"Reading Apostle Rising " copyright 2011 Kristin Fouquet The first striking note upon reading “Apostle Rising” is the stunning fact: this is Richard Godwin’s first crime novel. The construction is carefully and cleverly plotted. The entire book is precisely paced with short chapters, keeping the reader anticipating the next. Twenty-eight years after the unsolved case of “The Woodland Killings” nearly destroyed him, Chief Inspector Frank Castle must now find a copycat killer. With the assistance of his partner DI Jacki Stone, they try to penetrate Karl Black, a suspect from the first investigation. Black has founded a dark cult, The Last Brotherhood, which has a different interpretation of Christianity. In addition to the copycat killings of politicians, a new rash of prostitute murders occur, further stretching police resources and the psychological impact on Castle and Stone. Weaved within the story are italicized passages in the first-person, allowing the reader in