Book Review: Flesh and Blood

Reviewed By: Pat Reid - RAM

Flesh and Blood     Amazon US TPB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada TPB Amazon Canada HC
Michael Lister
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Hard Boiled   [Short Stories]
Series: John Jordan
Potttersville Press, 2006, 249 pps.

John Jordan is a prison chaplain at Potter Correctional Institution. John Jordan is also divorced, an ex-policeman and a recovering alcoholic. He is in love with a woman named Anna who is now married to someone else but Anna still helps him out in some of his cases.

John is really more a detective than a chaplain. Flesh and Blood is a series of short stories describing some of the interesting cases that have come up during John’s employment at the prison.

The stories are varied. One involves a nun who is pregnant but still a virgin. You will be quite surprised when you read how this came to be.

Chaplain Jordan’s father is the local Sheriff and he sometimes aids John in his investigations.

There is even a story about John falling off the wagon and his fight back to sobriety.

The reader learns something of the interactions between the prisoners and the employees of the prison.

The stories are all varied and interesting. There is the story of a body of what was thought to be a prison employee found face down in the yard. John helps sort out the identity and the purpose of the murder.

The book has a wonderful introduction by Margaret Coel. This review really doesn’t do the book justice but to tell more would have to include spoilers. This is a quick read and worth your time.

Pat Reid - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Pat Reid - RAM