Criminal Intent

by William Bernhardt

Book Overview

When a priest with radical ideas and a parish council with traditional values lock horns over the beliefs they hold most sacred, there's bound to be controversyand consequences. But murder crosses the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345441737
• ISBN13: 9780345441737
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 358 Pages
• Weight: 0.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Book

I'm trying to collect all of the William Bernhart books so that I can ready them all again.

Ben Kincaid & Friends Just Keep Getting Better

First, and most important, this is a cracking good story, with surprises right up to the end. Even if you have never read anything about Ben Kincaid before, you can start with this one and enjoy it tremendously, but it is all the more fun if Ben, Christina, Jones, Loving, and the others are old friends. William Bernhardt created several likable and interesting series characters in addition to Ben Kincaid, and as the series has progressed, some have ben dropped and some have been added. In "Criminal Intent," Paula, one of the more recently added characters, marries Jones, but, as you might expect, their wedding is marred by murder. One of the mysteries is the lack of any fingerprints on the presumed murder weapon other than those of Father Beale, who is charged with the murder. Ben is unshakably (and correctly) certain that Father Beale did not murder anyone, but the D.A. is absolutely determined to convict him. Ben comes up with an ingenious explanation for the lack of fingerprints, but misses an obvious possibility that I was expecting, because Bernhardt himself didn't think of it until I mentioned it in an e-mail to him. (I found the address of Bernhardt's web site on page 390 of the paperback edition.) The observations Father Beale tells Ben about on pp. 384-5 may (one hopes) lead to developments in the next novel, "Death Row," that we fans of Ben and Christina have been hoping for for some time. A very welcome development in the most recent Ben Kincaid novels, especially including this one, is an involvement with social issues. Bernhardt doesn't preach; he just presents a situation involving controversial ethical choices, and lets that situation speak for itself. Your conclusion, or mine, may or may not agree with Bernhardt's, but we are almost compelled to reconsider our thoughts and conclusions, and possibly to modify some of them. I suspect that some of the reviewers who didn't like this book were discomforted by the need to think critically about the situation presented. But if, like me, you find food for thought an invigorating bonus, you will now find it in the more recent mysteries of William Bernhardt, as well as those of Miriam Grace Monfredo, and some of those of Tony Hillerman and Judith Jance, all of which I highly recommend. Thank you, William Bernhardt. I am looking forward to many more of your novels. watziznaym@gmail.com

Mr. Bernhardt keeps the reader guessing until the end

William Bernhardt is one of those guys who labors mightily and persistently despite not being a household name. He actually makes this work to his benefit. He can stretch a bit here and there, and take a chance or three that he might not otherwise be able to because he, at this stage, is not quite well known enough to have to live up to certain expectations. I'm not sure why he isn't better known --- his publisher certainly believes in him, and he can craft as a compelling a page turner as anyone. If one occasionally finds their suspension of disbelief sliding into "Hey, wait a minute" territory while reading his work, it certainly doesn't keep the pages from turning almost of their own volition.CRIMINAL INTENT is Bernhardt's latest work; Bernhardt takes a big chance here, combining the best elements of two tested subcategories of the mystery genre --- the legal thriller and the drawing room mystery. Whatever strengths and weaknesses Bernhardt's work might have, it is simply amazing how he can so seamlessly combine these elements and craft a work which keeps the reader guessing up to the last few pages while at the same time propelling the reader smartly along. On top of that, he presents an extremely unlikely suspect: Father Daniel Beale, an Episcopal priest who is not exactly the most likable of characters. He's managed to alienate at least half of his parishioners by dragging them, kicking and screaming, toward his view of what's what, with the result that his flock is inexorably straying toward other shepherds.When Beale is accused of murder, Attorney Ben Kincaid is there to see him through. Kincaid and Beale go back a long way, practically to Kincaid's childhood, and Kincaid is more than capable of seeing the good in the man. When yet another murder occurs, however, and Beale is caught literally red-handed, it seems all but certain that he is indeed the murderer. Kincaid does his best, but even his own client seems to be working against him. For there is much about Beale that Kincaid does not know. Surprise after devastating surprise awaits Kincaid as he attempts to defend Beale --- a task which, it appears, amounts to defending the indefensible.Bernhardt's fan base will undoubtedly consider CRIMINAL INTENT to be one of his best; certainly this is one of more compelling novels to be published by anyone this year. Kincaid is just offbeat enough, just eccentric enough, to be real and unclassifiable, and his supporting cast is interesting but never threatens to overshadow him. And if you've tried one of Bernhardt's novels in the past, but never returned to his work, CRIMINAL INTENT would be a good way to renew an old but unfulfilled acquaintance. This might be the one that puts Bernhardt's name, already on the map, in bolder letters. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Life at St. Benedict's Has a Lot to Do With Death

Reviewer Eleanor Miller has written a first rate review of this book which I agree with without reservation. I urge you to read it for a full presentation of what this book is about.I bring an interesting perspective to this book about an Episcopal priest who is charged with the murder of the Senior Warden of the parish and who is defended by an attorney who is a member of the choir. I happen to be an Episcopalian, an attorney, a member of the choir of my church and the Senior Warden. For that reason alone, I was interested to see where this story was going.Well, let's say first that Father Beale of this book is no Father Timothy, of Jan Karon fame. He has a temper, some say a "muderous" one, he is on the edge of many contentious issues that the Church is dealing with at this time, his vestry wants him to resign and he is an advocate for the Liberated Christian lifestyle. I'll let you read the book and see how that fits into the story.I found the book to be an interesting whodunit. You know it isn't Father Beale, but who the heck is it? That is revealed late in the book along with the presentation to the reader of a an issue that many may not have thought about before reading this book. I guarantee you will think about it afterwards. I leave it for you to find out what it is. Well worth reading!

The Best Legal Thriller From the Best Legal Thriller Writer

I can't understand why more people don't know about and read William Bernhardt. He is the best of the legal thriller writers and I think this is his best book yet. I know Bernhardt has a very loyal cadre of fans, but it seems as if so much is said about Grisham and Margolin and others. Bernhardt is a much more interesting, more exciting writer. I love his lead character, Ben Kincaid--a more human lawyer than some of the tough-guy stereotypes of other authors. His books always have a sprinkling of humor, which I appreciate, and are always filled with twists and turns--one big surprise after another. His last two books--Silent Justice and Murder One--have been more mature and shown more writing style, and this new one--Criminal Intest--is his best yet. What's more--this book is very timely, given that it involves a priest accused of a horrible crime. If you haven't read William Bernhardt before, do yourself a treat and check out Criminal Intent and find out what you've been missing.