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Killing Buddhas: An Eden Ridge Story
Is a man nothing more than the sum of his sins?
When the guru who inspired Alan Wright’s ministry comes to Eden Ridge then turns up dead, the legend of a great man begins to unravel. Branden Frank helped millions find happiness, but his private life holds secrets that shake Alan's admiration and confuse the search for truth.
Did his aging and troubled heart give out, or was he killed? One man threatens to kill him in front of a hundred witnesses. Another confesses to his murder, but police can’t make sense of his claim. A local woman is suspected, but her story throws the investigation into a tailspin.
Alan and The Little Red Hens race to untangle the many knotted threads and find the truth. Meanwhile, Alan is in the crosshairs of a conspiracy cult called NotAGod, who accuse Alan of killing his mentor in a Satanic ritual. With Eden Ridge already in turmoil, a teenage boy and girl go missing in a dangerous storm, and the race to find them turns into a life-or-death confrontation that solves the mystery but leaves as many questions as it answers.
When the guru who inspired Alan Wright’s ministry comes to Eden Ridge then turns up dead, the legend of a great man begins to unravel. Branden Frank helped millions find happiness, but his private life holds secrets that shake Alan's admiration and confuse the search for truth.
Did his aging and troubled heart give out, or was he killed? One man threatens to kill him in front of a hundred witnesses. Another confesses to his murder, but police can’t make sense of his claim. A local woman is suspected, but her story throws the investigation into a tailspin.
Alan and The Little Red Hens race to untangle the many knotted threads and find the truth. Meanwhile, Alan is in the crosshairs of a conspiracy cult called NotAGod, who accuse Alan of killing his mentor in a Satanic ritual. With Eden Ridge already in turmoil, a teenage boy and girl go missing in a dangerous storm, and the race to find them turns into a life-or-death confrontation that solves the mystery but leaves as many questions as it answers.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2024
About the author
Craig Allen Heath
5 books3 followersCraig Allen Heath decided he wanted to be a novelist at age fourteen. He achieved that goal fifty years later by publishing his first novel, Where You Will Die, in 2022.
In those five decades he wrote hundreds of poems, songs, stories, essays, articles, plays, and scripts. The published portion of that catalog earned him the equivalent of a long weekend’s lodging at a Comfort Inn somewhere along Interstate 5 in California’s Central Valley.
He made his living during that time as a journalist, teacher, and technical writer. This portion of his output kept body and soul together, making him a decent prospect to marry, raise a son, see a bit of the world, and have enough left over to buy that comfy recliner his teenaged self never thought he'd want.
He lives in southwest Washington state with his wife, Pat, too much lawn to mow, a vegetable garden, and a mischievous pair of doggos, shepherd Lobo and husky Aura, whose antics earn them the nicknames Thing 1 and Thing 2.
He released the next Eden Ridge Story, Killing Buddhas in 2024, and is now working on the third in the series, Reason Not the Need. Having finally done what he said he wanted to do five decades prior, he says he’ll keep doing it until he runs out of ideas, or the sun explodes, whichever comes first.
In those five decades he wrote hundreds of poems, songs, stories, essays, articles, plays, and scripts. The published portion of that catalog earned him the equivalent of a long weekend’s lodging at a Comfort Inn somewhere along Interstate 5 in California’s Central Valley.
He made his living during that time as a journalist, teacher, and technical writer. This portion of his output kept body and soul together, making him a decent prospect to marry, raise a son, see a bit of the world, and have enough left over to buy that comfy recliner his teenaged self never thought he'd want.
He lives in southwest Washington state with his wife, Pat, too much lawn to mow, a vegetable garden, and a mischievous pair of doggos, shepherd Lobo and husky Aura, whose antics earn them the nicknames Thing 1 and Thing 2.
He released the next Eden Ridge Story, Killing Buddhas in 2024, and is now working on the third in the series, Reason Not the Need. Having finally done what he said he wanted to do five decades prior, he says he’ll keep doing it until he runs out of ideas, or the sun explodes, whichever comes first.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 25, 2024
Still reeling from the car accident that took his beloved wife, Patricia, along with the loss of his best friend, Ruth, who was murdered years later in the town of Eden Ridge, Alan Wright works to mend the members of the community with his spiritual advice. Only one heart remains neglected: his own. While some in town embrace Alan, vowing to fight for his cause, others set out to destroy him and everything he stands for.
Meanwhile, Eden Ridge continues chugging along with its breathtaking landscape and unique characters. The Hens, a group of spunky elderly women, who admired their dear, deceased friend, Ruth, and who keep Alan under their protective wings, set out to start their own PI firm. And then there’s Zach, a young man who has never known a father but looks to Alan for guidance and solace while hoping for a familial connection.
Within this bustle of personalities, a young woman named Haley sets her heart on Zach, and the two come together to figure out their young lives and what they want to be, even if her father objects, who happens to be Sergeant Stark, a man determined to keep the peace within the confines of Eden Ridge’s borders.
A bright light shines upon Alan’s life when his mentor, Branden Frank, comes to town to share in Alan’s message and dazzle the town with his charismatic prowess. If that weren’t enough, Brenden also plans to speak at Alan’s House of Universal Message, delivering his good word to the townspeople of Eden Ridge.
All is well until tragedy strikes, altering the delicate balance of this unforgettable town, and thrusting everyone into a whodunit scenario. As The Hens, Alan, and Sergeant Stark try to make sense of the senseless, age-old secrets bubble to the surface like hot lava, burning everyone in its path. Can this town recover, or is it doomed to pay for the sins of its past?
Craig Allen Heath has a talent for writing intriguing stories that teach us about humanity and the possibilities of life, all while creating a mystery that also keeps the reader guessing. There is never a dull moment. I loved this book and can’t wait to read the next one.
Meanwhile, Eden Ridge continues chugging along with its breathtaking landscape and unique characters. The Hens, a group of spunky elderly women, who admired their dear, deceased friend, Ruth, and who keep Alan under their protective wings, set out to start their own PI firm. And then there’s Zach, a young man who has never known a father but looks to Alan for guidance and solace while hoping for a familial connection.
Within this bustle of personalities, a young woman named Haley sets her heart on Zach, and the two come together to figure out their young lives and what they want to be, even if her father objects, who happens to be Sergeant Stark, a man determined to keep the peace within the confines of Eden Ridge’s borders.
A bright light shines upon Alan’s life when his mentor, Branden Frank, comes to town to share in Alan’s message and dazzle the town with his charismatic prowess. If that weren’t enough, Brenden also plans to speak at Alan’s House of Universal Message, delivering his good word to the townspeople of Eden Ridge.
All is well until tragedy strikes, altering the delicate balance of this unforgettable town, and thrusting everyone into a whodunit scenario. As The Hens, Alan, and Sergeant Stark try to make sense of the senseless, age-old secrets bubble to the surface like hot lava, burning everyone in its path. Can this town recover, or is it doomed to pay for the sins of its past?
Craig Allen Heath has a talent for writing intriguing stories that teach us about humanity and the possibilities of life, all while creating a mystery that also keeps the reader guessing. There is never a dull moment. I loved this book and can’t wait to read the next one.
December 6, 2024
I enjoyed this book. Interesting plot and characters.
January 14, 2025
I am a keen reader of mystery and crime novels. However, I started this mystery novel with minor trepidation. The story was based around unconventional spiritual leaders and gurus, an area in which I have little interest and would consider myself a sceptic. Despite my reservations, I found myself drawn into the tale and eager to determine if my suspicions about the murderer were correct.
Initially, the novel starts a little slow. It introduces us to many characters and spends a lot of time with descriptions of their daily lives. Teenager Haley is trying to strike up a budding relationship with Zack; Zack for no clear reason is trying to avoid Haley. Zack is working at a grocery store owned by his grumpy uncle, Ray. Zack's mom, Dayna works as an emergency room nurse. Haley's dad is a sergeant with the local police. Alan Wright is running a spiritual meeting house called The House of the Universal Message, while his friend Hank teaches aikido at The Tree of Life Institute, which also provides a hot springs pool frequented by nudists. Then we have a group of middle-aged and older women called the Little Red Hens who have created a business called Hens Unlimited LLC, with the goal of establishing a private detective agency.
The descriptions of the characters of Eden Ridge takes quite a while and the murder of the victim does not occur until Chapter 29 (about 45% point in the book)! In comparison, the first book in the series, Where You Will Die: An Eden Ridge Story has a death on the first page. Despite the slow start, I found that being tenacious paid off, as the author began to weave together the connections between the townsfolk and the victim and the pace of the story increased.
Ultimately, it was not the story being based around a spiritual leader and his house of enlightenment that resulted in my lower ranking of this book. Instead, I fault the author for the very slow start with somewhat mundane descriptions of people and their lives, followed by the relatively rapid revelations related to the murder victim and his connections to the local characters. I felt this weakened the novel. A stronger start within the first 5 chapters would have pulled me into the story much sooner.
In the end, I was reasonably entertained by this book. However, I believe that readers will have a stronger connection to the characters if they start with the first book in the series. Due to the variety of characters, I feel that both adult and young adult people with diverse backgrounds will enjoy this mystery series. The small town of Eden Ridge offers a great setting and I think there is great potential in the series.
Initially, the novel starts a little slow. It introduces us to many characters and spends a lot of time with descriptions of their daily lives. Teenager Haley is trying to strike up a budding relationship with Zack; Zack for no clear reason is trying to avoid Haley. Zack is working at a grocery store owned by his grumpy uncle, Ray. Zack's mom, Dayna works as an emergency room nurse. Haley's dad is a sergeant with the local police. Alan Wright is running a spiritual meeting house called The House of the Universal Message, while his friend Hank teaches aikido at The Tree of Life Institute, which also provides a hot springs pool frequented by nudists. Then we have a group of middle-aged and older women called the Little Red Hens who have created a business called Hens Unlimited LLC, with the goal of establishing a private detective agency.
The descriptions of the characters of Eden Ridge takes quite a while and the murder of the victim does not occur until Chapter 29 (about 45% point in the book)! In comparison, the first book in the series, Where You Will Die: An Eden Ridge Story has a death on the first page. Despite the slow start, I found that being tenacious paid off, as the author began to weave together the connections between the townsfolk and the victim and the pace of the story increased.
Ultimately, it was not the story being based around a spiritual leader and his house of enlightenment that resulted in my lower ranking of this book. Instead, I fault the author for the very slow start with somewhat mundane descriptions of people and their lives, followed by the relatively rapid revelations related to the murder victim and his connections to the local characters. I felt this weakened the novel. A stronger start within the first 5 chapters would have pulled me into the story much sooner.
In the end, I was reasonably entertained by this book. However, I believe that readers will have a stronger connection to the characters if they start with the first book in the series. Due to the variety of characters, I feel that both adult and young adult people with diverse backgrounds will enjoy this mystery series. The small town of Eden Ridge offers a great setting and I think there is great potential in the series.
December 9, 2024
Craig Allen Heath’s Killing Buddhas is a philosophical mystery that blends small-town drama with existential intrigue. Set in the eccentric town of Eden Ridge, the novel introduces a cast of flawed, layered characters navigating their personal struggles amidst a backdrop of suspense. From the troubled pastor Alan Wright to the enigmatic philosopher Branden Frank, each figure contributes to a narrative that keeps readers guessing.
Alan Wright, the local pastor, is a man at war with himself. His hidden past and struggle with faith, loss, and the weight of leadership make him a deeply human character. Many readers will see reflections of their own internal battles in his journey. Branden Frank, the philosopher with magnetic charm, exudes an allure that captivates the town, yet an undercurrent of arrogance and emotional detachment leaves a lingering unease. Heath skillfully crafts him as both fascinating and unsettling, keeping readers intrigued by his contradictions. Zack Featherstone, a teenager ensnared by family secrets, embodies the universal search for identity and purpose. His confusion and aspirations make him relatable, a character who feels both real and poignant.
Heath’s strength lies in giving his characters moments of raw vulnerability and unexpected resilience, though at times the reader might yearn for deeper psychological exploration. I feel the dialogue, while often thought-provoking, occasionally veers into territory that feels somewhat overly crafted, pulling the reader out of the flow. However, the camaraderie among the amateur sleuths known as the Little Red Hens offers genuine, refreshing moments of connection. Their interactions bring warmth and levity, balancing the novel’s heavier themes. The ending leaves some threads unresolved, inviting contemplation but potentially frustrating readers who crave definitive closure. Yet this ambiguity aligns with the book’s philosophical undertones, challenging readers to grapple with their own interpretations.
Killing Buddhas captures the imperfections of humanity through its complex characters and unpredictable plot. It’s a story about faith, identity, and the messy beauty of being human. For those who appreciate nuanced storytelling with a touch of mystery and a dash of philosophy, this book is a thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page.
Alan Wright, the local pastor, is a man at war with himself. His hidden past and struggle with faith, loss, and the weight of leadership make him a deeply human character. Many readers will see reflections of their own internal battles in his journey. Branden Frank, the philosopher with magnetic charm, exudes an allure that captivates the town, yet an undercurrent of arrogance and emotional detachment leaves a lingering unease. Heath skillfully crafts him as both fascinating and unsettling, keeping readers intrigued by his contradictions. Zack Featherstone, a teenager ensnared by family secrets, embodies the universal search for identity and purpose. His confusion and aspirations make him relatable, a character who feels both real and poignant.
Heath’s strength lies in giving his characters moments of raw vulnerability and unexpected resilience, though at times the reader might yearn for deeper psychological exploration. I feel the dialogue, while often thought-provoking, occasionally veers into territory that feels somewhat overly crafted, pulling the reader out of the flow. However, the camaraderie among the amateur sleuths known as the Little Red Hens offers genuine, refreshing moments of connection. Their interactions bring warmth and levity, balancing the novel’s heavier themes. The ending leaves some threads unresolved, inviting contemplation but potentially frustrating readers who crave definitive closure. Yet this ambiguity aligns with the book’s philosophical undertones, challenging readers to grapple with their own interpretations.
Killing Buddhas captures the imperfections of humanity through its complex characters and unpredictable plot. It’s a story about faith, identity, and the messy beauty of being human. For those who appreciate nuanced storytelling with a touch of mystery and a dash of philosophy, this book is a thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page.
October 21, 2024
Heath expertly blends spiritual insight with sharp humor, immersing readers in a world of moral complexity, conflict, and murder. The story follows Alan Wright, the spiritual leader of The House of the Universal Message. Alan’s life is upended when Branden Frank, an influential mentor with a reputation for playful irreverence, arrives with a shadow of impending death looming over him.
The plot kicks off with Frank's murder.
As the investigation unfolds, Heath skillfully peels back the layers of Frank’s complex character, exposing the moral ambiguities that surround his charismatic influence. Alan’s internal struggles are portrayed with authenticity as he grapples with grief and ethical dilemmas. The prose is sharp and engaging, balancing humor with the novel’s weightier philosophical themes.
Heath paints vivid, contrasting portraits of Eden Ridge—its serene beauty juxtaposed with the dark events that create simmering tension. The rich dialogue and balanced pacing, with moments of suspense interspersed with reflection, keep readers hooked. The novel deftly intertwines spiritual insight, action, and mystery, pulling readers deeper into its world. Through the mentor-student relationship between Alan and Frank, the narrative delves into the influence spiritual leaders can wield over their followers, revealing both the power and limitations of such mentorship. ]
Alan’s admiration for Frank is palpable, but Heath skillfully leaves room for the reader to question whether such hero worship is wise, especially as danger draws nearer. At its heart, the book explores the subjectivity of truth and how it is shaped by personal biases, societal pressures, and deception. This is a refreshing blend of suspense, wit, and deep reflection on the human condition.
Fans of spiritual fiction and anyone in search of a thought-provoking yet exhilarating story will discover plenty to enjoy in this fascinating tale.
The plot kicks off with Frank's murder.
As the investigation unfolds, Heath skillfully peels back the layers of Frank’s complex character, exposing the moral ambiguities that surround his charismatic influence. Alan’s internal struggles are portrayed with authenticity as he grapples with grief and ethical dilemmas. The prose is sharp and engaging, balancing humor with the novel’s weightier philosophical themes.
Heath paints vivid, contrasting portraits of Eden Ridge—its serene beauty juxtaposed with the dark events that create simmering tension. The rich dialogue and balanced pacing, with moments of suspense interspersed with reflection, keep readers hooked. The novel deftly intertwines spiritual insight, action, and mystery, pulling readers deeper into its world. Through the mentor-student relationship between Alan and Frank, the narrative delves into the influence spiritual leaders can wield over their followers, revealing both the power and limitations of such mentorship. ]
Alan’s admiration for Frank is palpable, but Heath skillfully leaves room for the reader to question whether such hero worship is wise, especially as danger draws nearer. At its heart, the book explores the subjectivity of truth and how it is shaped by personal biases, societal pressures, and deception. This is a refreshing blend of suspense, wit, and deep reflection on the human condition.
Fans of spiritual fiction and anyone in search of a thought-provoking yet exhilarating story will discover plenty to enjoy in this fascinating tale.
June 17, 2025
a fun ‘who did it?’!
I enjoyed the characters in this book and the plot as well. The story flowed nicely and was fun to read.
I enjoyed the characters in this book and the plot as well. The story flowed nicely and was fun to read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews