Books like The Grass Widow by Ralph M. McInerny

In “The Grass Widow,” Father Dowling is drawn into the unsettling case of Clare O’Leary, a young woman who had fled her husband—a local disc jockey—and vanished to Fox River. After Clare’s body is discovered in a motel, the circumstances raise suspicions of suicide, a conclusion Father Dowling doubts. As he delves deeper, a colorful ensemble of characters emerges: Tall piano player Twinkie Zeugner, fitness‑center owner Wilma Goudge, widower Larry O’Leary, lawyer Andrea Koehler, reporter Mervel, Mrs. Murkin, and police Captain Phil Keegan with his assistants. Amid a sudden gang‑related shoot‑out linked to Clare’s death, the investigation escalates, culminating in a dramatic showdown between Father Dowling and the murderer. The novel offers a blend of mystery, humor, and faith‑based intrigue typical of McInerny’s Father Dowling series.

First publish date: 1983