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Bishop Regan and Davey Goldman Mystery #2
The Fundamentals of Murder
New York City is on edge…
Auxiliary Bishop Francis X. Regan, a frustrated crime-solving paraplegic with an IQ of 220, and his special assistant Davey Goldman, a New York City cop-turned-private-eye, once more find themselves embroiled in a high-stakes case of murder and embezzlement.
A serial killer, dubbed Strangler John by the media, has been terrorizing the streets for weeks.
On four consecutive Friday nights, a woman has been murdered, her garroted body discovered the next day with a card reading REPENT! thrust into her mouth.
Despite enormous amounts of public pressure, the police have no leads…at least until Jerry Fanning arrives in the Big Apple.
A young fundamentalist preacher, Fanning arrives in New York City from Oklahoma, wife and baby son in town, convinced that the Lord has sent him to convert the entire city to Jesus.
Unfortunately for him, he arrives two days before the first murder, and it doesn’t take long before the police uncover clues pointing to him as Strangler John.
The evidence is circumstantial, but it’s enough for Fanning to suddenly find himself behind bars.
Fortunately for him, he’d met Bishop Regan and Goldman during his short-lived mission to convert the citizens of the Big Apple to Jesus.
Convinced that the police have the wrong man, the Bishop puts his razor-sharp mind to work, delving for clues among the victims themselves. Three of the victims were prostitutes; the fourth was a wealthy businesswoman who moved in high social circles.
Determined to find the reason for this discrepancy, the Bishop turns to Goldman’s contacts, street smarts, and leg-work to find the answers they seek.
Between the Bishop’s brain and Goldman’s brawn, they’re convinced it’s only a matter of time before Fanning will be exonerated…
Auxiliary Bishop Francis X. Regan, a frustrated crime-solving paraplegic with an IQ of 220, and his special assistant Davey Goldman, a New York City cop-turned-private-eye, once more find themselves embroiled in a high-stakes case of murder and embezzlement.
A serial killer, dubbed Strangler John by the media, has been terrorizing the streets for weeks.
On four consecutive Friday nights, a woman has been murdered, her garroted body discovered the next day with a card reading REPENT! thrust into her mouth.
Despite enormous amounts of public pressure, the police have no leads…at least until Jerry Fanning arrives in the Big Apple.
A young fundamentalist preacher, Fanning arrives in New York City from Oklahoma, wife and baby son in town, convinced that the Lord has sent him to convert the entire city to Jesus.
Unfortunately for him, he arrives two days before the first murder, and it doesn’t take long before the police uncover clues pointing to him as Strangler John.
The evidence is circumstantial, but it’s enough for Fanning to suddenly find himself behind bars.
Fortunately for him, he’d met Bishop Regan and Goldman during his short-lived mission to convert the citizens of the Big Apple to Jesus.
Convinced that the police have the wrong man, the Bishop puts his razor-sharp mind to work, delving for clues among the victims themselves. Three of the victims were prostitutes; the fourth was a wealthy businesswoman who moved in high social circles.
Determined to find the reason for this discrepancy, the Bishop turns to Goldman’s contacts, street smarts, and leg-work to find the answers they seek.
Between the Bishop’s brain and Goldman’s brawn, they’re convinced it’s only a matter of time before Fanning will be exonerated…
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1991
42 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
William F. Love
9 books5 followersWilliam F. Love was a Benedictine monk at St. Gregory’s Abbey, Shawnee, Oklahoma, and was ordained as a priest in 1958. Following his resignation from the priesthood, he became a banker and banking consultant in Chicago. He holds a degree from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.
He makes his home with his family in a suburb of Chicago.
He makes his home with his family in a suburb of Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 19, 2018
For all my reviews, visit my blog at http://ladyjbookishnook.blogspot.com
My Review
My Review
The book description sounded very intriguing to me and I wanted to like this book but I could never really get into it.
The story is told through the eyes of Davey Goldman, a private investigator and ex-homicide detective with NYPD. Davey also works part-time as a special assistant to a Catholic Bishop named Francis Regan. Bishop Regan is a very intelligent man who happens to be paraplegic due to a gunshot wound he suffered six years ago. Bishop Regan gets pretty cranky and Davey is witty and sarcastic which leads to a strange and rocky relationship. Despite their bickering and bantering they use the Bishop’s brains and David’s investigative street-smarts to solve crimes together.
One day a man named Jerry Fanning shows up and asks to see Bishop Regan. He says he had a vision of Jesus telling him to go tell Bishop Regan about Him. Jerry had only arrived in New York a few weeks before from Oklahoma. Before leaving, Bishop and Jerry pray together and Bishop Regan tells Jerry to let him know if he ever needs anything.
Jerry Fanning ends up taking the Bishop up on the offer not long after when he is suspected of being the serial killer the media has dubbed “Strangler John”. The evidence against Jerry is circumstantial and after meeting with Jerry in jail, the Bishop is convinced of his innocence and agrees to help him.
The Fundamentals of Murder was not a bad story but it wasn’t a great story either in my opinion. I liked how the author used wit, humor, and sarcasm throughout the story. I found myself laughing out loud at times. The overall story just did not keep my attention so I give this one a 3 out of 5 stars.
Thank you William F. Love, Endeavour Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.
August 9, 2020
Great quick who dunnit!
As good as his last. Great characters, story, and suspense that will expand your vocabulary. Well done William F. Love!!
As good as his last. Great characters, story, and suspense that will expand your vocabulary. Well done William F. Love!!
September 19, 2023
Set in NYC. 327 pp. Fun, fast-moving second installment of the series. I really enjoyed it! The plot kept moving, and the solution was a total surprise for me. Unique investigative duo!
The Fundamentals of Murder (Bishop Regan and Davey Goldman Mystery #2)
The Fundamentals of Murder (Bishop Regan and Davey Goldman Mystery #2)
March 17, 2025
The Bishop almost lost his Pawn
The Bishop and Davey make a good team. However, the Bishop made an error in his theorizing and it almost cost Davey his life
Another ripping yarn from William.
His characters are larger than life and come alive on the page.
The Bishop and Davey make a good team. However, the Bishop made an error in his theorizing and it almost cost Davey his life
Another ripping yarn from William.
His characters are larger than life and come alive on the page.
February 6, 2021
I enjoyed the characters and vocabulary of this book. Will definitely read the other books in the series.
May 4, 2017
Love this series, great characters, original - not your usual murder/detective mystery.
February 22, 2017
4 and 1 / 2 stars
These books are so darn delightful that I hardly know where to start.
Bishop Regan is being his cranky old best self, so Davey Goldsmith decides to pull a fast one over on him. He invites into the house a fundamentalist Christian hoping that it will get on the Bishop’s nerves big time. Of course, it backfires, and the Bishop tells the young man from Oklahoma, Gerry Fanning, that should he need anything to please call him.
Mr. Fanning’s attorney calls the Bishop and Gerry is in very big trouble. It seems he’s been arrested for a string of four murders of young women. The murdered women are three prostitutes and one very wealthy and attractive model agency owner. Right away, the Bishop and Davey don’t feel he’s guilty – Davey less so than the Bishop.
While Davey creeps around almost, but not quite, impersonating different characters he interviews a number of Ms. Penniston’s, the model agency owner, associates, friends and relatives. He picks up several clues along the wat and reports them back to the Bishop.
The suspense increases as does the pace of our story. AS it races to its conclusion, the killer is revealed. I have to tell you that I did not suspect who the killer was.
This book is extremely well written and plotted. It is funny in places, suspenseful and quickly paced. I most certainly enjoy Mr. Love’s Bishop Regan and Davey Goldman books. I will keep reading them.
A very big thank you goes to Netgalley and Endeavour Press for forwarding to me a copy of this most delightful book to read.
These books are so darn delightful that I hardly know where to start.
Bishop Regan is being his cranky old best self, so Davey Goldsmith decides to pull a fast one over on him. He invites into the house a fundamentalist Christian hoping that it will get on the Bishop’s nerves big time. Of course, it backfires, and the Bishop tells the young man from Oklahoma, Gerry Fanning, that should he need anything to please call him.
Mr. Fanning’s attorney calls the Bishop and Gerry is in very big trouble. It seems he’s been arrested for a string of four murders of young women. The murdered women are three prostitutes and one very wealthy and attractive model agency owner. Right away, the Bishop and Davey don’t feel he’s guilty – Davey less so than the Bishop.
While Davey creeps around almost, but not quite, impersonating different characters he interviews a number of Ms. Penniston’s, the model agency owner, associates, friends and relatives. He picks up several clues along the wat and reports them back to the Bishop.
The suspense increases as does the pace of our story. AS it races to its conclusion, the killer is revealed. I have to tell you that I did not suspect who the killer was.
This book is extremely well written and plotted. It is funny in places, suspenseful and quickly paced. I most certainly enjoy Mr. Love’s Bishop Regan and Davey Goldman books. I will keep reading them.
A very big thank you goes to Netgalley and Endeavour Press for forwarding to me a copy of this most delightful book to read.
February 2, 2013
The second in Love's mysteries involving Bishop Reagan and Davey Goodman. This one involves a serial killer who is after prostitutes---or so it is thought till Reagan and Davey get involved. Very entertaining,
Want to read
August 19, 200808/18/08 rec via pbs
August 29, 2024
Intriguing ideas. Good plot. Owes very much to Rex Stout and is basically a pastiche of the Nero Wolf stories, but not as well written and not as compelling.
April 19, 2017
This is part of the Davey Goldman series but worked well as a stand-alone novel. It reminded me a lot of Nero Wolfe. The detectives are a Francis X. Regan, a parapalegic bishop and his assistant, Davey Goldman, a former police detective. Regan has high intelligence but Davey is no slacker as they try to identify a serial killer responsible for the deaths of four women. They zero in on the death of the one woman who was not a prostitute in their search. Jerry, a Fundamentalist, has come to the bishop in an effort to help him find Jesus. Although Regan is very anti-fundamentalist he admires Jerry and promises to help him if he ever needs help. Jerry is the one arrested and accused of being the serial killer and Regan and Goldman are determined to find the real killer.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews