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Blood of the Lamb
This unspeakable act, and the investigation that follows, will force John to confront his own fears and beliefs, causing this man of mercy to thirst for justice. Torn between the seemingly conflicting roles he's asked to assume—cop and cleric—John must struggle to figure out his identity as well as that of the killer's, but his past continues to haunt him in the form of troubling thoughts of failure and the resurfacing of his ex-wife, Susan. Putting aside his distrust of the slick televangelist and his seductive wife, John must ignore intimidation and resist manipulation to find a killer among some very unusual suspects—including two murderers, a child molester, a teacher with something to hide, and Bobby Earl Caldwell himself whose very act of exposing his daughter to such risk causes John to suspect him from the very beginning. Amid private crises and the torturous experiences of a thoughtful, sensitive man working in such a pitiless place, nothing short of death will end John's search for the person who killed little Nicole Caldwell. Uncovering the guilt, restoring the balance, John seeks pardon from the self-inflicted life sentence he's serving and exoneration from the burden of regret he bears. --Reviews-- Kirkus Starred Review "Blood of the Lamb was worth the wait. Author Michael Lister perfectly blends religion into a gritty, realistic look at prison life without preaching or overpowering his solid plot. Lister invigorates the religion mystery -- a growing sub-category of the genre -- inside a hard-boiled novel. The myriad aspects of prison life and the scenes at the various locations in the prison are realistically explored. At the center is John Jordan, a deeply flawed man who, ironically, has little use for organized religion, but deeply believes in the power of prayer, forgiveness and justice. Blood of the Lamb moves at a fast clip as John finds his insider's view helpful. Blood of the Lamb marks the return of an intriguing character." Oline Cogdill South Florida Sun Sentinel "Blood Of The Lamb is a gripping locked-room murder mystery. Unflinchingly brutal in its portrayal of violence, sexual abuse, and murder within the prison setting, Blood of the Lamb comes alive with chilling reality and fully humanized, believable character portraits all the way up to the end. Highly recommended for mystery fans for its attention to detail and lack of questionable contrivance." Midwest Book Review "Lister's books are well-crafted whodunits, keeping the reader guessing to the end. But perhaps the most enjoyable part of reading is his main character. John Jordan is a guy you've got to love. Michael Lister writes with authority. The Rev is on a roll." Sharon Kant-Rauch, Tallahassee Democrat "Michael Lister proved his worth as a writer with his first book Power in the Blood. He's done it again with his second John Jordan mystery Blood of the Lamb. There are more sinners than saints in this tautly written mystery. Readers will find themselves sympathetic to Jordan, a man with troubles of his own whose conscience won't allow him to accept a cover-up by prison authorities. Highly recommended." Mystery Scene Magazine "In 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. A satisfying and compelling whodunit." Nancy Williams Myshelf Magazine
"Lister writes with confidence and an eye for detail, having been a prison chaplain himself. The characters speak in real voices and address the hardships of prison – racism, sexual assault, violence. Lister's Jordan is a spiritual man in a little piece of hell on earth, and the narrative doesn't flinch from portraying it as such. Moreover, the storyline is based on an actual event where Lister served. That makes Blood of the Lamb a troubling what-if of a whodunit." Tony Simmons The Panama City News Herald "Blood of the Lamb does an excellent job as a stand-alone novel, though some readers may find their interest in the entire series quickly piqued. The first book, Power in the Blood, is still readily available. John is a unique hero. Though he is a prison chaplain, his belief in organized religion is not strong. I find this quality to be very refreshing. If he were a real person, I could easily find myself becoming fast friends with John. There are religious tones in Blood of the Lamb, but it is never overt or preachy. If you are looking for a mystery that gives you something to think about, Michael Lister's series is a perfect choice." Roundtable Reviews "This is such a wonderful mystery on so many levels. Michael Lister has created a wonderfully human and real character in John Jordan, a chaplain who is a bit hard-boiled, definitely not a stereotype. Lister portrays prison life in such a gritty way that I plan to stay on my best behavior. This is a book that demands to be read quickly. Lister is definitely on my ‘must read' pile from here on." Jon Jordan, Crime Spree Magazine "An interesting tale of murder and secrets woven in such a way that you are surprised at the ending. But then you think you should have figured it out, and might have if you had paid more attention to solving the mystery and not been so engaged in the interactions of the characters. The fact that I was paying that much attention to the characters is a credit to the author. A good book worth the investment of your time." Barbara Wright, Murder and Mayhem Book Club "Michael Lister is a genius at evoking the dangerous mood of a prison while, at the same time, showing how the light of redemption shines even in the darkest places. Blood of the Lamb is tense and tightly plotted, a true page-turner until the very satisfying ending." Margaret Coel, best-selling author of Killing Raven "In Michael Lister's Blood of the Lamb the writing is lean, the pace sure—always one step ahead of the reader. The tension level throughout the story is strong, the setting utterly real. The murder is puzzling. Best of all, the characters have inner lives. They are real. I care about them and have no idea exactly what's going to happen to them. This is the real thing—great writing by a true storyteller." Donald Maass, author of Writing the Breakout Novel "Michael Lister writes with sensitivity and a fine eye for detail. Race, politics, and religion are all subtly addressed in the fast-paced Blood of the Lamb. What I especially like is Lister's ability to make his themes decidedly Biblical without the slightest hint of preaching or moralizing. Lister can write and I hope he keeps doing so for a long time." "Blood of the Lamb is a superb mystery. Michael Lister paints a disquieting portrait of a state prison, its inmates and officials forming a repertory company of evil, as though any given actor could play another's role by simply changing costumes. Hero John Jordan is as troubled as he is fascinating, a recovering alcoholic prison chaplain who is unsure of even his own faith. Highly original and even more highly recommended." Jeremiah Healy, author of Rescue and Spiral
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Florida prison chaplain John Jordan's search for the peace that has so long eluded him is interrupted by an unimaginable murder. Attempting to be a good man in a very bad place while also maintaining his shaky sobriety, John investigates the murder of the seven year-old adopted daughter of ex-con turned televangelist, Bobby Earl Caldwell, a murder committed in John's own locked office when Bobby Earl conducts a service in the Potter Correctional Institution chapel.