Author: Joel Gordonson

Publisher: Select Books

ISBN: 978-1-59079-430-2


Joel Gordonson, author of The Atwelle Confession, is an International Attorney, as well as author of fiction. (2017, inside back cover) His degrees are from both the USA and Cambridge University in England. Gordonsons’ prior novel was That Boy From Nazareth. 

This page turning novel flashes between the current time and 1532 where there are hints about what transpires today from what occurred then. Main historic characters are two prominent families; the Lanhams and the DuBois, and of course, the priest. Contemporary characters consist of; Margeaux, Miss daunting, Don, Squeaky, Father Lanham and a few more.

Back in 1532 the Crown was considering creating a waterway to connect the Atwelle port to other ports for increased trade and prosperity of their entire town. Both DuBois and Lanham could profit most from this new trade route. Both also held their church is high esteem. There was an increasing rift between the Crown and the Catholic Pope that kept both families a bit apart from their church in a financially supportive sense because of this uncertainty. Father Regis hopes to bridge this gap and rebuild his church with their assistance. Can he accomplish his goals? Will the church get rebuilt? Who will be selected by the King to control the port?

Today, Margeaux is working on her pet project - the church in Atwelle. She has a not very well funded position at Cambridge where she hopes to unearth the secrets she searches for from the past to ignite her future with the help on one special student. Margeaux is constantly being asked about the status of her funding for this pet project which she continues to defer and pretend that she may be able to garner funding for the continuance of, but she is simply buying time. While searching for her answers she meets the architect for the church at Atwelle who she believes can spur her search along by unearthing clues. They spend time looking at old roof beams and the carvings in them with flashlights which Margeaux believes are key pieces to her puzzle.

Murders occurred in 1532. Can the carvings in the church roof beams in Atwelle tell who was responsible?

Murders begin to build up around the church today. Is there a lingering evil? Can Margeaux solve the clues and find out who is responsible? Does the architect know more than he appears to? How will this murder mystery unfold?

I enjoyed reading this novel and believe you will too. Sometimes things are not what they appear to be. This novel had a few unexpected twists and turns. Read it and solve the mystery. It truly surprised me!