CHAMELEON: (Father Koesler Mystery Ser.)

Kansas City: MO: Andrews McMeel Pub, 1991. 1st ed. Near fine in dust jacket. Father Robert Koesler, Detroit's Catholic priest and amateur sleuth, returns in Kienzle's latest snappy mystery. When a prostitute wearing a nun's habit is shot to death, it seems the intended victim may have been the dead woman's sister, who is in fact a nun. When a church finance officer who wants to shut down inner-city parish schools is murdered, homicide cop Alonzo Tully wonders if a serial killer is on the loose or is someone targeting members of the Detroit archdiocese? Suspicion centers on a married ex-priest eager to return to active ministry, and on a postal clerk, leader of an ultra-conservative grop that wants to "get the Church back on track." Tully, of course, leans on Father Koesler for churchly insights that will help crack the case. While the improbable ending is a letdown, earlier suspense, witty characterizations and candid exploration of the Church's inner workings make this a winner. First Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Near Fine. Book.