The Reaper
Peter Lovesey
ISBN: 9781569473085
Published: July, 2003
Pricing
Paperback $15.95
More books by Peter Lovesey
Description
After years spent saving souls, Otis Joy, the rector of St. Bartholomew’s Church in Foxford, Wiltshire, has found a new calling: ending lives. His young French wife? Anaphylactic shock, what a shame. The bishop? Fell into a quarry. Tragic. It’s not Joy’s fault, really — not that he’s concerned about repentance or absolution thes...
After years spent saving souls, Otis Joy, the rector of St. Bartholomew’s Church in Foxford, Wiltshire, has found a new calling: ending lives. His young French wife? Anaphylactic shock, what a shame. The bishop? Fell into a quarry. Tragic. It’s not Joy’s fault, really — not that he’s concerned about repentance or absolution these days. He just doesn’t want his other little secret — embezzling church funds to finance a fancy yacht—to be discovered. But when the husband of the new church secretary, Rachel Jansen, turns up dead, it isn’t long before the village starts to gossip and the local constable gets involved. As it turns out, God isn’t the only one who’s always watching.
Media
“Lovesey is such a master of black humor and macabre plot twists . . . By taking care to show us what a pious and compassionate priest the vicar is, Lovesey challenges us to keep our values screwed on tight. In this author’s unorthodox church, there must be a pew for Patricia Highsmith. ”
—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review
“If you've never read any of [Lovesey’s] 20-plus books, this wickedly clever, beautifully written story of a murderous clergyman who earns our sympathy while dramatically whittling down his flock should make you an instant convert. ”
—Chicago Tribune
“The flavor here is part Patricia Highsmith in her Ripley series and part Ealing comedy ... It's a hard act to pull off—tone is everything—and Lovesey is a master practitioner. ”
—Washington Post Book World
“Otis is a wonderful creation: self-effacing, pious, attractive, dedicated to his parishioners, devoted to the church. He suffers from vocation run wild: he needs adulation and respect the way a junkie needs a fix. And, like a junkie, he will commit any crime to ensure he receives it ... The plotting is devilish, the writing a pleasure. ”