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John Jordan Mystery #1
Power in the Blood
In a mystery book market saturated with stories of gruesome serial killers devoid of morality and shady investigators whose questionable tactics make them difficult heroes, Power in the Blood by Michael Lister offers a more spiritual view of social ills and acknowledges that, behind every despicable act, there is always room for forgiveness and redemption.
In this debut novel Lister, a prison chaplain, introduces John Jordan, chaplain of a prison in the Florida Panhandle, who witnesses the bloody death of Potter Correctional Institution inmate Ike Johnson. Jordan discovers that in the closed society of captives and captors no action goes unseen, and no one takes kindly to a cop in a collar. He soon finds his reputation, his career, and even his life are at stake.
"While writing Power in the Blood , I attempted to present Chaplain Jordan as a person who is in many ways quite ordinary despite being a man of the cloth. Like everyone else, Jordan attempts to find romance, deals with the demands of work on a daily basis, and struggles with his faith," said Michael Lister. "Despite the extraordinary violence that he must face and the misdeeds of fallen souls he endures, Jordan manages to pursue the investigation with honesty and grace. I think that makes him an unusual hero in today's mystery market." By offering up the sacred as well as the profane, Power in the Blood is sure to please both mystery readers and general fiction enthusiasts.
Michael Lister was a chaplain with the Florida Department of Corrections from 1993 to 2000. During his tenure at Gulf Correctional, Lister earned these words of praise from his warden, "Chaplain Lister's un prejudiced concern for the welfare of staff as well as inmates has brought a spiritual soothing to both populations at this institution. He is an exceptionally gifted teacher, truly an angel, a shepherd to all."
In this debut novel Lister, a prison chaplain, introduces John Jordan, chaplain of a prison in the Florida Panhandle, who witnesses the bloody death of Potter Correctional Institution inmate Ike Johnson. Jordan discovers that in the closed society of captives and captors no action goes unseen, and no one takes kindly to a cop in a collar. He soon finds his reputation, his career, and even his life are at stake.
"While writing Power in the Blood , I attempted to present Chaplain Jordan as a person who is in many ways quite ordinary despite being a man of the cloth. Like everyone else, Jordan attempts to find romance, deals with the demands of work on a daily basis, and struggles with his faith," said Michael Lister. "Despite the extraordinary violence that he must face and the misdeeds of fallen souls he endures, Jordan manages to pursue the investigation with honesty and grace. I think that makes him an unusual hero in today's mystery market." By offering up the sacred as well as the profane, Power in the Blood is sure to please both mystery readers and general fiction enthusiasts.
Michael Lister was a chaplain with the Florida Department of Corrections from 1993 to 2000. During his tenure at Gulf Correctional, Lister earned these words of praise from his warden, "Chaplain Lister's un prejudiced concern for the welfare of staff as well as inmates has brought a spiritual soothing to both populations at this institution. He is an exceptionally gifted teacher, truly an angel, a shepherd to all."
336 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1997
2326 people are currently reading
2619 people want to read
About the author
Michael Lister
184 books233 followersNew York Times bestselling and award-winning novelist Michael Lister is a native Floridian best known for his literary suspense thrillers as well as his two ongoing mystery series, the prison chaplain John Jordan "Blood" series and the hard-boiled, 1940s noir Jimmy "Soldier" Riley Series, and the post-apocalypic suspense thriller Cataclysmos.
Visit www.michaellister.com for more information, or follow his youtube channel - Writing and Life at https://www.youtube.com/user/MichaelL...
The Florida Book Review says that "Vintage Michael Lister is poetic prose, exquisitely set scenes, characters who are damaged and faulty" and Michael Koryta says, “If you like crime writing with depth, suspense, and sterling prose, you should be reading Michael Lister," while Publisher's Weekly adds, “Lister’s hard-edged prose ranks with the best of contemporary noir fiction.”
Michael grew up in North Florida near the Gulf of Mexico and the Apalachicola River in a small town world famous for tupelo honey.
Truly a regional writer, North Florida is his beat.
Captivated by story since childhood, Michael has a love for language and narrative inspired by the Southern storytelling tradition that captured his imagination and became such a source of meaning and inspiration. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in theology with an emphasis on myth and narrative.
In the early 90s, Michael became the youngest chaplain within the Florida Department of Corrections. For nearly a decade, he served as a contract, staff, then senior chaplain at three different facilities in the Panhandle of Florida—a unique experience that led to his first novel, 1997’s critically acclaimed, POWER IN THE BLOOD. It was the first in a series of popular and celebrated novels featuring ex-cop turned prison chaplain, John Jordan. Subsequent books in the series include BLOOD OF THE LAMB, FLESH AND BLOOD, THE BODY AND THE BLOOD, BLOOD SACRIFICE, and RIVERS TO BLOOD, and each takes readers through the electronically locked gates of the chain-link fences, beneath the looping razor wire glinting in the sun, and into the strange world of Potter Correctional Institution, Florida’s toughest maximum security prison. Of the John Jordan series, Michael Connelly says “Michael Lister may be the author of the most unique series running in mystery fiction. It crackles with tension and authenticity,” while Julia Spencer-Fleming adds “Michael Lister writes one of the most ambitious and unusual crime fiction series going. See what crime fiction is capable of.”
Michael also writes historical hard-boiled thrillers, such as THE BIG GOODBYE, THE BIG BEYOND, and THE BIG HELLO featuring Jimmy "Soldier" Riley, a PI in Panama City during World War II. Ace Atkins calls the "Soldier" series "tough and violent with snappy dialogue and great atmosphere . . . a suspenseful, romantic and historic ride."
Michael Lister won his first Florida Book Award for his literary novel, DOUBLE EXPOSURE, a book, according to the Panama City News Herald, that “is lyrical and literary, written in a sparse but evocative prose reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy.” It is a contemplation of life and death, art and meaning, set deep in the swamps of the Apalachicola River, a thriller about a wildlife photographer whose camera traps capture a crime, that shows the beauty and danger of the Panhandle paradise.
His second Florida Book Award was for his fifth John Jordan novel BLOOD SACRIFICE.
Visit www.michaellister.com for more information, or follow his youtube channel - Writing and Life at https://www.youtube.com/user/MichaelL...
The Florida Book Review says that "Vintage Michael Lister is poetic prose, exquisitely set scenes, characters who are damaged and faulty" and Michael Koryta says, “If you like crime writing with depth, suspense, and sterling prose, you should be reading Michael Lister," while Publisher's Weekly adds, “Lister’s hard-edged prose ranks with the best of contemporary noir fiction.”
Michael grew up in North Florida near the Gulf of Mexico and the Apalachicola River in a small town world famous for tupelo honey.
Truly a regional writer, North Florida is his beat.
Captivated by story since childhood, Michael has a love for language and narrative inspired by the Southern storytelling tradition that captured his imagination and became such a source of meaning and inspiration. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in theology with an emphasis on myth and narrative.
In the early 90s, Michael became the youngest chaplain within the Florida Department of Corrections. For nearly a decade, he served as a contract, staff, then senior chaplain at three different facilities in the Panhandle of Florida—a unique experience that led to his first novel, 1997’s critically acclaimed, POWER IN THE BLOOD. It was the first in a series of popular and celebrated novels featuring ex-cop turned prison chaplain, John Jordan. Subsequent books in the series include BLOOD OF THE LAMB, FLESH AND BLOOD, THE BODY AND THE BLOOD, BLOOD SACRIFICE, and RIVERS TO BLOOD, and each takes readers through the electronically locked gates of the chain-link fences, beneath the looping razor wire glinting in the sun, and into the strange world of Potter Correctional Institution, Florida’s toughest maximum security prison. Of the John Jordan series, Michael Connelly says “Michael Lister may be the author of the most unique series running in mystery fiction. It crackles with tension and authenticity,” while Julia Spencer-Fleming adds “Michael Lister writes one of the most ambitious and unusual crime fiction series going. See what crime fiction is capable of.”
Michael also writes historical hard-boiled thrillers, such as THE BIG GOODBYE, THE BIG BEYOND, and THE BIG HELLO featuring Jimmy "Soldier" Riley, a PI in Panama City during World War II. Ace Atkins calls the "Soldier" series "tough and violent with snappy dialogue and great atmosphere . . . a suspenseful, romantic and historic ride."
Michael Lister won his first Florida Book Award for his literary novel, DOUBLE EXPOSURE, a book, according to the Panama City News Herald, that “is lyrical and literary, written in a sparse but evocative prose reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy.” It is a contemplation of life and death, art and meaning, set deep in the swamps of the Apalachicola River, a thriller about a wildlife photographer whose camera traps capture a crime, that shows the beauty and danger of the Panhandle paradise.
His second Florida Book Award was for his fifth John Jordan novel BLOOD SACRIFICE.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
February 14, 2023
Bloody Good!
I’m not sure if this 20th anniversary edition is better than the original, but this is one of the most interesting, entertaining and addictive book I have ever read.
I hope that the next book in this series is just as good. 👍🏽😎
Five fantastic stars. ✨✨✨✨✨
I’m not sure if this 20th anniversary edition is better than the original, but this is one of the most interesting, entertaining and addictive book I have ever read.
I hope that the next book in this series is just as good. 👍🏽😎
Five fantastic stars. ✨✨✨✨✨
June 13, 2019
Pastor/officer-One man is asked to be both...
This is a good thriller about a prison chaplain,divorced and in AA, who was a cop when things went wrong. As he tries to put his life back together he lives in a small trailer and ministers to the inmates and employees of the prison. This story starts with a dead body and as the investigation continues we learn much about the Chaplain. There are good suspenseful scenes ,well- developed characters and I kept turning pages to see what happens next. A nice start to a series,I intend to read more.
This is a good thriller about a prison chaplain,divorced and in AA, who was a cop when things went wrong. As he tries to put his life back together he lives in a small trailer and ministers to the inmates and employees of the prison. This story starts with a dead body and as the investigation continues we learn much about the Chaplain. There are good suspenseful scenes ,well- developed characters and I kept turning pages to see what happens next. A nice start to a series,I intend to read more.
January 27, 2019
This novel has a different setting than most books in this genre: a correctional facility in the Panhandle of Florida and the main character is a chaplain there. The main character is likeable and has flaws that he recognizes.
There is a lot of violence in the novel. There are some twists to the story, but most of it was straight forward. The novel does reflect that segregation and prejudice still exists in our world today. It was worth the read as it made me think about the world we live in today.
There is a lot of violence in the novel. There are some twists to the story, but most of it was straight forward. The novel does reflect that segregation and prejudice still exists in our world today. It was worth the read as it made me think about the world we live in today.
December 2, 2016
Good story.
Prison Chaplain investigating the murder of one prisoner. This takes many twists and turns and more killings. From VCR tapes and typewriters, I guess it was written sometime in 1990. Just opened three years ago this correctional institution full of AIDs, drugs, gays and transsexuals with corrupt guards running the prison. Parts was confusing and hard to read.
Prison Chaplain investigating the murder of one prisoner. This takes many twists and turns and more killings. From VCR tapes and typewriters, I guess it was written sometime in 1990. Just opened three years ago this correctional institution full of AIDs, drugs, gays and transsexuals with corrupt guards running the prison. Parts was confusing and hard to read.
May 6, 2016
Writer needs an editor
Every woman in this book is beautiful or more beautiful. In a one-horse town, and in a penitentiary. Horny chaplain, super horny writer. Who badly needs an editor to cut down on the lengthy inappropriate metaphors. And extensive descriptions of alcoholism and how it destroys lives. The chaplain is in recovery, the ex-father in law is still in it, etc. Makes for much cumbersome reading. Show, don't tell. A lot of telling, not so much showing.
Well, I got this book for free, and I got what I paid for.
Every woman in this book is beautiful or more beautiful. In a one-horse town, and in a penitentiary. Horny chaplain, super horny writer. Who badly needs an editor to cut down on the lengthy inappropriate metaphors. And extensive descriptions of alcoholism and how it destroys lives. The chaplain is in recovery, the ex-father in law is still in it, etc. Makes for much cumbersome reading. Show, don't tell. A lot of telling, not so much showing.
Well, I got this book for free, and I got what I paid for.
July 13, 2022
As Michael Connelly brilliantly stated in the pages prior to Ch. 1, read this book! He is an obvious fan of this author and now I am as well. A well written brisk read....
June 14, 2018
Good plot and a little different with the setting being a prison in Florida and the main character an ex-detective turned prison chaplain. I wasn't sure whether I would enjoy this because of the religious aspect, but it wasn't preachy at all. There were a lot of characters making this a little confusing at times, but I liked the protagonist and enjoyed the plot, so I would certainly try the next book in this series.
The audio production didn't seem very professional. Background noise and several sentences that were repeated. The narrator was ok, just a straightforward, no-frills reading.
The audio production didn't seem very professional. Background noise and several sentences that were repeated. The narrator was ok, just a straightforward, no-frills reading.
May 25, 2017
I feel bad rating this 1 star, I usually save that for books I truly hate, but this book was not good enough for a 2 star. It started off OK and I thought it would be a decent mystery/thriller. I read it because Michael Connelly, whose books I love, gave kudos to this book. Mid way through I found myself going "what?" and "what just happened?", "seriously?" I found things extremely unrealistic, characters coming out of nowhere, convenient characters just showing up, and every time a female character being introduced she was "beautiful" with such and such color burning eyes. (with the exception of one). Characters seemed to be thrown into the story haphazardly. Jacob is a minister, which is a fun twist to crime solver, but a couple times the book did get a little preachy, though I didn't find religion to be too much in the book. I found it odd that the love of Jacob's life is forbidden because she is married, but her husband never made an appearance in the book- including when she was in the hospital. People seemed to be normal one second and suddenly over the top insane the next. I figured out the who-done-it about 1/2 way through, but it took a long time and some elementary discussions to get there and explain it to the reader. I had downloaded several of these books on Kindle, and unfortunately, this will be the last one I read. Oh, and for those who can't stand poor editing, this is not the book for you. By the time I was tired of the story, there began to be typos and missing words- just another reason I can't give it 2 stars.
June 3, 2016
I read this book as part of a 5-book package purchased at deep discount. I liked it enough to keep reading more of the books in the series, although I would rate it at 3.5 stars (not 4) if that option had been available! I liked the protagonist, especially that he is not portrayed as a physical superman who can whip anyone who crosses his path. He does seem to be morally admirable, while admitting that he is weak and sometimes thinks 'unclean' thoughts. I am not religious personally, so I normally shy away from stories with a "Christian" element to them. It was not a problem with this book, in fact the religious elements added to the plot and made it more interesting. While the story was interesting, I did not like the way everything was explained and tidied up in the last chapter. I feel like the author was cheating the reader to hold back information until he needed it to make all the pieces of the puzzle fit neatly in place. I will make allowances because I understand this was Lister's first novel.
February 25, 2017
An enjoyable read with a solid murder-mystery at its core, but no hook strong enough to tempt me into reading more in the series. The idea of having a prison chaplain as an investigator is a neat theme, and one I enjoyed, but it seems to rely on too many contrivances to be truly credible.
The number of conflicts in the protagonist's personal life (his ex-wife, his alcoholism, his angry ex-father-in-law, his drunkard dying mother, his sibling rivalry) plus the professional coincidences and antagonism (how convenient: His dad's the local sheriff! How inconvenient: the angry F-i-L works in the same prison!) just plain wore me out.
Having said that, the writing is clean and accessible and the storyline - when you can get to it - is well-plotted. Mind you, I couldn't believe the final murder could possibly happen given events earlier in the book.
7/10
The number of conflicts in the protagonist's personal life (his ex-wife, his alcoholism, his angry ex-father-in-law, his drunkard dying mother, his sibling rivalry) plus the professional coincidences and antagonism (how convenient: His dad's the local sheriff! How inconvenient: the angry F-i-L works in the same prison!) just plain wore me out.
Having said that, the writing is clean and accessible and the storyline - when you can get to it - is well-plotted. Mind you, I couldn't believe the final murder could possibly happen given events earlier in the book.
7/10
August 7, 2016
Pretty good read but desperately needs an editor. "Roles of fat" and "we had switched rolls" were amongst my favourites. Several times the exact same paragraph was repeated a page or two later. Factual errors such as having an AIDS test hours after having been exposed to AIDS infected blood.
I have another in this series and I'm hoping the author found an editor. The story was interesting enough to keep me reading through the errors but if the next book is the same, it will be the last. *fingers crossed*
Appreciated the faith elements in the book, particular the amazingness of grace and the compassion for "damaged" people. I did find the chaplain a little overly hormonal for a middle aged man of the cloth.
I have another in this series and I'm hoping the author found an editor. The story was interesting enough to keep me reading through the errors but if the next book is the same, it will be the last. *fingers crossed*
Appreciated the faith elements in the book, particular the amazingness of grace and the compassion for "damaged" people. I did find the chaplain a little overly hormonal for a middle aged man of the cloth.
March 4, 2017
Well this was a VERY different sort of murder mystery novel with a refreshing change from standard fare ... and it works extremely well.
Set in Prison with the protagonist being a former cop turned chaplain, the story held me from the first page to the last, being my quickest read of the year so far.
I think one of the greatest positives from the novel, apart from complex characters with an interesting plot, is that it wasn't all that "preachy" considering it's main character had a religious background.
I love books that are extremely well written with a smooth pace. I enjoyed this book so much I have now downloaded the next 2 books in the series. :)
Set in Prison with the protagonist being a former cop turned chaplain, the story held me from the first page to the last, being my quickest read of the year so far.
I think one of the greatest positives from the novel, apart from complex characters with an interesting plot, is that it wasn't all that "preachy" considering it's main character had a religious background.
I love books that are extremely well written with a smooth pace. I enjoyed this book so much I have now downloaded the next 2 books in the series. :)
September 22, 2017
Bizarre and pretty bigoted.
First, from the get go, everyone is described by their color except for the white people. I find that strange. I am a white person. Second, all those black people are illiterate. I just don't think I want to read a pastor-related book like this one again.
First, from the get go, everyone is described by their color except for the white people. I find that strange. I am a white person. Second, all those black people are illiterate. I just don't think I want to read a pastor-related book like this one again.
August 14, 2016
This book managed to combine brutality, sex, gore and sanctimony in a sexist plot with one dimensional characters. I am at a loss to see how this type of misanthropic story could spawn a whole series of books.
January 4, 2017
I have mixed feelings about this book. I did rate it five stars because the author incorporated all of the important elements needed to write a novel such as good plot and character development. Things I didn't like were some of theology, making all the corrections officers seem like rednecks seems a little unbelievable (although admittedly I don't know much about prison life), and that some parts of the story should've probably been told earlier in the story.
September 13, 2008
John Jordan is a former cop and the present Potter Correctional Institute chaplain who witnesses first hand the gruesome death of inmate Ike Johnson. When the superintendent asks Jordan to help investigate the death, Jordan discovers not only a network of crime and corruption taking place within the walls of PCI, but also the crime and corruption that is spilling out in the county. With the assistance of his friends Merrill and Anna, Jordan sets out to uncover the truth behind it all.
POWER IN THE BLOOD is Michael Lister's first John Jordan mystery, and I can say without reserve that I am looking forward to checking out the next two books in the series. John Jordan is a unique protagonist; definitely the first crime-fighting chaplain I've read about! And I love Jordan because he's real: he isn't perfect, he makes mistakes, he has "issues", and there are many complex layers to this character. The inmates like Jordan and it's believable. I would like J.J. if I knew him, too. As is common place with me, I took a special shine to Jordan's good friend Merrill - Merrill Monroe. His intelligent, sarcastic humor provides a great deal of comic relief throughout the novel. Lister also does a very nice job with the character of Anna. Just anyone wouldn't be working in a high security correctional facility, especially not just any woman. Anna's personality is believable for the job she holds. She's spunky and self-assured. Anna's personality is essential for the believability of the plot as well. Overall, a very well developed female character.
I especially enjoyed Lister's creative use of both biblical and literary illusions. They are spread throughout the books and are some of the most effective use of this device I've experienced in some time.
The plot of POWER IN THE BLOOD is tight. There isn't a lot of unnecessary, outside detail to muck up the storyline. Jordan has some past issues that Lister brings out seamlessly. They don't detract from the present, but instead allow the reader a better understanding of Jordan. And Lister is great at slowly feeding the reader facts as the investigation progresses. The novel is told in first person, and the reader receives clues exactly the same way that the narrator receives them.
The only negative I would present about Power in the Blood were a couple of occasions where I rolled my eyes thinking Lister got a little hokey. Maybe others might view these scenes differently, but I thought they were conspicuously sappy. The book is not sappy and the couple of spots seemed to stand out to me as not fitting in with the tone of the novel. But that is far from enough for me to not recommend this novel.
POWER IN THE BLOOD is Michael Lister's first John Jordan mystery, and I can say without reserve that I am looking forward to checking out the next two books in the series. John Jordan is a unique protagonist; definitely the first crime-fighting chaplain I've read about! And I love Jordan because he's real: he isn't perfect, he makes mistakes, he has "issues", and there are many complex layers to this character. The inmates like Jordan and it's believable. I would like J.J. if I knew him, too. As is common place with me, I took a special shine to Jordan's good friend Merrill - Merrill Monroe. His intelligent, sarcastic humor provides a great deal of comic relief throughout the novel. Lister also does a very nice job with the character of Anna. Just anyone wouldn't be working in a high security correctional facility, especially not just any woman. Anna's personality is believable for the job she holds. She's spunky and self-assured. Anna's personality is essential for the believability of the plot as well. Overall, a very well developed female character.
I especially enjoyed Lister's creative use of both biblical and literary illusions. They are spread throughout the books and are some of the most effective use of this device I've experienced in some time.
The plot of POWER IN THE BLOOD is tight. There isn't a lot of unnecessary, outside detail to muck up the storyline. Jordan has some past issues that Lister brings out seamlessly. They don't detract from the present, but instead allow the reader a better understanding of Jordan. And Lister is great at slowly feeding the reader facts as the investigation progresses. The novel is told in first person, and the reader receives clues exactly the same way that the narrator receives them.
The only negative I would present about Power in the Blood were a couple of occasions where I rolled my eyes thinking Lister got a little hokey. Maybe others might view these scenes differently, but I thought they were conspicuously sappy. The book is not sappy and the couple of spots seemed to stand out to me as not fitting in with the tone of the novel. But that is far from enough for me to not recommend this novel.
September 4, 2015
A flawed but fascinating first novel. Former Florida prison chaplain Michael Lister has created a believable detective hero, Florida prison chaplain Jon "JJ" Jordan, a divorced man and recovering alcoholic who before his call to the ministry was a cop from a family of cops. Jordan has disappointed nearly everyone in his life but now at last feels like he has found his true calling, ministering to the men behind bars at Potter Correctional Institution in Pottersville in the Florida Panhandle. But then he witnesses what at first appears to be an escape attempt gone wrong, later exposed as a murder, and the superintendent of his institution asks him to poke around and find out what happened.
Lister has set up an intriguing mystery, and put it in a revolutionary setting. I've read a lot of thrillers and can't ever recall one where the murder occurred inside a prison and the suspects were all inmates or prison staff. He clearly knows his way around the institution, too, painting believable scenes in the chapel, the infirmary, the isolation ward and out on the exercise yard.
His writing can sometimes come across as stilted, though, and he lets Jordan give a few speeches that go on far too long (we even get his entire sermon from a funeral!), trying the reader's patience. He commits some other common sins among first-time novelists, too. Every single woman Jordan encounters has to be drop-dead gorgeous, which seems highly unlikely to occur both among prison staffers and small Florida towns. He tends to write the dialogue of the black inmates in a dialect that sounds like phony Ebonics. There are some scenes where he's supposed to be reporting to his superintendent in which he never tells him what he's found out, which seems unlikely to occur in real life. And he messes around with that old staple, the threatening letters sent to the hero, tracking down the sender without really explaining why that person would do such a thing.
But those are problems he can work out with practice, and I look forward to reading the next several books in his series in hopes they improve in quality, because this one's a really good start.
Lister has set up an intriguing mystery, and put it in a revolutionary setting. I've read a lot of thrillers and can't ever recall one where the murder occurred inside a prison and the suspects were all inmates or prison staff. He clearly knows his way around the institution, too, painting believable scenes in the chapel, the infirmary, the isolation ward and out on the exercise yard.
His writing can sometimes come across as stilted, though, and he lets Jordan give a few speeches that go on far too long (we even get his entire sermon from a funeral!), trying the reader's patience. He commits some other common sins among first-time novelists, too. Every single woman Jordan encounters has to be drop-dead gorgeous, which seems highly unlikely to occur both among prison staffers and small Florida towns. He tends to write the dialogue of the black inmates in a dialect that sounds like phony Ebonics. There are some scenes where he's supposed to be reporting to his superintendent in which he never tells him what he's found out, which seems unlikely to occur in real life. And he messes around with that old staple, the threatening letters sent to the hero, tracking down the sender without really explaining why that person would do such a thing.
But those are problems he can work out with practice, and I look forward to reading the next several books in his series in hopes they improve in quality, because this one's a really good start.
August 22, 2019
It seems that everything in this story is determined by the race - every black inmate is unable to read or write, every white man (excluding our hero) is racist thug and whole town is hell hole determined by racism. Preachers faith is well hidden not to cause anaphylactic reaction in readers allergic to Christianity. Direct transfusion from human to human was practiced by Russians in WW II with mixed results and today no doctor who wants to keep hes/hers licence will do it. Young and healthy person can survive a very low hemoglobin level and volume resuscitation with colloid/ cristaloid will be enough until properly screened blood will be available. Little bit of research before writing rubbish is always in order.
June 17, 2017
I have mixed feelings about this book. There was good character development but some poor editing. John the prison Chaplin was asked to investigate a murder that occurred in the prison. This is an unlikely scenario at best. There were a lot of twists and turns and John didn't share his findings with the superintendent nor with the chief investigator for the prison system - John's former father-in-law. Several instances of relatives to various players popping unexpectedly during John's investigation.
June 20, 2017
This book started off well, then all of sudden I was going "what happened to the plot?" He started throwing in characters that he didn't develop. There's an ex-brother-in-law, that he has tension with, then somehow, they're getting along. There's a woman he's infatuated with that disappears and then the main antagonist is hardly developed. I see that Lister has more books, and this was a revision.
I'm wondering if he shouldn't have rewritten this book completely? His writing is good, his descriptions and scenes are excellent, however, the character details...kind of a non-starter.
I'm wondering if he shouldn't have rewritten this book completely? His writing is good, his descriptions and scenes are excellent, however, the character details...kind of a non-starter.
February 9, 2023
John Jordan is my new favorite investigator with gritty complex characters and plot in this first in a series
the ex cop, ex pastor, current prison chaplin walks in three worlds the spiritual the law and the criminal with all the shades of grey coming to light
In the prison Jordan works an inmates death is assumed to be suicide but Jordan is asked to investigate and as Jordan does
the layers of corruption begin to reveal a twisted world in the prison system among faculty, Guards and prisoners
the ex cop, ex pastor, current prison chaplin walks in three worlds the spiritual the law and the criminal with all the shades of grey coming to light
In the prison Jordan works an inmates death is assumed to be suicide but Jordan is asked to investigate and as Jordan does
the layers of corruption begin to reveal a twisted world in the prison system among faculty, Guards and prisoners
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2020
"Tough stuff"
I expected something truly amazing when I saw that the story was sandwiched between glowing references from Connolly and Bearden. Don't get me wrong. The standard of writing is at a very high level but there were occasions when this got too violent, too real, and at that point it didn't matter how good the descriptive passages were, I wanted to read something less graphic. When I finished the story at 80% I was disappointed. Then I realised this was a re-packaged starter to the series and designed to stimulate another sales blitz.
I expected something truly amazing when I saw that the story was sandwiched between glowing references from Connolly and Bearden. Don't get me wrong. The standard of writing is at a very high level but there were occasions when this got too violent, too real, and at that point it didn't matter how good the descriptive passages were, I wanted to read something less graphic. When I finished the story at 80% I was disappointed. Then I realised this was a re-packaged starter to the series and designed to stimulate another sales blitz.
August 14, 2025
interesting new series. I liked the main character and look forward to reading the next one.
December 6, 2020
4 Stars
Power in the Blood (John Jordan Mystery Book #1) by Michael Lister.
Full review to come.
Power in the Blood (John Jordan Mystery Book #1) by Michael Lister.
Full review to come.
May 27, 2011
Michael Lister is a chaplain with the Florida Dept. of Corrections. He spins a didquieting story about corruption, sexual activity, drug dealing and violence inside a Florida prison.
John Jordan was a former cop who had a calling to the ministry. He's assigned as chaplain at Porter Correctional facility.
In the opening scene, Jordan witnesses a prisoner being killed. It appears that the prisoner was hiding in a garbage bag, attempting to escape.
Superintendent Edward Stone considers Jordan's law background and good relationship with the prinsoners and orders him to help in the investigation along with Tom Daniels, the IG. Daniels is an arrogant and condescending official who desplays dislike for Jordan and his meddling.
Chaplain Jordan treats the prisoners farely and is able to get information about one prison official who works on the late shift. This man sees the prison as his own domain and treats prisoners and their wives with contempt.
While the investigation is under way, we learn of the personal side of the minister as he discusses his alcoholic past and his failed marriage. He seems to have put this behind him as he begins dating a young woman from town.
When complications arise and Jordan is falsely accused of certain crimes, the story becomes a testament to his faith. As in the Biblical story of Job, the pain and suffering that this good man endures, almost makes him despair, but his inner strength and faith, saves him.
This is a story of a man overcoming his past and attempting to improve the life of others It deserves a wide audience. The author does a good job of using his background in corrections to create a realistic and enjoyable story.
John Jordan was a former cop who had a calling to the ministry. He's assigned as chaplain at Porter Correctional facility.
In the opening scene, Jordan witnesses a prisoner being killed. It appears that the prisoner was hiding in a garbage bag, attempting to escape.
Superintendent Edward Stone considers Jordan's law background and good relationship with the prinsoners and orders him to help in the investigation along with Tom Daniels, the IG. Daniels is an arrogant and condescending official who desplays dislike for Jordan and his meddling.
Chaplain Jordan treats the prisoners farely and is able to get information about one prison official who works on the late shift. This man sees the prison as his own domain and treats prisoners and their wives with contempt.
While the investigation is under way, we learn of the personal side of the minister as he discusses his alcoholic past and his failed marriage. He seems to have put this behind him as he begins dating a young woman from town.
When complications arise and Jordan is falsely accused of certain crimes, the story becomes a testament to his faith. As in the Biblical story of Job, the pain and suffering that this good man endures, almost makes him despair, but his inner strength and faith, saves him.
This is a story of a man overcoming his past and attempting to improve the life of others It deserves a wide audience. The author does a good job of using his background in corrections to create a realistic and enjoyable story.
June 23, 2020
Absolutely terrible.
1. The text jumps at several points - I kept wondering if the Kindle version had actually missed chapters. These wild jumps make it very hard to keep interest up.
2. There is an odd mix of theology lasting several pages, then brutal sexual imagery. I cannot understand the point of this - I was hoping for escapism and instead my memory of this book is unhappiness and hopelessness. I had the feeling that this was there to fuel imagination and doesn't add at all to the central story.
3. The Plot - ridiculous. eg we are asked to believe that the hero (plot spoiler) saves the day by directly transferring his blood to the heroine - this is more fairytale gone wrong material. Several plot lines are left hanging unresolved.
4. The characters - again underdeveloped, pointless attributes that contribute nothing, and the characters less well developed than Mickey Mouse. The main character is a flawed man - with superhuman powers of detection and recovery from ferocious assaults. Is this the most original that the author can do? I simply lost track of them as they were so unmemorable - that really is a condemnation of how well developed they were. I got the feeling that this book has been edited to half of what it originally was and that this leaves out the central aspect of the book - the heart.
5. The realism - is completely silly. This reads like someone has taken another well known author and re-hashed with a clerical twist. The described racism is so caricature that it is almost insulting.
Overall - I wouldn't read another of this drivel. I would thoroughly recommend that this is avoided and your time better spent looking at a wall.
1. The text jumps at several points - I kept wondering if the Kindle version had actually missed chapters. These wild jumps make it very hard to keep interest up.
2. There is an odd mix of theology lasting several pages, then brutal sexual imagery. I cannot understand the point of this - I was hoping for escapism and instead my memory of this book is unhappiness and hopelessness. I had the feeling that this was there to fuel imagination and doesn't add at all to the central story.
3. The Plot - ridiculous. eg we are asked to believe that the hero (plot spoiler) saves the day by directly transferring his blood to the heroine - this is more fairytale gone wrong material. Several plot lines are left hanging unresolved.
4. The characters - again underdeveloped, pointless attributes that contribute nothing, and the characters less well developed than Mickey Mouse. The main character is a flawed man - with superhuman powers of detection and recovery from ferocious assaults. Is this the most original that the author can do? I simply lost track of them as they were so unmemorable - that really is a condemnation of how well developed they were. I got the feeling that this book has been edited to half of what it originally was and that this leaves out the central aspect of the book - the heart.
5. The realism - is completely silly. This reads like someone has taken another well known author and re-hashed with a clerical twist. The described racism is so caricature that it is almost insulting.
Overall - I wouldn't read another of this drivel. I would thoroughly recommend that this is avoided and your time better spent looking at a wall.
October 12, 2016
I don't know - I just got tired of it. John Jordan is a prison minister who used to be a policeman until something bad happened and he killed a child. He crawled into a bottle, still as a cop, and his wife was an enabler. When he decided to get sober, she left him & took everything. Now he's trying to rebuild his life when he witnesses the murder of an inmate. The warden asks him to work with the primary investigator, his former father-in-law who hates John. And a dirty cop on the inside, and a sex ring, and on & on. It was ok, and I already have another book in the series that I'll read to see what I think.
February 10, 2017
Premise was ok--a former detective who now solves crimes in the Florida prison where he's a chaplain, but once you get into it, there's really nothing uplifting about this novel. I understand wanting to include gritty realism, but this just isn't wholesome at all, instead steeped in the dregs of prison society. There's gore and language, fornication and homosexuality, and a so-called hero who chases women and preaches a watered-down false gospel.
If anything, this novel just makes me never want to go to jail.
If anything, this novel just makes me never want to go to jail.
July 11, 2019
Passed the Time
There were too many characters whose names began with J. I had trouble sorting them out. The story jumped around a lot. The main character fantasized about every female character in the story. I trusted Michael Connelly’s recommendation. It just wasn’t up to his quality at all, so I don’t understand the recommendation.
There were too many characters whose names began with J. I had trouble sorting them out. The story jumped around a lot. The main character fantasized about every female character in the story. I trusted Michael Connelly’s recommendation. It just wasn’t up to his quality at all, so I don’t understand the recommendation.
November 11, 2019
I really wanted to like this book. The premise sounded like it was right up my street. Unfortunately, the execution fell flat for me. I didn't feel like I connected with any of the characters and it was emotionally flat. I read like events happening one after the other. I couldn't get inside the character's heads at all. I'm sure some people will like it, but I don't think this author is for me.
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