Carole J. (PianoLady357) reviewed on 2/17/2016 + 157 more book reviews

I found The Body under the Bridge to be an intriguing read pretty much out of my comfort zone, but really good. Paul McCusker's writing is excellent, characters are very well developed, and the plot not only entertains, but gives readers much upon which to reflect from a spiritual standpoint.

I doubt anyone loves small-village English settings for cozy murder mysteries and police procedurals as much as I do and with the "amateur" detective of Father Gilbert, that's just what I was expecting. Indeed, Paul McCusker does the small-village setting extremely well. But while this story has the picturesque setting of Stonebridge in Sussex, England, there were a few surprises along the way. Foremost of these was the paranormal element a secret Society, pentagram symbol, the unmistakable presence of evil, an ancient curse, and demon possession. Amidst all this, Paul injects a subtle humor that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I found Father Gilbert to be a very appealing character. At some point in the past, he resigned his position with Scotland Yard to become an Anglican priest, and as such, brings a unique combination of investigative skills and spiritual intuition. This book is preceded by nine Father Gilbert Mysteries produced as audio dramas by Focus on the Family, and I imagine more of his back story can be found in these programs.

Father Gilbert has fascinating visions that are unexplainable, vivid scenes that he perceives to be real, and are relevant to events that are about to unfold. I don't presume to understand anything about spiritual warfare, yet I know that Satan is constantly at work and that spiritual warfare is very real. Father Gilbert sees evil as a personal and supernatural force and that the powerful motivators of greed, power, lust, and glory have always been and always will be in play.

I appreciated how strong the spiritual themes were throughout, one particular example being the struggle with temptation that we all face, reflected in Father Gilbert's words: "The line between temptation and action was razor thin and easily passed over without resistance, control, or reasoning. Deliver us from evil... that I so readily embrace."

Paranormal is a genre I almost always avoid, yet I enjoyed this mystery and hope to read more of Father Gilbert's stories. Recommended to all who enjoy a good mystery with supernatural elements.

Thank you to Kregel/Lion Hudson for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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