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The Price of Truth: A Review of Thomas Zigal's Outcry Witness

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Outcry Witness by Thomas Sigal is an engaging read, not what one might expect for a novel that explores the ways the Catholic Church handled, at times through denial, sexual abuse committed by their own clergy. The novel, set in New Orleans, begins in 2001, as protagonist Peter Moore’s book about the murder of a Catholic clergyman is about to be published. The murder took place in 1980, but 20 years later, the old bishop is worried about how Moore’s book will affect his nomination to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. 

The novel shifts to the events of the 1980 murder, giving readers a firsthand view of the scandal that threatened irreparable damage to the Catholic Church. Father Martin Landry, associate priest of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, is found brutally murdered. Father Ted McMurray, pastor of the church and Peter Moore’s uncle, calls Peter to help him cover up evidence of a sex/drug party, complete with sex toys and a set of video tapes that covers years of egregious acts committed by Landry against young boys. What is particularly harrowing for Peter is that he is the communications director for the church, and his job has been to publish public comments on the workings of the church. Yet, when Ted asks Peter to tamper with the crime scene, Peter is caught between his profession and his conscience. And though Peter is loyal to his uncle, this one act sets in motion events that begin to haunt Peter and cause him to question where his loyalty lies. He and Ted vow to uncover what happened to Father Landry, but Ted often reminds Peter that the church cannot be compromised. Peter grapples with the growing evidence that points to the complicity and willful ignorance of those in power to allow people like Landry to escape the consequences of their actions. 

One of Peter’s main concerns is to prove the innocence of Kwame Williams, a young homeless Black man imprisoned for the murder of Landry, though Peter and his uncle know Kwame is innocent. To help find the truth of what happened to Landry and to help Kwame, Peter enlists the help of Vince Scalco, a PI who is eating and drinking himself to death over the loss of his own son. Together they uncover the web of danger that surrounds the life of Martin Landry, and Scalco helps Peter comb through video after video from Landry’s personal collection to identify victims. While the videos disclose the degeneracy of Landry’s abuse, the details given are not gratuitous; instead, they help to underscore Peter’s compassion for the victims and his drive for justice. 

Zigal masterfully imbues the feel of New Orleans in the book. From flooding parking lots in the city, to downtown offices in the French Quarter, to fish camps on Vermillion Bay, the tragic beauty of the city works as a backdrop for characters who are experiencing the worst of life. The persevering spirit of the city mirrors the sense of justice that Peter Moore pursues. The novel ends with Zigal returning to the meeting between the Bishop and Peter Moore, which offers a frame for the story, and Zigal fills in what happened to all those affected, even haunted, by the depraved actions of Martin Landry. Yet, even without the frame, the story of Landry’s murder and Peter’s search for justice makes Outcry Witness an engaging story.