The Undoing of Saint Silvanus

Moore's debut novel is certain to draw myriad readers familiar with her bestselling Bible studies (The Law of Love) and faith-based leadership guides and self-help books (So Long Insecurity). Those who love her down-home Southern style will be pleased to find it in this tale set in New Orleans, where a former church is now an apartment building named Saint Silvanus, often referred to as Saint Sans. Olivia Fontaine faces the death of her only child, Raphael, with her usual iciness, but her reserve cracks when police discover Rafe was killed. Olivia's granddaughter comes to attend her father's funeral . Readers will come to love Saint Sans building manager Adella Atwater and the residents, as well as the NOPD cops who solve Rafe's murder. The novel is not without flaws%E2%80%94slow pacing, overuse of colloquialism, odd leaps back to the early days%E2%80%94but it remains endearing and entertaining to the end. Moore's many fans will no doubt flock to her first work of fiction; whether they'll be willing to read the whole long thing is less clear. (Sept.)