Check Out Cleansed By Fire (Father Frank Mysteries #1) Produced By James R. Callan Distributed In Visual Format

churches have burned to the ground in a small East Texas town, It's arson, and Father Frank Deluca receives a clue during a parishioner's confession, He's bound to secrecy, but that doesn't stop him from investigating himself, And there are several suspects: the newcomer in the black TransAm, a teenage addict, a man in a bar who says the churches deserved to burn.

Father Frank is a character I'd like to know personally, I loved his grasp of human frailty and his struggle to always be an honorable representative of our Lord,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this mystery, Although I managed to eliminate one suspect rather early, I wanted to keep reading to find out exactly who and why, The author keeps us in suspense when he leaves Father Frank unconscious in his own church which has been set afire,
I look forward to reading future Father Frank mysteries, This was a really great mystery, It involved a priest wanting to go good with the children and do away with drugs, Which meant putting himself in situations that would have been deadly but he always came through, All the while there were church burnings happening and one of his parishioners in confession said he knew who did it, So father frank has to help the police without letting on hes been told things, . this was really good clean book I can recommend to anyone, And I look forward to reading no lots more of father frank, I just finished a book by Author and Educator, James R, Callan. Some of us have been fortunate to participate in a course taught by him through ACFW, entitled, Dialog! I am so happy that I read this book at the conclusion of his Course.
Wait until you experience the great Dialog in this Book, I hope that you have the opportunity to read it, Cleansed by Fire is a Mystery with Heart and Substance! Im looking forward to reading Bookof the Father Frank Mysteries, I hope that James continues writing the series of Father Frank, This book was a quick read with a very straightforward plot, At times it read like an advertisement for the Catholic Church, since the church was the nexus between all the characters, It was not difficult to figure out who the bad guy was, but it was interesting to follow the process that resulted in the identity of the arsonist and murderer being revealed.
The style of writing provided the information, but not much excitement, The priest, Father DeLuca, was the person everyone want heir religious leader to be, however, most of the other characters were onedimensional, and provided a stereotypical cast, I've had this audiobook for years, and sadly it has taken me months to get through it, I kept forgetting it was in my Audible listening queue,

Contemporary mystery/whodunnit set in eastern Texas,

An arsonist in the small town of Pine Tree in is targeting churches, primarily Baptist churches, A Catholic priest, Father Frank Deluca, is given a clue but can do nothing about it as it was told during confession.
In the latest incident a man was killed in the fire, so Father Frank decides to do some sleuthing on his own, but there are a whole host of possibilities, from suspicious teens, to a suspected druggie, to a really angry man with a grudge against him.


The book had several clean themes throughout, Father Frank wanted to see the teens interested in something besides the all too prevalent drugs in schools today, so he started a community basketball league.


A woman in the church, Georgia, started a singing group full of teens to raise money for the burnt churches, giving the kids a sense of purpose and social outreach.


A attraction between a policeman and Georgia attempted to show a clean dating relationship, Although the policeman respected Georgia's need to slow down and take the high road physically, it was clear he wanted more, Her reply was: maybe later, That disappointed me, especially since a great desire of hers was to get him back into church,

A theme that God's forgiveness is offered if a person just asks God for it, then shows they mean to change was also mentioned several times.
Sadly, it wasnt about what Christ did on the cross being the vehicle by which that forgiveness was even possible,

Intriguing mystery and challenging twists and turns throughout made for an interesting book, Catholics would enjoy this, although I didnt know that was the subject faith in this book, A priest that can't stay away from crimes,

This was the first book from this author that I have read, but it won't be the last, A good clean mystery is hard to find, but this author delivers, Every time I thought I had things figured out, he would throw a curveball into the plot, Cleansed by Fire: Author: James R, Callan


Smoldering embers of ashes fill the air darkening the sky and float into the black clouds caused by the streaks of flashing red flames that radiate throughout the outer perimeter of what was a magnificent structure.
Nostrils filled with the smell of sulfur, the sky and the night air lit up with orange and red flames spreading so fast, engulfing the structure and swallowing it whole leaving darkness and soot in its wake.
As the arsonist enters the next victim or structure, chooses his mode of accelerant and the pours it on the floor, standing back to admire his handiwork never showing one shred of remorse or caring for human life or the sanctity of the churches he decided to destroy.
A simple match struck, a piece of paper that will swallow up the flame when barely touching its surface and the explosion that follows leaving the entire room, building appearing like a huge orange and yellow ball but not one that anyone would want to touch or play with.


Father Frank DeLuca receives congregants daily and welcomes them to come to the confessional and ask for forgiveness for

their sins.
What happens when someone confesses to a murder or crime that he has committed or has knowledge of and you are bound by confidentiality to keep the persons words silent and to yourself What happens when one young man, one parishioner, confesses to knowing who set fire to the Pine Valley Baptist Church and asks the Father to forgive him for his sins and what he knows Should his hands be tied What if he could prevent another tragedy by someone leaking the information to the police What is morally and ethically correct

Close your eyes Can you see the red and orange flames spread over this once magnificent church Can you hear the choir singing their hymns Can you smell the scent of the rotting wood, pine and materials that were used to build this structure Feel the intensity of the heat filling that already humid air and hope that it does not ignite any trees and cause some wild fires.
Receiving confession and being absolved of your sins is almost that a criminal being granted immunity when they commit a crime What about someone who could prevent one

The Prince of Peace Church is one whose parishioners work with young youths, teens to foster better character development, teach sportsmanship, encourage creativity and keep competition at a minimum.
Many of the congregants have special talents that they are willing to share with the teens and when Father DeLuca asks Georgia Peitz to tactfully volunteer her help with the new choir she is more than happy to agree.
Popsters is the name of the choir and the enthusiasm the teens that signed up to become part of it need to be organized, motivated and led by someone who understands music, has patience and enjoys working with teens.
The woman in charge named Phyllis is really kind and sweet but totally disorganized but with the welcomed help of Georgia and her own husband Roger things get off to a really positive start.
With the choir on its way to success and the basketball teams reorganized beginning the new season of Three Summer BBall, the focus should have been on working with these teens but the Father was worried about something else.
Teens are often, if not properly guided to find ways of making money, getting involved with the wrong people and enticed by big cars, money and the promise of more for either using or selling drugs.
A black Trans Am seems to be lurking around at every basketball practice and when the Father tries to approach the person behind the wheel the confrontation will let the reader know there is much more to come and it will not be good.
Cleansed by Fire: James R, Callan: Teens, church groups, teachers, YAs, fiction lovers and firefighters this one is for you,

When the Calvert Road Baptist Church is burned and Father DeLuca sees it the author shares the heartache, the sadness and the history behind the church with the reader.
When he meets with the Reverend of that church he extends a welcome mat to him and his congregants to use his church if they have to showing one more side of this amazing man.


Father Frank was a man of morals and virtue and after seeing the devastation at both churches feelings of guilt enveloped him thinking there was some way he could have prevented the inevitable from happening.
Realizing that the confession came from a teen, he decides to use that as the basis for his sermon hoping to encourage them to make better choices and not fall prey to peer pressure.
What a great way to teach character education and encourage kids not to succumb to bullies,

But, the confrontation with the man in the black car did bring some results as the police detective in the area questioned the boys on the basketball team along with the father and certain information is brought to light.
Then, one young man comes forward with some information that would send the Father to investigate what might be a lead to who is behind the fires and why this man in the black TransAm is lurking around wanting in on the drug action in the area.
But, when he gets too close, frequents a bar named the Corral what happens next alerts the reader that the Father is in real danger and more than just his tires getting punctured and the firebug in the bar burning a piece of paper shaped like a cross, might be in store for him.
With the help of Detective Mike Oakley the Father hopes to find out even more,

Then an encounter with a young man named B, D. , the father of the boy who confessed, four slashed tires and Father Frank begins to assess all of the evidence, the incidents and tries to connect the matchsticks that might have caused the fires, the knife that slashed his tires and the hope that all of the pieces will solder together and not create more tragedy.
Then the same young man admits knowing that there is going to be another fire and Father Frank needs to decide what to do.
The seal of the confessional is sacred but talking to someone else might create a solution that would ease the pain, But, which church was next and how to alert the other Fathers and Reverends without telling what he knows After meeting with the Monsignor he gets a different perspective and figures out how to use what he learned before the confession to relate to the police hoping to stop the next fire from happening.
So, is the father of the person who confessed Is the bad man into drugs What about B, D. Could it be someone hiding in plain sight Then another fire and Father Frank rushes to the scene, Warned by the police to stay out of their way his guilt and strong feelings to solve the crime and prevent more fires wins out.
But, this time it is more than just a fire, it is murder too as a body is found in the burning inferno too scorched to immediately identify.
Three churches within the same vicinity would Prince of Peace be next

Then we get to know Georgia better and within the sadness comes some joy as she and the police detective seem to connect and the teens in the choir come together to try and help raise funds to help rebuild churches that were burned.
But, Father Frank is relentless and a link between the murdered man and one man from the community just might ignite a spark to solve the crime.
But, will it before someone else or another church burns

Author James, M. Callan brings to light many important issues that teens face today besides, drugs, peer pressure and school, The teens in this story prove that good character education, wholesome summer programs and working together for the community and for more than just the greater good are vital lessons that teens can learn from reading this book as well as the way the author handles the dating question between Georgia and Mike will allow young teens to realize the proper meaning of the word Date.


Things begin to move in a different direction as the man in the black car drops off on B, D. who overdosed on the Fathers doorstep letting him decide whether he lives or dies, Next, an encounter with the paper burner will definitely bring a smile and a special prayer for our Father to your lips.
What happens next will definitely surprise you as the pieces will start to fall into place and the arsonist revealed

Just who committed the murder and who burned the churches you will have to learn for yourself.
How all of the four suspects tie together and what happens to the young man who confessed, what about B, D. I promised I would not tell, Child abuse is something no young boy or girl should endure and parents should not turn a blind eye, Just how this fits into to the entire plot and the surprise ending with its special twist that you will never expect, read Cleansed by Fire and find out just how important and powerful the word Forgiveness is as author James.
M. Callan and his cast of outstanding characters will teach you the reader and many others just how important it is to have faith.


Fran Lewis: reviewer

Lets give this book: FIVE GOLDEN STARS







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