Rest in Pieces

Father Dowling #10

by Ralph McInerny

Father Dowling must see through the havoc of Latin American politics, liberation, theology, terrorism, and cocaine in the quiet little town of Fox River

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

253 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1985

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 Ronan Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ralph McInerny was a highly regarded philosopher at Notre Dame. In his spare time he wrote a series of mysteries featuring Father Roger Dowling, once an ambitious young priest expected to become a cardinal some day. Then alcohol caught up to him and after rehab he is assigned to a dying parish in Fox River, a fictional western suburb of Chicago. And there he finds the life he was meant for, as a parish priest.

And a part-time detective. His best friend is Phil Keegan, the town's head of detectives, a widower who spends a lot of time with at the rectory watching the Cubs and the Bears and playing checkers. Father Dowling has a doctorate in canon law from Catholic University in DC. (He was there at the same time I was.) He often learns much that he cannot share with the cop but his well-trained mind often points Keegan in the right direction and makes connections the layman does not see.

With a character like this and an author like that the literary references are delightful, wide-ranging and worth looking into. Father Dowling is particularly fond of the novels of Anthony Trollope but his favorite writers are Dante and St Thomas Aquinas.

This is the 10th book in the series and it is the only less than first-rate mystery I've encountered. The problem in this book is too many characters who are (or are not) involved in the politics of a Colombia-like South American country which is the source of cocaine being moved into Fox River by a small charter airline. But Father Dowling figures out the complexities and goes back to reading Fulton Sheen.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found myself comparing this book to the TV series and I became frustrated at the differences. Putting that frustration aside; this was a good mystery...a lot of good twists and turns including the car bombing that kills a man and puts Father Dowling in the hospital.

[Gloria Mccracken · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as most of the Father Dowling books. For one thing, a rather unsatisfactory ending.

[Sandra Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Father Dowling books. The plot moves quickly the characters come alive never a disappointment

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

my first in this series. some of the chapters seemed disjointed when you broke away to a parallel plotline. overall, it was alright...maybe i'll read another and see. (some of the lead-in seemed to be simplistic in style as well.)