An Absence of Faith by David W. Gordon is a dark, suspenseful tale of religion, murder, and romance. A serial killer is trying to prove a point to a priest by murdering young women. Detective Kate Manning is on the case, all the while battling feelings for her partner and questioning her own views on religion.

An Absence of Faith was hard to put down, but also hard to finish in one sitting due to the story being a little heavy at times. This book may make you question your own faith at times. Gordon’s characters are all very complex. Detective Manning has many personal issues to deal with. I understood why she would question people’s faith after everything she sees being a cop. The character of Victor scared me a little. He reminded me to be wary of all strangers. However, I really liked his view on art. “Most art is deception.” I never thought of art in that way, but I think he makes a good point. The murder scenes are a bit graphic and may not be for everyone.

I saw that this story was going to be a graphic novel originally. I am glad that it is an actual book. The story has too many details to be completely understood as a comic. I enjoyed the plot. Some things were a little predictable, but Gordon did throw in a couple of surprises. This book is going to be on my mind for a long time. Overall, this is a good read! If you like suspenseful tales, then you have to read this one.

An Absence of Faith by David W. Gordon starts off with a compelling and twisted introduction as a woman is murdered by someone she picked up in a bar. This transitions to a completely different kind of woman in the story as we meet Kate Manning, our protagonist and an excellently written female lead who is stuck in a crappy situation trying to catch this man. It is a novel about faith, both losing and gaining it, and there are a number of moments in the story that solidify this as an emotional tale of reckoning. By the end of the novel, our protagonist has changed so much that we almost have a completely different character.

The novel is compelling, if a little predictable. The targets are exactly the sort of targets we might expect from a serial killer like this, but the characters bring fresh ideas and life to the plot. The dialogue is sharp and full of humorous moments and I really liked the introduction to the protagonist, Kate Manning. She was brilliantly written and we got to see her doing some incredible things, even at the outset. I loved the way the novel progressed and the quotes at the beginning of each chapter were interesting and contributed to the story in a positive way. An Absence of Faith by David W. Gordon is well-written and full of enough deeply emotional and suspenseful moments to entice even casual fans of the genre. A great story.

David W. Gordon takes readers through an intense journey in An Absence of Faith, a thriller that will psychologically challenge anyone through the themes of good versus evil, love and belief. A young woman is viciously murdered in Queens. Detective Kate Manning and her partner Mike are hunting the elusive butcher while desperately trying to decipher his message. The killer gives them an obvious warning that this will be the first in a long reign of horror. Both Kate and Mike will be pushed to their limits, and they have to figure out the identity of the murderer before it is too late.

The pace of the plot is well executed. It’s fast and deliberate in the right places. The characters have sufficient depth and move the story well. There’s a religious tone, but it is subtle and won’t chase away any reader who’s not fond of preachy novels. Gordon deftly mixed the subject of faith and thriller, making the combination work for An Absence of Faith through his vivid prose. That said, this novel is not for the faint of heart. There are graphic and brutal scenes that readers will encounter and they won’t be easy to read. On the other hand, it’s not all violent and bloody. There are great unpredictable twists in the plot, which showcases Gordon’s strength as a writer. All in all, An Absence of Faith is a solid and profound read about the sinister part of our society that will satisfy thriller fans.

An Absence of Faith by David W. Gordon is a suspenseful piece of fiction graphically depicting the world’s violence. A killer savagely attacks a woman in Queens and adequately details that this is not the last time a person will die. Detective Kate Manning desperately chases clues in the hopes of obtaining the killer’s identity before another person becomes a victim. But the city is gripped by madness, mayhem, and heresy, and city members are thrust into a world of poverty, sex, drugs, and cult-like religious beliefs. The killer feeds off of this darkness and the carnage the killer creates is unrelenting. Unless Kate can do something to stop the madness, the city just might destroy itself. But in order for Kate to discover how the killer is allowed to continue the reign of terror, she has to look deep inside herself for answers to questions she isn’t sure she is prepared to face.

An Absence of Faith is a compelling read that is dark and deep and strangely satisfying all at the same time. It revolves around a world of intrigue, murder, love, mayhem, family, and faith. The story has a nice, fast pace and can easily become a compulsive read. Gordon does a superb job of creating complex, relatable characters that every reader will recognize. These characters leap off the page and make the story come to life. Gordon also forces readers to look deeply at their own actions and their true thoughts about loved ones, friends, and family members.