Sinner's Prayer

Dan Randolph/Greg Zhu Mystery, #2

by

Dwain Lee

An unresolved 40-year-old disappearance becomes a case of murder.

Sinner's Prayer is the second book in author Dwain Lee's Dan Randolph/Greg Zhu Mysteries and takes the series in a more serious, grittier direction than the debut, as a 40-year-old disappearance becomes a murder case. When Parkvale Presbyterian Church must make repairs to the plumbing under a mid-1980s renovation, workers find more than a water leak; they also uncover human remains buried under the foundation. Working on the theory that the victim is someone associated with the church, the police turn to Pastor Dan Randolph for information that might lead to the corpse's identification. They soon discovered the victim was a very active former parishioner but a divisive figure among the rest of the church family at that time: some of whom weren't shedding any tears over his demise. 

Told via a dual timeline, the events leading up to the actual murder are set in 1985, with the eventual discovery of the body occurring in the fall of 2024, in the days leading up to the presidential election. In the 1985 storyline, readers are introduced to the figures involved in the traumatic circumstances of ongoing sexual abuse of kids in the youth group by a trusted leader. This earlier timeframe paints a picture of what the LGBT community faced at that time. AIDS was an epidemic, with rampant misinformation, fear, and death everywhere, and many gays and lesbians remained closeted rather than being able to live their lives authentically. 

 In 2024, Dan is neck-deep in shepherding the church family through the discovery of what was going on right under everyone's noses and the feared ramifications of a second Trump term for the LGBT community. Just as the nation was divided, so were the members of Parkvale Presbyterian, and emotions are high. Within days of the discovery under the church flooring, a long-time, much-beloved church member loses her adult son, a young man fondly remembered by the parishioners but with a traumatic history with the dead man, to suicide. Dan becomes a target of some of the frustration, and he wonders whether he's helping anyone at all as his second career as a minister approaches retirement. Peeks into Dan and Greg's daily life reinforces what a strong, loving partnership they've found and nurtured. Along with Greg's business and craft as a luthier, a musical thread is woven throughout the story, with a curated playlist of songs to introduce each chapter as well as musical numbers that were featured in the events of the plot. 

This second outing is built on tough, possibly triggering topics for sensitive readers: sexual abuse, spousal abuse, religious institutions' historical responses to allegations of such, acceptance of LGBT parishioners, and the religious beliefs regarding suicide. While the plot involves a complex cold-case murder, most of the story's suspense and tension center on these issues. Their impacts are pivotal, with paralyzing moral and ethical struggles that prevented much-needed action. 

While not a cozy mystery nor a typical cold-case investigation, SINNER'S PRAYER has elements of both and will appeal to mystery readers looking for a serious, grittier tale, especially those interested in historical settings and church- or LGBT community-based stories. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.