Murder Rites: A Johnny Sundance Mystery

Johnny Sundance Mystery Series Book 1

by Ronald J. Yarosh

A priest is brutally murdered. He is stabbed twenty-seven times. The killer is still on the loose. The police have exhausted all leads. Johnny takes the case and immediately runs into problems. His star witness is dead. The best suspect turns out to be innocent. Time is running out. Will Johnny solve the case before his client meets his own death? Will the assassin strike again? Murder Rites is the first book in The Johnny Sundance Mystery Series.

Genres: Mystery, Amazon, Ebooks

188 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2016

Reviews

[Carlton Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read.
The main character had to do a bit of digging to find the killer on a cold case murder of a Priest.
Johnny Sundance is a private investigator who was a policeman but left the force. He was contacted by a priest, his priest of years past and ask to solve this crime before the older priest passed away.
The case took Johnny in several directions until he found witnesses that the police had missed, knew of them but never interviewed. As the investigations unfolds we see a side of church politics that we may not be aware of.
See how Johnny wades through all of the lies and misdirections.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this to be a very simplistically written book and the characters were one dimensional, unbelievable and not engaging. The book is almost entirely comprised of short declarative sentences (the author appears almost unaware of the existence of complex sentences) that don't provide much information aside from the characters physical appearances. In addition, a 65 year old woman in the book is often referred too as old and therefore probably senile, an example of agism that I do not appreciate.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eden Palms, FL. St. Francis de Sales Catholic Parish. Father Brian Watson set foot inside in there for the very last time. He was brutally murdered.
Sister Maria Anna (Bishop Brennan’s secretary) called Jonathan “Johnny” Sundance (father/BMF, narrator, private detective), to say Bishop Brennan (Episcopal) would like to visit with him.
Diocese of Eden Palms (Central/Main Sts.). Johnny was greeted by Sister Maria Anna (55+).
Bishop Sean Brennan introduced him to Alberto Mendoza (2nd. Yr. seminarian, Philippines).
They were not happy with the investigation Lieutenant Amanda Sands (38, Eden Palms PD), Lieutenant Fred Horowitz (37, Eden Palms PD, MS; criminology) of the murder.

Bishop Brennan wanted Johnny to solve the Father Brian Watson case.
Eden Palms County Court Offices. Claire Martinez (Hispanic, Jake’s secretary) greeted Johnny.
Chief Jake Rosen (Jewish, EPPD) & Johnny 1st. discussed old times.
Johnny Sundance (Seminole Indian, UF; football, BS; Criminology, Duke PhD; Psychology, FBI, EPPD) found a vacant room & opened the 1st. of 2 boxes full of evidence.
Later Patrolman Alex Dalton (28, EPPD, BA; creative writing, BSKTB, UF Gators) gave him some inside info.
Sergeant Blackman (EPPD) was next to give his info.
What happened between Mr. Bernard Flowers (retired US Army Ranger Sergeant, Vietnam) & Father Watson?

The long list of possible suspects included: Deacon Peter Sidwell (owner), Lupe Perez, Gregory Lyons, Brian Watson (KLD), Father Barton (Small Order of Saint Benedict), Benjamin Gurney (alter server), Walter Jennings (alter server), Father James Preston (San Sebastian Monastery, visiting priest), & Mr. Bernard Flowers.
Will the murder mystery get solved & someone brought to justice?

What about Johnny’s Master’s degree?

Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written murder mystery book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a large set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great murder mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free DailyFreeBooks; Eric Carter; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)

[Denise Zendel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johnny Sundance is former chief of detectives who left the force after the violent death of his partner, a death for which he still carries guilt. The Bishop of the Eden Palms Catholic Diocese, a long-time friend, asks Johnny, now a private investigator, to look into the cold case death of a local priest. Johnny doesn’t think he’ll be able to do any better than the Eden Palms police, but takes the case out of a sense of duty and friendship to the bishop.

I found this story surprisingly enjoyable. I do think it could have used a going over by a competent copy editor, but even with the technical flaws, the story still held my interest. The writing style reminded me of a modern day Damon Runyan/William X. Kienzle story, with compelling characters, snappy dialogue, and interesting tidbits about Catholicism woven through the story. I like that Johnny isn’t your typical wise-cracking PI – he’s a Seminole Indian who was on the way to a football career when a career-ending injury killed that dream. He considered the priesthood, but felt a stronger calling to law enforcement.

I did figure out one element of the plot fairly early on, but kept reading because I enjoyed the interaction between the characters, and seeing inside Johnny’s head. The ending was a satisfying surprise, and it left me wanting more. I believe I have found a new favorite character to follow. If you like traditional hardboiled mysteries with interesting character development, and some diversity, this might be the series for you

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder Rites - a review by Rosemary Kenny

This is the first Johnny Sundance novel and it's a great introduction to the PI we know and love.

Set in a Catholic church, St Francis de Sales in Eden Palms, Florida, Johnny is called in by his old mentor and priest at the church when Johnny was a choirboy, then Father, now Bishop Brennan. One of the other priests has been murdered and church money stolen two years earlier, but nobody was arrested since then and the police have shelved it as a cold case.
Now the Bishop's dying of incurable cancer he wants to see justice done so he and the church's reputation can rest in peace.

Are the two incidents - the missing money and the murder - linked by the same perpetrator or are two villains on the loose?
When others start disappearing or being slain, can ex- Chief Detective Johnny work with former colleagues - Lieutenant Amanda Sands and Sergeant Fred Horowitz who've previously admitted defeat in this case - without animosity to solve the gruesome murders? Or will they resent him interfering in matters that should have been cleared up by the Department? And can they put aside their differences and work together before yet another victim falls prey to the serial killer who's still on the loose?

Ronald J Yarosh is a master of the police procedural and brings this non-stop thriller to an explosive finish that you'll remember long after turning the last page - I loved it!

[Ted Tayler · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Dragged"

This story suffered from detail overload. It was as if it was written with the TV studio already in mind. The wardrobe department would have nothing to do except grab a shirt, a dress or a piece of jewelry off the rack. Nothing was left to the imagination. After a while, the way everything was dissected became tedious, but I stuck with it. Because I had been distracted though I started to notice the clunky dialogue and the occasional typo. When the story is fast-paced and enthralling I barely notice these minor infractions, but as the chapters ticked by I realised that all these irritations were stopping me from enjoying the read. That's what it's all about for me, I need to get some enjoyment from having read a book. By the end I was just happy it was over. Sundance, or Moondance, I don't think I'll be taking advantage of the many free offers advertised throughout this book.

[Brenda Dickenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first in the Johnny Sundance Series by Ronald Yarosh. I got this as a insta- freebie and well, I loved it! The character of Johnny Sundance is quite a knowledgeable man who helps those in need, yet looks for the truth. He is working on a cold case about a murdered priest and reads up on the files, but then stars back at the beginning . Johnny listens to everything the witnesses have to say and goes to work deciding the next place to go. I enjoyed this greatly as it didn't bog down, but keeps a good pace with the twists and turns that lead to surprising leads and the end! Read one of his books and you will ask for more!

[Norman Hirschman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second Johnny Sundance book I have read and the author has not disapponted me. There is humor and and enough suspence to keep you reading . The only drawback I found was too much detail which in my opoinion had no bearing on the plot but ndid not take away anything except some time.Johnny as usual is his detailed self in picking up clues that others have overlooked. Having a priest murdered is not an every day occurance so of couse a lot of pressure is placed on individuals to find out who the murder was .

[Georganne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cold case needs to be solved. Johnny Sundance is asked to solve a two year old cold case of the murder of Father Watson. The case was thoroughly investigated at the time with no results. Johnny Sundance is asked by the Bishop to killer. Johnny starts his investigation by reviewing the old files and nothing, new only more questions. Read to follow Johnny’s investigation. Find out how observant he is of his surroundings. His knowledge is unique. Read to discover if he solves the murder.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually this book would be a 4 1/2 but you can't do that here. It was really good. I had been seeing Johnny Sundance mystery for quite some time and finally decided to read one. I'm glad I did. The writing was very good and the characters were great. I really enjoyed the story itself, it was something different from the normal mystery story. It really had a meaning to it. Johnny was a good character he had a lot of different parts to him. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

[Marty Langenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an instafreebie for me. I liked the story and it took me almost to the end to figure out who dunnit. That has to be a good thing. Johnny's overt religiousness became annoying to me. The much threatened antagonism of his former colleagues didn't eventuate and thus became irrelevant. Considerable editing is required to eliminate some obvious grammatical errors, including missing words. A good story in spite of that. Thanks Ronald for the chance to read it.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful, and with an interesting main character, this book will engage you from the beginning.
The plot is well thought, and the author presents us with a varied array of likely suspects while keeping us guessing until we arrive at a quite logical and yet surprising end.

A very entertaining book.

[Normalee M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

You have the right to read this book..

An overall okay read. There were a few typos, mostly where words were omitted. Also, the dialogue didn't seem realistic at some points - with everyone willingly divulging every detail of their lives to Sundance but all things considered, not bad.

[karin whitehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder Rites

An interesting read. It's refreshing to read a book that isn't loaded with gory details and foul language. An ex police officer, turned private detective, is asked to look into a cold case where a priest is brutally murdered. The characters are well developed, the story line moves along and keeps you guessing. I'll be reading more by Ronald Yarosh!

[TE · Rating 1 out of 5]

The plot was okay but the writing was kind of stilted. In the copy I received, chapters 14, 15, and 16 were repeats of previous chapters. I mean word for word, the same thing. It took me a bit to find something I hadn't already read and put a damper on the read for me.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author, but it won't be my last. The characters are great and the story line works well. Can Johnny Sundance solve this murder before another priest is killed? Who would want to kill a priest anyway? Read the book for answers.

[Art Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, but could use some editing

The story was okay, but the writing style was choppy, and there was an overabundance of commas, which made reading painful at times. There wasn't much misdirection, and a predictable finish. I won't be reading any more in the series.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was great! I was kept entertained throughout the book. The author was a clever writer with lots of clues to finding the real killer. The persistence of the main character and his methods to solve the crime were wonderful. I was glad I got to read this book.

[Cheryl A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a much different book than I normally read. All I can say is: Outstanding! I'm going to look for other books by this author. Love his style of writing and how he has the ability to keep the reader interested and turning pages all the way to the end! Bravo!

[Kathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story is ok

But the editing is atrocious. Chapters 14 through 16 are repeats of prior chapters. It doesn't matter if words are spelled correctly if they are the wrong words. Punctuation is necessary.

[Leona zanata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder Rites

I chose four stars because they are deserved. This is a great lunch break book..or perhaps a rainy afternoon.... The characters are believable as is the crime. The book has a nice flow that keeps its readers interested in what may come next. Enjoy your read!

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder Rites by Ronald Yarosh was a fairly good read. The story line was great but it was a little to Pearl S. Buck ish for my liking. So it made for a great skim read.
Keep up the good work and looking forward to more.
Cheers
Lynn🇨🇦

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. The murder investigation was clear and concise. The character development of the main actor and the secondary roles were quite well done. I would recommend this author to those who like to read entertaining murder investigations.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting enjoyable book with a good storyline.

[Karen greer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very fun read. I enjoyed the characters immensely. If your looking for a light who done it that you can’t put down read this book and enjoy!

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed it .

Looking forward to reading a bit more johnny sundance ,thoroughly enjoyed this one ,dead priests ...who knew church was so dangerous

[Mrs A Burley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read.

So many suspects kept you guessing until the end. Johnny Sundance is a likeable character. Can't wait to read more

[felicia germany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Loved the book. It was suspenseful and entertaining. Loved the detective and all the other characters. Cannot wait to read another one.

[Carol Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Hit

Personally I think this is another hit. Well put together good character reference and police procedures .Novel is not too long just about right, well done Ron

[Linda Hine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this series and since I began in the middle,#7 thought I would go back and see what I missed.