What are clerical detectives?
I take clerical detectives to mean any detective with a significant church or religious background, so I include not only priests (male and female), ministers, monks, nuns, ex-nuns, a Shaker, two rabbis (and one rabbi's widow and two ministers' wives), a church administrator, and a clerk of a Quaker Meeting, but, because he is such fun, a choirmaster/organist (Hayden Konig), an extraordinary clergyman-murderer (Francis Oughterard), and even a few witches. I've also found room for The Rev Sebastian, although he is more concerned with spying than detection, The Rev Francis Oughterard, although he is really a murderer rather than a detective, and a Zen Buddhist stuntwoman. There is a complete list of all those included, divided into categories, at the foot of the contents page.
Why a site about clerical detectives?
It has been said that the most successful detective stories are 25% plot, 25% characterisation, and 50% what the writer knows best. Certainly, many authors start by using their own backgrounds and experiences as settings for their stories, and this is particularly true of many clerical mysteries, especially those written by clergy, so these can give us a chance to discover what really goes on behind the scenes, not only in their personal lives but in the organisations to which they belong. And the stories can raise important questions of belief as well as bringing up practical issues (such as the position of women, or of gays, in the church). To provide all this may be asking rather a lot of a detective story, but it's surprising how many of the books meet these criteria, often adding humor too which comes as a welcome bonus.
Why choose the detectives I did?
I began by exploring the net for information about Charles Merrill Smith whose Reverend Randollph books I had accidentally stumbled on, only to discover there was little about him there. I thought he deserved better than this so decided to launch a small introductory site devoted to him and three or four otherwise neglected authors.
I then began to discover just how many clerical detectives there were! I have selected well over one hundred of them (as shown in the contents list) to include on this site. The authors I have (so far) omitted are:
Henry Charlton Beck (priest who wrote several crime novels featuring The Rev Charles Cooper Mickle. I would welcome more info about him, including the titles of the Mickle books! Please use my guest book to get in touch with me.)
Dorothy Salisbury Davis (Father Duffy hears a confession about a murder in A Gentle Murderer, 1951, and Father McMahon solves a mystery in Where the Dark Streets Go, 1970)
Paul M Edwards (Toom Taggart, director of education for a break-away Mormon group, solves murder. Interesting mainly because of its Mormon background)
Edward D Hoch (author of short stories about Simon Ark, 2000 year old Coptic priest!)
Thomas Patrick McMahon (Bishop Purcell hires private eye Dave Peck to save a girl who seems to be a saint. The Issue of the Bishop's Blood was meant to be the first of a series.)
Ben Pastor (Father Malechi helps investigate nun's death in Nazi occupied Poland)
Alice Scanlon Reach (she wrote two short stories featuring Father Francis Xavier Crumlish: In the Confessional,1968, and Father Crumlish Celebrates Christmas,1968)
Jack Webb (Father Joseph Shanley helps Jewish Sergeant Sammy Golden solve crimes)
Hal White (author of short story collection, The Mysteries of Reverend Dean)
I have named them all here in case anyone finds the list useful. If you can suggest others, please let me know (via my guest book).
My own preference is for authors who produce interesting stories and characters whose lives really were influenced by their faiths. I particularly like those engaged in a personal struggle with ecclesiastical bureaucracy, especially when this was done not only with concern but with humor. The background has to be convincing too, as it was this that had attracted me to the books in the first place. But I also found room for Soeur Auguste, who didn't even believe in God.
Which are the very best clerical detectives?
My own favorites are:
Reverend Randollph (by Charles Merrill Smith). The author and character obviously have much in common, and his sense of humor brings his religion to life.
Rabbi Small (by Harry Kemelman). A very sympathetic portrayal of a small Jewish community with the emphasis on the religious significance of Judaism.
Sister Fidelma (by Peter Tremayne). A fascinating portrayal of 7th century Ireland when the Celtic church allowed monks and nuns to marry, there were mixed sex monasteries, and women could rise to high levels in the legal profession.
Father Koesler (by William X Kienzle). The author and character again have much in common. Fascinating portrayal of the Roman Catholic church after Vatican II and the problems it still faces.
Theodora Braithwaite (by D M Greenwood). A disgruntled view of oddities in the Anglican Church, written by someone who had obviously experienced them at first hand. Entertaining and witty.
Of the few non-clerical detectives included on the site because I so enjoyed them, my favorites are:
Michael Gilbert's characters. Michael Gilbert wrote a large number of highly diverse stories, notable for their entertaining, ingenious and convincing plots.
In all my comments on the books, I have tried never to give away the solution or do anything to lessen a reader's enjoyment of the story.
A beginners' guide to detective nuns
(of whom there are probably too many, particularly medieval ones)
The most intriguing and most well-connected nun? Sister Fidelma
The most lively nun? Sister Joan
The most sexually explicit nun? Sister Agnes
The "least cut out to be a nun"? Sister Pelagia
The most unbelieving nun? Soeur Auguste
The most formidable nun? Sister Mary Teresa
The nun with the simplest faith (and the most obedient dog)? Sister Agatha
The most amusing nun? Sister John
The nun who hides mystery stories in her prayer book? Sister Helen Mary
The nun described as a "self-opinionated little devil"? Soeur Angèle
The shrewdest but least seen nun? Sister Ursula
The nun who got married at 14? Abbess Helewise
The nun with a private investigator's licence? Sister Cecile
The nun who is Sister on the cover but Dame in the book? Dame Frevisse
The nun who can't stop lusting after a young monk? Prioress Eleanor
The young ex-novice whose father was Jewish? Catherine LeVendeur
The ex nun who runs her own detective agency? Bridget O"Toole
The very first detective nun, in a story "free of gore and sex"? Sister Simon
The medieval nun who most resembles a modern woman? Hildegard
The most holy nun ???
There is an interesting article (March 2007) about clerical detectives on the Albuquerque Tribune site. Recommended sites about individual authors are listed on the relevant pages.
Finding the books
I have included a search engine to abebooks and to amazon on every page, but you might also like to try alibris for used copies, and, for a comprehensive overview, bookfinder.
I have spare copies of some of the books reviewed on this site available for sale - but only to UK addresses, I'm afraid. Please use my Guestbook to let me know what you are looking for.
I hope you enjoy exploring the site. You can read the pages in any order (there is a search engine at the foot of the CONTENTS PAGE).
Please use my GUEST BOOK to tell me what you think of it. All comments, contributions (or corrections) welcomed!
My thanks to Steve Lewis of mystery*file for suggesting that I should add this page.
Philip Grosset
CONTENTS LIST