Killing Rain (John Rain Thrillers)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • a good series
  • John Rain Survives Another Day
  • John Rain is the coolest character out there, and Barry Eisler is the best thriller writer, period.
  • Top of the Line
  • Found a new fav!
Killing Rain (John Rain Thrillers)
Barry Eisler
Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:
  1. Rain Storm (John Rain Thrillers) Rain Storm (John Rain Thrillers)
  2. The Last Assassin (John Rain Thrillers (Hardcover)) The Last Assassin (John Rain Thrillers (Hardcover))
  3. Rain Fall (John Rain Thrillers) Rain Fall (John Rain Thrillers)
  4. Hard Rain (John Rain) Hard Rain (John Rain)
  5. Requiem for an Assassin Requiem for an Assassin

ASIN: B000GUJHC6

Book Description

No one but Japanese-American assassin John Rain can win the game of cross and double cross he encounters in this new novel of sexy international intrigue in the series.

Torn between his past as a soldier and his vocation as a killer, longing for attachment but forced to operate alone, and haunted by the fear that one day there must be a reckoning for the things he has done, John Rain moves like a dark ghost through Tokyo and the other urban landscapes in which his Asian features enable him to operate undetected. His ability to make death appear to have been of "natural causes" keeps his reluctant services in constant demand.

In Killing Rain, Rain has a new employer, the Mossad-which needs an operator who can remove "problems" in Asia-and a new partner: Dox, the ex-marine sniper and party animal first introduced in Rain Storm. He also has a new hope-that by using his fearsome talents in the service of something good, he might atone for all the lives he has already taken. But when Rain's freshly awakened conscience causes him to botch an assignment, turning what should have been a surgical hit into a massacre, he finds himself running both from the Mossad and from the CIA. Can he trust Delilah, the alluring Israeli agent whom he once fought and then loved, to save him now?

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars a good series.......2007-07-30

I wouldn't put Eisler up there with Robert B. Parker or Vince Flynn but it's good summertime reading.

5 out of 5 stars John Rain Survives Another Day.......2007-05-10

Once again John Rain manages to barely stay alive and live another day Killing Rain. Unlike previous John Rain novels, this story focuses less on Japan and more on other parts of Asia, namely Manila, Bangkok and Hong Kong. In this book, John Rain and his few friends manage to rid the world of two of its worse terrorists. Hired by the Israeli government as a contractor to do the job, Rain's (or Eisler's) ingenuity never fails to amaze me in how he prevents blowing his cover to get the job done. What I enjoy about Eisler's novels is that the main character, John Rain, is well developed from the beginning of the series and can be insightful into life as he struggles to do his job knowing he's taking lives, while at the same time questioning how he has managed to stay alive himself. The shallowness of the characters found in many other quick novels is missing here (except for maybe with Dox, Rain's sidekick). If you've enjoyed previous books from the series, you'll enjoy this one too.

5 out of 5 stars John Rain is the coolest character out there, and Barry Eisler is the best thriller writer, period........2007-03-12

I've been reading the John Rain series for about 2 years now, pacing myself so I don't gobble them up all at once. I just finished "Killing Rain" and it is as well-written and thrilling as its predecessors. I cannot express my gratitude enough for Barry Eisler's talents. The depths he plumbs to cover the characters, their backgrounds, and especially the locales of the stories are just absolutely amazing. Eisler paints such vivid pictures while simultaneously educating us (his knowledge of Tokyo is impressive). The books never bore--they are irresistible page-turners. My only tiny gripe is that the Rain's assassin "buddy" Dox, introduced in "Rain Storm", is a bit cartoonish at times. But he does provide comic relief occasionally.

If you haven't read any of the Rain books, please start with the first ("Rain Fall"). It's best to understand John Rain and his struggles from the beginning. Believe me, once you start you will be hooked. In my view, Barry Eisler is the creme-de-la-creme.

5 out of 5 stars Top of the Line.......2007-03-09

Barry Eisler just gets better and better. This book is riviting from begining to end. As in the other books the twists and turns tend to make the reader sorry for the poor assassin who must pay for his sins! A fun and interesting read. Learn about other countries as you are entertained.
Worth the price and effort.

4 out of 5 stars Found a new fav!.......2007-01-19

This paperback is my introduction to Eisler, and it is a very good place to start. I don't know how I missed this author but I plan on making up for lost time and soon.

A competent writer with great characters a good plot and interesting point of view. It maybe genre writing, but it is darn good genre writing and if you like good mysteries you won't be disappointed.
A Killing Rain (Louis Kincaid Mysteries)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Killing Rain
  • absolutely superb!
  • Murder, Kidnapping, and Mayhem to say the least
  • When It Rains, It Pours
  • High Praise for "A Killing Rain"
A Killing Rain (Louis Kincaid Mysteries)
P.J. Parrish
Manufacturer: Pinnacle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
SeriesSeries | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
GeneralGeneral | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
SeriesSeries | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
GeneralGeneral | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
All 4-for-3 DealsAll 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Thicker Than Water Thicker Than Water
  2. Island Of Bones (Louis Kincaid Mysteries) Island Of Bones (Louis Kincaid Mysteries)
  3. Paint It Black (Louis Kincaid Mysteries) Paint It Black (Louis Kincaid Mysteries)
  4. An Unquiet Grave (Louis Kincaid Mysteries) An Unquiet Grave (Louis Kincaid Mysteries)
  5. Dead Of Winter Dead Of Winter

ASIN: 078601606X

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A Killing Rain.......2006-11-11

The Louis Kincaid Mystery series got me hooked from the first one. I have collected them all (I think). Not "edge of your seat" like some in my collection, but among my favorites.

5 out of 5 stars absolutely superb!.......2006-10-05

This is the second Kincaid mystery I read, and I must admit to not having been able to stop reading. I began the book just before breakfast, read throughout breakfast, kept going all day as I ran errands using public transportation, then finished it just before arriving at home. My only quibble was with myself--why, oh why, hadn't I bought more Parrish novels to read after "Killing Rain"? Silly me. To take care of that problem, I purchased most of the rest of the series just a few days ago, and those books are waiting for me to devour them.

Back again to this book--Kincaid is a superbly drawn character. From the start of this book to its end, I found him enthralling. From his efforts to handle a date to the resolution of the book's main mystery, he made me want to get to know him as a human being. Parrish's writing is that good; Kincaid is someone I wish were human so that I could sit and talk with him. I'd like to know which moral lines he feels it's okay to cross, which experiences from his childhood make him so desperate to be a good friend/father/role model for the children he comes to love as an adult. I want to know why he doesn't just take his female cat in to get her "fixed."

Bottom line: I want to know Kincaid.

Added to that, there are other elements of this book that enthrall me. For one, the bad guys are just as interesting as the good ones. Now, that's not all that unusual, but I REALLY want to know more about these guys. I want to know about a killer who won't touch a child because of his own past experiences and how they've shaped him. I want to know about a killer whose soul is so damaged that he can't do much more than reshape his reality to fit it in the only box that allows him to keep breathing.

I guess I just want to KNOW, to find out more, and that always makes me want to keep reading an author's work

Kudos to Parrish!

4 out of 5 stars Murder, Kidnapping, and Mayhem to say the least.......2005-06-12

Murder, kidnapping and mayhem are the ingredients P.J. Parrish uses to draw the reader into this latest thriller. Though a bit grisly at times, this book is a definite page-turner. Private Detective Louis Kencaid fights an uphill battle as he stays one step behind a diabolical killer. Parrish fans and suspense enthusiast alike will enjoy this fast-paced thrill ride of intrigue and gore.

What began as a simple date for Detective Kencaid quickly escalates into something sinister when his date Susan's estranged husband shows up for dinner. The absentee dad, Austin Outlaw has returned to reclaim his son and wife. Susan is having none of Austin's lies and is reluctant to allow eleven year old Benjamin out for ice cream with his father. The mother's intuition proves to be valid when her son and husband vanish. Kencaid's search for the two leads him to Austin's Import office. There he finds the police who have discovered the bodies of Outlaw's business partner and their secretary.

Parrish does an excellent job in making the reader despise Austin Outlaw's appropriately named sleazy character. Outlaw's greed sets in motion events that lead to several murders and endangers the life of his only child. Assisted efforts to rescue Ben are made by Miami Police Detective Joe Frye, a woman who can handle her own with the bad guys, yet has no trouble at all showing her softer side to Kencaid. The two detectives match wits with a fiendish villain that holds the key to Austin's silence and knows the idenity of the killers who kidnapped Ben.

This book is filled with lots of twists and turns that keeps the reader wondering what will happen next. The only thing that bothered me about the book was the graphic descriptions on torture inflicted upon some of the victims and the grisly murder scene. Overall I loved the plot and the character development. Parrish brought out real emotions in me as I read this novel. If you like a little horror mixed in with your mystery you'll love this book.

Reviewed by Felecia R. Ellis of Memphis RAWSISTAZ

4 out of 5 stars When It Rains, It Pours.......2005-06-08

P.J. Parrish brings to life an intriguing tale of action and adventure in his novel, A Killing Rain. The story begins with private detective Louis Kincaid finally getting a date with attorney Susan Outlaw. What he does not know is that this meeting will lead him on a suspense-filled journey that involves Susan's missing son and her estranged husband. The story follows Kincaid as he searches for the pair and as he unearths brutal murders and a horrible, intricate scheme.

P.J. Parrish has written a novel that is truly a thriller. Although there were a couple of instances where the story lulled, overall it was a page-turner. While the action was enjoyable, I also reveled in the character development. As a mother, I could feel Susan's angst in having her child missing. I felt a strong loathing for the "bad guy" Austin, who served as a complete contrast to the protagonist, Louis Kincaid. My only regret is that this is my first time reading a P.J. Parrish novel featuring Louis Kincaid and I believe that I would have enjoyed the story more if I had more background knowledge on the main character. Nevertheless, this was a good read and I recommend it to those who enjoy reading works that take them on a thrill ride.

Latoya Carter-Qawiyy
APOOO BookClub

5 out of 5 stars High Praise for "A Killing Rain".......2005-06-06

Kudos for P.J. Parrish's "A Killing Rain." I truly enjoyed this book. I do believe I've just found a new favorite detective in Louis Kincaid. "A Killing Rain" caught my attention from the very beginning. I truly found it hard to put down. A real page turner.
Arkham Asylum Living Hell # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 (The Complete Limited Batman Series)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Arkham Asylum Living Hell # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 (The Complete Limited Batman Series)
    Dan Slott
    Manufacturer: DC Comics
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Comic

    GeneralGeneral | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
    BatmanBatman | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
    DC ComicsDC Comics | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
    BatmanBatman | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
    ASIN: B000UX5OMG

    Product Description

    Arkham Asylum the complete Six part Limited Series. Includes Book One: Whole in the Head, Book Two: Bits and Pieces, Book Three: A Stitch in Time; Cracked Up, Book Four: Tic Toc, Book Five: Patterns, and Book Six: Rhyme and Reason. DC Comics 2003.
    Killing Rain
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Killing Rain
      Barry Eisler
      Manufacturer: Putnam Pub Group
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
      ASIN: B000J1A9HE
      A Killing Rain
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        A Killing Rain

        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover
        Similar Items:
        1. The Last Assassin (John Rain Thrillers (Hardcover)) The Last Assassin (John Rain Thrillers (Hardcover))
        2. Rain Storm (John Rain Thrillers) Rain Storm (John Rain Thrillers)

        ASIN: 0739450344
        A Killing Rain and Other Stories
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • A Killing Rain
        • Synopsis:
        • Explanation By The Author
        • Explanation By The Author
        A Killing Rain and Other Stories
        Reid Laurence
        Manufacturer: E-Booktime, LLC
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        AnthologiesAnthologies | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
        ASIN: 1598240218

        Book Description

        Raymond Mort is a killer — make no mistake — but the lives he takes don't fulfill a murderers bloodlust quite as much as they work to keep him happy and occupied in the strange, make-believe world he's self-manufactured out of sheer madness. In doing so, Raymond tries to snuff out the pain of loneliness and desperation of a tormented early childhood, which remains a sad part of him for the duration of his life. A killer, yes, but in reading this shocking tale, you may feel more pity welling within you than vengeance.

        Other stories in the book prove to be rooted in the deep, dark well of human psyche and pathos, but at times — as in the last tale of a super-intelligent cat named `Carl' — the author switches moods and takes us to a place in which most adults have long since left behind them, but with one agonizing question left unanswered... Are we really who we think we are, or could there exist some other force — much greater then we — compelling us to do the things we do? Read on, and find out.

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars A Killing Rain.......2007-08-28


        A collection of tales where author Reid Laurence takes the reader into the minds of characters who see the world differently than we do. Weird tales that put me in mind of the old comic Tales From the Crypt.

        In A Killing Rain, for instance, you'll meet Ray who has a strange appetite and an even stranger way of keep friends.

        Or in Decerebrated, how deeply involved in a murder case can Lieutenant Edgar Grave become involved? Will he identify a killer?

        Recommended reading for one of those dark and stormy nights when you are alone to get the full experience of these tales. You may not sleep without a light after reading them. Stories guaranteed to give you the willies.

        5 out of 5 stars Synopsis:.......2005-08-17

        Raymond Mort is a killer - make no mistake - but the lives he takes don't fulfill a murderers bloodlust quite as much as they work to keep him happy and occupied in the strange, make-believe world he's self-manufactured out of sheer madness. In doing so, Raymond tries to snuff out the pain of loneliness and desperation of a tormented early childhood, which remains a sad part of him for the duration of his life. A killer, yes, but in reading this shocking tale, you may feel more pity welling within you than vengeance.
        Other stories in the book prove to be rooted in the deep, dark well of human psyche and pathos, but at times - as in the last tale of a super-intelligent cat named 'Carl' - the author switches moods and takes us to a place in which most adults have long since left behind them, but with one agonizing question left unanswered... Are we really who we think we are, or could there exist some other force - much greater then we - compelling us to do the things we do? Read on, and find out.

        5 out of 5 stars Explanation By The Author.......2005-07-25

        As the author of the book, I wanted to write a little about just what the story means to me. The lead character is of course, not the kind of person you'd want to know - at least, not for very long. He is a combination of killers that I read about before I began the work and some of his murderous habits would be repellent to any normal person, but as I began to write the story out, several questions in my mind took hold... will Raymond (the killers first name), pay for his hideous crimes here, in this life? Will he pay in the next? Perhaps he falls through the cracks of justice - manmade or otherwise - and never pays at all, while some of the lives he touches through his deeds become wrecked - as I tried to show in a passage when Raymond meets the only surviving member of a once happy family whose burden it becomes to spend each day in living hell, a hell provided by Raymond, who meets this man coincidentally on an elevated train and thinks nothing of the result of his vile actions.
        This irony I faced myself with became part of the momentum for writing the story and although I've raised these questions I cannot, in all truth to myself and to the public at large, say that I can answer them as well. I hope that many of you have more luck with these resolutions than I have had and I invite you to read the work and to arrive at your own personal conclusions. You can visit my web site if you like at: www.reidlaurence.piczo.com. Thank you, Reid Laurence.

        5 out of 5 stars Explanation By The Author.......2005-07-25

        As the author of the book, I wanted to write a little about just what the story means to me. The lead character is of course, not the kind of person you'd want to know - at least, not for very long. He is a combination of killers that I read about before I began the work and some of his murderous habits would be repellent to any normal person, but as I began to write the story out, several questions in my mind took hold... will Raymond (the killers first name), pay for his hideous crimes here, in this life? Will he pay in the next? Perhaps he falls through the cracks of justice - manmade or otherwise - and never pays at all, while some of the lives he touches through his deeds become wrecked - as I tried to show in a passage when Raymond meets the only surviving member of a once happy family whose burden it becomes to spend each day in living hell, a hell provided by Raymond, who meets this man coincidentally on an elevated train and thinks nothing of the result of his vile actions.
        This irony I faced myself with became part of the momentum for writing the story and although I've raised these questions I cannot, in all truth to myself and to the public at large, say that I can answer them as well. I hope that many of you have more luck with these resolutions than I have had, and I invite you to read the work and to arrive at your own personal conclusions. You can visit my web site if you like at: www.reidlaurence.piczo.com. Thank you, Reid Laurence.
        Sch-a Killing Rain
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Sch-a Killing Rain
          Thomas Pawlick
          Manufacturer: Random House, Inc.
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

          Social Services & WelfareSocial Services & Welfare | Poverty | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
          Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Environmental | Civil | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Pollution | Environmental | Civil | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science | Earth Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          ReferenceReference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: 0871568233
          Release Date: 1984-09-12
          After the killing.(destruction of the rain forest in Guatemala): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            After the killing.(destruction of the rain forest in Guatemala): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
            Colin Woodard
            Manufacturer: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Digital

            GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
            Rain ForestsRain Forests | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
            Science & TechnologyScience & Technology | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books
            ScienceScience | HTML | Formats | e-Docs | Formats | Books
            ASIN: B00097NGXM
            Release Date: 2005-07-28

            Book Description

            This digital document is an article from Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc. on July 1, 1997. The length of the article is 1902 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

            From the supplier: An internal migration into northwestern Guatemala is destroying the country's rain forest. Mayan Indians disenfranchised during the Guatemalan civil war are cutting the forest in search of farm land. The situation could lead to a new civil war.

            Citation Details
            Title: After the killing.(destruction of the rain forest in Guatemala)
            Author: Colin Woodard
            Publication: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (Refereed)
            Date: July 1, 1997
            Publisher: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
            Volume: v53 Issue: n4 Page: p9(3)

            Distributed by Thomson Gale
            A Killing Rain
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              A Killing Rain
              P. J. Parrish
              Manufacturer: Pinnacle Books
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Mass Market Paperback
              ASIN: B000SSSXOY
              A Killing Rain (louis Kincaid Mysteries)
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                A Killing Rain (louis Kincaid Mysteries)
                P.J. PARRISH
                Manufacturer: Pinnacle Books
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback
                ASIN: B000ILHM1G

                The Bishop and The Missing L Train (A Father Blackie Ryan Mystery)
                Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                • Very Entertaining
                • Predictable
                • Like, totally...lay off the "hip" language, Father!
                • Gus is oh so real
                • Forget the Bishop...Find the Train
                The Bishop and The Missing L Train (A Father Blackie Ryan Mystery)
                Andrew M. Greeley
                Manufacturer: Forge Books
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Mass Market Paperback

                ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
                Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
                SeriesSeries | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
                SuspenseSuspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
                Greeley, AndrewGreeley, Andrew | ( G ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
                ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
                Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
                ( G )( G ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books | Griffin, W. E. B.
                GeneralGeneral | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
                SeriesSeries | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
                SuspenseSuspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
                All 4-for-3 DealsAll 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
                Similar Items:
                1. The Bishop and the Beggar Girl of St. Germain (A Father Blackie Ryan Mystery) The Bishop and the Beggar Girl of St. Germain (A Father Blackie Ryan Mystery)
                2. The Bishop and the Three Kings (A Father Blackie Ryan Mystery) The Bishop and the Three Kings (A Father Blackie Ryan Mystery)
                3. The Bishop in the West Wing: A Bishop Blackie Ryan Novel (Blackie Ryan) The Bishop in the West Wing: A Bishop Blackie Ryan Novel (Blackie Ryan)
                4. The Bishop at Sea (A Father Blackie Ryan Mystery) The Bishop at Sea (A Father Blackie Ryan Mystery)
                5. The Bishop Goes to the University: A Bishop Blackie Ryan Novel (Bishop Blackie Ryan) The Bishop Goes to the University: A Bishop Blackie Ryan Novel (Bishop Blackie Ryan)

                ASIN: 0812575962

                Amazon.com

                The Bishop and the Missing L Train is the ninth entry in Andrew Greeley's deservedly popular Father Blackie Ryan series. Auxiliary Bishop Augustus Quill, recently posted to the Chicago Archdiocese, could not be described as a loved man. His nickname, bestowed upon him by fellow seminarians, is "Idiot." Despite his relatively high position, one that implies significant intelligence, wit, piety, and compassion, the man seems lacking in all departments save piety. In fact, so disliked is Quill that someone is willing to stop at nothing--at least nothing short of absconding with an entire subway car, bishop included--to keep him from his appointed rounds.

                Sean Cardinal Cronin, the Archbishop of Chicago, is no more a fan of Quill's than anyone. Still, the act of losing a bishop (or, more precisely, not retrieving an absconded-with bishop) would not be smiled upon by Rome. Fortunately for Cronin (and fans of humorous, clever, well-written amateur-sleuth mysteries everywhere), Bishop Blackie Ryan is on his side.

                "We cannot permit this, Blackwood!"

                "Indeed."

                "Auxiliary bishops do not slip into the fourth dimension, not in this archdiocese."

                "Patently."

                "Especially they do not disappear on L trains that also disappear, right?"

                "Right!"

                "You yourself have said that we will be the prime suspects, have you not? Don't we have powerful reasons for wanting to get rid of him?"

                "Arguably," I sighed. "However, as you well know, in the best traditions of the Sacred College we would have dispatched Idiot with poison."

                As with any amateur sleuth worth the paper he's written on, Ryan has a cadre of variously talented (and oft-related) professionals--cops, psychologists, reporters, etc.--at his beck and call. And good thing, too, for there are that many and more likely suspects--about the same number, arguably, as there are reasons to devour the entire Ryan series. The Bishop and the Missing L Train is another ecclesiastical lulu. --Michael Hudson

                Book Description

                Millions of Blackie Ryan fans will be thrilled with his return in this exciting novel of mystery and suspense. Bestselling novelist Andrew M. Greeley has captured the imagination of the mystery reading public with the improbable Bishop Blackie Ryan, who works for the aristocratic, haughty, sometimes arrogant but often slyly good humored Sean Cardinal Cronin, the Archbishop of Chicago. The Vatican has just assigned auxiliary Bishop Gus Quill to the Archdiocese of Chicago over the violent protests of Archbishop Sean Cronin, and the not so silent protests of Bishop Blackie. Bishop Quill is under the illusion, one might say delusion, that he has been sent from Rome to replace the good Cardinal when in fact Rome was dying to get rid of him because of his incompetence. Immediately on arriving in Chicago, he manages to disappear while riding the L Train and it is up to Blackie to find him. As the Cardinal says, "The Vatican does not like to lose bishops, even auxiliaries." And thus begins the search for the missing bishop who no one really wants to find. Of course, none of this is too much for the intrepid little Bishop Ryan. He faces these problems squarely and, with the kind of deductive mind reminiscent of G.K Chesterton's Father Brown, manages to find solutions to some of the most baffling mysteries he has ever encountered.

                Customer Reviews:

                5 out of 5 stars Very Entertaining.......2007-07-09

                This was a very entertaing read; I recommend it to new and old fans alike. I had no clue as to the mastermind but all the clues were there.

                4 out of 5 stars Predictable.......2007-02-13

                A predictable, if original Father Blackie book. Although this story strays from the traditional "locked room" types of cases that Blackie is famous for, it is very similar in that one knows that an "L" train cannot simply disappear. The secret of its disappearance and the perpetrator of the evil deed in kidnapping the disliked auxillary bishop were transparent from an early point. Not one of Greeley's better efforts.

                3 out of 5 stars Like, totally...lay off the "hip" language, Father!.......2004-11-11

                I will admit that I admire Fr. Greeley in general, and that he always has very interesting plots. (Well, there's SOMETHING there or else I wouldn't continue to pick up the books!)

                However, the typical affectations he uses are annoying enough that if you're not a fan, you might find the book a bit wearing on the nerves. There are only so many "cutes" and "weirds" and "like, totallies" that one can endure in good faith, y'know?

                As with most of his plots, it's a good. An annoying bishop and a train car go missing. Not that anyone would really MISS the bishop that's lost, but still, the proprieties must be observed and it is quite a conundrum as to what happened.

                The book follows the stories of not only Blackie Ryan, but as is typical in the Bishop series, it also follows the stories of others involved in the story from their own point of view. In this book particularly, I found their stories to be of more interest than going back to Blackie's POV.

                I can't say that it's a bad book; it's not. I just wish, however, that Fr. Greeley would quit trying to be SO Irish, SO cute and SO "with it." It just rings false after so much of it.

                4 out of 5 stars Gus is oh so real.......2004-05-17

                If you're a left-wing Catholic or Episcopalian, you'll love this book. Gus Quill is a caricature, but his kind does exist, and you'll find yourself nodding along with Bishop Blackie. However, celibates really shouldn't try to write romance- mysteries work quite well without romantic subplots.

                3 out of 5 stars Forget the Bishop...Find the Train.......2001-07-24

                As your run of the mill kidnapping mystery, this is not exactly a cliffhanger. Hiding a railroad car in Chicago requires a rather large suspension of reader credulity, and fortunately the search for the equipment is not the centerpiece of the book. The more intriguing issue is the whereabouts of its passenger, a relatively new auxiliary bishop known by most of his peers as Idiot Quill. There is no absence of suspects, so what we have here is an inner city Murder on the Orient Express.

                This untimely disappearance of a prince of the Church causes no little embarrassment for the Cardinal of Chicago with his superiors in Rome. So, as is his wont, the Cardinal turns over this dirty affair to his fix-it auxiliary bishop, Blackie Ryan. That Ryan is a bishop is itself a mystery: he eschews popery, as they would say years ago, ministers to teenagers [his rectory is full of mouthy girls answering phones and violating confidentiality], and spends considerable time making sick calls-when is the last time your bishop visited you in the hospital?-wearing a Michael Jordan jacket, no less. He is so well connected to every ranking cop, judge, reporter, doctor, and psychiatrist in Chicago that solving crimes for this bishop is more a matter of managing his cell phone than rummaging with the CSI unit.

                The art of reading Greeley novels used to be deciphering the author's ecclesiology du jour, or what he thought about the American Catholic Church at any given time. There is still some element of that challenge in this work. Here the ugly nemesis is the annulment process-Quill had made a career of mismanaging annulment appeals in Rome-but there are other Greeley signatures as well: spiritual healing through sexual encounter, the failure of priests to visit the sick, whiskey, powerful women professionals, interminable pedigrees of Chicago neighborhoods, and angry feminists come to mind.

                But age is beginning to tell. Father Greeley, I fear, describes a church life that passed away a generation ago. Blackie's rectory reeks of clerical hospitality, the days when the priests gathered for nightcaps to recount the day's adventures. Today one priest frequently pastors several parishes, and usually alone. In Father Greeley's Chicago the fix is in for the Church: a Roman collar will make a parking ticket magically disappear. No such coziness exists anymore in the present atmosphere; "the Meghan" [Ryan's teen employees] would all be fingerprinted and subjected to background checks.

                Greeley's church novels are becoming less mystery and more timepieces. No greater evidence is needed than the heart of the kidnapping plot itself in this book. In the real world of today's Church, the motive would be totally irrelevant.
                Bishop and the Missing L Train (A Blackie Ryan Story)
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  Bishop and the Missing L Train (A Blackie Ryan Story)

                  Manufacturer: Recorded Books, LLC
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Audio Cassette
                  ASIN: 140253390X

                  Product Description

                  Unabridged 6 cassettes, 7 hours of listening to A Blackie Ryan Story, The Bishop and the L Train. Catholic mystery.
                  The Bishop and the Missing L Train A Blackie Ryan Story
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    The Bishop and the Missing L Train A Blackie Ryan Story
                    Andrew M. Greeley
                    Manufacturer: New York: Tom Doherty Associates Book, 2000
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Hardcover
                    ASIN: B000NXHTD0
                    3 PBs by Andrew M. Greeley: White Smoke, Irish Gold, The Bishop and the Missing L Train
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      3 PBs by Andrew M. Greeley: White Smoke, Irish Gold, The Bishop and the Missing L Train
                      Andrew M. Greeley
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Paperback
                      ASIN: B000U5UW8U

                      Product Description

                      Paperbacks
                      The Bishop & the Missing L Train
                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                        The Bishop & the Missing L Train
                        Andrew M. Greeley
                        Manufacturer: Forge Books
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Paperback
                        ASIN: B000OTMWYO
                        The Bishop and the Missing L Train
                        Average customer rating: Not rated
                          The Bishop and the Missing L Train
                          Andrew M. Greeley
                          Manufacturer: Forge
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Hardcover
                          ASIN: B000NUCA96
                          The Bishop and the Missing L Train: A Blackie Ryan Story
                          Average customer rating: Not rated
                            The Bishop and the Missing L Train: A Blackie Ryan Story
                            Andrew M. Greeley
                            Manufacturer: Forge
                            ProductGroup: Book
                            Binding: Paperback
                            ASIN: B000S9PPUI

                            Books:

                            1. Lady of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley's Avalon #3)
                            2. Levi's Will
                            3. Magic's Pawn (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 1)
                            4. McKettrick's Choice (McKettrick Men Series #3)
                            5. Mercy, Mercy Me: The Art, Loves and Demons of Marvin Gaye
                            6. Molly and the Magic Wishbone
                            7. My Soul to Keep
                            8. My Sunshine (Coulter Family)
                            9. Never Look Back
                            10. On the Street Where You Live

                            Books Index

                            Books Home

                            Recommended Books

                            1. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
                            2. 15 Books in 1: L. Frank Baum's Original "Oz" Series. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land
                            3. Reversible Crystal Plasticity
                            4. The Tesseract
                            5. The Doubtful Guest
                            6. A Thousand Splendid Suns
                            7. The Value of Family: A Blueprint for the 21st Century
                            8. Art Law: The Guide for Collectors, Artists, Investors, Dealers, and Artists, Third Edition
                            9. The American cartoon album: An anthology of cartoon humor, published and original, reflecting the Am
                            10. The Genera Sapotaceae