Although it is now slightly outdated, and despite the fact that the Carter Graham character is truly annoying (this is just my personal opinion), I still believe that this book is a worthy successor to all of Susan Howatch's wonderful works.

I am still awarding it 5 stars, and I will definitely read it again in the future... more than once!

Update 2025: While I still concur with my 2017 comments, this time around I noticed that the final chapters seemed to drag a bit. The author was clearly intent on exploring every single aspect of what had occurred to Carter, and at times this became rather tiresome.

However, I am unable to change my rating because it is an extraordinary read, and I would continue to recommend it without hesitation.

It is a book that has the power to draw you in and keep you engaged, even with its minor flaws.

The story is rich and complex, and the characters are well-developed and believable.

Overall, it is a must-read for fans of Susan Howatch and anyone who enjoys a good literary novel.

I was absolutely morbidly fascinated by the character of Mrs. Mayfield and her manipulative sociopathy!

This book truly proved to be extremely thought-provoking for me. It delved deep into themes such as evil, forgiveness, redemption, and spirituality. The exploration of these themes made me reflect on various aspects of life and human nature.

Moreover, the author also ventured into the realm of romantic love. It particularly shed light on the pitfalls of projecting onto a partner what one desires them to be, instead of truly recognizing and accepting who they really are. This aspect added another layer of depth to the story.

This is the second installment in the St. Benet's series. While I found this book quite engaging, I must admit that I thought the third one, titled The Heartbreaker, was perhaps just a tiny bit better. However, this in no way detracts from the overall quality of this book.

Now, I am eagerly looking forward to reading the first book in the series, The Wonder Worker. I have high expectations that it will continue to captivate me and provide yet another unique and thought-provoking reading experience.

I'm giving it 2.5 stars.

The mystery aspect of the book was truly outstanding (- thus the addition of the .5). It seamlessly blended a murder mystery with a psychological thriller, captivating me from the very start. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, never certain who the 'bad guy' was, if there even was one, and I thoroughly relished this element of the read. For this alone, it was worth perusing.

However, the book takes a nosedive three-fourths of the way in when the mystery is largely resolved with the assistance of the clergy from a particular church known as a Healing Center. The author becomes overly preachy, and the main character turns whiny, causing me to skim through the last part of the book. It's a real letdown considering how engrossed I was in the initial part of the story.

Evidently, the author is a devout believer in that type of church, and her dedication is evident in her books, but not in a favorable way. Reading all the preachy content was dull, and there was no genuine tension generated, despite the main character's repeated insistence that she was 'not a believer'. It was blatantly a contrived means to宣扬 her 'truth' to the world. I despise having fake philosophy shoved down my throat when reading a novel. Philosophy is beneficial, and belief systems are great, but don't bludgeon me with it - add a touch of subtlety. I just kept wondering: what is this? What is the author babbling about? What happened to the psychological thriller/murder mystery? Oh well, on to the next book!

When you live the dream, you live the consequences…

I was eagerly anticipating reading this book. Years ago, I first read Susan Howatch and vividly recalled thoroughly enjoying her novels.

The Susan Howatch I remember, though, is the one before her religious transformation. When I think of some of the titles of those previously beloved novels like Penmarric, Sins Of The Fathers, and The Rich Are Different, they are all traditional family sagas with a romantic touch and completely different in writing style from The High Flyer.

The High Flyer left me rather perplexed, and I'm still a bit unsure about my feelings towards it. It began as I expected, with the suspense gradually building from the very first page, hinting at the promise of an extremely intense psychological drama.

Carter Graham was bombarded with just about every conceivable dark thought and revelation. From Neo-Nazism, sexual deviance, murder, and suicide to jealousy, malicious harassment, and poltergeist movements and sightings.

All this, however, was evenly tempered with the false love of a demon in disguise. He played with her emotions and then brutally shredded them in a callous and calculating way in his dark and disturbing dealings with the occult and the powers of evil, leaving Carter an emotionally drained wreck on the path to self-destruction.

…The second half of the book then switches to Carter's journey of redemption, cleansing, and healing. As she struggles to deal with the feelings of self-loathing, despair, hatred, fear, and disgust that are the legacy of this chapter in her life and, as it turns out, trace all the way back to her troubled childhood.

Her 'guardian angel', whom we first meet right at the start of the book, re-appears to show her the way of salvation, which she discovers within the unorthodox walls of an inner-city church network.

Very unorthodox priests apply some very unorthodox thoughts and actions to help Carter understand and come to terms with the healing process she needs to go through before she can get her life back on track, perhaps even a different and more fulfilling track than the one she was pursuing before her disastrous encounter with her personal devil incarnate.

These men of the cloth seem to operate just within the boundaries of the church and the 'blind eye' of the Diocese officials, performing exorcisms and the 'laying on of hands' at regular healing services. But for Carter, they are her salvation and a way back from the depths of despair to a life where the true meaning of love awaits her when she is ready to open her heart and mind to it.

I'm not sure I ever fully understood the many nuances and undertones of the book. Is it a romance, a suspense thriller, a mystery, a novel about the occult, or a lesson in spiritual and religious belief, or maybe a bit of each?

I must admit that I did find the extensive religious references outside my usual reading sphere and not particularly to my liking. However, it is definitely a very well-written, perceptive piece of work that deals with inner emotions in a sensitive and deeply moving way while providing a strong and emotional plot as a precursor to this journey of what I would call'self-healing'.

The High Flyer is part of The St. Benet’s trilogy, which is set in London in the 1980s and 1990s and illustrates the changes that took place in the Anglican Church during those years. However, while the Church remains at the heart of the books, there is an increased emphasis on characters who are not members of the clergy. Each book in the trilogy is written in the first person by a different narrator and all are stand-alone stories.

Very, very interesting! This book takes readers on an exciting journey as they weave through moments of intense suspense. The story is filled with both failed and successful romances, which add an extra layer of complexity and charm. It's impossible to put this book down once you start reading. You'll find yourself completely engrossed and reading it in one go. It truly is an undroppable book that is well worth all the 5 stars it has received. The author has done an excellent job of creating a captivating and engaging narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

This book had an incredibly powerful impact on me, keeping me completely engaged both emotionally and psychologically.

What makes it truly remarkable is its multi-faceted storyline. It delves into the life of a supremely modern woman, exploring themes such as deceit, spirituality, and love.

The combination of these elements creates a reading experience that is both suspenseful and deeply thought-provoking. There are moments that are disturbing, yet they are balanced by the presence of profound spiritual insights.

As I turned the pages, I found myself constantly on the edge of my seat, eager to discover what would happen next. The author's ability to weave together these different threads of the story is truly masterful, making this book a must-read for anyone who enjoys a complex and engaging narrative.

Overall, it is a book that will stay with me for a long time, leaving a lasting impression on my heart and mind.

The review seems to have a bit of a mixed tone.

On one hand, it acknowledges that the story was pretty good and the author has the talent to make even the telephone book interesting. This shows a certain level of respect for the author's writing skills.

However, it also mentions that the piece became quite preachy in the last half, which led the reviewer to do a lot of skimming. This indicates that the preachy nature of the latter part might have detracted from the overall reading experience.

Perhaps the author could have found a more subtle way to convey their message without coming across as overly didactic.

Overall, while the story had its strengths, the preachy element in the second half might have been a turn-off for some readers.

It would be interesting to see how the author could improve in this area and maintain the engaging quality of their writing throughout the entire piece.

The monologues in this book seemed to go on forever!

It was as if the characters had an insatiable desire to hear themselves talk.

Theological discussions filled the pages, but they failed to engage me.

To be honest, it was just yuck.

I found myself skimming through the endless paragraphs, hoping to find something more interesting.

The book's attempt at exploring theological concepts felt forced and unoriginal.

The characters' long-winded speeches did little to advance the plot or develop their personalities.

I was left feeling disappointed and bored by the whole experience.

Perhaps if the author had focused more on action and less on excessive monologues, the book would have been more enjoyable.

As it stands, I would not recommend this book to others.

The book I recently read was way too heavy on religious symbolism for my personal taste.

It seemed as if every page was filled with references and allusions to religious concepts, which made it difficult for me to fully engage with the story on a psychological level.

Moreover, the editing was quite poor, with numerous errors and inconsistencies that were highly distracting.

Instead of a thrilling and immersive psychological thriller, it read much more like a religious primer, which was a major disappointment.

I had expected a gripping and thought-provoking narrative that would keep me on the edge of my seat, but unfortunately, this was not the case.

The overemphasis on religious symbolism and the lack of proper editing detracted from what could have been a great book.

I hope that future works in this genre will find a better balance between psychological depth and religious themes, and will receive the careful editing they deserve.

I really loved it.

It was an experience that left a lasting impression on me.

From the moment I started, I was completely engaged.

The details were so well thought out and presented in a way that made it truly captivating.

Every aspect of it seemed to fit perfectly together, creating a harmonious and enjoyable whole.

I found myself immersed in it, losing track of time.

It had a certain charm and appeal that I couldn't resist.

I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for something special.

Whether it was the story, the characters, or the overall atmosphere, it had something for everyone.

I can't wait to experience it again and share it with others.

Loved it!

I wanted to rate this book 2.5 stars instead of 3.

The first half of the book, up until Sophie's death, is truly gripping and interesting. It manages to draw the reader in and keep them engaged.

However, after that point, I think the quality of the book declines significantly. My own interest, for sure, did.

I found all the theological discussions to be a bit of a struggle. They seemed rather heavy and dense, and they really dampened my enthusiasm for the story.

For most of the second half of the book, I felt as if I was half sitting through a psychology lecture and half listening to a sermon. It was a bit of a letdown, especially considering how captivating the first half was.

I continued to read mainly out of curiosity to find out what would happen next, but I ended up skimming through a lot of it.

It's a shame because the potential was there for this to be a really great book, but unfortunately, the second half just didn't live up to the promise of the first.

I truly despise being deceived by Christian literature. In all honesty, I should have been aware when, despite a significant portion of the plot revolving around the sex lives of the characters, it was rated completely G. It was充斥着 religious mumbo-jumbo. I was completely confounded by all the nonsense, and now I know that if I ever come across either of those two terms again, used to the point of nausea by the main character in this awful novel, I won't actually run and jump off the balcony myself, but I'll definitely throw the book over.

It's frustrating how such literature can present itself in a certain way and then turn out to be something entirely different. The use of religious language in a seemingly inappropriate context only adds to the disappointment. It makes me question the authenticity and purpose of such works. I hope that in the future, I'll be more discerning when it comes to choosing what to read, especially when it comes to Christian lit.

Maybe there are some truly remarkable and meaningful pieces out there, but this particular experience has left a bad taste in my mouth. I'll be more cautious and not let myself be easily swayed by the initial appearance or description of a book.