A Necessary Evil by Alex Kava

[Jonetta]

When a monsignor is found knifed to death in a Nebraska airport restroom, FBI special agent Maggie O'Dell is called in to profile the ritualistic murder of a priest, the latest in a series of killings. Maggie soon discovers a disturbing Internet game that's popular among victims of abuse by Catholic priests. With this first real lead in the investigation, she wonders if the group has turned cyberspace justice into reality. Then Maggie gets a second lead—one that leaves her stunned.

For the past four years she has been obsessed with finding Father Michael Keller, whose brutal acts against children continue to haunt her. Now, it seems, he has become a target. When Keller offers to help Maggie solve the ritual killings in exchange for protection, she decides to ally herself with the elusive child killer, stepping into a world of malevolence from which she may not return unscathed.

Maggie knows the bargain is a necessary evil…one that may be made in blood.

93 Chapters

Settings
Washington, D. C.
Omaha, Nebraska
Platte City, Nebraska
Venezuela
New Haven, Connecticut

Character List
(view spoiler)[
Maggie O'Dell: FBI special agent and criminal profiler.
R.J. Tully: FBI special agent and Maggie's partner. He's 43-years old, divorced with a 15-year old daughter, Emma, who he has sole custody.
Dr. Gwen Patterson: Psychologist and friend of Maggie's friend. She used to consult with the BAU.
John Patterson: Gwen's father, a leading psychologist.
Kyle Cunningham: Assistant Director of the FBI, Maggie's boss.
Bob Weston: FBI special agent in Omaha.
Julia Racine: DC detective.
Adam Bonzado: Forensic anthropologist Maggie met in her last case. He also teaches at the University of New Haven.
Nick Morelli: Former Platte City, Nebraska sheriff, now the deputy prosecutor for Suffolk County in Boston.
Father Michael Keller: Priest who Maggie suspected of being the serial killer in Platte City. He disappeared during the case.
Patrick Murphy: Maggie's half brother.
Tommy Pakula: Omaha police detective.
Kim Carmichael: Omaha police detective.
Donald Ramsey: Omaha chief of police.
Pete Kasab: Omaha police detective.
Martha Stofko: Douglas County chief medical examiner.
Terese Medina: Crime scene tech with the Douglas County lab.
Scott Linquist: Airport witness.
Clare Pakula: Tommy's wife.
Angie Pakula: Tommy and Clare's daughter.
Henderson: DC chief of police.
Stan Wenhoff: DC chief medical examiner.
The Sin Eater: Organizer of the computer game.
Monsignor William O'Sullivan: Monsignor and principal of Our Lady of Sorrow.
Father Gerald Kincaid: Priest in Columbia, Missouri.
Father Paul Conley: Priest in Boston.
Daniel Ellison: Ex-priest from Minneapolis.
Father Rudolph (Rudy) Lawrence: Priest in Bagdad, Florida.
Archbishop Armstrong: Omaha Archbishop.
Brother Sebastian: Priest with the Omaha Archdiocese.
Sister Kate Rosetti: History teacher at Our Lady of Sorrow.
Gibson McCutty: Young boy who appears to have murdered the Monsignor.
Tyler McCutty: Gibson's younger brother.
Rubin Nash: One of Gwen's patients.
James Campion: One of Gwen's patients.
Christine Hamilton: Nick Morrelli's sister, journalist for the Omaha World Herald. Timmy's mother.
Timmy Hamilton: Christine's 14-year old son.
Antonio (Tony) Morrelli: Nick and Christine's father, former Platte City sheriff. He's now bedridden and immobile following a massive stroke.
Jill Campbell: Nick's fiancée.
Father Tony Gallagher: Platte City priest and Nick's childhood friend. He's the associate pastor of Our Lady of Sorrow.
Dena Wayne: Gwen's assistant.
Libby Hoffman: One of the decapitated murder victims, a Virginia Tech college student.
Wendall Galt: Santa Rosa County, Florida deputy sheriff.
Corey Lee: One of the two boys who discovered the dead body in Bagdad.
Kevin Potter: One of the two boys who discovered the dead body in Bagdad.
Brenda Donovan: Mark's mother.
Mark Donovan: Brenda's son.
William (Will) Finley: Nick's friend, an attorney. Married to Tess.
Tess McGowen Finley: Married to Will.
Benny Hassert: Owner of a scientific testing lab.
Marco: Waiter at the Old Ebbitts Grill.
Harvey: Maggie's white Labrador retriever who was previously owned by her murdered neighbor. (hide spoiler)]

[Charlene]

Oh boy, we knew he'd reappear somewhere.

[Jonetta]

FYI,

Maggie talks about flies and maggots and their relationship to a corpse. I read the passage to my husband (a microbiologist) and he said she got some of it wrong.

Flies, not just blowflies, are attracted to decay, not blood. They will fall upon a dead body in the outdoors in seconds. They not only lay their eggs but also feed on the corpse.

Just wanted to share my learning.

[Phrynne]

Kava is a bit heavy handed with the maggots too. They seemed to be everywhere.

[Jonetta]

For all that talk, I wish Kava had gotten the science right.

[Phrynne]

Exactly. I guess she was just going for grossing us out:)

[Jonetta]

And now she's referring to Patrick Murphy as Maggie's stepbrother when he's her half brother. Continuity errors like this annoy me.

[Phrynne]

Oh dear!
I didn't notice that when I read it but you are quite right!

[Charlene]

I read the book and I don't remember the reference to Patrick at all. I was more interested in two other men who reappear in her life, not including Father Keller!

[Jonetta]

I read stories very carefully and it doesn't matter who I'm interested in when continuity errors smack me in the moment. It makes me less trustful about the things to come.