Death of a Sacristan
A Rebel Bishop Mystery
by Paul A. Barra
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Pub Date Apr 28 2018 | Archive Date Aug 09 2018
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Description
Paul A. Barra’s latest historical novel features a real-life Catholic bishop who owned slaves and was such a fervent and effective anti-abolitionist that Horace Greeley called him The Rebel Bishop. His name was Patrick N. Lynch, a polymath who was a linguist, scholar, geologist, preacher and writer. Lynch also ran the Union blockade on a commission from President Jefferson Davis. He was the ordinary of both Carolinas from 1859 to 1882, but he was extraordinary in many ways. Here’s the perfect way to be entertained while learning about the Rebel Bishop and Southern Catholicism.
In Barra’s novel, Lynch’s aide rushes to investigate the murder of a wealthy sacristan at the altar rail of the cathedral in the Spring of 1861. Father Tom Dockery rushes because war is about to light off and investigates because the victim was having an affair with the wife of the police chief, who becomes the first suspect. The wife becomes a suspect soon after when she seduces Dockery into believing her alibi. Besides seduction, there’s a beating on a side street south of Broad, a hanging on the banks of the Ashley River and a shootout in Devil’s Hole before the killer is exposed and brought to justice.
That’s the framework of the book, but slavery is the subtext that adds texture to the tale. Dockery’s journey toward understanding his mentor’s defense of the South’s favorite institution is the real story of “Death of a Sacristan.” He is surprised to find the Rebel Bishop’s arguments thoughtful and compelling.
Death of a Sacristan was vetted by the eleventh Bishop of Charleston and by the historian of the diocese. It also received a review from a well-known Catholic publisher:
“With a spicy dash of murder, two heaping tablespoons of savory Old South ambiance, and three cups of boiling mystery, author Paul Barra cooked up a tasty whodunit, in Death of a Sacristan. On the eve of civil war, Charleston is rocked by an unspeakable crime: a killing at the altar of the cathedral. What follows is an entrancing tale of historical fiction in which unlikely sleuths investigate a colorful cast of southern characters. Like a feast of low-country shrimp and grits, Death of a Sacristan is deliciously satisfying!” - Kenneth E. Nowell, Author of the best selling travel guide: Rome and the Vatican – Guide 4 Pilgrims Publisher, Vero House Publishing
Death of a Sacristan is available for purchase in both print and ebook formats.
Advance Praise
Death of a Sacristan was vetted by the eleventh Bishop of Charleston and by the historian of the diocese. It also received a review from a well-known Catholic publisher:
“With a spicy dash of murder, two heaping tablespoons of savory Old South ambiance, and three cups of boiling mystery, author Paul Barra cooked up a tasty whodunit, in Death of a Sacristan. On the eve of civil war, Charleston is rocked by an unspeakable crime: a killing at the altar of the cathedral. What follows is an entrancing tale of historical fiction in which unlikely sleuths investigate a colorful cast of southern characters. Like a feast of low-country shrimp and grits, Death of a Sacristan is deliciously satisfying!” - Kenneth E. Nowell, Author of the best selling travel guide: Rome and the Vatican – Guide 4 Pilgrims Publisher, Vero House Publishing
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781626948938 |
| PRICE | |
Links
Featured Reviews
Mystica V, Reviewer
This was not a run of the mill mystery murder. We had plenty of history thrown in and not all of it of the palatable kind.
Bishop Lynch, Catholic and in the deep South of America owned eighty slaves. He was able to quote bible verse at every turn to uphold his belief that owning of slaves was right and just and quite equitable. They were not equal, they had to be directed and owned - they could not think for themselves (and at the time they were quite defenceless and quite without direction anyway) but it was a horrible way to behave. It was at odds with what his parish priests believed anyway. Into this atmosphere, a sacristan a pillar of the church was found murdered in the church itself.
Our junior priest has been formerly a police officer in New York and he uses his skills in trying to find who was responsible for this murder. It does not go down well with the local police chief who is very anti Catholic but who has many omissions on his side to hide as well. The murder literally uncovered a can of worms ranging from the local police force being involved in every wrong doing possible from trading with the North (treasonable offense) to lynching of a Negro to intimidation of witnesses and to even attempted murder of anyone trying to uncover who was responsible.
The culprit was of course completely different and this was the lovely part of this mystery!
As I said the murder mystery part was just a small part of the book. History played a great and very interesting role.
Cindi A, Reviewer
Father Tom is a former NYC police officer who made a complete 180 in his life by not only leaving the police force for the church, but moved to the South right before the beginning of the Civil War.
The author weaves Father Tom into the history of Charleston and weaves a murder mystery into the historical background of the city as war threatens to break out. When the murdered is unveiled, it’s not who you likely expected.
With some real characters from city being weaved in the story is told from the their perspective and touches on the conflicting feelings and beliefs around religion, slavery and war in the era. It’s a well written piece of historical fiction and I enjoyed it.
Colleen M, Reviewer
A wonderful read complete with historic Charleston as the setting and a new approach to weaving the Civil War into the storyline. As a lover of mysteries and history, I really enjoyed this book. I did not guess the end and I was captivated by the many colorful characters. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good mystery, a good historical fiction or just a well written story set in the south.
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