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Godfellas
Not yet published
Expected 22 Apr 27Father Brown meets Richard Osman in this hilarious wild card of a novel where a young priest gets more than he bargained for.
Newly ordained priest Matthew Linley is excited to take up the position of curate in a seemingly-perfect parish, but his fresh start is ruined when he finds a dead body his first night in town. What was presumed to be an accident is soon proved to be murder, and as the victim’s double life is exposed, Matthew’s own past catches up to him.
He soon finds himself under suspicion from the police and under pressure from his new boss, Reverend Frank Maguire, who is not all he appears to be. Reverend Maguire oversees more than Sunday services, and before long, Matthew is mixed up in a series of bizarre criminal schemes—all run by Frank and his aging flock.
As the police close in, Matthew may very well have to commit a crime and solve one if he’s to hang on to his new life. But is it truly possible to shepherd a flock while also flouting the law?
Newly ordained priest Matthew Linley is excited to take up the position of curate in a seemingly-perfect parish, but his fresh start is ruined when he finds a dead body his first night in town. What was presumed to be an accident is soon proved to be murder, and as the victim’s double life is exposed, Matthew’s own past catches up to him.
He soon finds himself under suspicion from the police and under pressure from his new boss, Reverend Frank Maguire, who is not all he appears to be. Reverend Maguire oversees more than Sunday services, and before long, Matthew is mixed up in a series of bizarre criminal schemes—all run by Frank and his aging flock.
As the police close in, Matthew may very well have to commit a crime and solve one if he’s to hang on to his new life. But is it truly possible to shepherd a flock while also flouting the law?
- GenresMystery
Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 22, 2027
About the author
Nicola Whyte
3 books144 followersNicola Whyte has loved books for as long as she can remember. She writes novels and short stories for both adults and children. Her work has been listed for the Comedy Women in Print Prize, the Cheshire Novel Prize, the Daily Mail First Novel Competition, the BPA First Novel Award, and the Times Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition. She lives near Stonehenge in Wiltshire with her family, a ridiculous spaniel, and two demanding tabby cats.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I enjoyed Nicola Whyte’s first two novels that were part of a series. I’m not sure if this is a one off or the beginning of a new series, but let me just say, I will be first in line to purchase Book Two if this is a series.
Matthew Linley has turned over a new leaf and is hoping to keep that now under-side of the leaf hidden from the people around him. Why? Well, he needs people to trust him. He was just ordained as a priest.
Sure, you would expect his first week to be full of the angels singing and blessings abounding. Instead, we get a dead body (or two), loan sharks, some crazy antics from unexpected people, and plenty to laugh about.
Much like Whyte’s first two novels, there is a hint of cozy novel with a lot of edge. This isn’t your momma’s cozy. Well, it should be. She would really enjoy it. But let’s just say this isn’t cutesy at all. But funny, nonetheless.
So, let us bow our heads, and let us plead that this is the beginning of a series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
Matthew Linley has turned over a new leaf and is hoping to keep that now under-side of the leaf hidden from the people around him. Why? Well, he needs people to trust him. He was just ordained as a priest.
Sure, you would expect his first week to be full of the angels singing and blessings abounding. Instead, we get a dead body (or two), loan sharks, some crazy antics from unexpected people, and plenty to laugh about.
Much like Whyte’s first two novels, there is a hint of cozy novel with a lot of edge. This isn’t your momma’s cozy. Well, it should be. She would really enjoy it. But let’s just say this isn’t cutesy at all. But funny, nonetheless.
So, let us bow our heads, and let us plead that this is the beginning of a series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Crooked Lane books and Netgalley for this enjoyable mystery.
Nicola Whyte's "Godfellas" is a wonderfully offbeat crime novel that finds humor in moral gray areas without ever losing sight of the human beings caught inside them. Combining murder, community intrigue, and a protagonist whose conscience is constantly under siege, the novel delivers a mystery that is as interested in character as it is in crime.
Matthew Linley arrives at his new parish hoping for a fresh start. Instead, he is immediately confronted by a suspicious death, mounting scrutiny from the police, and a congregation whose understanding of right and wrong proves considerably more flexible than his own. What follows is less a straightforward investigation than a gradual descent into a world where good intentions and bad decisions become increasingly difficult to separate.
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its voice. Whyte writes with a light touch, allowing comedy to emerge naturally from personality and circumstance rather than forcing punchlines onto the page. The humor feels organic because it grows out of the characters themselves, particularly their capacity to justify behavior that they know, deep down, they probably shouldn't be engaging in. The result is frequently funny, but also surprisingly insightful.
Matthew is an appealing central figure because he is neither a hero nor a fool. He spends much of the novel attempting to navigate competing loyalties while wrestling with his own past mistakes. His internal conflict gives the story emotional weight, transforming what could have been a quirky caper into something more thoughtful. Readers become invested not simply in whether the mystery will be solved, but in whether Matthew can reconcile the person he wants to be with the person that circumstances keep forcing him to become.
The supporting cast is equally memorable. Whyte has a talent for creating eccentric characters who never feel like caricatures. The members of the parish are charming, exasperating, and occasionally alarming in equal measure. Their interactions generate much of the novel's energy and provide a strong sense of community, even when that community is making deeply questionable choices.
What impressed me most was the book's treatment of morality. Beneath the comedy lies an exploration of compromise, forgiveness, and the stories people tell themselves to justify their actions. The novel asks whether goodness is defined by intentions or outcomes, and it does so without becoming preachy or heavy-handed.
The mystery itself is engaging, though the investigation occasionally takes a back seat to character development and interpersonal dynamics. Readers seeking a tightly plotted procedural may find the pace more leisurely than expected. For me, however, the focus on relationships and ethical dilemmas was precisely what made the book stand out from a crowded mystery market.
Godfellas succeeds because it embraces contradictions. It is warm-hearted without being sentimental, humorous without becoming frivolous, and thoughtful without sacrificing entertainment. Nicola Whyte has crafted a novel that feels fresh, funny, and surprisingly perceptive about the messy business of trying to do the right thing when life refuses to provide easy answers.
Godfellas is a clever, character-driven mystery that proves the line between sinner and saint is often much thinner than we'd like to believe.
This reviewer will be watching for more books from this cleverly engaging author!
Nicola Whyte's "Godfellas" is a wonderfully offbeat crime novel that finds humor in moral gray areas without ever losing sight of the human beings caught inside them. Combining murder, community intrigue, and a protagonist whose conscience is constantly under siege, the novel delivers a mystery that is as interested in character as it is in crime.
Matthew Linley arrives at his new parish hoping for a fresh start. Instead, he is immediately confronted by a suspicious death, mounting scrutiny from the police, and a congregation whose understanding of right and wrong proves considerably more flexible than his own. What follows is less a straightforward investigation than a gradual descent into a world where good intentions and bad decisions become increasingly difficult to separate.
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its voice. Whyte writes with a light touch, allowing comedy to emerge naturally from personality and circumstance rather than forcing punchlines onto the page. The humor feels organic because it grows out of the characters themselves, particularly their capacity to justify behavior that they know, deep down, they probably shouldn't be engaging in. The result is frequently funny, but also surprisingly insightful.
Matthew is an appealing central figure because he is neither a hero nor a fool. He spends much of the novel attempting to navigate competing loyalties while wrestling with his own past mistakes. His internal conflict gives the story emotional weight, transforming what could have been a quirky caper into something more thoughtful. Readers become invested not simply in whether the mystery will be solved, but in whether Matthew can reconcile the person he wants to be with the person that circumstances keep forcing him to become.
The supporting cast is equally memorable. Whyte has a talent for creating eccentric characters who never feel like caricatures. The members of the parish are charming, exasperating, and occasionally alarming in equal measure. Their interactions generate much of the novel's energy and provide a strong sense of community, even when that community is making deeply questionable choices.
What impressed me most was the book's treatment of morality. Beneath the comedy lies an exploration of compromise, forgiveness, and the stories people tell themselves to justify their actions. The novel asks whether goodness is defined by intentions or outcomes, and it does so without becoming preachy or heavy-handed.
The mystery itself is engaging, though the investigation occasionally takes a back seat to character development and interpersonal dynamics. Readers seeking a tightly plotted procedural may find the pace more leisurely than expected. For me, however, the focus on relationships and ethical dilemmas was precisely what made the book stand out from a crowded mystery market.
Godfellas succeeds because it embraces contradictions. It is warm-hearted without being sentimental, humorous without becoming frivolous, and thoughtful without sacrificing entertainment. Nicola Whyte has crafted a novel that feels fresh, funny, and surprisingly perceptive about the messy business of trying to do the right thing when life refuses to provide easy answers.
Godfellas is a clever, character-driven mystery that proves the line between sinner and saint is often much thinner than we'd like to believe.
This reviewer will be watching for more books from this cleverly engaging author!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Reverand Matthew Linley has finally gotten his life together. Newly ordained and with a new job as an assistant Vicor three hundred miles away from all his problems, he can get the fresh start he needs. Wrong. His problems follow him to Little Woodbourne and then he also finds a dead body his first night there. Hopefully he can pay off his gambling debts. Hopefully he isn't a suspect in the murder. Hopefully he can settle into his new home. Except Matthew is too sharp for his own good and ends up falling onto and then into the criminal misadventures of his Reverend and trusted church members while also trying to solve the murder. Who knew it would be this much work to fit in.
Godfellas is a hilariously appropriate title for this book. It wonderful ties together wonderfully with the plot. Nicola Whyte does a great job with her characters in all her books. It is also interesting that there are so many side plots and nuance with the whole story not being wrapped up in the murder investigation. I will keep reading whatever she wants to write.
Godfellas is a hilariously appropriate title for this book. It wonderful ties together wonderfully with the plot. Nicola Whyte does a great job with her characters in all her books. It is also interesting that there are so many side plots and nuance with the whole story not being wrapped up in the murder investigation. I will keep reading whatever she wants to write.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews