First published 1996
Father Hobbs collapses and dies at the altar during Good Friday service. Dr Jonathan Hullah cannot accept this as mere coincidence. Known as the "Cunning Man" for his unconventional healing methods that blend medicine with older wisdom, Hullah begins his own investigation. The mystery forces him to examine his entire life and the extraordinary people who shaped it. He recalls Charlie Iredale, a curate who mixed mysticism with ministry. There was Brocky Gilmartin, the professor whose cynicism masked deeper searches for meaning. Darcy Dwyer brought chaos to banking with his outrageous schemes. Pansy Todhunter combined art with surprising physical strength and humor. As Hullah traces connections between past and present, he discovers that understanding Father Hobbs's death requires understanding the intricate web of human relationships that define a lifetime. The investigation becomes a meditation on friendship, purpose, and the mysterious forces that guide our days.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, thriller, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigation, unreliable-narrator
Period: Good Friday
469 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books