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EAST SIDE
by John Mackie
Onyx Books, July 2004
370 pages
$6.99
ISBN: 0451411412


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

You have seen the headlines involving the Roman Catholic Church. In New York City, a Catholic priest is murdered. Detective Sergeant Thornton Savage is the main investigator. With frigid weather intact, Savage knows that he is in the hot seat of this case.

His buddy is crime reporter, Joe Ballantine. Joe receives a letter filled with hate from someone called The Soldier. This letter condemns the Catholic Church and threatens to rid the church of evil people. When the second priest is murdered, the letter is taken very seriously. Ballantine's character is secondary, which both surprised and delighted me.

This story is filled with in-depth, well drawn characters. My favorite was Jack Lindstrom. Jack's sister had been killed in the 9/11 murders and his marriage brutally fell apart. He is depressed and finally agrees to see a friend of Savage's. I would have liked to see more of this character as he has more of a story to tell.

The New York snow becomes a character in this story, threatening to shut down the whole city and certainly impeding investigation. Even though we know early in the story who is the murderer, we know that this may not be the whole story. Sporadically, the author gives us just enough information. We are introduced to John Wesley, a 55-year-old angry man. Very ill, John has things he needs to take care of before he dies.

The plot builds with a feel of pageantry and history. There is discussion as to whether the Pope will be safe., as he is expected to come to St. Patrick's Church in Manhattan within the week. Added to this is a priest's confession that discloses information at the heart of the murders.

The story line features many flawed characters. I grew angry with some of the characters, especially those that have taken advantage of their power. Savage is realistically based and as the investigator under fire, I was applauding and cheering him on. This is a hard-punching book taking on good versus evil, greed and secrecy. I can see both the power and the vulnerability of the institution of the Catholic Church.

The next anticipated book by this author, John Mackie, is WEST SIDE, due in 2005. I will be reading it!

Reviewed by Rita Ratacheck, July 2004

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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