The Gathering
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The Gathering Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

William X. Kienzle (Author), Edward Holland (Narrator), Random House Audio (Publisher)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 46 ratings
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Way back in the 1940s, they had all been young together. Inseparable pals Mike and Manny, both preparing for the priesthood...Mike’s beautiful twin sister, Rose, and her best friend Alice, sharing a dream of becoming nuns...shy altar boy Stanley and everybody’s good friend, Bob Koesler, also headed for the priesthood. Six Detroit adolescents moving step by measured step into the bosom of the church. Or so they believed.

Now, more than 50 years later, one of the six has died a sudden, violent death, and Father Bob Koesler - these days a retired parish priest - is sadly suspicious that someone in this tiny band of lifelong friends may be responsible.

But who and why? Before long, Koesler has reason to believe he knows the shocking answer....

Previous page
  1. Listening Length
    10 hours and 2 minutes
  2. Author
    William X. Kienzle
  3. Narrator
    Edward Holland
  4. Audible release date
    November 11, 2004
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Random House Audio
  7. ASIN
    B0006LBX90
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 10 hours and 2 minutes
Author William X. Kienzle
Narrator Edward Holland
Audible.com Release Date November 11, 2004
Publisher Random House Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B0006LBX90
Best Sellers Rank #455,482 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#2,149 in Murder True Crime
#2,560 in Religious Mysteries (Books)
#11,219 in Murder & Mayhem True Accounts

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
46 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

joanne weimer
5.0 out of 5 stars The Gathering
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2003
How do you explain growing up Catholic to your non-Catholic spouse, friend?
This book evokes the feelings and isolation of being raised Catholic.
It is written in a timeline any baby-boomer or younger will relate to.
The ending is a tribute to William Kienzle's life.
The story circle back to the beginnings of William Kienzle's choice of vocation and leaves the reader knowing why he left the priesthood.
The question remains where and what do today's Catholic's do with their faith.
Thank you,
William Kienzle
for all the insights about beinging Catholic
10 people found this helpful
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LISA M. BECK
4.0 out of 5 stars I really loved it.
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2011
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This was my first Kienzle book. First few pages were a little hard to get into, but when I did, I couldn't put it down. Was the dialogue tedious? Yes at times. However, it doesn't negate the fact that this is a good book worthy of some praise. I didn't go to Catholic school but went to Catholic school for "religious instruction", but I relate to this book nonetheless.
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PLM
3.0 out of 5 stars For me, nostalgia
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2011
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While I have to agree that the teenagers in this book speak like no teenagers ever did - they all sound at least ten years older than they're supposed to be - for me reading a novel set largely in Holy Redeemer parish in Detroit is a bunch of happy. I grew up in Holy Redeemer, though a good twenty-five years later than this story begins, and it's lovely to see the place I knew so accurately recorded here.

I bought this book for my Kindle because I was first reading Judged By Love, Bill Kienzle's biography, and I thought I'd give one of his novels a try. I'm glad I did, even though the consensus seems to be that this is probably his weakest mystery. Since I love mysteries, I'll try another too. =)
3 people found this helpful
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Serge Pesic
4.0 out of 5 stars Tribute to one's faith
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2023
I always had a soft spot for William Kienzle. Long time ago, precisely over 32 years ago, I picked up his book "The Rosary Murders" searching for an exciting book to help me improve my fledgling English. It took a while because I depended on English-Serbian dictionary. So, since then I read most of his novels. It seems that last few that he published passed me by, so I bought them used recently. This is his last book, sadly, and after reading unkind and clumsy review by one reader on these pages, I felt compelled to defend the book and the author. I didn't grow up Catholic, but I am married to a lapsed one and understand the bond between the church and faithful, even the ones who strayed far away. This book seems to me like a both loving and exasperated tribute to one's faith. The plot grabbed me, and I finished the book in one day. Perhaps this is not your basic mystery, but this writer who gave us numerable thrills for many years, in my mind, wrote a loving farewell note to his church. RIP.
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Nancy C. Brown
3.0 out of 5 stars The Gathering
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2013
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Not quite what I thought it would be about. Did finish reading it, but will
not buy any more from this Author.
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GRACE M. REAGAN
1.0 out of 5 stars "The Gathering", Kienzle goes out with a whimper
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2002
Verified Purchase
How unfortunate that "The Gathering" is the last book that William X. Kienzle wrote. It is nothing more than a vapid retelling, and retelling, and .... (get the picture) of five young people,how they came to arrive at the decision to enter religious life and the events that occurred along the way. The solving of "THE" murder, which really isn't one, doesn't pan out (and at that very weakly) until the very last few pages of the book. Until that point the reader suffers through how Rose and Alice and Mike and Manny and Benny and yes, the hero, Robert Koesler, came to the decision to choose a religious life and the trials and tribulations that played out along the way.
The book begins as Fr. Koesler returns to a now defunct seminary building in anticipation for a reunion with the surviving five religious and former religious who formed the "group". That brief glimpse of the aging priest doesn't last long. The novel then takes the reader back to the time when these young people either made the decision to enter religious life or had the decision made for them. The dialogue is weak, repetitive and lacks any spark of life. It is too bad that Mr. Kienzle discussed the most questionable tactics of one priest who used the "missionary's privilege" to pave the way for a most unwilling candidate to enter the seminary. With all the criticism the Catholic church has received in recent months, this reader wished that Benny's plight had been edited from the book.
It is difficult to believe that the man who penned "The Rosary Murders" and so many other great mysteries has passed away. It is even more difficult to realize that William Kienzle left his fans with arguably the worst story line he ever created. One will just have to chalk "The Gathering" up to the fates that come with a dwindling creative spark. Sorry it was such a poor read, Sir. You deserved to go out with a bang, not a whimper.
5 people found this helpful
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claudia bray
3.0 out of 5 stars but not one of his best.
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2016
Verified Purchase
It was ok, but not one of his best.
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S. Colbert
4.0 out of 5 stars Not a mystery at all..but still good
Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2003
If you picked up this book expecting a good mystery like The Rosary Murders, you will be greatly disappointed. However, if you're interested in a pretty decent character study of 4 young people preparing to enter the religious life, then you might enjoy it. In the last 10-12 years, Kienzle really hasn't written mysteries but rather character studies set against a Catholic background. Taken on that level, this is one of his best in the last few years.
5 people found this helpful
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