Average customer rating: mandatory reading for all religious. First remove the beam from your own eye The Price of Priestly Pederasty & The author's use of this unspeakable crime by men of the cloth to tarnish the Catholic Church. CAREFUL: Buy this fast!!! Renner was right all along

Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II Jason Berry , and Gerald Renner Manufacturer: Free Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover History | Gay & Lesbian | Subjects | Books General | Catholicism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Roman Catholicism | Catholicism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Catholic | Church History | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Sociology | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Lead Us Not into Temptation: Catholic Priests and the Sexual Abuse of Children Our Fathers: The Secret Life of the Catholic Church in an Age of Scandal Sex, Priests, and Secret Codes: The Catholic Church's 2,000-Year Paper Trail of Sexual Abuse Sex, Priests, And Power: Anatomy Of A Crisis Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church ASIN: 0743244419

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This parallel lives approach makes for compelling storytelling, but it also creates a disjointed approach with much skipping around in time. What sets this apart from yet-another-expose about the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal is the in-depth reporting on the militaristic Legionaries of Christ, an extremely powerful and conservative order of priests and laymen that are affiliated with a worldwide web of prep schools and universities. Berry and Renner offer a fascinating conspiracy theory about how this international legion managed to protect its abusers and contribute to the long-term secrecy and cover-up. The bold accusations eventually land in the lap of Pope John Paul II, who seemed more invested in protecting the legion and the vow of silence than addressing the abuse. --Gail Hudson

Book Description

Going deep behind the headlines about scandals in the Catholic Church, Jason Berry and Gerald Renner's Vows of Silence follows the staggering trail of evasions and deceit that leads directly to the Vatican -- and taints the legacy of Pope John Paul II. Based on more than six years of investigative reporting and hundreds of interviews, this book is a riveting account of Vatican cover-ups and the tumult they have caused in the church worldwide. Both a profound criticism and a wake-up call to reform by two Catholic writers, Vows of Silence reveals an agenda of top-down control under John Paul II and a hierarchy so obsessed with secrecy as to spawn disinformation. Vows of Silence is not a book about sexual abuse; it is a book about abuse of power, throughout the Vatican.

The book cuts between the life story of Father Tom Doyle, who sacrificed a diplomatic career with the Vatican to seek justice for sex-abuse victims, and Father Marcial Maciel, an accused pedophile and founder of the militaristic religious order, the Legion of Christ. One of the most mysterious and powerful men in the Catholic Church, Maciel has built a network of priests, lay people, and elite prep schools in more than twenty countries, using the Legion as a fundraising machine to position himself as a favored figure of John Paul II.

In addition to accusations against Maciel of sexual abuse and of using Legion money for his own extravagant lifestyle, many ex-Legionaries claim that the order uses mind-control techniques to isolate seminarians and even priests from their families. And yet, because he enjoyed the protection of Pope John Paul II and members of the Roman Curia, charges against Maciel for sexual misconduct -- all of which he denies -- were blocked in the Vatican court system.

Drawing on in-depth interviews with Father Doyle and with ex-Legionaries who filed a canonical suit against Maciel, as well as interviews with Vatican insiders and an array of sources in Mexico, Ireland, Canada, and Australia, the authors provide a penetrating account of a hierarchy directly in conflict with its followers. With keen insight and scrupulous reporting, Vows of Silence is a powerful narrative that chronicles the church's struggle between orthodoxy and reform -- going straight to the heart of one of the world's largest power structures.

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Customer Reviews:

mandatory reading for all religious........2007-03-09

First remove the beam from your own eye.......2006-06-22

Res ipsa loquitur--"the thing speaks for itself".

The Price of Priestly Pederasty & The author's use of this unspeakable crime by men of the cloth to tarnish the Catholic Church........2006-02-01

by FATHER OWEN KEARNS, LC

The October 2001 edition of Deal Hudson's Crisis magazine features a cover story on "The Price of Priestly Pederasty." The article focuses mostly on the financial impact of lawsuits and settlements, but it notes that good priests "have been tarnished by the unearthing of a sexual underworld among men of the cloth."

And how.

To borrow a term from the war on terrorism, there is untold "collateral damage" in the priesthood because of these violations of sacred trust.

It is a cross all Catholics bear - be they victims of the abuse, Catholics in the pew who wonder how in God's name such a thing could ever happen, bishops who must deal with the lawsuits and sometimes unfair accusations of cover-up, or innocent priests whose reputations are smeared by the sins of their brothers.

So what happens when a priest - a very good priest - is falsely accused of sexual misconduct? He is often presumed guilty until proven innocent. Even clear proof of innocence is not enough for some. Let me tell you about a case very near to my own heart.

In the fall of 1996, my congregation, the Legion of Christ, received word from a reporter that he was going to publish the story of 12 former Legionaries alleging that our founder, Father Marcial Maciel, had sexually abused them decades earlier. We were stunned, uncertain how to handle such outrageous - though, to those unaware of the facts, plausible - lies, but we hoped and prayed that, if we could share the truth in good faith with this reporter and his colleagues, all would be well.

Why would these elderly men attack Father Maciel? Who would conspire to allege sexual misconduct against an aging priest who started a fast-growing priestly congregation, the ecclesial movement Regnum Christi, hundreds of schools, 10 universities, and a host of other institutions and apostolates serving the Church?

A Time of Trial

This case goes back to the 1950s, when these accusers were young adult religious - Legionary seminarians. It was in this time period that all the abuse is alleged to have occurred. In 1956, Father Maciel faced an entirely different set of accusations suited to that day and age. Men who sought greater influence within the Legion accused him, among other things, of drug abuse, financial mismanagement and rebellion against the Holy See.

The charges were brought to the Vatican, which responded by conducting a thorough investigation of Father Maciel and the Legion. From 1956-58 Father Maciel was deprived of his functions as general director of the Legion and not allowed to enter the diocese of Rome. Vatican-appointed investigators lived with the Legionaries and interviewed each member personally. The investigators all reached the same conclusions: The allegations were trumped-up and baseless, and the Legion showed the potential to be of great service to the Church.

Decades later, a group of now elderly former Legionaries, Mexicans and Spaniards, sent their new accusations to the Vatican, which did not dignify them with a reply. So they took their story to an American newspaper. We asked the reporter, Gerald Renner of the Hartford Courant, to share with us the testimony of the 12 accusers. He and the Courant refused to show us the documents, but they did on occasion summarize details.

My order was faced with the difficulty of proving a negative. How do you prove that something, described in lurid detail, never happened? You would wish that the accusers would make some allegation that could be definitively disproved with documented scientific evidence. Then their utter lack of standing and credibility would be there, plain for the world to see.

Fortunately for the truth, they did just that. Twice.

First, some claimed that a former Legionary dictated a "death-bed confession" accusing Father Maciel of sexual abuse. Records show that, due to a stroke, he was unable to speak (there was no dictation) and died suddenly and unexpectedly from choking on his food (there was no deathbed).

Second, they all repeated the claim from the 1950s that Father Maciel was addicted to drugs. Precisely in order to prove or disprove such claims, a cardinal had at the time ordered blood tests on Father Maciel and separate examinations by three eminent physicians. They provided conclusive medical evidence eliminating any possibility of drug abuse.

There was more. One of the Vatican investigators went on to become bishop of Illapel, Chile. When in '96 he learned of these sex-abuse charges, Bishop Polidoro van Vlierberghe wrote to us explaining that he found them lacking all credibility, especially because during the one-on-one interviews in the '50s he "gave them every opportunity to level any accusation they had, but not once was this type of offense mentioned."

With Father Maciel under suspicion at the time the abuse had allegedly just happened, not one single person, not even those who brought other false charges against him, accused him of sexual abuse.
Besides this, we were able to catch some of the accusers in their lies. One claimed to hold a position that never existed, and spoke of a seminary that never existed.

One of the accusers actually recanted and signed sworn testimony that he had been recruited to join in lies about Father Maciel in order "to show him up." Four other men also testified they were recruited to join in the lies, but had refused to do so.

Adding Victims

The writers, Gerald Renner and Jason Berry, knew these facts at the time they published their story. So did their editors at the Hartford Courant. They knew that the accusers were caught in their lies, that some had a decades-old animus against the man they were attacking, that five men (one of whom was an accuser who recanted) had testified that the accusations were a conspiracy of lies and that medical evidence proved that none of the accusers had any credibility.

How did they handle this information?

They simply edited out numerous accusations, changed others and dropped two of the accusers - all without letting their readers know - and went ahead and published the "story."

Why?

The story alleging abuse by Father Maciel was not a stand-alone piece. It was quickly followed by one attacking Pope John Paul II and the Church as a whole for allegedly covering-up sexual abuse and turning a blind eye to the sexual realities of the day. Since then, the lies about Father Maciel get rehashed time and again with no acknowledgement of the numerous documented lies of the accusers, simply pinning the story on the latest "news hook" or using it to attack another member of the hierarchy. In short, it is a series of attacks on the Church and its teachings on sexual morality.

So this, too, is collateral damage of sexual abuse by priests.

Monstrously, sexual abuse attacks its immediate victim, violates his trust, and harms the faith of his family and community. But this sin doesn't stop with its immediate victims. Not only does such abuse put innocent bishops and priests under suspicion, but it also empowers those who disagree with the Church on matters of sexual morality to use whatever "evidence" they can - true or false - to disparage the Church, trying to force it to change.

In the Christian spirit of Father Maciel, who has forgiven his accusers, I ask us all as followers of Christ to be charitable to our bishops and priests, to realize that sex scandals, horrible as they are, are the work of those few who have betrayed us, or of those who take advantage of the innocent.

Support and love your bishops and priests. Don't let their vocations - and the truth - become "collateral damage."

CAREFUL: Buy this fast!!!.......2005-07-08

Better buy this book fast if you think it is worth it because it WILL NOT BE AROUND FOR VERY LONG!

So it happens with a book like this, based on allegations, opinions, and much stronger but not nearly enough: testimonials.

There have been recent cases of abuse, no question about that. And there was proof of these. In the case of Fr. Maciel and this book, there is a question for the authors:

Where is the hard evidence?

For the matter of testimony there are literally hundreds of relevant testimonials, of witnesses just as close or closer that will contradict the few ones in this book. There is a three year investigation with hundreds of in-depth interviews to the rest of the members of the congregation which did not reveal a single thing to support the time of thing portrayed in this book. So? Things that don't have a solid base fall.

Don't forget that Jesus himself said to judge a tree by its fruit. That never fails. Can a priest then, like Father Maciel is portrayed to be, bring about the deeds and institutions and the change for the better of the lives of tens of thousands as he has done? No. One thing is NOT COMPATIBLE with the other. As simple as that.
If you think your self more objective than the author and want the other side of the story, go to http://www.legionaryfacts.org/VOWS.html

There is more than "your word vs. my word" there. Why do the authors of this book ignore the evidence that they themselves know is out there which goes against their case? They don't even mention it. Not very objective, and why? Because that would not sell their book.

Not the first time this has happened nor will it be the last. The bible tells us not to expect a way of rose petals if we really follow Jesus, for if He Himself was betrayed, mocked, crucified, what can we expect. Go through the life of the greatest saints and compare.
http://www.catholicfounders.org/

This book can excite your mind. But without hard evidence I'd rather buy a work of fiction than spend money on a book by someone who thinks I should believe what he says as fact simply because he's writing it down and a group of people say it.

Renner was right all along.......2005-01-04

I read a newspaper report today that puts all questions about the credibility of this book to rest -- Vows of Silence turns out to be right on the money!!! Read for yourself:

MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 2005
The Vatican has reopened an investigation into charges first reported nearly eight years ago that a powerful Mexican priest close to the pope sexually abused seminarians.

The allegations focus on the actions of the Rev. Marcial Maciel Degollado, now 84 and based in Rome. He leads a religious order known as the Legionaries of Christ, which claims 600 priests in 18 countries. Its U.S. headquarters is in Orange and it has a seminary in Cheshire.

The allegations surfaced in a Courant report in February 1997. Nine former members of the Legion said Maciel first abused them years ago when they were young boys or teenagers, ages 10 to 16, in seminaries in Spain and Italy.

The accusers, all professional men - two Mexican-Americans, five Mexicans and two Spaniards, one now deceased - tried for years to call their accusations to the attention of Pope John Paul II, who nonetheless has remained effusive in his praise of Maciel. Just five weeks ago, on Nov. 27, the pope praised Maciel in a letter on the 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination, citing his "intense, generous and fruitful priestly ministry."

A week later, the complainants against Maciel were told the Vatican was reopening a canon law investigation that had been squelched without explanation in 1999.

The canon law case had been lodged formally by the former Legionaries against Maciel in November 1998. A high-level Vatican agency, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, accepted the complaint as credible for further investigation. But it never proceeded and no investigation was made.

Under a 2002 policy adopted by the U.S. hierarchy, an American priest facing allegations such as those made against Maciel would be suspended immediately while an investigation was conducted. The Vatican has no such policy.

In a letter dated Dec. 2, Martha Wegan, a Vatican-approved canon lawyer who is an advocate for the men's case, informed them that a new "permanent promoter of justice" for the congregation has been appointed and wanted to know if they wanted to proceed.

"It seems to me that now the case is being taken seriously," she wrote.

"They say now they are taking it seriously? Before it wasn't serious?" scoffed Juan Vaca, a former priest who headed the Legion's U.S. operations in Connecticut from 1971 to 1976. He now teaches psychology at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

Vaca said there was no question the men wanted the case to go forward. He said Jose de J. Barba Martin, spokesman for the men accusing Maciel, informed Wegan they wanted to proceed. Barba is a Harvard-trained professor of Latin American studies at Instituto Tecnological Autonomio de Mexico in Mexico City.

Vaca raised accusations against Maciel in letters to Pope John Paul II in 1978 and 1989 but never got a response. He named 20 others who he said had been abused by Maciel, his superior. His accounts of sexual improprieties were supported by another priest, the Rev. Felix Alarcon, who said he also was abused.

Alarcon, now a retired priest in Madrid, established the Legion's U.S. headquarters in Milford, Conn., in 1965. It moved later to Orange. The letters were sent by diplomatic pouch through the Diocese of Rockville Center in New York via the papal nunciature, the pope's representative, in Washington and acknowledged as having been received.

Maciel and the Legionaries of Christ have vigorously denied the allegations of abuse. Maciel has accused the nine men of a conspiracy to defame him.

Barba said it appears to him that Vatican authorities are heavily divided about how to handle the complaints against Maciel, accounting for praise from the pope one week and a decision to investigate him the next.

There is such a division in the church in Mexico. It was not until 2002 that the charges against Maciel were aired at a meeting of the Mexican hierarchy, when it was acknowledged for the first time publicly that the Mexican church had a problem with priestly sexual abuse, as did the U.S. church.

Two Mexican priests who helped Maciel's accusers advance their complaints say their careers suffered.

One, the Rev. Antonio Roqueni, who helped draft the canon law complaints, lost his job as a canon lawyer for Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera of Mexico City.

The other, the Rev. Alberto Athie, was an adviser on social-justice issues to the Mexican bishops' conference and an officer of Caritas, the bishops' national charity. He said he was marginalized and felt compelled to resign his positions after he tried to bring to the attention of church authorities accusations by a dying former priest that Maciel had abused him as a teenager.

Average customer rating: A Gentle and Enjoyable Cozy Mystery Shows a positive view of the convent and its inhabitants. Worthwhile, absorbing, wonderful main character Down-to-earth, Delightful Mystery about a very savvy nun

Vow of Silence Veronica Black Manufacturer: Fawcett ProductGroup: Book Binding: Mass Market Paperback British Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books Similar Items: A Vow of Fidelity A Vow Of Compassion A Vow of Penance A Vow of Devotion A Vow of Adoration (Sister Joan Mystery) ASIN: 0804108145 Release Date: 1991-11-24

Book Description

"Outstanding." Publishers Weekly
A Sister Joan Mystery.
The sisters at lonely Cornwall Convent share chilling secrets they cannot confess . . . Sister Sophia is dead. Sister Magdalen has vanished. Sister Joan, newly transferred to the convent to investigate its mysterious troubles, begins to suspect what she hardly dares to name: Blasphemy . . . and worse . . .

Customer Reviews:

A Gentle and Enjoyable Cozy Mystery.......2007-01-03

This is a gentle and interesting mystery, but mostly it's a story about the conditions and interactions of the residents of a nunnery. The book is a relatively quick, and enjoyable, read. The writing is easy going, the story retains your interest, and the cast of characters is relatively small and thus easy to keep up with. The "unpleasantness" is kept to a minimum in keeping with the story and there is no gratuitous gore or violence. I would, thus, place it as clearly belonging in the cozy mystery category.

Shows a positive view of the convent and its inhabitants........1999-10-26

Even when there are differences and problems, the women try to work things out and get through difficulties as best they can. Sister Joan can be almost too strong minded, but she also can see where she needs to work on herself and that she might be able to learn from the others around her.

Worthwhile, absorbing, wonderful main character.......1998-10-22

I share the view of the prior reviewer: this book made me "want to know more" and I thoroughly enjoyed it (even if it was a little predictable). In some mysteries, the mystery is all; in others, character is all. This series is about an interesting, unpredictable, absorbing character. You will want to know Sister Joan better!

Down-to-earth, Delightful Mystery about a very savvy nun.......1997-01-23

This smart, down-to-earth depiction of convent life makes me want to be a nun. Sister Joan has an irrepressible intelligence that forces her to pursue loose ends, but also has an unshakable faith and sense of who she is. I've been waiting for years for this great series to get the recognition it deserves -- I highly recommend it

Average customer rating: Excellent!

Vow of Silence (Daybreak Mysteries #4) B. J. Hoff Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | African American | Asian American | Classics | Collections & Readers | Drama | General | Hispanic | History & Criticism | Humor | Jewish American | Letters & Correspondence | Native American | Poetry | Short Stories | Women Writers Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Mystery | Literature & Fiction | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Mystery | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Dark River Legacy (Daybreak Mysteries #5) Storm at Daybreak (Daybreak Mysteries #1) The Captive Voice (Daybreak Mysteries #2) Ashes and Lace (Song of Erin #2) The Domino Image aka The Captive Voice (Daybreak Mysteries #2) ASIN: 0842371958

Book Description

Whitney Sharyn, a new friend of the Kaines, is being stalked by someone seeking revenge. Can Daniel and Jennifer save her in time?

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!.......2000-04-06

This was a wonderful book! I really like the was B.J.Hoff portrays the characters! You really feel like you get to know them!

Average customer rating: Carpe Diem and Other Species of Christian Life Funny, Challenging, and Excellent! Serously Folks... Laughing about your prayers Uplifting! You Will Laugh Out Loud!

My Vow of Silence: the roughest 3 minutes of my life Tim Steed Manufacturer: Xyzzy Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Essays | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books Religion | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books ASIN: 1601480008

Book Description

Packed with funny and at times zany encounters from his life journey, this first book by Tim Steed is a celebration of the imperfections in life. Through a series of lighthearted essays, Tim examines the big and small moments in life. From the godly cleaning lady, to the obnoxious traveler, to the little boy with a weak bladder, life is filled with the good, the bad, and the ugly. Seeing life as a road trip with bumps, detours, beautiful sunsets, and untimely bathroom breaks, Tim's message to readers is to enjoy the journey, experience mercy and grace, apply what you learn, and keep going.

Customer Reviews:

Carpe Diem and Other Species of Christian Life.......2007-02-17

I've just read the first half of My Vow of Silence in a single sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it! I think Steed has done a great job in using relatable topics, culturally relevant subjects, in a good length for our "instant" society while maintaining an undercurrent of openness, honesty and genuineness.

Funny, Challenging, and Excellent!.......2007-01-27

Tim Steed's new book, "My Vow of Silence: the roughest 3 minutes of my life" is a must read for every Christian -- young and old. I started reading Tim's book on my commuter train in Seattle, and almost missed my stop because it was so laugh-out-loud hilarious I didn't want to put it down. More than that, the book will challenge you to grow in your Christian walk. Relevant for today's church body, I highly recommend this book to anyone who's looking to laugh, grow, and better serve their church.

Serously Folks..........2007-01-25

I love the light-hearted way the author looks at a serious topic. Maybe our spiritual life should lighten up. I belive that the most uptight hour in America is 11:00 on Sunday mornings. This collection of essays takes that particular pathology head-on.

My favorite essay is "Bible Translations." I cracked up. I never dreamed I would read a 'romantic novel tranlation' version of the Bible. (I hope my wife doesn't find that version.) Good fun.

The late Donald Barnhouse once said, "all of life illustrates Bible doctrine." Mr. Steed certainly proves that point and has fun doing it. I highly recommend this book...especially at 11:00 on Sunday mornings.

Laughing about your prayers.......2007-01-21

If you want to laugh about what you pray about then this book is for you. A unique look at your faith and your day to day life. A must read.

Uplifting! You Will Laugh Out Loud!.......2007-01-19

We have all experienced the good, the bad and the ugly, but it is hilarious as seen through the eyes of Tim Steed. His insightfulness, mixed with humor, helps us all to take a step back and see what God is trying to teach us in those special moments we enounter each and every day. This book will lift you up when you are feeling low and brighten even your brightest of days! You will laugh out loud!

Average customer rating: Romantic Mystery delightful thriller Another great read from Debra Webb

Vows Of Silence (Harlequin Signature Select) Debra Webb Manufacturer: Harlequin ProductGroup: Book Binding: Mass Market Paperback General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books Romantic Suspense | Romance | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Dying To Play (Signature Spotlight) Colby Conspiracy (Harlequin Signature Select) Investigating 101 (Harlequin Intrigue Series) Raw Talent (Harlequin Intrigue Series) The Hidden Heir (Harlequin Intrigue Series) ASIN: 037383702X

Book Description

Four friends. One secret. And a killer protected by a vow of silence . . .

Lacy, Cassidy, Kira and Melinda are friends bound by a deadly secret. One of them is a killer. At least that's what each one suspects. Ten years ago, Melinda's abusive husband, Charles Ashland, was murdered. The gun was Lacy's. But it didn't matter. Together, the women disposed of the body, which has never been found . . . until now. The powerful Ashland family, whose patriarch is poised for the vice presidency, wants justice.

Cassidy, an attorney, insists the women have nothing to fear. Then she is killed. A midnight caller is stalking the remaining friends, taunting them that he knows the truth. And the truth is something police chief Rick Summers is quite interested in learning from Lacy, despite the wild chemistry that's causing havoc with his judgment. Another death delivers a chilling new warning, for the price they've paid for their vow of silence has been murder.

Customer Reviews:

Romantic Mystery .......2007-06-28

I read a lot of books and lately have had trouble finding even one that is worthy of a good review, but "Vows of Silence" was excellent. If you are looking for a good Romantic Mystery, than look no further. This book had me from the first sentence and held my attention until the very end. The author even included an alternate ending for the more romantic types. This isn't a hot and steamy book, but focuses more on the mystery angle. Yet the attraction between Lacy and Rick is strong throughout for those readers who enjoy the relationship angle thrown into the plot. Enough in this story to keep just about any reader pleasantly entertained. Worth reading.

About the book:

Ten years ago, four women covered up a murder. They made a vow of silence to never speak of what happened that night. Someone in the group is the killer, or so they each think. Suddenly, the dead man's body is found and the four women are the sheriff's prime suspects. He knows that they are keeping a secret and he will do whatever is necessary to find the truth. Even if that means stirring up the past and his feelings for one of the women. Rick and Lacy shared one magical night together that neither one of them has ever forgotten. The sexual attraction is still just as strong as it was in high school, but is it enough of a connection to make Lacy break down and tell all? Doing so would not only incriminate her, but her friends as well. She can't let that happen. Instead, she is determined to find the truth no matter what the cost may be.

Is it worth buying?
Definitely. Superbly written. Keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

delightful thriller.......2006-03-17

A decade ago someone killed Charles Ashland. The police suspected the wife Melinda, a victim of spousal abuse possibly abetted by her three close friends Lacy, Cassidy and Kira. However, none talked and no evidence surfaced to point at the culprit; even the corpse was never found as apparently the four friends disposed of it and the murder weapon, Lacy's gun.

The quartet as well as the townsfolk including Police Chief Rick Summer believes one of the women is the killer. When a body surfaces the Ashland family pressures the police to find the killer. However, someone decides to wait no longer for "justice" to take place. The assailant begins with midnight calls taunting the females and stalking to drive fear into them. Then Cassidy is murdered. Rick who has always loved Lacy, vows to keep her safe, but wonders if she killed Charles or knows who did as a second murder occurs.

This thriller starts off at hyper speed (even the opening sentence) and never slows down until the final climax. The four prime females are fully developed characters with each potentially being the killer of Charles. That is the key to the suspense as even Rick who loves Lacy knows she might have murdered Charles out of compassion for her friend Melinda; now he feels he must keep her safe as someone apparently his avenging the decade old homicide. Debra Webb spins a delightful thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Another great read from Debra Webb.......2006-03-15

I am always excited to pick up a new Debra Webb book. This one did not disappoint! Lacy, Cassidy, Kira and Melinda all share a secret: 10 years ago, they helped hide the dead body of Melinda's abusive husband, Charles Ashland, Jr. Ten years ago they also swore never to tell anyone what they had done. Each thought they were protecting one of the others from murder charges but now Charles' body has been found and the truth has to come out. Lacy is torn between her vow of silence to her friends and her emotions for her first lover, Police Chief Rick Summers. Lacy gets a mysterious call saying that the person knows what they did and shortly afterwards, Cassidy is murdered. Two other people disappeared 10 years ago- Bent Thompson and Pamela Carter. Pamela Carter was having an affair with Charles and was rumored to be pregnant with his child. Bent has now returned to the town and is blackmailing someone as he has the murder weapon in his possession. I won't reveal who the killer is but suffice to say that this book kept me guessing as to the killer's identity. Debra Webb's books are always enjoyable to read and this one was no exception!

Average customer rating:

Vows of Silence: A True Story of a Survivor's Triumph over Rape, Teenage Suicide, and Religious Abuse Diana Louise Michael Manufacturer: Sharp Sally's Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books General | Health, Mind & Body | Teens | Subjects | Books Rape | Abuse & Self Defense | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Church History | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books ASIN: 0963491040

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Vow of Silence Veronica Black Manufacturer: ST MARTINS PRESS * ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover ASIN: B000UDI874

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Vow of Silence Veronica Black Manufacturer: BALLANTINE BOOKS @ ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback ASIN: B000SF2JBU

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A Vow of Silence Veronica Black Manufacturer: Book Club ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover ASIN: B000UR7LFK

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Vow of Silence (Daybreak Mysteries #4) B. J. Hoff Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback ASIN: B000KA9MT0

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2. With No One as Witness (Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers Novels)
3. Wooden on Leadership
4. A Hunger Like No Other (The Immortals After Dark Series, Book 1)
5. A Lover's Guide to the Kama Sutra
6. A Time to Kill
7. Abnormal Psychology, 12th Edition
8. Absolute Friends
9. Angels Dance and Angels Die: The Tragic Romance of Pamela and Jim Morrison
10. Asterix and the Great Crossing (Asterix)

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