A woman with diabetes dies and it turns out she was poisoned. Then a young man dies of the same poison. Demarkian is invited to help uncover the murderer.
Many unsavory characters and many vulnerable persons. Danger is at the door.
I have enjoyed Demarkian mysteries before. I liked but did not love this one. While more than one person is an atheist in this group, only Edith identifies as one, and she is crazy as well as careless and ignorant. While I recognize that the writer is not likely intending that we take her as an example of all atheists, nevertheless I felt some prejudice here, particularly considering that one of the traditional nuns at St. Anselm's is portrayed as the sane one, the sensible one. In my experience, and in studies, atheists tend to be more intelligent and longer on science and truth than the population in general.
I also felt that Demarkian was doing less detecting than landing on answers or maybe his intuition. It seemed like there was a big reveal at the end yet little to suggest an investigation throughout.
March 17, 2022
Found this one less satisfying, probably because of all the Catholic exposition. Another one where the murderer was pretty obvious. But I still like how she writes and how she's able to express the viewpoints of many different characters. She does a great job of explaining things from different perspectives. There is a fair amount of repetition between her books, especially when you read several of them in a row.
November 15, 2017
Great mystery! Attending a church may be deadly...why are people that attend two churches dying from arsenic poisoning? Does it have something to do with a setteled lawsuit against the church? Or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Trust Gregor Demarkian, the Armenian Hercules Poirot, to solve this mystery...Great read!
February 2, 2024
There are several murders that seem totally unrelated. But are they? Gregor will figure it out. 3 churches are involved with extreme characterization of the bad qualities, but she did balance it out with people of true faith.
April 8, 2011
This is best one yet. Or maybe I took the time to read it. Anyway, it hit one of my favorite topics --- religion --- and Haddam picks up all the varieties (or at least many of them) to include in this story. She includes enough detail about each one to help the reader understand the basic ideas underlying each sect. The mystery, who is poisoning these people is also devised ingeneously, so that, even though she has dropped clues along the way, it is not obvious who the killer is until the last.
March 9, 2018
I always enjoy Haddam's characterization--she's truly skilled at creating psychologically believable people that hold your interest. For some reason I find this particularly true/interesting in her books featuring the Catholic church. She has a lot of thoughtful things to say about religion, belief, and matters of the spirit and weaves it into a well-plotted (if not usually terribly surprising) mystery. The adjective that comes strongest to my mind is "satisfying"--and really what more do you need from a mystery?
September 6, 2011
This author takes forever to read, her books are long and full of detail with lots of characters. I liked it, but kept gettting mixed up. The last one I read was the same way. Her books would be good for a long trip!
January 27, 2012
I found this book in the series especially enjoyable. I like the religious theme. Each book in this series, especially the later ones, examines a specific theme and shows various points of view. So it doesn't feel like the author is preaching any specific viewpoint.
December 12, 2012
Gregor Demarkian is always satisfying. I love how Haddam weaves bits of Catholic life into her stories. When I began reading this series I expected a traditional cozy. There is a distinct starkness that keeps me turning the pages - and that's a good thing.
March 3, 2014
A nice entry into the Gregor Demarkian series - it's a later one so the hook of holidays has been passed, and I appreciate that fact (although this one did take place during Lent, but it wasn't a plot point)
August 31, 2009
I don't think I can even finish this book. It's tedious and I find it slightly obnoxious.
October 29, 2010
Didn't like it. Add Catholic abuse books to vampire, serial killer, recipe mystery, choking for sexual pleasure, Irish and Iranian terrorist and other staples to my list of don't reads.
September 26, 2014
Excellent Gregor Demarkian Mystery.
July 29, 2014
The ending was the only interesting thing about this book, way too much detail on religion.
January 9, 2015
I like this series. Glad she expanded when she ran out of holidays.
May 11, 2023
Reread April 2023
March 18, 2016
I enjoyed this book. Good characters and good story.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews