Phil Keegan and the Fox River, IL police department are bewildered by a series of unexplained deaths. Two attractive women, friends, are found dead, about a month apart: the first, in her bathtub with her wrists cut, the second, drowned in her car that had fallen into the river. The circumstances are ambiguous and could suggest suicide... Two more deaths follow—a man and a woman in their car, from carbon monoxide, and again there is a suspicion of suicide. But in no case is the explanation of suicide totally convincing.

Captain Keegan, Lieutenant Horvath, and Officer Lamb keep digging away. And, of course, Father Dowling soon becomes involved, not only as confidant of Phil but also in his own right, while fulfilling his priestly functions. To heighten our enjoyment, McInery resorts to the comparatively rare device: the reader knows who the murderer is. thus, we can watch the duel, good vs. evil, progress. To such a point, in fact, that this time Father Dowling--who, in his sensitivity, finally spots the murderer--barely escapes alive.

A LOSS OF PATIENTS is brightened once again with the human character touches and light humor that have made all the Father Dowling Mysteries such a success.