Dr. Paula Mitchell has come to expect the unexpected from certain patients, but is disturbed when her latest patient, Kae Carlson, informs Paula that someone is targeting her. Paula does her best to obtain information from Kae, which proves taxing as Kae suffers from multiple personality disorder, and some personalities are more forthcoming than others. Connie, one of Kae’s more forthcoming but wounded personalities, informs Paula that she was raped and marked with a pentagram, both of which were a result of being forced into a Satanic cult. The cult impregnated Kae and desired her offspring to be part of the future of the sect. However, Connie lost the baby, and she believes her failure to deliver has marked her for death on or near her next birthday.
Dr. Mitchell believes enough of Kae’s story to alert local law enforcement, but she is concerned about how the police will treat the allegations. Detective Jerry Riggs, a seasoned homicide detective, has witnessed the wicked and depraved aspects of humanity, but he has his doubts about the story Kae is telling. Riggs meets with Dr. Mitchell and watches the interviews of Kae, slowly becoming convinced of her story’s authenticity. The quandary in discovering those who pose a threat to Kae is that the identities of many of the cult members are unknown to her. The one person Kae named as being involved with the cult was her foster mother. Any other leads will need to be generated from retracing Kae’s movements and identifying the locations of any cult rituals.
As Riggs begins searching for Kae’s foster mother, he learns about other missing people from his colleagues. Numerous prostitutes have disappeared off the street, and Riggs ponders if they may have been sacrificed by the cult. Riggs also believes that elements of law enforcement in other jurisdictions might be involved with the cult as well. Subsequently, he will need to be careful in how he approaches his investigation. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking towards Kae’s twenty-sixth birthday.
Cults have been a subject of both fascination and concern for hundreds, if not thousands, of years as suggestible people fall prey to the machinations of a charismatic yet often Machiavellian leader. In the case of Kae Carlson, she finds herself betrayed and led into a cult by an authority figure, only to be subject to ritualistic abuse. Kae’s story is both shocking and familiar, as it bears a resemblance to the “Satanic Panic” allegations that sprang up during the 1980s in a variety of institutions. The initial skepticism shown by Dr. Mitchell and Detective Riggs lends both characters an air of authenticity, as they resolve to investigate further until any doubts are dispelled.
While aspects of the novel possess the feel of a police procedural, the mystery of who belongs to the Satanic cult and what they’re willing to do to keep their secrets helps drive the riveting story forward with more than a few twists and turns. Atchley captures the reader’s attention from start to finish in this suspenseful and intriguing tale. Expertly crafted with attention-grabbing word choices, the author’s narrative moves at a swift pace. This is a novel that will truly keep its audience hooked until the book’s excellent conclusion.
