Police Captain Linda Turner is called in to investigate when three bodies are discovered in the flower beds of a recently sold house. The bodies are a father and his two young children, who was believed to have recently left the country to preach somewhere far away. The discovery of the families bodies is a shock to Turner, who sets her laser focus on finding the killer. Meanwhile, a failing televangelist show is on the brink of going under, when a mysterious female fan meets the show's host, Reverend Raymond. She has big ideas for the show, and saves it from being cancelled, but not everyone in the cast and crew trusts her.
This book was described to me as a mystery, but in all honesty there are no prizes for guessing who the killer is - there's about 7 characters in the book, and it's super obvious who the perp is. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just not a mystery. It's more of a thriller, or just a literary novel. There's other selling points here, and it's hard to really categorize this one. Yes, it's about police investigating a crime, but it's clear to the reader early on who committed it. There is satisfaction in seeing how the guilty party is manipulating people and plotting further crimes, while the police and the community start to realize what they are dealing with. So, no mystery in this one, but still a good crime novel.
Scleich has created a genuine monster in the killer here. They are a calculating, cold villain, obviously they must be since they are a child killer, but it becomes clear the murders were not done in the heat of the moment, and there is no remorse - there's even plans for more murders. The killer is such a heartless character - a real memorable villain. I think this character is what makes the book what it is. The reader can see through the friendly veneer, and knows how evil and calculating this person is, while the other characters in the book believe they are a saint, even a blessing. Whilst they are easily fooled, the other characters don't come across as naive or gullible - it's a real balancing act that Schleich has pulled off.
This is a cool little crime story, and the swipe at money grabbing using religion as a front is a nice extra layer to this novel. It's one to check out, especially if you're into crime stories.
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