Past Praying For

By Aline Templeton

The storyline is very good and it is sad that the author is not able to make more out of it. It is set in the small community of Stretton Noble where Margaret Moon has just taken over as the new vicar. However, what she and the rest of the community, does not know is that the town is hiding a dangerous person. Someone with a split personality goes around at night setting fire to houses. It does not take long before the whole town is engulfed in fear, and when the vicarage is set on fire Margaret Moon just about escapes the flames.

Throughout the novel I was waiting for a surprising twist at the end, but unfortunately the ending is quite straightforward. There is nothing surprising at all here and instead of going down the road less travelled, the author has chosen the safer road, which, unfortunately for the reader, leads to the obvious, and eventually disappointment.