Threats against a televangelist lead Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin
into a murder case in this "brisk and beguiling page-turner"
(Publishers Weekly).
Staten Island would be forgettable were it not for the gleaming
Tabernacle of the Silver Spire, where thousands of congregants come
every Sunday to hear the sermons of Barnabas Bay. Millions more tune in
on television, giving the good Reverend international fame, and a chance
to spread the gospel from New York City's harbor all the way to South
Korea. But threatening notes have been appearing in the collection bag,
suggesting that one of the faithful has decided it's time this good
shepherd get the hook. Believing organized religion is nothing more than
a scam, rotund sleuth Nero Wolfe refuses to investigate the threats,
instead recommending veteran investigator Fred Durkin for the case. But
when Durkin is accused of murdering the Reverend's assistant, Wolfe
fights to clear his name. He may not be a Christian, but he will always
help a brother in need.