Preacher Raises the Dead: An Evan Wycliff Mystery

Here is the stunning third installment in Gerald Everett Jones's Evan Wycliff Mystery series, blending small-town mystery, spiritual inquiry, humor, and the eccentric humanity that has become the hallmark of the series. Set in southern Missouri during the height of the pandemic, the story finds reluctant pastor and part-time investigator Evan Wycliff confronting a phenomenon that threatens to deepen his reputation as a miracle worker—a reputation he desperately wishes to avoid.

When Ann Shackleton, an elderly woman suffering from dementia, is declared dead after a cardiac arrest and then inexplicably revives fourteen minutes later, rumors spread that something supernatural has occurred. Although Evan arrives after the event, whispers soon credit him with yet another miracle. His curiosity is piqued when Ann appears to possess knowledge she should not have had, suggesting she may have experienced consciousness beyond death itself. As Evan seeks answers, he finds himself drawn into questions of faith, science, mortality, and the mysteries of human consciousness.

Complicating matters, Ann's husband, wealthy banker Stuart Shackleton, has just escaped prosecution for murder. Once again, the controversial financier becomes both benefactor and burden to Evan. Shackleton entrusts him with power of attorney over his fractured family and provides a substantial donation to the church, while insisting he is innocent of past crimes. Evan must navigate difficult responsibilities involving Shackleton's troubled son Luke, young grandson Buzz, and recovering abuse survivor Melissa Benton, all while trying to determine whether redemption is truly possible for a man whose moral compromises have devastated so many lives.

Meanwhile, old enemies resurface, former conspirators seek to bargain with secrets, and new revelations surrounding the trafficking network and the murder of Father Michael Coyle suggest that the truth may be more complicated than anyone imagined. Against the backdrop of pandemic tensions, church divisions, and the everyday struggles of family life, Evan grapples with his own doubts about faith. A minister who often questions his beliefs more than his parishioners do, he is forced to confront the possibility that miracles may exist—and that grace can appear in unexpected forms.

Part cozy mystery, part spiritual drama, and part meditation on life after death, Preacher Raises the Dead explores redemption, forgiveness, found family, and the uneasy coexistence of science and faith. Filled with quirky characters, dry humor, and surprising twists, the novel continues the journey of one of contemporary mystery fiction's most unconventional sleuths: a preacher who is never entirely sure what he believes, yet cannot stop searching for the truth.

Recommended for fans of Charlaine Harris and M.C. Beaton.

Four-time winner in 2022, including Silver in both the Independent Press Award and New York City Big Book Award. The Preacher Evan Wycliff series has won 10 awards in mystery.