Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Sins of the Five Fathers

Rate this book
It’s been a century since the last murder in Rosemont, Utah.

Until former detective Tomas Arnesen showed up to quietly “retire” as Rosemont’s new Chief of Public Safety, more than a century had passed in the quaint town without a murder.

But when his best friend breaks that streak and becomes the first in a string of far-too-similar killings, Arnesen must fight to prevent history from repeating itself.

Tomas will war with his past, the town’s history, and even those closest to him to bring Rosemont’s first serial killer to justice. If he fails, he’ll lose the woman who’s always adored him, the chance to redeem his hot-headed past, and possibly his life.

By unraveling the secrets of a small town whose history can’t hide lies forever, Arnesen knows: ultimately, someone must pay for the sins of the five fathers.

340 pages, Paperback

Published September 13, 2017

101 people are currently reading
309 people want to read

About the author

James H. Drury

2 books1 follower

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
62 (54%)
4 stars
41 (35%)
3 stars
10 (8%)
2 stars
1 (<1%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Richard Myers.
509 reviews11 followers
January 15, 2021
Great book

A retired detective comes back home and becomes the Chief of a very small police agency. His hometown had not had a murder in over 100 years until the chief shows up. I never knew who did the murders till the very end.

152 reviews2 followers
January 31, 2021
An avid reader who tried.

Just couldn't get into this book. Kept trying. Nothing got me to point to want to finish or learn what happens next. Finally gave up.
Profile Image for Andrea.
743 reviews3 followers
September 19, 2017
If you're a fan of the Longmire or Jesse Stone series, you may like the just-released "Sins of the Five Fathers." http://amzn.to/2ffRuOW

Those in the writing world have likely heard of Blake Atwood. He is a copyeditor, ghostwriter and writer. He was also one of my first mentors when I began editing. This book was written by his uncle, James H. Drury. In exchange for an honest review, I had the privilege of reading this book prior to publishing.

I will not divulge any spoilers. From the first paragraph, the author sucks you in through the characters and immediate action. Reading the book was like watching a movie, watching the scenes play out before my eyes.

I felt the full gamut of emotions throughout this book. There were times I laughed aloud. One scene had me gasping and then crying (making my husband question my sanity). He now wants to read the book.

There were times I thought I knew who was doing what, only for the author to spin me in a completely opposite direction.

The relationships of the well-developed characters are complex and rich. You can sense the depth of their feelings (whether hostile, loving, caring, or otherwise).

The descriptions of the ranch and area are so captivating the reader can view the cliffs, caverns, and town. It is a very well-thought out book and James H. Drury was masterful at painting a watercolor using words.

After reading the "About the Author" section, I can understand why the characters are so well described. The author was very involved in charity, being a pastor, etc. as well as an artist. His novel is no exception - his artistry spilled onto the pages of the novel.

It hits the shelves on September 18, 2017.
Profile Image for Deborah Maxey.
Author 1 book24 followers
January 16, 2021
I read this because the reviews said it was like Longmire. Somewhat. I liked the crime and his solving it, the scenery descriptions were nice, loved the small town feel, however where I felt it failed to get the last star was the romance. I've considered this a while. I think it's romance written from how a man wishes romance could be. I didn't find it realistic or compelling. I don't read romance as a genre but since it's often in books I read I have some ability to judge. I am drinking more tea after reading this :)
Profile Image for Sherrie.
1,643 reviews
July 29, 2022
2.5 stars

While parts of this book are good (and practically a lift from Walt Longmire) I am frankly stunned at the very high rating it received. I found it to be mediocre in every way. The writing was…OK. Nothing more. The plot was repetitious and predictable. I’m writing this 30 minutes after finishing it, and I’ve already forgotten at least half the plot, which is one of the most damning indictments I can give a book.
66 reviews1 follower
January 7, 2021
Great characters

Interesting storyline. Took me a while to figure this one out but I did solve the case before the officials. Like the Utah setting and love. the Utah landscape. Would love to visit invisible valley.
8 reviews
January 10, 2021
Small town mystery at its finest




Read this on a cold wet Sunday afternoon, couldn't put it down. Great characters, believable story line and kept me trying to figure out who the bad guy was. I would like more of Chief Arneson !
Profile Image for Thonie Hevron.
Author 19 books9 followers
April 22, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the mystery, the setting and the characters. There was enough humor in it to carry the slower parts (the romance) and plenty of plot twists. I also loved the Norwegian references as I'm also Norwegian. Great fun in the characterizations of the community.
133 reviews2 followers
December 24, 2018
Sins of the Five Fathers

A great story and read, detailing a homecoming man, to his hometown, and trying to find his true calling, both professionally and emotionally!
30 reviews
February 21, 2019
Nice to stumble on

Excellent cast with great character and plot development. Managed to handle all the details about guns and wounds that so many authors screw up .
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.