All the Dead Feathers.

All the Dead Feathers

David J. Walker

St. Martin's 

ISBN: 0312334540 $24.95, 336 pp.

When she was younger Kirsten's uncle Father Michael Dugan helped her through personal problems. Now he has troubles having his name appear on a list of priests who allegedly abused their positions of authority; someone plans to execute those on the list. Kirsten, owner of the Chicago-based private detective firm Wild Onion, Ltd, plans to stop the killer from harming her uncle accused of sex with a seventeen year old minor female. Her friend lawyer Dugan does not hold Father Michael in the same regard as Kirsten. When she agrees to help her uncle and the other condemned priests, all locked away though the evidence has not yet proven the charges in all cases, Dugan knows he will do likewise. Kirsten develops a short list of probable threats, but when the menace targets Kirsten, she feels she knows the identity of the priesthood killer. Now she must stop him and prove she is right although the FBI wants her off the case and her husband remains oblivious that she is in the eye of the storm. Readers will enjoy this strong cat and mouse murder mystery because of the antics of Kirsten who though her uncle has crumbled from his exalted spot, will still be there for him because he was there for her when she needed someone, which bewilders Dugan. Although the tertiary characters like the Feds and to a degree the culprit are stereotypes, the lead pair, her spouse, Father Michael, and several other accused priests make a wonderful cast. Fans will enjoy this modern day priestly version of the List of Adrian Messenger.