The Bishop in the Old Neighborhood

When three murdered corpses turn up in St. Lucy's church in Chicago, Cardinal Sean Cronin dispatches his auxiliary bishop, Blackie Ryan, to the old neighborhood to solve the crime. In one of his best Blackie Ryan stories yet, Andrew Greeley weaves together a charismatic Polish monsignor, an Hispanic drug lord, an urban renewal plan for the neighborhood, mercenary killers, the deaths of six young people more than a half century ago, a touch of mysticism, and of course, young love. Blackie, as usual, is abetted by various members of the well-connected Ryan clan, this time including his deceased father, Ned, who had left a revealing manuscript crucial to the solution of the case.

The 'good guys' in Fr. Greeley's novels are almost unbelievably appealing-smart, handsome/beautiful, athletic, and talented. Declan O'Donnell, for instance, one of the main characters here, is a personable cop, who also happens to have a law degree, is working on a Ph. D. in psychology, is an able marksman and a passable artist. Greeley-a priest, sociologist and a prolific author-is not shy about sharing his thoughts about the state of the Catholic Church and the ineptitude of many Federal agents, among other subjects, but his main theme is the strength of God's love and forgiveness. But don't worry about preachiness; Greeley tells one heck of a story.

Readers of previous Blackie Ryan stories will love The Bishop in the Old Neighborhood. Those new to Fr. Greeley's tales will find this an exciting introduction to the series.