If Angels Fall

By: Rick Mofina

Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Tom Reed is a crime reporter with The San Francisco Star whose superb journalistic skills earned him a Pulitzer nomination. But years later Reed's life is coming apart. His editor wants him fired. His wife has left him to wrestle with his demons. Alone, Reed is tormented by the fear he may have caused the suicide of an innocent man suspected of murdering a two-year-old girl.

Reed's friend on the case is legendary San Francisco homicide inspector Walt Sydowski, who has one of California's highest clearance rates. He is also a lonely widower haunted by the fact he cannot solve the girl's heartbreaking death. Both men grapple with the past while they race the clock to learn the truth behind several new abductions that have anguished the Bay Area in this acclaimed thriller set in the late 1990s.

©2000, 2013 Rick Mofina (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Great Book

This is my second Rick Mofina book and both have been great books.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to the very end. I'm not usually fond of police procedural's which involve civilians such as psychologists, counselors, writers, or otherwise, but this story is one of the exceptions and tracked the parallel - sometimes crossing - paths of Tom Reed, a journalist and crime reporter, and detective Sydowski. There is a murder and three kidnappings of children in a short space of time and clues are few and ambiguous. But the story is to be read not told about. What I can say is that all the characters were completely believable; people anyone might know and yet not boring because the story carries them forward. This story gives you a lot of threads and I had some idea how they might all tie together, but the details are what mattered. There is the minutest amount of graphic description of the first missing child who is found murdered. Other than that, the reader is pulled along by incredible suspense. The procedural aspects of both the police and the media rang very true and the drama was all in the murder, the kidnappings, and the efforts to get to the truth. Something I much prefer as opposed to drama in the personal lives of the characters. This isn't to say that some of the trials and tribulations of the characters aren't there. There is enough to make them feel real but not so much that they become more of the story than the story. I really loved both the main characters, Sydowski and Reed, different as they were. At times, I was a little reminded of Jeffrey Deaver books, but with a different intensity and a lot less gore - and I think I prefer this Mofina although i am a big fan of Jeffrey Deaver. I am generally not one of those 'can't put a book down' people but this is one book that I really didn't want to put down. It is a complex weaving of a lot of threads that just makes you want to get to the end to see how they will come together. But you don't want to get to the end either, because the read is so good you don't want it to end. Another plus is that the ending is a good one in that the book doesn't fizzle out as so many good stories tend to do before the end. Good to the last word. I got this book for free, but I'll be happy to spend some money on more Mofina books. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves a good detective story.

Christian Rummel was fantastic with the delivery of the story

I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys novels packed with suspense and thrills.

Spoiler alert.

There is one significant hiccup in the story for me. I enjoyed the story despite a plot error that if intentional, seems a little lazy and perpetuates a rather unflattering stereotype regarding the Roman Catholic practice or sacrament of reconciliation.

I’m nitpicking here so stop reading if my nitpicking isn’t important to you. Reconciliation ( the practice of confessing your sins to a priest ) for Catholics is a serious and ultimately joyful recognition of God’s grace.

The sacrament of reconciliation is a private conversation with a priest concerning one’s faith and the penitents’ desire to reconcile their relationship to God. Due to sin, or better stated, the separation that exists between an infinitely perfect and loving God, and a human being who by an act of free will decides to either deliberately commit an immoral or harmful act, or by refusing to act when doing so would have been the right thing to do.

Here’s the hiccup in the story. While it is true that a priest is bound by an oath to protect the confidentiality of a person seeking reconciliation with God. Confidentiality isn’t protected if a person is committing crimes such a murder, or when harm to others is eminent etc.

A priest is required and must notify the authorities if he is aware of certain crimes. No one’s confidentiality is preserved if the life and well being of others are threatened.

In the story the priest knows who is murdering children. Yet the murderer regularly seeks reconciliation with the priest. Even though he is neither repentant or unwilling to stop killing people. The story suggests that the priest cannot alert the authorities because of his oath to maintain confidentiality.

The priest’s seeming inability to contact the police is a major part of the story. I’m sure Mr. Mofina is aware of this error. Perhaps he decided to disregard a more nuanced and accurate description of this sacrament, because only Catholics understand the liberties he took with it.

Still, this plot device certainly adds drama and suspense. And unless you are a Catholic, the plot device is a technicality, that works great and adds a clever moral dilemma to the plot.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book!

who done it?

great book, but got a little long. seemed like we listened to it forever.

Great book!

I listened to this series out of order, I didn’t know it was a series. Even so I was entertained by all the books. Kept my interest from start to finish. This is the third book I’ve listened to by this author and I will definitely listen to more of his books. I recommend this to anyone who wants to be entertained. The narrator was very good!
CJaber

Good Book

I enjoyed this book. Definitely worth a listen. Tense and riveting till the end.

Great read

Mofina is a new author for me. Really enjoyed it. A great read. Great character development.

Just bought 4 more of his books.

Would encourage others to give him a try

Awesome suspense!!! Intrigue!! Powerful story!!!!

loved it!!!! the story line was intrigue!!! it was very suspensefulll!! Awesome story!!!! will be watching for more stories by this author!!!

Definitely kept you on your toes!

I loved the storyline, despite figuring out about midway through who it was that did the kidnappings, it still kept me wanting to listen to see what happened. It may have been a lucky guess, but I just knew who it had to be. The narrator was really good and even when speaking as a woman it wasn’t that irritating too fake and squeaky voice like so many others I’ve heard. This was definitely a good read and I enjoyed it!

Excellent

Excellent storyline and narration. I can't wait to hear the rest of the books in this series.

An Absolutely Fantastic Book !!

This is a new Author for me and Wow!!!
What an Imagination, this was a book that fasinates from the start that just keeps twisting and turning!!
A Definite Must Read/Listen !