Missing Woman from Megachurch

Gaslight by Femi Kayode is the second book in the Dr. Philip Taiwo mystery series. This African Noir novel centers on a missing woman from a Nigerian megachurch who is possibly corrupt. The protagonist, investigative psychologist Dr. Philip Taiwo, delves into a complex scheme involving several twists and turns, uncovering layers of corruption and deception.

Gaslight" by Femi Kayode is a captivating addition to the Dr. Philip Taiwo mystery series. With its complex characters, intriguing plot, and thematic depth, it offers a thought-provoking read that is both entertaining and insightful. Kayode's masterful storytelling and vivid writing style make this book a must-read for fans of mystery and African Noir.

A crime thriller/mystery. It starts quite slow, but it coalesces into an engaging drama of how and why? And in the process, the mega-churches of Nigeria and their often larger than life pastors come under intense scrutiny and derision. Eventually this book coalesces into an exciting journey with a satisfying denouement.

Philip Taiwo is back to solve another case, when he's asked to look into the disappearance of Sade Dawodu who is presumed to be murdered by her husband Bishop Dawodu, the well known figurehead of a megachurch. Everyone in the church swears that Sade left on her own and Bishop did not murder her, but the facts don't quite line up and Philip begins to suspect something is going on in the church, even if it wasn't Bishop. Overall, an interesting psychological thriller, though at times the motivations and machinations were a little confusing. The commentary on the differences between living in America and Uganda was interesting, as was the difficulties in parenting children in both countries, even if those family scenes felt like sidebars at times.

When I started Gaslight I had no idea that this was a follow-up to this author's first novel. This book had me hooked from the beginning! An alleged megachurch murder committed by the Senior Pastor. The pastors wife has vanished without a trace. However, there are questions about the wife...did she just walk away on her own accord or could there be something a little more sinister taking place. What unfolds is a complex scheme with several different players and pieces involved. Now, I have to go back and read the 1st book. Femi Kayode has a great future as an author ahead of her and I am looking forward to her next installment! #netgalley #Gaslight

So…. I did NOT know that this was a sequel or part of a series, and now it all makes sense. We have multiple MCs, but ultimately this is a detective novel where our lead detective is trying to solve the disappearance and murder of a well-known and loved “First Lady” of a church in Lagos, Nigeria. Everyone immediately panics, because no man of GOD could be responsible for such a heinous crime, but as time goes on, the suspect seems to be none other than this church’s head pastor. This one read like a Christian thriller, which is not my go-to or ever anything I’d want to read, because of it being what it is. I am still really thankful to Hachette Audio, the author and Netgalley for granting me advanced audio access to this one before it hits shelves on November 21, 2023.

Gaslight is the second in the Philip Taiwo series. He is a private investigator.

In this book he is hired to prove that Bishop Dawodu is innocent after he is charged with murdering his wife.
It takes a while for the body to be found, drowned. This happens as Philip is being threatened into dropping the case.

Set in Lagos, I enjoy the different flavor of this book, as I did the last one. What I didn't like was the slow start to the story as I prefer a faster pace. Still, I enjoyed the book and was glad that I made my way through it.

3.5 stars. I do not think that this was the book for me. It was a well written story and credit where credit is due, but I was not digging the police procedural vibe.

This book was a slow starter that at times felt like it had nowhere to go. As events ramped up it became increasingly gripping and intriguing with extraordinary and devastating tactics employed to blow the whistle on corruption. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

I really enjoyed this book. The wife of a prominent minister in Nigeria goes missing and our protagonist is brought in to help investigate what happened to her. A lot of muck rises to the surface and danger presents itself as the truth threatens to come out. The whole mega church scandal aspect is total catnip to me; I love seeing self righteous people crash and burn. The case itself got a little convoluted as things progressed; and some of the side storylines about the protagonist’s family life felt a bit unrelated (even though I still genuinely enjoyed that added character depth). I didn’t read the first in this series so this was my introduction and I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for future installments. There were a lot of lines I highlighted and nuanced discussion around religious disillusionment that I think many today will find incredibly relevant. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Philip Taiwo, a psychologist trained in America who has moved back to Nigeria with his family, is urged by his religious sister to look into a missing persons case - the wife of a megachurch leader has vanished, but nobody seems all that worried about her. Before long, though, it becomes clear there's more going on with the church, which has vast influence, than is on the surface. The case blows up when the police get involved, eager to make a mark whether or not their accusations have merit.

Interspersed in the story are fairly cryptic messages from ... someone, it's not at all clear at first who. As that threat unravels, the psychologically complex nature of the story becomes clear, though I'm not sure the characters' motivations were ever entirely clear to me. The final scenes seem a little over the top.

But the view into fundamentalist Christianity in Nigeria and the celebrity megachurch cults that sprout out of it, complete with sinister controlling behavior and patriarchal beliefs, was interesting as is the lively voice of the narrator and his multi-talented if somewhat conveniently skilled sidekick, a common trope in the genre.

I really enjoy the characterization of Dr. Taiyo and the other main characters of the books, as well as the engaging plots. I thought this plot was even more interesting than the first book, but had some qualms about Sade's suicide and reason for it. I also thought that the family elements didn't quite work and that the ending seemed rush. Perhaps the consequences will be reflected in the next book?