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Clerical Error: The death of Fr Timothy A. Lessner
James is a college philosophy professor with too much time on his hands. When an old classmate asks for a favor, he drops in with little notion of what’s ready for him.
The year is 1976, during the dark times – for both the Catholic Church and New York City.
James’ college classmate is Father Gus Sadowski, the pastor of Saints Gabriel, Columcille, and Rocco church in the middle of Bed-Sty, where the drive by criminals are on one side of the parish, and the mob is on the other. Father Gus is all alone to run the parish, and needs help – because the live-in priest in the attic, Father Timothy A. Lessner, is worse than useless.
When Lessner takes a tumble down the stairs in the middle of the night, the casual favor has turned into a nightmare.
Can James solve the mystery of who killed Lessner before he finds himself the main suspect?
The year is 1976, during the dark times – for both the Catholic Church and New York City.
James’ college classmate is Father Gus Sadowski, the pastor of Saints Gabriel, Columcille, and Rocco church in the middle of Bed-Sty, where the drive by criminals are on one side of the parish, and the mob is on the other. Father Gus is all alone to run the parish, and needs help – because the live-in priest in the attic, Father Timothy A. Lessner, is worse than useless.
When Lessner takes a tumble down the stairs in the middle of the night, the casual favor has turned into a nightmare.
Can James solve the mystery of who killed Lessner before he finds himself the main suspect?
194 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2020
About the author
Declan Finn
110 books745 followersDeclan Finn is the NYC based author of books ranging from thrillers to urban fantasy to SciFi, including the 2016 Dragon Award Nominated Novel for Best horror, Honor at Stake, 2017 for Live and Let Bite, and 2018 for Codename: Unsub in best Apocalypse. He is known for "his strong fight scenes and is romance novels are sexy without being dirty, providing enough sexual tension to curl toes."
He hosts the Catholic Geek Radio show, and can be found wherever someone is starting trouble. He also writes thrillers, video game reviews, and works for several blogs.
He is one of a legion of writers over at The Catholic Geeks blog (a legion, for we are many). Other books he has written includes the comedy-thriller It Was Only on Stun! where he blows up a sci-fi convention (no, not this one). He co-authored the science fiction espionage novel Codename: Winterborn. However, he is most proud of The Pius Trilogy – which includes “A Pius Man,” “A Pius Legacy,” “A Pius Stand,” and an anthology, “Pius Tales.”
He hosts the Catholic Geek Radio show, and can be found wherever someone is starting trouble. He also writes thrillers, video game reviews, and works for several blogs.
He is one of a legion of writers over at The Catholic Geeks blog (a legion, for we are many). Other books he has written includes the comedy-thriller It Was Only on Stun! where he blows up a sci-fi convention (no, not this one). He co-authored the science fiction espionage novel Codename: Winterborn. However, he is most proud of The Pius Trilogy – which includes “A Pius Man,” “A Pius Legacy,” “A Pius Stand,” and an anthology, “Pius Tales.”
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 19, 2020
I have mixed feelings about this book. To be honest there were a few times I almost put it down and added it to my ‘did not finish’ pile. In the end it was a satisfactory read, not great, nut terrible. But overall more of a ‘meh’. I have had a few books by Declan Finn on my wish list for a while. This volume is a collaboration with his father Dr. John Konecsni. Finn stated:
“In 1975, Doctor John Konecsni worked as the assistant pastor in Bed-Sty, New York City. The following was a book he wrote based on his experiences. As he's my father, I decided to help him get it published.”
But that was shared on social media and is not in the description or notes on the volume. We are also told that many of the events are fictional, but written to give us a sense of the era, community, and times within the church at that time. It is presented as a “this could have happened”. In some ways it reminds me of Andrew M. Greeley’s early fiction. A lot of sex, a lot of strength and weaknesses in the church. Saints and sinners, and some just trying to live their faith.
But, like Greeley’s early books, I seem to have outgrown that. I don’t care about the sex scenes. Nuns and priests having a boozy sex party with nuns and priests. Not really what I want to read. The mystery part did have an interesting twist. And I was surprised a bit by some of the events. John Konecsni (James in the novel) as presented in this volume is a man I would enjoy getting to know, either personally or in the classroom. And Father Gus Sadowski reminds me of a few priests who worked hard in that era and tried to serve their parish and serve it well. He reminds me of some of the priests I knew in the 70’s and even 80’s.
I really struggled with rating this book. And if there was a way to give it 2.5 stars I would. I had previously picked up a couple of Finn’s books and will give at least another a try. I have long wanted to read the Pius series or the Saint Tommy. Especially considering this was a collaborative effort, I am willing to read at least one more. But I really know few people I would recommend this book to, and even fewer I would gift it to.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan!
“In 1975, Doctor John Konecsni worked as the assistant pastor in Bed-Sty, New York City. The following was a book he wrote based on his experiences. As he's my father, I decided to help him get it published.”
But that was shared on social media and is not in the description or notes on the volume. We are also told that many of the events are fictional, but written to give us a sense of the era, community, and times within the church at that time. It is presented as a “this could have happened”. In some ways it reminds me of Andrew M. Greeley’s early fiction. A lot of sex, a lot of strength and weaknesses in the church. Saints and sinners, and some just trying to live their faith.
But, like Greeley’s early books, I seem to have outgrown that. I don’t care about the sex scenes. Nuns and priests having a boozy sex party with nuns and priests. Not really what I want to read. The mystery part did have an interesting twist. And I was surprised a bit by some of the events. John Konecsni (James in the novel) as presented in this volume is a man I would enjoy getting to know, either personally or in the classroom. And Father Gus Sadowski reminds me of a few priests who worked hard in that era and tried to serve their parish and serve it well. He reminds me of some of the priests I knew in the 70’s and even 80’s.
I really struggled with rating this book. And if there was a way to give it 2.5 stars I would. I had previously picked up a couple of Finn’s books and will give at least another a try. I have long wanted to read the Pius series or the Saint Tommy. Especially considering this was a collaborative effort, I am willing to read at least one more. But I really know few people I would recommend this book to, and even fewer I would gift it to.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan!
June 19, 2020
I have mixed feelings about this book. To be honest there were a few times I almost put it down and added it to my ‘did not finish’ pile. In the end it was a satisfactory read, not great, nut terrible. But overall more of a ‘meh’. I have had a few books by Declan Finn on my wish list for a while. This volume is a collaboration with his father Dr. John Konecsni. Finn stated:
“In 1975, Doctor John Konecsni worked as the assistant pastor in Bed-Sty, New York City. The following was a book he wrote based on his experiences. As he's my father, I decided to help him get it published.”
But that was shared on social media and is not in the description or notes on the volume. We are also told that many of the events are fictional, but written to give us a sense of the era, community, and times within the church at that time. It is presented as a “this could have happened”. In some ways it reminds me of Andrew M. Greeley’s early fiction. A lot of sex, a lot of strength and weaknesses in the church. Saints and sinners, and some just trying to live their faith.
But, like Greeley’s early books, I seem to have outgrown that. I don’t care about the sex scenes. Nuns and priests having a boozy sex party with nuns and priests. Not really what I want to read. The mystery part did have an interesting twist. And I was surprised a bit by some of the events. John Konecsni (James in the novel) as presented in this volume is a man I would enjoy getting to know, either personally or in the classroom. And Father Gus Sadowski reminds me of a few priests who worked hard in that era and tried to serve their parish and serve it well. He reminds me of some of the priests I knew in the 70’s and even 80’s.
I really struggled with rating this book. And if there was a way to give it 2.5 stars I would. I had previously picked up a couple of Finn’s books and will give at least another a try. I have long wanted to read the Pius series or the Saint Tommy. Especially considering this was a collaborative effort, I am willing to read at least one more. But I really know few people I would recommend this book to, and even fewer I would gift it to.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan!
“In 1975, Doctor John Konecsni worked as the assistant pastor in Bed-Sty, New York City. The following was a book he wrote based on his experiences. As he's my father, I decided to help him get it published.”
But that was shared on social media and is not in the description or notes on the volume. We are also told that many of the events are fictional, but written to give us a sense of the era, community, and times within the church at that time. It is presented as a “this could have happened”. In some ways it reminds me of Andrew M. Greeley’s early fiction. A lot of sex, a lot of strength and weaknesses in the church. Saints and sinners, and some just trying to live their faith.
But, like Greeley’s early books, I seem to have outgrown that. I don’t care about the sex scenes. Nuns and priests having a boozy sex party with nuns and priests. Not really what I want to read. The mystery part did have an interesting twist. And I was surprised a bit by some of the events. John Konecsni (James in the novel) as presented in this volume is a man I would enjoy getting to know, either personally or in the classroom. And Father Gus Sadowski reminds me of a few priests who worked hard in that era and tried to serve their parish and serve it well. He reminds me of some of the priests I knew in the 70’s and even 80’s.
I really struggled with rating this book. And if there was a way to give it 2.5 stars I would. I had previously picked up a couple of Finn’s books and will give at least another a try. I have long wanted to read the Pius series or the Saint Tommy. Especially considering this was a collaborative effort, I am willing to read at least one more. But I really know few people I would recommend this book to, and even fewer I would gift it to.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan!
May 28, 2020
A great historical novel and only a little bit of a myster.
Yes there is a crime, and yes, the protagonist - a professor of philosophy at a small New Jersey Catholic College - solves it. But it is only a tiny thread in the story, and if you buy it expecting more, you'll be disappointed.
Which would be a shame, since this is a slow building page-turner of a slice of life novel, carefully building for the reader a window into a New York city parish of half a century ago. Set in the era of execrebal taste, in the wake of Vatican II, we get the life of the priesthood, and those it touches. I'm not Catholic myself and found it fascinating. Well worth the time and money.
Yes there is a crime, and yes, the protagonist - a professor of philosophy at a small New Jersey Catholic College - solves it. But it is only a tiny thread in the story, and if you buy it expecting more, you'll be disappointed.
Which would be a shame, since this is a slow building page-turner of a slice of life novel, carefully building for the reader a window into a New York city parish of half a century ago. Set in the era of execrebal taste, in the wake of Vatican II, we get the life of the priesthood, and those it touches. I'm not Catholic myself and found it fascinating. Well worth the time and money.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews