The Bishop and the Three Kings

This Blackie Ryan novel was truly entertaining, and is one of my favorites in the series. It's a good one to read around the Christmas holidays. I'll admit that Cinda-Sue's dialect can be a bit distracting, but I found her quite well-rounded as a character once he developed her a bit, and learned to live with her. Let's face it, we all have dialects, but few of us recognize it because most of those around us speak in the same way. I think Father Greeley uses dialects and slang as a means of helping his readers distinguish between characters. In his mysteries, there tends to be lots of characters with the same last names or similar chracteristics, so the dialects and slang are helpful identifiers for those of us who get a little befuddled about who is who after a few days away from the book. I just wish he would drop the "Like-Ohmigod!" valley girl talk he tends to give the virtuous Meaghans and any other teenage girl in his novels. I haven't spoken with a teenager who uses speech pattens like that since 1983. Keep cranking the Blackie Ryan novels out, Father Greeley!

As a reader that has become adddicted to the Blackie Ryan series, I found found his adventure in to Germany an enjoyable read. Greeley is becoming a legend in the mystery genere as well Catholic Literature.

Cologne, Appalachia, Germans: In this short but important book, Andrew Greeley continues to share with us his theology and the delight of a loving God. Most of all, I feel his great appreciation for human endeavor such as Cologne, and Appalachia. His mastery of bringing together different gifts of the Holy Spirit is a warm sweetness. Enjoy this book: Andrew Greeley is a love carrier and the reality of human love divinely inspired is truly wonderful and full of God's power.

Andrew Greeley always captivates his readers attention, and this book is no exception. Bishop Blackie, his nephew Peter, and Cindasue are endearing, fun, thought-provoking, and interesting characters. Bishop Blackie always manages to comment on society in general and Catholics specifically(ah yes, and Mother Church and her sometimes misguided leaders as well) with wit and wisdom. I learn something new all the time. This book held my attention from the Archbishops appearance in Blackie's study to the final "curtain". I look forward to more Bishop Blackie mysteries.

To Bishop Blackie Ryan and his family, the world consists of two places: "Chicago and All Other". Blackie loves his home city of Chicago and has no doubts that he will spend the Yuletide season there. However, with eighty-five days till Christmas, a distraught Sean Cardinal Cronin tells Blackie that the casket with the remains of the three Wise Men has been stolen from the Cologne Cathedral. As a favor to the cardinal archbishop of Cologne and to avoid a CNN reported scandal, Sean sends Blackie overseas to investigate the caper. Blackie's sister makes him take his nephew Peter, who is between schools at the moment so she can rid herself of the pest. Blackie and Peter fly to Germany where the magnitude of the theft is incredible to both of them. Even more shocking is the fact that no one has claimed the successful stealing of the relic. The twosome begin to search for clues, but if they are not careful they may find themselves joining the Three Wise Men in the afterlife. THE BISHOP AND THE THREE KINGS, the tenth Blackie Ryan mystery, is a wonderful holiday season sleuth tale. The story line is masterfully put together and the characters are all first rate. Blackie puts a new slant on wise men, as he remains a wise cracking protagonist. Andrew M. Greeley knows how to educate his reader on Christian theology in an entertaining manner that will elate who-done-it fans.Harriet Klausner