by Lynn Mason

Created on: January 31, 2010

"A Quiet Belief In Angels" by R.J. Ellory is a terrific read. This beautifully written thriller tells the story of Joseph Vaughan and the serial killings of little girls that plague his life. This masterfully well crafted murder mystery is a gem of a book.

Joseph’s voice tells the haunting story which twines through his very own story. Joseph is a child growing up in 1940s Georgia when he first sees the soft white feather floating down. He attributes the feather to angels but, ironically, the feather becomes a harbinger of loss in his life throughout the story. While Hitler was invading Europe, girls were disappearing in rural Georgia.  These murders affect Joseph deeply and help shape the man he will become. "A Quiet Belief In Angels" by R.J. Ellory uses rich language and powerful emotionally charged descriptions to tell a thrilling story full of surprises and style.

It always seemed to Joseph that it all began when his father died leaving him and his mother to survive the depression and economic hardships of the time alone.  Joseph’s classmates, little girls between the ages of seven and twelve, begin disappearing. They are found raped, assaulted and dismembered. Joseph himself finds a mutilated girl. As a teenager he vows to protect the community but the murders continue for years and he is powerless to stop them. Joseph’s mother descends into madness and Joseph displays dogged perseverance in the face of adversity as he grows from child to man. The killings spread to a four county area and no one is ever caught.

 Ten years later a neighbor is found hanging in his barn surrounded by ribbons and mementos from the girls. The murders seem to stop and Joseph moves to Brooklyn to escape the past.  Although he has seen so much heartbreak and misfortune, Joseph is still a young man.  He pursues his dreams and builds a new life for himself and just when the past seems to let him go, duty calls him home to Georgia. Back home, so many things seem to have changed yet something deadly remains the same and fate isn’t done with him yet. The past follows him back to New York and finally catches him in a third floor hotel room, where his belief in angels is tested. The mystery is masterfully developed throughout the story and has a bang-up ending. 

Bestselling author, R.J. Ellory has published six books and lives in England. "A Quiet Belief In Angels" has been the recipient of many awards including, The Strand Magazine’s Best Thriller of 2009 and the Barry Award for Best British Crime Fiction 2008. This story has the power to stun with its quick twists and turns. "A Quiet Belief In Angels" is an excellent choice for fans of murder mysteries and finely written thrillers.

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