When Father Tom Morgan hears the confession of a murderer, he is faced with an impossible dilemma: whether to violate the sacred seal of confession and betray his vows, remain silent while the killing continues and risk innocent lives ... or take justice into his own hands at the cost of his faith and conscience.
Meanwhile, Detective Atalia Reid is hunting a killer who ritually stages the bodies of his victims. As she finds more clues that seem to implicate Tom's parish, her suspicion of the troubled priest intensifies, leading her to believe he is concealing a dangerous secret.
Driven by mistrust and a mounting sense of dread, Tom and Atalia are drawn into a deadly contest between faith and justice. With each new murder, Tom's silence becomes harder to justify.
Penitent is a morally charged thriller about guilt, conscience and the impossible choice between a sacred duty and saving a life. A.W. Hammond (Author)
A.W. Hammond was born in South Africa and emigrated to Australia as a child. He has a nomination for the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime Novel. He works at RMIT University and lives in Naarm/Melbourne with his wife and daughters.
A holy confession. A string of ritual killings. An impossible choice. A morally-driven literary thriller, blending crime, faith and psychological tension, appealing to both male and female readers. Strong appeal to readers of intelligent, character-led crime with ethical depth, with multiple layered characters - priest, detective, journalist and killer - each grappling with their own secrets. Comparable to Robert Harris' Conclave and Claire Keegan's Small Things Like These in tone and moral complexity. Serial killer thread with ritualistic, religious symbolism adds a commercial crime edge. Timely exploration of institutional power, media scrutiny and public trust. Comparable to:
9780571368686 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Bookscan 60k)
9781804947814 Conclave by Robert Harris (Bookscan 9k)
