Quick Take
- Narration: Abby Craden handles the ensemble cast of detectives and suspects with clear vocal differentiation – her delivery sustains the procedural momentum without overplaying the dramatic beats.
- Themes: Institutional cover-ups, evolving partnership dynamics, the gap between official and actual justice
- Mood: Taut and propulsive with bursts of interpersonal warmth between the leads
- Verdict: A confident second entry in the Tori Hunter series that deepens the cast while keeping the investigation genuinely unpredictable – better than book one and sets the series up well for what follows.
I picked up In the Name of the Father mid-series, which is not ideal for a procedural with established character dynamics, but Gerri Hill writes with enough clarity about who her people are that I did not feel stranded. This is book two in the Tori Hunter series, featuring Dallas Homicide detectives Tori Hunter and Samantha Kennedy, and it opens on a genuinely provocative premise: a Catholic priest found naked and strangled, a sex scandal threatening to break, and a primary suspect shot dead within hours of the murder. Hill compresses the investigative challenge efficiently in the opening sequence and then lets it unspool in directions the reader does not anticipate.
What struck me first about this audiobook was the decision to temporarily separate Tori and Sam. Sam moves to a different unit at the start of the novel, which forces Tori into a new dynamic with Cassie O’Connor from SVU. That structural choice does real work. The Tori-and-Sam partnership is clearly the series’ emotional center, and giving Tori a relationship with a new colleague while Sam is operating elsewhere creates parallel tracks that intersect in satisfying ways. It also prevents the series from calcifying around a single dynamic two books in.
Our Take on In the Name of the Father
The murder at the center of the novel is genuinely well-constructed. A Catholic priest with a secret life, a cover-up that involves church and civic institutions, a suspect eliminated before he can be questioned: these are the bones of an investigation that could easily feel exploitative or sensationalized. Hill keeps it grounded in procedural logic rather than scandal. The revelations about the priest’s secret life are handled as investigative facts rather than as titillating reveals, which is the right call and keeps the story’s moral register stable.
One reviewer described this as a vast improvement over Hunter’s Way, the first book in the series, and noted some structural reservations about the climax feeling more like coincidence than earned resolution. That critique has some validity. The book builds considerable mystery and complication, and the final convergence of threads happens quickly. Whether that registers as satisfying payoff or abbreviated conclusion will depend on how forgiving you are of procedurals that front-load their complexity. I found it a minor issue in an otherwise efficiently plotted book.
Why Listen to In the Name of the Father
Abby Craden is a reliable presence in LGBTQ+ crime fiction audiobooks, and she brings the same vocal discipline here that makes her a good fit for procedural material. She differentiates clearly between characters without resorting to exaggerated voices, and her pacing during the investigation sequences keeps the listener tracking plot threads rather than getting lost in the ensemble. Hill writes a large cast for a relatively short novel, and Craden’s management of that cast is a genuine production asset.
The relationship dynamics are also a draw. The Tori and Sam partnership is the series’ heart, and Hill writes their connection with specificity rather than relying on genre shorthand. The addition of Cassie O’Connor as a third significant presence this novel introduces genuine uncertainty about how the social map of the series will develop. Reviewers who mention excitement about book three suggest the groundwork laid here has landed. A series that generates that kind of forward momentum from its second installment is doing something right.
What to Watch For in In the Name of the Father
The novel’s running time, six and a quarter hours, is on the shorter side for procedural crime fiction. Hill works efficiently, which is both a strength and a constraint. The investigation moves quickly, the characters are established rather than built from scratch since the series has done that work already, and the narrative does not linger. Listeners who prefer their crime fiction to develop atmosphere slowly or to spend time in the texture of place will find this more kinetic than contemplative.
The LGBTQ+ element of the series is woven into character dynamics rather than foregrounded as the primary subject. Tori and Sam are detectives who happen to be in a relationship; the investigation is not organized around their identity. For listeners who want that kind of organic integration rather than issue-driven framing, this series delivers it consistently.
Who Should Listen to In the Name of the Father
Readers already invested in the Tori Hunter series are the primary audience, and they should listen to Hunter’s Way first to understand the foundation that this book builds on. New listeners to Gerri Hill who want to start somewhere accessible within the series will find this entry point functional but richer in context for prior acquaintance.
LGBTQ+ crime fiction readers who want protagonist-driven police procedurals with genuine investigative plotting rather than romance-primary structure will find Hill’s work in their wheelhouse. Abby Craden’s narration makes this a particularly clean listening experience for the genre. Those who prefer slower-burn procedurals with more atmospheric world-building than plot momentum should temper expectations accordingly, but within its efficient register, In the Name of the Father delivers exactly what the series promises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to read Hunter’s Way before In the Name of the Father, or is this standalone?
Reading the first book is recommended. In the Name of the Father builds directly on the character dynamics and relationships established in Hunter’s Way. New readers can follow the plot, but the emotional stakes of the Tori-and-Sam partnership and the significance of the structural changes in this book require that foundation.
How does Abby Craden handle the multiple detective characters and suspects in this book?
With clear vocal differentiation and consistent pacing. Craden manages a relatively large ensemble for a short novel without losing listener orientation. Her delivery during the investigation sequences is efficient rather than theatrical, which suits Hill’s procedural style.
Is the LGBTQ+ element of the series central to the plot, or is it background character detail?
Background, organically integrated. Tori and Sam are detectives whose relationship is part of the series fabric rather than its primary subject. The investigation drives the novel; the identity elements inform character dynamics rather than structuring the plot.
Does the mystery in In the Name of the Father resolve satisfyingly, or do some reviewers find the ending weak?
Opinions are split slightly on this. The case resolves completely, and the revelation about the priest’s secret life is satisfying. One reviewer found the final convergence of threads more coincidental than earned. The majority of listeners report the ending as adequate to good. It is a minor structural wobble in an otherwise well-plotted novel.
