Blood of the Lamb
By Michael Lister

    Prison chaplain John Jordan is not your average priest. An ex-pastor, ex-police officer and an alcoholic--reformed, of course--merge in this complex man, honestly searching for God, who now has charge of the spiritual welfare of those serving time at Potter Correctional Institution in Pottersville, Florida.

     Returning to work after a two-week school, John is shocked to find charismatic ex-con turned-televangelist, Bobby Earl Caldwell, as well as his wife and five-year old daughter, getting ready to hold a revival service, without one iota of the normal regulatory hoop-jumping that is required for such events to insure the safety of its participants.
Short-handed, John finds himself overwhelmed during the service, but never expects to find the five-year old murdered in his own office.

       In a place known for cover-ups, John is asked, in his capacity as an ex-cop, to investigate the crime, whose perpetrator could be one of many.

      In his book Blood of the Lamb, Michael Lister is on top of his game. The setting is unusual, the character not a typical cop or cleric, and the crime sensational. I found his work engaging and well-done, yet question a few of his premises. As a Christian, I found it hard to tell exactly where he stands doctrinally, but overall, a satisfying and compelling whodunit.