Gaslight / Femi Kayode.

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Title:

Author:

Kayode, Femi (Fiction writer), author.

ISBN:

9780316536646

Edition:

First North American edition.

Physical Description:

380 pages ; 25 cm.

Series:

[A Philip Taiwo mystery] ; [2]

Philip Taiwo mystery ; 2.

General Note:

"Previously published in Great Britain by Raven Books, June 2023"--Title page verso.

Sequel to: Lightseekers.

Abstract:

"Philip Taiwo returns to solve a missing-persons case, and in so doing, uncovers dark secrets the church has worked tirelessly to hide. A shadow has fallen over the megachurch in Ogun State, Nigeria: the beloved Bishop Dawodu has been arrested for the murder of his wife. Sade Dawodu has vanished without a trace and although no body has been found, the police have acted based on what they claim is damning evidence. Philip Taiwo, hot off the success of solving the Okriki Three case, is brought on to investigate. He quickly learns that Sade, young, impulsive, and outspoken, is no favorite of the congregants. She has also been known to disappear for long stretches of time. As Taiwo and his trusted associate, Chika plunge into the investigation, they unearth secrets that go beyond the missing persons case, ones that if leaked, threaten to shatter not only the Bishop, but the church itself. Taiwo quickly begins to feel like a hired gun, put up to the task with the express purpose to clear the bishop's name rather than find the naked truth. As Taiwo strives to crack the vast conspiracy he's up against, he's tugged away by the demands of family life, and derailed by systemic challenges: in Nigeria, cash is king, there are no viable databases, and records are sparse. Through his eyes, we're treated to religion's cult-like grip, the ways in which the state is in bed with the church, and the difference between police corruption in Nigeria and America, where Philip has been living for over two decades" -- Provided by publisher.

Geographic Term:

Nigeria -- Fiction.

Nigeria

Genre:

Fiction

Detective and mystery fiction

Thrillers (Fiction)

Novels

Mystery fiction.

Detective and mystery fiction.

Novels.

Romans.

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library	Adult Mystery Fiction Book Hardback	120791003109619	F KAY	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

In this follow-up to Kayode's "action-packed and spirited debut" Philip Taiwo returns to solve a missing-persons case, and in so doing, uncovers dark secrets the church has worked tirelessly to hide (Oyinkan Braithwaite, author of My Sister, the Serial Killer ).

A shadow has fallen over the megachurch in Ogun State, Nigeria: the beloved Bishop Dawodu has been arrested for the murder of his wife. Sade Dawodu has vanished without a trace and although no body has been found, the police have acted based on what they claim is damning evidence. Philip Taiwo, hot off the success of solving the Okriki Three case, is brought on to investigate. He quickly learns that Sade, young, impulsive, and outspoken, is no favorite of the congregants. She has also been known to disappear for long stretches of time. As Taiwo and his trusted associate, Chika plunge into the investigation, they unearth secrets that go beyond the missing persons case, ones that if leaked, threaten to shatter not only the Bishop, but the church itself. Taiwo quickly begins to feel like a hired gun, put up to the task with the express purpose to clear the bishop's name rather than find the naked truth.

As Taiwo strives to crack the vast conspiracy he's up against, he's tugged away by the demands of family life, and derailed by systemic challenges: in Nigeria, cash is king, there are no viable databases, and records are sparse. Through his eyes, we're treated to religion's cult-like grip, the ways in which the state is in bed with the church, and the difference between police corruption in Nigeria and America, where Philip has been living for over two decades. In turns high-octane, dark and political, but always emotionally stirring, this highly-anticipated follow-up to LIGHTSEEKERS has the bones of a classic mystery with a fresh, global tilt.

Reviews (3)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Kayode's vivid sequel to 2021's Lightseekers sees former SFPD psychologist Philip Taiwo back in his native Nigeria searching for the missing wife of Jeremiah Dawodu, the ultrarich bishop of a local megachurch. In the eyes of her husband's congregants, Sade Dawodu is a flighty troublemaker known to skip public appearances, so when she disappears for several days, they don't think much of it. Before long, however, police claim to have evidence of foul play and tap Philip and his sidekick, Chika Makuochi, to sift through suspects including church pastors, corrupt government officials, and the bishop himself. Having recently returned to Nigeria after two decades in the U.S., Philip must acclimate to scarce public records and a culture of obfuscation as he carries out his investigation. Meanwhile, Philip and his wife, law professor Folake, grapple with their 15-year-old daughter's compulsive stealing; Philip approaches it like a case, trying to determine whether the girl's funding a drug habit or committing the thefts for some other reason. Kayode joins the two investigations in surprising and satisfying ways, maintaining steady momentum and populating the story with well-drawn characters. His evocative portrait of contemporary Nigeria is icing on the cake. This series continues to captivate. Agent: Harry Illingworth, DHH Agency. (Nov.)

Kirkus Review

A Nigerian psychologist investigates the case of a bishop's wife who's gone missing. When Bishop Jeremiah Dawodu, the head of a Nigerian megachurch, is arrested on suspicion that he murdered his missing wife, Folasade, investigative psychologist Philip Taiwo (a consultant at the Police College in Lagos) is asked by his sister, Kenny, a devout member of the congregation, to meet with the church elders. Not a fan of organized religion, he reluctantly agrees to investigate the possibility that Dawodu may have been framed and that the young and impulsive Sade, who was known to go away for days, might still be alive. Why would the First Lady, who was not particularly well-liked by the elders, seek to discredit her eminent spouse? On the home front, Philip must deal with 15-year-old Lara, who has been stealing money from her mother, Folake. When he discovers his daughter's heartbreaking reason, he realizes that his family has not quite escaped the racism and colorism left behind in America. "We never worried about our daughter because by the time we should have, we were already in Nigeria, where everyone was Black." When Sade's body is found floating in Lekki Lagoon, Philip's investigation, aided by former mercenary Chika, takes a dangerous turn. Kayode has written a twisty, cleverly plotted mystery where nothing--and no one--is what it seems. Philip is a warm, compassionate, and insightful narrator, although the interspersed chapters featuring an unknown speaker feel like a distraction. While some details of Nigerian life are fascinating (Lagos's notorious traffic jams will comfort L.A. readers who think they have it bad), a few more atmospheric touches could have enhanced an already entertaining read. Readers will eagerly await Kayode's next novel. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

Investigative psychologist Philip Taiwo and his family remain in Lagos, having returned after living in the U.S. Philip's fierce law professor wife, Folake, is happy there, but their teenage daughter, Lara, is dangerously miserable. Philip is teaching at a police academy and has no intention of taking any more cases after his father got him embroiled in bloody chaos in Kayode's debut, Lightseekers (2021). But now his sister prevails upon him to look into the disappearance of the "First Lady" of her mega prosperity church. The superrich bishop, much older than his beautiful wife, has been arrested on suspicion of her murder, but he seems to have been framed. As Philip attempts to sort out the increasingly complicated and alarming forces tied to Sade's vanishing, from extreme corruption in both law enforcement and "the God business" to ritualized sexual violence, he reconnects with his unflappable, multitalented associate, Chika, as things get dicey. Kayode delivers another ensnaring, vividly realized, suspenseful, and witty tale of a reluctant yet gifted investigator who susses out the truth about people trapped within entrenched criminality and injustice.