William Kienzle is the Harry Kemelman of Catholicism, and his priest detective, Robert Koesler (like Kienzle, sometimes editor of the Michigan Catholic), is the Detroit response to Rabbi Small….

Like Kemelman, Kienzle has an eye and an ear for mystery stories. Kienzle's sensitivity to pathos and foolishness, shallow fads and rigid ideologies, mindless nonsense and deep faith of the contemporary Catholic scene compares favorably with Kemelman's vivid description of suburban Jewish life.

Both men are superb sociologists of ethnicity.

"Assault With Intent" is about six attempted murders in a declining Roman Catholic seminary—and one real murder—which may be connected to an ultra-right Catholic religious group opposed to change in the church.

Like Kienzle's previous works, the story is a puzzle rather than a mystery. The reader is not provided either with the clues or background information necessary to solve the crimes. Rather, he is entertained by...