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Alan Lee
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The Desecration of All Saints: A Stand-Alone Action Mystery (Mackenzie August, Killer Mysteries,) Kindle Edition

by Alan Lee (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,780 ratings
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A slumping detective is hired to investigate the most powerful man in his city - the priest.

★★★★★ "I've read seven of his books in the last ten days." - Amazon Review
★★★★★ "A delicate subject matter, expertly done." - Amazon Review

Mackenzie August is a private detective and he's in a rut. His is a feast-or-famine profession, and seasons of mundane work are wearing him down. What he needs is a stimulating case...

Two men come to Mackenzie in secret and request his services. The leader of their church is a venerable and nationally celebrated priest, yet rumors circulate that all is not as it seems. A young clergyman, recently hired, alleges the man is really a villain in disguise. Who can be trusted, the newcomer or the respected priest?

Mackenzie is charged with discovering who is telling the truth and who is lying, and do it before the public catches wind. What he discovers, however, is far worse than anyone could've guessed...

Read this gripping mystery today!
Author's Note - This is not a canonical book in the Mackenzie August series. This is a stand-alone mystery. You're going to love it.
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  1. Print length
    316 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    October 16, 2019
  5. File size
    3494 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07Z8D4PS4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sparkle Press (October 16, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 16, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3494 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 316 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,780 ratings

About the author

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Alan Lee

Alan Lee

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Amazon best-selling author Alan Lee lives in Virginia with his wife and children, and he plans on being your favorite crime writer for the next twenty years.

All books here are part of the A.L. Universe.

Each mystery and thriller, the villains and heroes, it’s one big story. Jump in anywhere and lose yourself.

-The August Mysteries

-The Sinatra Thrillers

-The Stackhouse Police Procedurals

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
3,780 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Sandra Bitner
5.0 out of 5 stars loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2023
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But then I love all his books. Always a great plot and his characters are well rounded, believable and easy to follow. The old cliche about not able to put it down is true here. The suspense builds and keeps you involved, wanting more. Only start it if you have time to read.
One person found this helpful
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Auntie Sue
4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good stuff
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2021
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This is the second Mackenzie August I’ve read. The first one was free, and reading the reviews, I didn’t think I would enjoy it. But I’ve been consuming mystery novels like Krispy Kreme Tiny Crullers this past year (you know), and I’m always on the lookout for those that meet my exacting standards (no goo-goo romance, no habitual grammatical errors). So I read it. Then I read this one. And the next is in my lineup.

I like the characters; even the minor ones are carefully drawn. The things people say to each other sound like the way people talk—and they don’t all sound alike. The plots keep me guessing. And while I try to avoid scenes of cringeworthy violence, Mr. Lee’s are at least short. And inventive. And for a valuable bonus, I often laugh out loud.

So I highly recommend these books.
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Cathy
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2020
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I could not put this book down! The quirky characters and the humor that runs a strong parallel to the main plot make this book a major entertainment. The banter between August and Manny - actually, between August and anyone he encounters, is clever and hilarious. The plot seems to be transparent, and I thought I knew what the conclusion would be ... but, ya gotta read the book to find out what really happened! Plus, the vocabulary lesson is worth the cost of the book, and much more. Loved it!
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Kip C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Quite Enjoyable!
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2023
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Alan Lee is a great entertainer! Fast, furious and educational, especially on the nuances of the English language.
Where will the next Mackenzie August appear?
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Nathan Van Coops
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I’ve read this year.
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2020
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Alan Lee has crafted a stunning mystery uncovered by an unforgettable hero. Mackenzie August grabs your attention from the first page and pins you to your seat till the ride’s over. Due to his penchant for big words, you’ll even have a better vocabulary once you can breath again.
The title Desecration of All Saints sounds like it could be a dark tale, but the fascinating characters, whip-smart dialogue, and hilarious banter keep you laughing and engaged the whole way through. Alan Lee manages to navigate thought-provoking and thorny topics with compassion and grace, while working in enough irreverent skepticism and true-to-life humanity to feel like you’ve been on a real journey with the characters.
Fast-paced, intriguing, and at times downright sexy, this story takes you down a rabbit hole of human nature’s darker desires, but makes you ever more impressed by the integrity and determination of its hero. Far from being the stereotypical hard-drinking PI, Mackenzie August is a new breed of cool. With his ensemble of ridiculously good-looking but down-to-earth friends, he uses more wits than brawn, and while he’s tough as nails where it counts, he’s also full of surprises. I plan to immediately start the rest of the series. This novel had me staying up late, ignoring my TV, and talking it up to friends. I’ll be sharing it with anyone I know who loves mysteries, action thrillers, or just wants an unforgettable read.
6 people found this helpful
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RMCampbell
4.0 out of 5 stars A thrilling detective mystery full of lies, corruption, and deadly consequences.
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2022
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Mackenzie August, a private investigator, is hired by an Episcopalian church vestry to investigate allegations against the church's rector, the very popular Father Louis Lindsey. The allegations accuse the well-liked Father of making unwanted advances on a younger clergyman. The young priest also informs the vestry that another young man has also been approached by the popular rector but refuses to divulge his name. The senior members of the vestry do not believe the allegations based primarily on his esteem reputation, his ability to generate substantial contributions to the church, the fact that he has been at the church so long, and the accused clergyman is married. To complicate the situation, a boy who attends the church has been reported missing, and fear that someone at the church could be involved only adds to the desperation to resolve the issue.
Alan Lee does an impressive job of weaving a thrilling detective tale reminiscent of detective stories from the past. The lead character, Mackenzie August, is just the kind of P.I. you would hire if you were in the market for an experienced, strong, smart, witty, and dependable investigator. Mackenzie is also a single parent with a toddler son, who manages a humorous dialog with his father although no words are spoken. The other characters in Mackenzie's circle of trusted associates prove to be unique, including a US Marshall, a girlfriend who is engaged to someone else, and the female town sheriff who just happens to be dating his father.
The plot gets complicated and some of the terminology and words that the author injects into the story seem complex, so have a dictionary handy. The storyline was well written and the character development was intriguing and at times surprising. There were also some unexpected twists and turns in the plot that I did not see coming. I enjoyed reading the story and the interactions between the characters were impressive. This is a very good detective thriller that I highly recommend.
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Top reviews from other countries

Jacqueline Sidwell
5.0 out of 5 stars Love, Love Love MacKenzie August books!
Reviewed in France on April 5, 2024
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This book is not part of the series and can be read stand alone. But as the author says himself, you will want to read the series when you've finished it! I really enjoy Alan Lee's style of writing. The subject matter - the crimes and criminals, awful situations that MacKenzie gets involved with are tempered by his extraordinary use of vocabulary, his internal thoughts and imaginary conversations by and with his baby son, Kix, which at times, make laugh out loud. This is not, however a "Cozy" or funny story in any way, but rather it's about the failabilty of man (and women, although not in this book) and the ability of power to corrupt.
Father Louis of All Saints, Roanoke, is just such a man. A closet homosexual who is so needy he prays on young men who are in no position to refuse him and gets angrily possessive if they try. One high school age boy went missing and was found dead after counselling by Father Louis a few years previously and now another is missing. The men who are desperate to preserve the church hire MacKenzie to prove father Louis innocent. Unfortunately for them, things don't turn out as they hoped. And once again, Marshal Manny Martinez saved the day. This is a great extra to the main series - or an equally great introduction to these interesting, appealing characters. Alan Lee is, as he predicts at the end of each book, my new (or by now not so new) favourite crime writer!
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Mary
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome and easy read
Reviewed in the Netherlands on February 27, 2022
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The book kept you reading on, page by page. It was hard to put down. Very entertaining and some twists at the end. Thanks, I enjoyed the book.
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Cornish Invader
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 31, 2021
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Alan says he is going to be my favorite mystery writer for the next twenty years. He just might be. At the rate I’m going through his books though he’s going to have to write a lot faster.
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Al the Bookworm
5.0 out of 5 stars Darn fine read
Reviewed in Canada on June 25, 2020
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I enjoyed this book. Great characters and a well developed and though out story. Can't go wrong with this author.
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Greg Bobbitt
4.0 out of 5 stars A good read
Reviewed in Canada on June 29, 2020
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I haven't read other books by this author concerning the actions of the main character. But this was a pretty good novel, and it is worth reading more of his writings Good action, good plot and entertaining characters with good interaction between them. Worth checking out.
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