Kate Charles Evil Intent

Evil Intent

Kate Charles

Poisoned Pen, Oct 2005, $24.95, 344 pp.

ISBN: 1590582004

In London, newly ordained Anglican minister Callie Anson has enough emotional problems to deal with since she ended her engagement with Curator Adam Masters. She has been named as curator of All Saints' Church in Paddington struggling to remember names of those who greet her. Worse she is learning first hand how nasty even in a holy place congregational and church politics can get. On top of that the evangelicals and several Anglo-Catholics are irate over the ordination of women and homosexuals in general so will dissect her every word and action to disparage her.

Callie is prepared for the worst, but not the murder of Father Jonah Adimola, an outspoken critic of anything that frees women and an acerbic censor of her appointment; feminism is the devil's work in the late Jonah's mind. The police suspect Callie's mentor Deaconess Frances Cherry killed the outspoken Nigerian Father as she has been a major defender of women as priests. Callie turns to her faith to guide her as she sets out to prove that Frances did not kill anyone.

This faith-based amateur sleuth inquiry combines nicely with a more professional police procedural so that fans of homicide investigations will enjoy this solid tale. Perhaps more interesting is the inside looks at the Anglican Church especially the split over women and homosexuals being ordained and that an African is a priest. Kate Charles recognizes many readers will be surprised by the internationalism of the Anglican Church so she provides an educating short author's note that clarifies much. EVIL INTENT is a strong look at the schism inside the church leading to murder as the resolution.

Harriet Klausner