Verdict: It’s a good thing the author is good at building suspense, because the “creepy” factor is what saves the story.

A Presbyterian pastor who is seriously questioning his faith is suddenly thrown into the midst of a paranormal murder mystery.  No, this isn’t the latest book by Stephanie Meyers, although Jonathan Weyer often toes the line between excitement and excess in his novel The Faithful.

The book is fast-paced and plot driven, leaving little time for clever wordplay or interesting character development.  It is painfully clear from the beginning who is good and who is bad, which does nothing to add to the air of mystery.  It’s a good thing that Weyer is good at building suspense and writing about violent paranormal activity, because the “creepy” factor is what saves the story.  The middle of the book is the best part, filled with action-packed chases and exciting revelations.

The weightier topics that Weyer attempts to analyze- religion, death and doubt- are badly handled and unsympathetic.  The main character, Pastor Aidan Schaeffer comes off as a fearful and angry young man, and the other characters seem like watered-down versions of better characters from other novels.

Reviewed by Francesca Federico

NYU student, majoring in Global Liberal Studies with a concentration in arts and literature. Author of two novels.  Inspired by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jack Kerouac and Sylvia Plath. Aspiring opera singer and harpist.