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On the Third Day
A Young priest experiences the Stigmata. When the Vatican sends in Father Prescott, the "Miracle Man," to investigate, what ensues is a race to find the truth behind what's happening at the Cathedral of San Valencez by the sea before the miracle - or curse - gets out of hand, and before they are faced with the question of what happens...on the third day.
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First published January 15, 2010
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About the author
David Niall Wilson
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David Niall Wilson has been writing and publishing horror, dark fantasy, and science fiction since the mid-eighties. An ordained minister, once President of the Horror Writer 's Association and multiple recipient of the Bram Stoker Award. He lives outside Hertford, NC with the love of his life, Patricia Lee Macomber, His children Zane and Katie, occasionally their older siblings, Stephanie, who is in college, and Bill and Zach who are in the Navy, and an ever-changing assortment of pets.
David is CEO and founder of Crossroad Press, a cutting edge digital publishing company specializing in electronic novels, collections, and nonfiction, as well as unabridged audiobooks and print titles.
Join my street team on Facebook to win prizes, discuss my work with others, and get exclusive content and offers
David Niall Wilson has been writing and publishing horror, dark fantasy, and science fiction since the mid-eighties. An ordained minister, once President of the Horror Writer 's Association and multiple recipient of the Bram Stoker Award. He lives outside Hertford, NC with the love of his life, Patricia Lee Macomber, His children Zane and Katie, occasionally their older siblings, Stephanie, who is in college, and Bill and Zach who are in the Navy, and an ever-changing assortment of pets.
David is CEO and founder of Crossroad Press, a cutting edge digital publishing company specializing in electronic novels, collections, and nonfiction, as well as unabridged audiobooks and print titles.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 25, 2024
ON THE THIRD DAY is something between a thriller and a religious horror novel. These aren't usually my bag but I really enjoyed David Niall Wilson's THIS IS MY BLOOD and GIDEON'S CURSE. David Niall Wilson loves incorporating elements of faith into his work and it's usually with the angle of someone who has dealt with some deep trauma or anger at the institutions thereof. He never rises to the level of the preachy (no pun intended) but those who have had bad experiences with the sanctified will probably enjoy them most. Interestingly, there's usually one or two sincerely religious characters in the books who aren't terrible people. They just are up against institutional corruption or supernatural forces that don't want to be terribly comforting.
On the Third Day is the story of a priest who has seemingly developed the condition known as stigmata. Stigmata, for those who didn't go to Catholic school, is the condition of bleeding from the area where Christ suffered his crucifixtion wounds. Most notably associated with individuals like Italian priest Padre Pio. The Vatican doesn't recognize these sorts of miracles anymore than they recognize crying statues due to the history of these being fradulent but send an investigator, Father Prescott, to check out the story anyway. If nothing else, it might be a reason for defrocking the young priest if he's faking.
For the most part, this novel is just a discussion of the intricacies of proving or disproving a miracle. The thing that separates it from more feel good style fair is the fact that it is a terrifying and traumatizing experience for the person it is actually happening to. The media sensationalizing events doesn't help and there's plenty of people who don't care whether it's true or not as long as there's money to be made from it. Is it a genuine supernatural event? Perhaps. But if it is, is it actually the Judeao-Christian God? Is that a good thing?
These are the kind of questions you wouldn't get in a "normal" bit of religious fiction and what makes the body work as a horror novel. However, David Niall Wilson handles it with a defter touch and it's not just another Rosemary's Baby or The Omen. Not that those aren't great. It's more a meditation on how desperately people (even the reader) can be to see the miraculous while ignoring their surroundings. I particularly like the ending that recontextualizes everything that happens before but doesn't QUITE provide wholly satisfying answers.
If you're looking for an interesting read that incorporates things like miracle investigations, faith, sleazy daytime progamming, and more then this may well be the kind of book for you. David Niall Wilson has won two Stoker awards and I think he deserves both.
On the Third Day is the story of a priest who has seemingly developed the condition known as stigmata. Stigmata, for those who didn't go to Catholic school, is the condition of bleeding from the area where Christ suffered his crucifixtion wounds. Most notably associated with individuals like Italian priest Padre Pio. The Vatican doesn't recognize these sorts of miracles anymore than they recognize crying statues due to the history of these being fradulent but send an investigator, Father Prescott, to check out the story anyway. If nothing else, it might be a reason for defrocking the young priest if he's faking.
For the most part, this novel is just a discussion of the intricacies of proving or disproving a miracle. The thing that separates it from more feel good style fair is the fact that it is a terrifying and traumatizing experience for the person it is actually happening to. The media sensationalizing events doesn't help and there's plenty of people who don't care whether it's true or not as long as there's money to be made from it. Is it a genuine supernatural event? Perhaps. But if it is, is it actually the Judeao-Christian God? Is that a good thing?
These are the kind of questions you wouldn't get in a "normal" bit of religious fiction and what makes the body work as a horror novel. However, David Niall Wilson handles it with a defter touch and it's not just another Rosemary's Baby or The Omen. Not that those aren't great. It's more a meditation on how desperately people (even the reader) can be to see the miraculous while ignoring their surroundings. I particularly like the ending that recontextualizes everything that happens before but doesn't QUITE provide wholly satisfying answers.
If you're looking for an interesting read that incorporates things like miracle investigations, faith, sleazy daytime progamming, and more then this may well be the kind of book for you. David Niall Wilson has won two Stoker awards and I think he deserves both.
March 10, 2010
Father Quentin Thomas, while leading Easter Mass at the Cathedral of San Marcos, experienced something…unusual. Could it be the Stigmata? Out of fear and confusion, he goes to see Bishop Michaels for help, but Father Thomas is greeted with hostility. The Bishop does not want the publicity; he doesn’t even want to believe it was a miracle. Easter has come around again, so the Bishop, after speaking with the Vatican, agrees to attend the Mass and videotape it. What happens at the Mass to Father Thomas is almost surreal; even the congregation was affected by a trance-like state. Some are awed, some confused, some strengthened in their faith.
The Vatican has sent Father Donovan Prescott to investigate the incident. Was Father Thomas creating a hoax? Was it, in fact, the Stigmata, the bleeding wounds of the Crucifiction, or something more sinister? Father Prescott tells Father Thomas about his investigation into a possible miracle involving a statue of the Martyr, St. Peter to try to help ease the young priest’s mind.
It is Easter again, and Father Thomas, Father Prescott, and Bishop Michaels prepare themselves for the potential of the event happening again. What happens during that Mass leaves even Father Prescott confused and frightened. The entire congregation is caught up…but in what? Father Prescott must find out if he is to save the life of the young priest before it is all over.
This is an excellent story. It is religious-themed horror, done in a subtle way. David Niall Wilson uses his words to create beautiful, vivid images, which allows the reader to fully experience the story. Mr. Wilson takes us on a journey from a dusty office in Rome, to a Mission in the jungles of Peru, to a small village in Italy, and finally to a Cathedral on the ocean in California, while keeping us all on the edge of our seats wondering the same thing….are their really miracles happening? I also enjoyed the multiple meanings of the title, but I won’t give that away. I highly recommend ON THE THIRD DAY to any fan of horror, although hard-core gore fans may not find it to their liking.
The Vatican has sent Father Donovan Prescott to investigate the incident. Was Father Thomas creating a hoax? Was it, in fact, the Stigmata, the bleeding wounds of the Crucifiction, or something more sinister? Father Prescott tells Father Thomas about his investigation into a possible miracle involving a statue of the Martyr, St. Peter to try to help ease the young priest’s mind.
It is Easter again, and Father Thomas, Father Prescott, and Bishop Michaels prepare themselves for the potential of the event happening again. What happens during that Mass leaves even Father Prescott confused and frightened. The entire congregation is caught up…but in what? Father Prescott must find out if he is to save the life of the young priest before it is all over.
This is an excellent story. It is religious-themed horror, done in a subtle way. David Niall Wilson uses his words to create beautiful, vivid images, which allows the reader to fully experience the story. Mr. Wilson takes us on a journey from a dusty office in Rome, to a Mission in the jungles of Peru, to a small village in Italy, and finally to a Cathedral on the ocean in California, while keeping us all on the edge of our seats wondering the same thing….are their really miracles happening? I also enjoyed the multiple meanings of the title, but I won’t give that away. I highly recommend ON THE THIRD DAY to any fan of horror, although hard-core gore fans may not find it to their liking.
March 25, 2019
I am fairly new to fiction and don't fully understand how to choose books based on writing styles. So I chose to read something from an author I know/knew personally. David Wilson and I were stationed aboard the USS Guadalcanal in the late 80s. Back then, he was still a budding author but had written and published many short stories. He even wrote one about me while we floated around on the Mediterranean Sea for 6 months. I seem to have lost my copy of that manuscript and subsequently lost touch with David. Then, through the magic of Facebook, we reconnected via an online running group (think 5Ks). Having not remembered much about his writing style, but recollecting quite a bit about him personally (including his chess game), I decided to read one of his more popular books, “One The Third Day”. I reads quickly - which I appreciate. I didn't need to count pages – something I tend to do. The chapters are short and numerous which provided many opportunities to step away, when necessary. The backdrop for the story is Catholic Mass. If you have not attended many masses, then some of the story may be lost on you. Fortunately, I've attended a few and that experience assisted me throughout. Maybe I'll read another of his works later this year. Maybe he still has a copy of my short story laying around.
January 2, 2015
As I sat for a while pondering what I was going to write here, I came to a bit of an odd realization: I kinda like this book, but I really have no idea why.
The tale about the investigation into what happened to a young pastor during Easter Mass is an interesting one. I had seen this book to described as "religious themed horror"...but I don't know if that moniker really fits. While the events that happen could be called horrific, the tone of the book keeps it from feeling like a horror novel. Much of the story is about the nature of faith and miracles, and while the "miracles" that appear in the story all seem to relate to the blood, they are approached in such a way that keeps them from seeming horrific.
The thing that carried the book for me where the characters. All of them seemed believable, which helped to the ground the story.
While I enjoyed the story, it was not perfect. A couple of side plots and characters are introduced, but just kinda fade away without impacting the plot or the main characters in any real way. I also found the ending of the story to be, for lack of a better word, unsatisfactory. I hesitate to call it bad, but too many threads were left hanging for my tastes.
The tale about the investigation into what happened to a young pastor during Easter Mass is an interesting one. I had seen this book to described as "religious themed horror"...but I don't know if that moniker really fits. While the events that happen could be called horrific, the tone of the book keeps it from feeling like a horror novel. Much of the story is about the nature of faith and miracles, and while the "miracles" that appear in the story all seem to relate to the blood, they are approached in such a way that keeps them from seeming horrific.
The thing that carried the book for me where the characters. All of them seemed believable, which helped to the ground the story.
While I enjoyed the story, it was not perfect. A couple of side plots and characters are introduced, but just kinda fade away without impacting the plot or the main characters in any real way. I also found the ending of the story to be, for lack of a better word, unsatisfactory. I hesitate to call it bad, but too many threads were left hanging for my tastes.
July 6, 2021
Ain't nothing like a good theological yarn
I bought this out of curiosity, and wound up wanting more. Great concept and characters, unexpected plot twists, and a nice writing style.
If you know even a modicum of Catholicism this book is for you.
I bought this out of curiosity, and wound up wanting more. Great concept and characters, unexpected plot twists, and a nice writing style.
If you know even a modicum of Catholicism this book is for you.
October 24, 2013
John Rosenman David Niall Wilson’s On The Third Day is a Gordian Knot Mystery published by Crossroad Press. The tagline on the graphically stunning cover grabs our interest with what we might assume is the novel’s only mystery: “A young priest experiences the Stigmata… A miracle or something much darker?” Quentin Thomas meets with his superior, Bishop Michaels, desperately seeking help and guidance from the older man concerning the Stigmata which appeared on his body during his last celebration of the Easter Mass at the Cathedral of San Marcos, “one of the gems of the western seaboard.” Father Thomas does not know what to believe about the event, but Bishop Michaels sure does. To him, Thomas has either concocted an elaborate hoax or is simply not to be believed. Either way, there is no room in Thomas’ safe and conservative brand of Christianity for bloody and scary miracles suggesting the crucifixion. He’s certainly not happy when Father Prescott is ordered by Rome to come and investigate Father Thomas’ second Easter Mass the following year to determine if a miracle has occurred.
If this were essentially all the story was about, we might have a good novel with interesting characters. The full mystery of this novel, though, involves far more than whether or not a miracle has occurred, Thomas’ Stigmata are real, and he symbolizes or embodies Christ’s passion. The full mystery of this Gordian Knot Mystery involves the nature and wonder of all miracles and faith itself, and Wilson’s exploration of the subject is both simple and profound. Just when we think we know where he’s going in spiritual or perhaps diabolic terms, we realize he isn’t. And just when we think there’s only one mystery or miracle, we realize the one featured on the cover is but one of many.
I absolutely love the ending of this novel, or I should say, the endings. The characters grow and develop, and the author leaves just enough to the imagination without coming out and telling us what to think. For me, in Dave Wilson's novel, everything rises On The Third Day.
If this were essentially all the story was about, we might have a good novel with interesting characters. The full mystery of this novel, though, involves far more than whether or not a miracle has occurred, Thomas’ Stigmata are real, and he symbolizes or embodies Christ’s passion. The full mystery of this Gordian Knot Mystery involves the nature and wonder of all miracles and faith itself, and Wilson’s exploration of the subject is both simple and profound. Just when we think we know where he’s going in spiritual or perhaps diabolic terms, we realize he isn’t. And just when we think there’s only one mystery or miracle, we realize the one featured on the cover is but one of many.
I absolutely love the ending of this novel, or I should say, the endings. The characters grow and develop, and the author leaves just enough to the imagination without coming out and telling us what to think. For me, in Dave Wilson's novel, everything rises On The Third Day.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews