Patti White

Prodigal Sons

Fiction

“Prodigal Sons finds Mennonite preacher John Reimer back home in Kansas, sent there on sabbatical both to fill a pulpit vacancy and find his balance after the violence he recently encountered in Chicago. And here the complicated Mennonite community at the edge of the Flint Hills opens its arms: As he enters into his pastoral duties, Reimer’s parishioners lavish him with casseroles, trust his guidance, offer up stories, and drag him right back into danger. This second novel resonates like a bell: with deep and thoughtful theological notes as well as higher reverberations that hint at secrets yet to be told. The writing is confident, detailed, and compelling, and the reader begins to know John Reimer not only as a man who can unravel a mystery, but as someone who has negotiated church politics, faced down his fears, endured unspeakable personal pain—and remained somehow true. Read this book not only for the crime-solving, but also for the rich descriptions of the tallgrass prairie, complex family dynamics, and astounding meals.”

Unpardonable Sins

Fiction

“This novel is a solid entry into the field of urban mystery: fast-paced, vivid, and violent. I could easily have spent more time with this intriguing cast of characters, especially of course the Mennonite preacher who finds himself dragged into the investigation of a brutal murder. I’m hoping that future novels in this series will provide more backstory — and more theology and church politics — as well as more of Chicago with all its grit and weather and neighborhood restaurants. Me, I love the details. A good read, this one.”