The Church of The Holy Child

By: Patricia Hale

Narrated by: Kathleen Miranti

A woman with a history of domestic abuse is reported missing and her husband is pulled in for questioning. A relationship of too little too late with the local police prompts her sister to contact a private investigator and the team of Griff Cole and Britt Callahan take the case. When the woman is later found dead, her husband is charged as the likely killer. But with the discovery of a second body exhibiting the same lethal wounds and ties to a nearby women’s shelter, questions arise and what looked like a slam-dunk becomes anyone’s guess. The case goes to John Stark, head of the Criminal Investigations Department, a veteran cop and a close friend of Griff Cole. While bodies continue to surface, one person knows where the killer is. Father Francis, a priest at The Church of the Holy Child, listens to the killer’s disturbed account of each murder and wrestles with the vows that bind him to secrecy. When Cole’s ex-wife goes missing, the case takes an unexpected and personal turn and a connection to his past and the women’s shelter points to the killer.

©2017 Patricia Hale (P)2019 Intrigue Publishing, LLC

Excellent Crime/Thriller Book Making You Guess Who

*This book was given to me by the author at my request, and I provided this voluntary, unbiased review.*

5/5

I made the mistake (once again) by reading the other Cole and Callahan stories before this one... although it really isnt a mistake at all - these stories really could stand out by themselves if read out of order. Even though past events are referenced in future books, it doesnt really harm anything by me reading them out of order.

Anyway, I loved this story! I don't really have anything bad to say about it.The premise had me on edge, and I was left on my seat trying to figure out the who dunnit.. which I definitely boast about being able to do early on in any given story. The way that Hale crafted this story was genius; even the title itself throws you for a loop! We see our protagonists in action for the first time together, getting things going as a private detective agency and everything that entails. We also see how their personal lives affect their jobs, and vice versa - which lends credibility to the story. At the end, I was a little stunned that I was incorrect about my assumptions; Hale, you got me good!!

I would recommend this title and the other books in the Cole and Callahan series to anyone looking for a good crime/thriller/detective book.

Go for the ebook

Stories about domestic violence and the people that try to help them are not new but this one is very interesting and has a nice twist. The only problem: the narration. The reading style is very bad for me even though we can follow the story until the end.
I would strongly advise to read this story as an ebook. One of the cool points of the story is when the killer goes to confession to torment a priest, so hearing the voice is a bit of a giveaway I would prefer I didn't had.

A suspenseful thriller

This book should definitely be read before subsequent books in this series. It describes background information that is assumed knowledge in future books. It introduces some compelling characters and tells a very suspenseful story.

Kathleen Miranti's narration is quite satisfactory. Her character voices aren't particularly distinctive and she doesn't do accents, but I can't recall any instance where I couldn't follow dialog.

NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

this book was given to me at my request for review

I enjoyed every moment of this book. The narrator was really good. I can understand the hurt of loosing a mother but not the way the woman thought to save the children.

Good

This Audio book was given to me at my request in exchange for a honest review.....

This was a good book. It held my interest throughout the entire book. Def not in my top 10, but still. I'm grateful this was sent to me. And the ending was soooo good. Most defiantly did not expect the ending.

A fresh plot thriller

The Church of the Holy Child.
This was for me, a really fresh thriller. Tense and gripping hunt for a serial killer. Well written with a complex plot, with enough leads to work out who dunnit for yourself.
Superbly narrated.
I was thoroughly entertained by this audiobook.
I received a free copy of this audio book at my own request and voluntarily leave this honest review. .

Domestic Violence

It took me a bit to get into it but then it got good. It discusses domestic violence and murders. It must have been frustrating for the poor priest when murderer confesses the murders each time and it was a surprise who it was. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. Thank you

Very good thriller!

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

This was a very enjoyable thriller! There were twists I certainly did not see coming!

The main characters are very likable and I would like to continue reading/listening to their stories.

Naration was well done.