Bad Faith [by] Robert K. Tannenbaum
New York; Gallery Books [2012]
978-1-4516-3552-2; $26.00
Faith has turned very bad in this book, with True Believers committing crimes in the name of religion.
It all starts with a group of Christian fundamentalists who believe in faith healing. A phone call comes into 911 saying that a little boy is dying in this tenement building on the Upper West Side, and when the paramedics go to see what’s up, they are stopped by the child’s mother and the Rev. C.G. Westlund and his followers in the End of Days Reformation Church of Jesus Christ Resurrected. Cops help the paramedics, and when they see the boy, they know he isn’t long for this world.
The parents, David and Nonie Ellis are accused of reckless manslaughter in the death of 10-year-old Micah, because they didn’t seek medical attention for him, when he was obviously so ill. When the couple lived in Memphis, he had been diagnosed with astrocytomas, a kind of cancerous tumor on his brain. That’s when Rev. C.G. Westlund, then known as Doctor of Divinity John LaFontaine of the Holy Covenant Church of Jesus Christ Reformed, came into their lives. Now the Reverend and his flock are protesting in front of the court building, railing particularly at Butch Karp, the District Attorney for the City of New York.
The protestors have been there for several days, but the trial of the Ellises is coming up soon and David has just found in the mail a letter about an insurance policy he knew nothing about. It is purported to be signed by his wife and himself, with Westlund/LaFontaine as the benefactor. David is angry, and he is walking towards the court building, in front of the crowd. Suddenly a woman named Kathryn Boole steps out of the crowd and shoots David Ellis. Then she turns on Butch Karp, who asks for the gun. Suddenly one of the police takes out Boole.
It turns out Boole’s will gives Westlund the building housing both his church and his living quarters. Marlene Ciampi, Butch’s wife, and a private investigator in her own right, decides to find out more about this rather incestuous group of so-called Christians. She goes to Memphis.
Then there are Muslim fanatics, following a Chechen woman terrorist named Ajmaani [née Nadya Malovo]in blowing up a tourist ferry in front of the Statue of Liberty. Attendant in the party that deflects their actions is Lucy Karp, daughter of the District Attorney for the City of New York, Butch Karp, and her fiancé, Ned Blanchette. Lucy is conversant in many of the languages being used by the group.
Nadya is actually working for a group of federal investigators, including the F.B.I. and the U.S. Marshall’s Service. She asks for a lawyer and gets Bruce Knight, a former up-and-comer, who practically drank himself off the map, and is working to atone.
Bruce had a memorable trip to the bowels of NYC 4 years ago, when he found a place to sleep off a subway tunnel. He is awakened by David Grale, known as the Mad Monk, because of his style of dress and behavior. Grale is the leader of the Mole People, homeless people living in the subway tunnels and sewers and contributing to the community in various ways. Their group is formed like the early Christian Communities, and they help one another.
They also line up behind David when he declares war on those he believes are possessed by demons, and are out to wreak havoc upon the City of New York. One such person is Andrew Kane, a former mayoral candidate, for whom Nadya Malovo worked, before he was captured by Grale and forced to live, chained as a dog, underground, where he went slowly mad. Grale is a friend to the Karp family, especially Lucy, with whom he worked at a soup kitchen years ago.
Thus the stage is set for the big Hallowe’en parade, with Butch as the Grand Marshall, riding in a float at the end of the parade. All hell breaks loose. It also explodes big-time in Memphis, where Butch’s wife Marlene is. The collision of the “bad faiths” is quite an extravaganza, but the moral Jew Karp prevails. Excellent thrill factor, mounting to a fever pitch. Highly recommended. ~ lss-r
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Library book.
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