Genre

Historical Fiction, Western, Thriller

Audience

Catholic, Protestant, Secular, adult, teen

Author’s Worldview

Undisclosed

Year Published

1953

Themes

Mexico, Cowboys, Bandits, Small Towns, Priesthood, Redemption, Solidarity

 

Reviewed by

Corinna Turner

A spiritual thriller crossed with a spaghetti Western, The Singer Not the Song is an unusual tale about the battle between good and evil.

In 1920/30s Mexico, “Malo,” a ruthless young man who hates the Church and is little better than a bandit, has taken control of an isolated mountain town. Fr. Keogh is sent to bring the beleaguered population back to God. In the moral and physical struggle that ensues, can Fr. Keogh trust anyone—even himself?

Set during the period in Mexico when the worst persecution had passed and the dust was settling, this is a slow burn psychological thriller where the action occasionally explodes into the physical sphere.

What sets this book apart from most thrillers is that the struggle for physical control of the town is always secondary to the struggle for the hearts and minds of the population—and for the soul of “Malo” himself.

This book would probably have counted merely as a thriller when it was published in the fifties, but might now be filed in the religious fiction section.

The book was (sadly) filmed in the early sixties by a scriptwriter and director who appear to have simply chosen a book with two male lead characters in order to very loosely use the plot in a ‘boundary-pushing’ movie with strong homosexual overtones (there’s no hint of any such thing in the book).

The theme of spiritual struggle for the soul makes this book of interest to Christians and anyone interested in psychology, while the more physical struggle for the town also provides a more secular plotline. However, it’s definitely the spiritual, psychological, and emotional conflicts that are the driving force in this book.

More than once the reader finds themselves challenged by the way good sometimes seems disadvantaged in the face of evil because good must always believe that an evil person can change their ways and must therefore give them another chance. The reader, along with the townsfolk, sometimes wants Father Keogh to make a different choice, yet is confronted by how lacking in faith and goodness such a grudging response is. Practical experience of human nature is at war with ideals.

Ultimately, this book has a powerful message for our feeling-based society today. At a pivotal moment we see how evil assumes an outcome based on what it views as the inevitable triumph of feelings—only to be defeated by a simple choice not to act. In fact, the novel has a lot to say about choice vs. feelings, highlighted by the fact that both Fr. Keogh and Malo live ascetic lives yet choose very different sides in the war of good against evil.

Attitudes to women and indigenous peoples are of their day, but not to an obnoxious level. Only the very most sensitive to such issues are likely to find this problematic.

Since it was originally written as a secular thriller, The Singer Not the Song is suitable for all but the most faith-phobic of secular readers. The Christianity in the novel is specifically Catholic in nature, but Protestant readers will find a character to root for in the form of Miss Finch, a staunchly Protestant Englishwoman and one of the few strong women in the novel, respected by both Fr. Keogh and Malo himself. Catholics will probably enjoy the reminiscences about the persecution, along with the strong spiritual warfare theme.

A novel suitable for anyone who enjoys a character-driven thriller with strong spiritual themes, this is definitely one of those all too rare books that proves that the spiritual field of battle can be no less exciting than the physical.

Shadow in the Dark by Antony Barone Kolenc

An immersive mystery and an amateur sleuth set in the walls of a 12th century English monastery

The People’s Choice- Top 10 Genres in Catholic Literature

The book-geeks have spoken! Top favorite genres in Catholic literature July 2018- July 2019

December Books to Pray With: Pilgrims of Hope

A Catholic book list focused on the theme of hope and sense of journey as we look toward the jubilee year of 2025. Use these entertaining fiction stories to deepen your prayer life and renew the virtue of hope.

The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia Toney

A Catholic “To Kill a Mockingbird” if there ever was one.

Why Reading Fiction Made Me a Better Catholic

How reading fiction became a crucial step in my conversion to the Catholic Church.

Coven (Book 7 of St. Tommy Series): By Declan Finn

St. Tommy fights the CPS and a group of pagans who have taken over a military base.

North Pacific: A Story of Life, Love, Suffering, and Grace by Michael Steffan

Joseph & Miku’s love was already illegal. Then WWII began. Now home, disabled, and questioning God’s love, he still searches for her.

Please Don’t Feed the Dinosaurs by Corinna Turner

A series of dino adventures that has been doing better what the mainstream Jurassic Park series only recently attempted.

I, Claudia By Lin Wilder

Will the extraordinary events lead the wife of Pontius Pilate, Claudia Procula, to the Son of God?

Jesus Do You Want to Be My Friend? by Mark Restaino, Illustrations by J.P. Alcomendas

This delightful picture book lets young readers imagine the daily life of the Christ Child while also teaching simple prayers.

The Reluctant Queen: The Story of Esther by Lin Wilder

Chosen by Xerxes to be queen, chosen by God to be savior of His people: the story of Esther.

For the Pastoral Care of the Sick: July Books to Pray with Reading List

Use your recreational reading to foster an empathetic and Catholic imagination. A reading list to reflect on the sacrament of anointing of the sick, for them and their caregivers.

Books to Deepen Your Lent

Whatever your needs or tastes these books explore the Lenten themes of repentance, confession and renewal.

September Books to Pray With: For the Cry of the Earth

Let us pray that each of us listen with our hearts to the cry of the Earth and of the victims of
environmental disasters and the climate crisis, making a personal commitment to care for the world
we inhabit.

Saint Magnus: The Last Viking by Susan Peek

A young Viking Prince evades a warlord while finding his own harrowing path to sainthood.

Brother Wolf by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson

Swept into a werewolf hunt with two nuns, a dashing guardian and a jolly priest, Athene Howard applies her intellectual skills to unravel this mysterious new Papist world.

Hell Spawn by Declan Finn

What does it look like when an every-man saint battles a demon?

All in Good Time by Carolyn Astfalk

A truly healthy romance that will STILL leave you up at night

Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang

This two part graphic novel tells its story from 2 sides China’s bloody civil war: A Boxer Rebel & a “traitor” Christian-Convert.