Last Things

Father Dowling #24

by Ralph McInerny

Father Dowling is used to unsolicited knocks on the rectory door, having done more than his share of counseling and assisting in delicate situations during his long career. So when Eleanor Wygant comes to visit Father Dowling he receives her graciously, though she is a stranger. As it turns out, members of her family are longtime parishioners of St. Hillary's, and it soon becomes clear that with family trouble brewing, Eleanor doesn't know where else to turn.

When she enlists Father Dowling's help in persuading her niece Jessica to scrap the tell-all family novel she is writing and concentrate on more earthly pursuits, the venerable priest has little idea how enmeshed he is about to become in the family's edgy interrelations. For in recent years, the family has had its share of melodrama, including a philandering patriarch, a son who left the priesthood to take up with an ex-nun, and an underachieving academic, and it's up to Dowling to piece together their shared history in the hopes of putting their demons-and a vicious, previously unknown murder-to rest.

In the hands of Ralph McInerny, one of mystery fiction's most beloved authors, Last Things is as delightful as his legions of fans have come to expect from the charming Father Dowling series.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Ralph Matthew McInerny was an American Catholic religious scholar and fiction writer, including mysteries and science fiction. Some of his fiction has appeared under the pseudonyms of Harry Austin, Matthew FitzRalph, Ernan Mackey, Edward Mackin, and Monica Quill. As a mystery writer he is best known as the creator of Father Dowling. He was Professor of Philosophy, Director of the Jacques Maritain Center, and Michael P. Grace Professor of Medieval Studies at the University of Notre Dame until his retirement in June 2009. He died of esophageal cancer on January 29, 2010.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Frightfully boring, old dear.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

A visitor comes to Father Dowling to ask his help in persuading her niece to stop her plans to write a novel about the family. The priest becomes involved in the completely dysfunctional family.
His role throughout the novel is a small one until the very end when he brings the murderer to justice. As far as murder mysteries go this one is pretty dull. Father Dowling didn't even need to be in this novel until he magically solves the crime at the end.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone except maybe to someone who needs a sleep aid.

[Sherrill Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Father Dowling doesn't say much! There's an ex-priest, an oid church school that's practically secular now, a dying father, a rotten brother, a sisterly sister, and an ex-nun. A knock on Father Dowling's door for a MURDER! There's a teacher at the school seeking tenure through any means (I know what that's like), and the committee votes him out, and there's s student who believes in him . . . so . . .

Tho Father Dowling isn't much present in this one, his faith and clear thinking remains steadfast and sustains the reader throughout. I personally could get behind each of the characters. Satisfying ending.

By the way, the "Last Things" refers to "Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell".

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fahter Dowling is asked to intervene in a family dispute. Little does he know he'll be dragged into a murder mystery when an abrasive professor is found dead near one of the son's house. Although the reader quickly becomes immersed in the trouble of the family, Father Dowling really doesn't appear that frequently in the novel and the killer's motive isn't that strong. Yes, the killer hated the professor but why?

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lapsed priest comes home after years of seperation to visit his dying father. His sister is writing a novel about the family, and his brother is being sued for voting against the tenure of a collegue at the university. Murders are occurring in Fox River and Father Dowling is trying to calm the waters and aid in finding the killer.