"A sophisticated and baffling thriller . . . a real bone-freezer." —Publishers Weekly"Ingenious, witty, literate—at once irreverent and compassionate—an impressive tour indeed for a first-time novelist." —Los Angeles Times"Well-paced, tightly written, exciting as hell, and, quite possibly, the best mystery I've read in years." —Dallas Times-HeraldThe Rosary Murders was William X. Kienzle's first Father Koesler mystery, published i...

The Gathering was the twenty-fourth in Kienzle's series of mysteries, featuring Father Robert Koesler as a Roman Catholic priest whose intuitiveness and caring nature have led him to an unusual calling: solving mysteries, mostly of the murderous kind.In this entry, revisit Koesler's adolescent and teen years, to a time when young Catholic men and women were encouraged, even expected, to become priests and nuns, whether or not their vocation was real. We meet his group of s...

"Bill Kienzle's best yet." —Detroit Free Press"It is miraculous, but the third Father Koesler is even better than the first two. It is without reservation the best series ever about a priest detective." —Otto Penzler, owner, Mysterious Bookshop, New York City"Father Koesler is on the case, thank God." —Baltimore SunFather Robert Koesler unravels his third mystery, this time zeroing in on one of six suspects, each with a motive for revenge, to solve...

"An extraordinary tale of justice and morality . . ." —Otto Penzler, Edgar Award Winner and Owner of the Mysterious Bookshop, New York City"... another dandy tale of homicide with an ecclesiastic twist . . . a fast-moving plot with amusing sidelights." —New York Daily News"Every time I open a book, I hope this one is going to be really smashing, exciting, outstanding. This one is. Death Wears a Red Hat is the kind of mystery that I read the others to find....

"Another Kienzle top seller. Excellent in style and story. Original and timely." —Lucy Freeman, Mystery Writers of AmericaFrom William X. Kienzle, author of the classic mystery, The Rosary Murders.A bizarre plot to destroy the papacy seems to be the motive for murder in this fifth thriller from best-selling mystery writer William X. Kienzle. One cardinal is brutally murdered in his own church. Another is slain in the Vatican. A clue is left at the scene of each cri...

"The realistic setting, discussions of theology and humanism add to the appealing the author's new urbane, witty mystery.—Publishers Weekly"Score another direct hit by Father Koesler and William Kienzle." —Kansas City StarIn Deathbed, the eighth book in a series by acclaimed mystery writer William X. Kienzle, Father Robert Koesler takes on a temporary tour of duty as chaplain in a Detroit hospital whose dark passageways lead eventually to murder. ...

"A nice, tidy mystery . . . with characters who are plausible, intelligent, about whom we can care and with whom we might even empathize."—West Coast Review of Books"This tale should once again entertain the many fans of Kienzle's sleuth, Father Robert Koesler." —BooklistWhen Father Koesler agreed to serve as consultant at a mystery writers' conference, he—and the students—get more than they bargained for: a real murder mystery.Marygrove College's ...

"Another engrossing installment is a superlative series featuring an intriguing blend of crime and religion." —Booklist"The Rosary Murders quickly established Father Koesler as among the most likable and authentic of all recent sleuths and gave his wise and compassionate creator a midlife career and a new pulpit. Since then, few mystery series have been more cozy and persuasive, and Eminence finds Kienzle at the peak of his form." —Chicago Tribune

"Father Koesler is on the case, thank God." —Baltimore SunFrom William X. Kienzle, author of the mystery classic, The Rosary Murders.The priesthood or Lil. It would be a gut-wrenching decision for Rick.Sixty-year-old Father Rick Casserly, the much loved, socially conscious pastor at St. William of Thierry Church, and Lillian "Lil" Niedermeir, the principal at nearby St. Enda's elementary school, share a common bond. They are secret lovers, driven i...

"Kienzle's are the best books ever written about a cleric and among the best of everything in the past quarter century." —Otto Penzler, in Mystery Magazine"There are few authors whose books a reader anticipates from the moment he finished the last effort. . . . Add William Kienzle to the list." —Dallas Times Herald"Father Koesler is on the case, thank God." —Baltimore SunIn the fourth Father Koesler thriller, William X. Kienzle proved his ...

"Kienzle's twenty-first Father Koesler novel is distinguished by a unique twist that will appeal to seasoned mystery fans tired of prefabricated formulas and timeworn plots." —Booklist"Kienzle's grasp and detailing of church problems is impressive. Well-conceived characters . . . add depth to the conflicts. And the structure of the book is unusual. . . . The plot thus plays itself out neither as a whodunit or a whydunit, but as a tragedy and morality play that develops slo...

"Thank heavens. Father Koesler is back!" —Cedar Rapids Gazette"In the solving of the mystery, Koesler is challenged by a wealth of thought-provoking issues. With the familiar Kienzle twists and turns, the reader is forced to examine personal thoughts about religion, sin, and of course, the greatest evil."—Oakland PressFrom William X. Kienzle, author of the classic mystery, The Rosary Murders.The redoubtable Father Robert Koesler is prepari...