A Satire in the Style of Evelyn Waugh

Paul Martin meets Persephone Stickx when friend property dealer Brad brings Persephone and her partner, Haydies, to Paul’s house in the pristine hinterland, a haven for environmentalists and counterculture enthusiasts.

Paul is not sure what he is, where he is going, and who he is going with, until he meets Persephone, with whom he unexpectedly—and surprisingly—falls in love. Superconfident, modern Persephone is determined to save Paul by leading him to inner enlightenment through the divine feminine.

Persephone and Haydies show a keen interest in an old religious picture Paul bought at the local market. They say the picture represents bondage for Paul. They want to help Paul break that bondage.

Their enthusiasm to help intensifies when they learn Paul knows Father Robbie Pleasance, who is before the courts for the sexual abuse of a minor. Paul was once in a relationship with the priest, and he needs to act. They enlist brilliant lawyer Aleta Broadbent.

To promote reluctant Pauls’ journey to inner enlightenment, Persephone and Haydies expose him to a ritual that aims to expose the divine feminine.

It does not go as Persephone plans. The ritual fails. Instead of Persephone leading Paul to the divine feminine, she finds her growing affection for Paul leading her away from her salvific task. Appalled, Haydies sees the relationship sabotaging their enterprise and breaks it up. Paul is despairing.

By this time, a band of media people and lawyers pursuing clerical sexual abuse is circling Paul.

What can he do to escape Aleta’s manipulation and the media’s attention and have Persephone with him again? The barriers seem invincible as he is drawn further into a vortex of a national media frenzy over the alleged abuse of a minor by the city’s Catholic archbishop, Archbishop Ryan.

There will be a sequel to the story in 2027, focusing on Archbishop Ryan.

Buy from Amazon HERE …

Other outlets HERE …