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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
A murder in a church setting; the investigation involves hidden identities and relationships
Language
Barely any
Mild language
Sexual Content
Some
Some sexual content — the investigation involves relationships within the church
Substance Use
Some
Morse drinks heavily throughout
Emotional Intensity
Some
The specific hypocrisy of people who present a religious face to the world; the architecture of concealment that a small community builds around shared secrets
What this book is about
A church in Oxford is the setting for a murder — a warden found dead — and when Inspector Morse investigates, he finds that the small congregation of St. Frideswide's is concealing more than the usual church politics. The victim's identity becomes questionable, and the relationships within the church circle are not what they appear. Colin Dexter's fourth Morse novel is his most Gothic in atmosphere — the church setting, the religious imagery, the hidden lives of its characters — and Morse's partnership with Lewis feels more settled and reliable than in the earlier books.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
fourth of the Inspector Morse series
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