William X. Kienzle Books in Order

William X. Kienzle is a renowned author of crime fiction and mystery novels. As a Roman Catholic priest, he served in the parish for twenty years before leaving the priesthood in 1974 due to his disagreement with the church's stance on remarriage for divorcees. He went on to become an editor of MPLS Magazine and later directed the Center for Contemplative Studies at the University of Dallas. Kienzle's writing career is marked by his iconic Father Robert Koesler series, featuring a Catholic priest-turned-detective. His debut novel, The Rosary Murders, published in 1978, was adapted into a 1987 film starring Donald Sutherland as Father Koesler. A prolific author, Kienzle penned twenty-four novels, predominantly set in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. His life and work are chronicled in Javan Kienzle's biography, Judged by Love, published in 2003.