A Decline in Prophets is a 2011 crime novel by Australian author Sulari Gentill. It was originally published in Australia by Arena.
It is the second installment in the author's Rowland Sinclair series of novels, following A Few Right Thinking Men (2010).
The novel was the winner of the Davitt Award for Best Adult Novel in 2012.
Synopsis
Rowland Sinclair is travelling on a luxury liner, along with a large number of religious figures; clergymen and members of the Theosophical Society. One of these "prophets" is found stabbed to death by Sinclair's walking stick and he, of course, is implicated.
Critical reception
Writing in The Age newspaper Cameron Woodhead noted, "There's an Evelyn-Waugh-meets-Agatha-Christie feel about this series, though it perhaps bears closer comparison to that celebrated contemporary author of period crime, the Russian Boris Akunin."
Kirkus Reviews called this novel "A delightful period piece."
Publication history
After the novel's initial publication by Pantera Press in Australia in 2011 the novel was reprinted as follows:
2016 Poisoned Pen, USA 2017 Pantera Press, Australia 2020 Oldcastle Books, UK
Awards
2012 Davitt Award — Best Adult Crime Novel, winner
Notes Dedication: To all the prophets and profiteers I have known.
See also 2011 in Australian literature
References