The Basket Case (Father Dowling)

After Father Dowling agrees to protect a baby in secret for a time at its mother's request, a strange chain of events leads to murder, and Father Dowling must unravel the mystery

When Constance Farley Rush leaves her infant son in a basket at Fr. Dowling's church, she means to accuse her ex-husband, Peter Rush, of plotting to kidnap the baby. But as McInerny's 11th mystery develops, someone kills Rush, presenting the priest and his pal, Lt. Keegan of the Fox River, Ill., police, with a knotty case of murder. Constance, her sister Liz and their mother unite to cover up the fake abduction while Keegan's officers trace clues to persons swindled by Rush, in hopes of finding his killer. Meantime the priest's investigation pays off with facts about a long-buried crime and evidence against the guilty person. As might be expected, the author's wit, his portrayal of the humane Dowling and other attractive characters, and the framework of solid plotting add up to a grand entertainment for armchair sleuths.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.