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Killing Faith
Detective Inspector Melissa Lloyd of the Leeds police wanted nothing more than to prove her worth by solving a high-profile murder which took place on British however, she never thought she'd be heading to a foreign country with a priest in tow to face off with a hyper-suspicious mafia boss who uses acid as a means of silencing people who get in his way. Now, with no back up from the Aussie police, Melissa and Father Fildew find themselves on the run with nowhere to hide.
210 pages, Paperback
Published August 23, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 18, 2023
Killing Faith is the story of Father Alastair Fildew, a Catholic priest in Leeds, England, who has the misfortune of witnessing a murder during his confessional. The murdered woman had come to elicit his aid in saving his brother, whose existence up to this point Alastair was oblivious to. Enter DI Melissa Lloyd, newly appointed as a detective with a chauvinist for a boss. When circumstantial evidence that is too solid to ignore points to the murder as being committed by Lachlan Dunne, henchman for Australian mafia boss, Amhurst Rudd, DI Lloyd convinces her boss to allow her to follow the trail to Perth, Australia, and Alastair insists on coming along. He soon realises he is in way over his head, and to her credit, DI Lloyd realises the same when it becomes obvious that there are police officers in the employ of Mr Rudd and DI Lloyd cannot turn to the Force for assistance.
What follows is a game of cat and mouse as Alastair and DI Lloyd try to prove Lachlan Dunne committed the murder with the knowledge of Mr Rudd. But will they get out of the game alive? There were a few minor errors which could have been picked up by a thorough proofread and edit, however, I’ve yet to find a book (my own included) that is completely error-free. The errors didn’t detract from the flow of the story too much, and I was able to get back on track quite quickly. For a lot of the story, I was unsure who the main character was. The blurb on Amazon suggests it was DI Lloyd, but events in the story would suggest it was really the priest, Alastair Fildew as his scenes begin and end the story. That being said, we do see Alastair evolve from a priest with little experience in the world to a confident man, able to hold his own against the evil of an Australian mobster. As a female in a male dominated career, DI Lloyd desperately tries to prove her worth to her supervisor, struggling to survive, and along the way, realises that solving crimes is a task best shared. While Amherst Rudd is the mafia boss, he is more of a byline of the story and the real criminal action is performed by his henchman, Lachlan Dunne. Dunne remains constant throughout the story, except at the very end, which I won’t spoil!
The story has plenty of good dialogue to keep the action moving along. However, my only slight critique is that the author has used Americanisms such as ‘mom’ and spelling words with a ‘z’ may distract some readers seeing as the book is set in Leeds England and Perth Australia, and neither country uses these spellings/terms. It is acknowledged that B. J. Woster is an American author and therefore these spellings/terms would be quite commonplace.
This is a fast-paced story, although it is easy to keep up with the action. B J Woster’s Killing Faith has all the elements of a good crime solving story which I enjoyed very much.
I award this book 4.5 stars.
What follows is a game of cat and mouse as Alastair and DI Lloyd try to prove Lachlan Dunne committed the murder with the knowledge of Mr Rudd. But will they get out of the game alive? There were a few minor errors which could have been picked up by a thorough proofread and edit, however, I’ve yet to find a book (my own included) that is completely error-free. The errors didn’t detract from the flow of the story too much, and I was able to get back on track quite quickly. For a lot of the story, I was unsure who the main character was. The blurb on Amazon suggests it was DI Lloyd, but events in the story would suggest it was really the priest, Alastair Fildew as his scenes begin and end the story. That being said, we do see Alastair evolve from a priest with little experience in the world to a confident man, able to hold his own against the evil of an Australian mobster. As a female in a male dominated career, DI Lloyd desperately tries to prove her worth to her supervisor, struggling to survive, and along the way, realises that solving crimes is a task best shared. While Amherst Rudd is the mafia boss, he is more of a byline of the story and the real criminal action is performed by his henchman, Lachlan Dunne. Dunne remains constant throughout the story, except at the very end, which I won’t spoil!
The story has plenty of good dialogue to keep the action moving along. However, my only slight critique is that the author has used Americanisms such as ‘mom’ and spelling words with a ‘z’ may distract some readers seeing as the book is set in Leeds England and Perth Australia, and neither country uses these spellings/terms. It is acknowledged that B. J. Woster is an American author and therefore these spellings/terms would be quite commonplace.
This is a fast-paced story, although it is easy to keep up with the action. B J Woster’s Killing Faith has all the elements of a good crime solving story which I enjoyed very much.
I award this book 4.5 stars.
September 5, 2024
Killing Faith is a crime thriller novel written by the author Barbara Woster, published in August 2020. The story kicks off with the murder of a young woman tasked with delivering a message to the priest, Alastair. Father Alastair remains unaware of his sibling connection. Detective Inspector Melissa Lloyd from the Leeds police department is set on proving her skills by solving a major murder case that took place within British borders. However, she never anticipated being sent abroad with Father Alastair, pursued by a highly dubious mafia boss known for using acid to silence his enemies. Now, with no backing from the Australian authorities, Melissa and Father Alastair are on the move, looking for a secure place to stay. Father Alastair is determined to locate his brother, while Melissa is on a mission to uncover the truth behind the woman’s death. There’s no further detail about the story or its plot, or anything else for that matter, without risking a major spoiler. Trust me, this book is a total find, holding readers’ attention until the very end, and I’m genuinely impressed by B.J. Woster’s work in this particular tale; she excels at creating vivid imagery with her words and delves deeply into each character’s personality. Woster crafts a compelling and suspenseful murder mystery. She resolves all the mysteries by the novel’s end, skillfully weaving a complex plot. Each character has their unique traits, making you feel as though you’re right there with them. She also does a commendable job of not revealing the identity of the murderer, the guilty party, or the reasons behind the events. This leaves readers eager to continue reading to piece together how all the elements fit together. If you’re a fan of the crime genre, this is an excellent choice. Killing Faith by BJ Woster is a fast-paced, gripping read that won’t disappoint. At over 180 pages, it’s the perfect length for those who enjoy the genre. I highly recommend it.
October 17, 2020
To save a brother
Father Alastair Fildew as he was walking the pews of St. Gregory pondered whether he had chosen the right to be a priest. A young woman comes in for confession. The last words she speaks before dying is telling him that his brother is in great danger. Alastair growing up in an orphanage had no idea he had a brother. But, after discovering the body in the confessional and meeting officer Detective Sergeant Melissa Lloyd , he will stop at nothing to find the truth and save his brother. Detective Llody wants the truth behind the death of the woman and to prove that a woman is capable of being a Detective. As they search for the truth behind the murder of the young woman and who Alastair brother truely is they travel between England and Australia with their only hope to both make it out alive.
Killing Faith by BJ Woster is a very quick , cripping read that will not leave you disappointed. I have always found myself drawn to English crime takes and this one is not different. I went from page one to one hundred in no time at all and was totally taken in by the end. Now, it is a british crime novel which for some will be off putting. The storyline is written in a way that it could be thoroughly enjoyed by those who do not generally do not enjoy the genre. I did find layout issues between the change of characters, you have to stay on your toes because there is no real break so that you can tell where the character preseptions change on the exception to the flashbacks between Aliastar and Arran. I did find myself overlooking those things and enjoying the story. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good old fashioned crime tale without a few gangsters in it.
Father Alastair Fildew as he was walking the pews of St. Gregory pondered whether he had chosen the right to be a priest. A young woman comes in for confession. The last words she speaks before dying is telling him that his brother is in great danger. Alastair growing up in an orphanage had no idea he had a brother. But, after discovering the body in the confessional and meeting officer Detective Sergeant Melissa Lloyd , he will stop at nothing to find the truth and save his brother. Detective Llody wants the truth behind the death of the woman and to prove that a woman is capable of being a Detective. As they search for the truth behind the murder of the young woman and who Alastair brother truely is they travel between England and Australia with their only hope to both make it out alive.
Killing Faith by BJ Woster is a very quick , cripping read that will not leave you disappointed. I have always found myself drawn to English crime takes and this one is not different. I went from page one to one hundred in no time at all and was totally taken in by the end. Now, it is a british crime novel which for some will be off putting. The storyline is written in a way that it could be thoroughly enjoyed by those who do not generally do not enjoy the genre. I did find layout issues between the change of characters, you have to stay on your toes because there is no real break so that you can tell where the character preseptions change on the exception to the flashbacks between Aliastar and Arran. I did find myself overlooking those things and enjoying the story. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good old fashioned crime tale without a few gangsters in it.
November 17, 2022
Leeds Police Work in Perth Thriller
The introduction of the story was good, but it was a little hard to feel empathy with the main character as he seems a strange fantasy stereotype of a hot priest unsure of his faith. Father Alastair is at a confession and is so seemingly unconcerned with the parishioner that when she gives him an ominous warning before being murdered. The unknown woman tells Alastair that his brother is in danger. Alastair tries to tell the woman he doesn’t have a brother and then the confession ends he doesn’t feel compelled to investigate immediately. The whole handling of what would be shocking events are handled in such matter of fact ways that it is more unusual to see what the characters react to as opposed to what they don’t. The father that seemed unaffected by the murder hours later meets with a detective and he’s in tears. Alastair decides that he will stop at nothing to find out the truth and save his unknown brother. There are a bunch of leaps of logic here. Alastair is in England. The detective is in England as well. For some reason the detective decides she wants to find out the truth about the death of the woman and along the way prove she, as a woman, is competent as a detective. There is an interesting twist in the story. The simmering attraction between the pair is played out. The story is a bit plodding at times. The idea of Leeds police trying to solve a case in another country seems a bit far-fetched. The dialogue is a little wooden. The last point is made by one of the characters in the story. I for a long time thought the author was writing this as a comedy or satire. It is a detective story in the end and the goal is to bring the criminals to Justice at the end. Interesting read.
The introduction of the story was good, but it was a little hard to feel empathy with the main character as he seems a strange fantasy stereotype of a hot priest unsure of his faith. Father Alastair is at a confession and is so seemingly unconcerned with the parishioner that when she gives him an ominous warning before being murdered. The unknown woman tells Alastair that his brother is in danger. Alastair tries to tell the woman he doesn’t have a brother and then the confession ends he doesn’t feel compelled to investigate immediately. The whole handling of what would be shocking events are handled in such matter of fact ways that it is more unusual to see what the characters react to as opposed to what they don’t. The father that seemed unaffected by the murder hours later meets with a detective and he’s in tears. Alastair decides that he will stop at nothing to find out the truth and save his unknown brother. There are a bunch of leaps of logic here. Alastair is in England. The detective is in England as well. For some reason the detective decides she wants to find out the truth about the death of the woman and along the way prove she, as a woman, is competent as a detective. There is an interesting twist in the story. The simmering attraction between the pair is played out. The story is a bit plodding at times. The idea of Leeds police trying to solve a case in another country seems a bit far-fetched. The dialogue is a little wooden. The last point is made by one of the characters in the story. I for a long time thought the author was writing this as a comedy or satire. It is a detective story in the end and the goal is to bring the criminals to Justice at the end. Interesting read.
March 19, 2023
Fast-paced mystery
I found this story very compelling. The book starts with the murder of a young woman who tries to deliver a message to the priest, Alastair. A female detective, Melissa, starts her investigation that leads her to discovering interesting secrets about Alastair’s past. Together, they go to Australia to figure out more about the late woman and to find Alastair’s family.
The events of the book keep unfolding in Australia, where the author starts showing the parallel plot - the villains who try to protect their dark business and stay undiscovered. I guess this is what adds this novel spices and speeds the reading pace.
Even though the ending might be tragic, I found it realistic as sometimes the price of justice is that high. I would recommend this read to mystery lovers!
I found this story very compelling. The book starts with the murder of a young woman who tries to deliver a message to the priest, Alastair. A female detective, Melissa, starts her investigation that leads her to discovering interesting secrets about Alastair’s past. Together, they go to Australia to figure out more about the late woman and to find Alastair’s family.
The events of the book keep unfolding in Australia, where the author starts showing the parallel plot - the villains who try to protect their dark business and stay undiscovered. I guess this is what adds this novel spices and speeds the reading pace.
Even though the ending might be tragic, I found it realistic as sometimes the price of justice is that high. I would recommend this read to mystery lovers!
January 21, 2024
It has it all!
The high-stakes murder, the sold female detective, and the mafia boss with a thing for acid Are going to going to keep you on the edge of your seat all night, so be ready!
The story follows Detective Inspector Melissa Lloyd who's out to prove herself by solving a chilling murder. But things turn wild when she ends up in Australia without any backup..
If you’re into fast-paced mysteries like Body of Evidence, Check it out for your next thrilling read!
The high-stakes murder, the sold female detective, and the mafia boss with a thing for acid Are going to going to keep you on the edge of your seat all night, so be ready!
The story follows Detective Inspector Melissa Lloyd who's out to prove herself by solving a chilling murder. But things turn wild when she ends up in Australia without any backup..
If you’re into fast-paced mysteries like Body of Evidence, Check it out for your next thrilling read!
September 6, 2020
An interesting read with historical links
I enjoyed this book. I particularly liked learning about the ten pound pom program. I had no idea this existed and researched it a bit after. An interesting read.
I enjoyed this book. I particularly liked learning about the ten pound pom program. I had no idea this existed and researched it a bit after. An interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews