Quite simply, William Baer’s “Advocatus Diaboli” is contemporary Christian fiction at its finest. It is much more than a mere murder mystery. It is a voyage of discovery, a spiritual adventure, which takes us deeper into the mysteries of faith.

--Joseph Pierce, The Imaginative Conservative

"From the opening pages of William Baer's Advocatus Diaboli straight through to its moving conclusion, the reader is irrevocably hooked. This is a brave novel and a brave novelist, unafraid to address the unfashionable questions of faith and doubt, to posit the possibility (though never the certainty) of an immanent divinity at work in the lives of ordinary men and women, the human need for grace, and the power of redemptive suffering to save us from ourselves and each other. Baer writes in the tradition of Graham Greene, Walker Percy, Andre Dubus, and Ron Hansen, among others-Catholic fiction writers each of whom says "No! in thunder" to both the nihilism and easy belief of his era. Compelling and credible, Baer has given us that rare gift-a clear-eyed, intelligent, religious novel that eschews the pieties of doubters and unthinking believers alike."

-- Angela Alaimo O'Donnell, author of Andalusian Hours: Poems

"Part murder mystery, part romance, this book will also be a delight for devotees of family history, given the complex and sometimes mysterious relationships that underlie the story. Along with being an engaging read, Advocatus Diaboli [Devil’s Advocate] by William Baer is profoundly Catholic, with themes of repentance and forgiveness. Many of the characters are guilty of serious sin, as is detailed in the book, but rather than despairing they turn to seeking God’s mercy. Fans of Padre Pio will enjoy the book, as several characters visit Rome to seek his counsel and to confess sins ranging up to murder. Devotees will also appreciate being reminded of Pio’s most famous advice: 'Pray, hope, and don’t worry.' ... With all its twists and turns, the book does have a happy, inspired ending that ties the story together.

-- Peggy Moen, The Wanderer