The Redeemed (Jenny Cooper Mysteries)

Now in paperback, the second novel in this “series to watch” (Booklist) stars coroner Jenny Cooper as she investigates the murder of a porn star turned megachurch devotee.When Washington-based Mission Church of God opens a new megachurch in Bristol, England, it’s an instant phenomenon. With the help of millionaire Michael Turnbull, it quickly grows to a large congregation. Among the converts to its highly charismatic brand of religion is ex-porn film actress Eva Donaldson, whom Turnbull enlists as the face of a national campaign for legislation banning Internet pornography. When Eva is brutally murdered, Paul Craven, a recently released prisoner, makes a confession to police. But Coroner Jenny Cooper is reluctantly persuaded by Craven’s Catholic priest, the zealous Father Lucas Starr, that there is far more to Eva’s death than the police cared to investigate.As Jenny enters the emotionally charged world of the Mission Church, she uncovers sinister connections to the apparent suicides of two other congregants. Beset by demons from her own past, Jenny struggles to unearth the buried traumas that continue to haunt her while confronting the dark forces behind the three deaths. The Redeemed is a provocative and compelling mystery that explores the dark waters of false redemption and the fine line between good and evil.“Readers of Patricia Cornwell will very much enjoy this psychological thriller. Jenny Cooper’s character is flawed and unflinchingly real.”—Library Journal (starred review)“A chilling blend of religion and corruption.”—Publishers Weekly