About the Author
Born out West, C.R. Compton
has
lived most of her life in book-filled houses in St. Louis, Missouri
(with a few
years spent back East in college and graduate school.) Writing stories
since
the third grade, she is an inveterate day-dreamer, agreeing
whole-heartedly
with writer Lew Wallace who maintained that “life is dreaming.”
A
graduate of Smith College, with a
M.A. in history from the College of William and Mary, she has worked in
Christian publishing, as an advertising copy chief and as the
Communications
Director of a large Episcopal Church. She currently works at Washington
University. When not writing, she spends as much time as possible with
her
husband and three talented children.
Her
hobbies include reading,
pulling weeds, looking for old stuff on eBay, and watching movies. In
answer to
the question “If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say
when you
arrive at the pearly gates?” she would have to reply, “Welcome,
Pilgrim. Here’s
John Wayne to show you to your room.”
About Holy Comfort
Page Hawthorne, divorced
mother of two young boys, loves her
work behind the scenes at the Church of the Holy Comforter. Then Page
discovers
the grotesquely murdered body of the charismatic but troubled priest,
the Rev.
Miles Costello. He has been stabbed and his head is smoldering
under a
heap of
glowing embers, bringing to mind sinister elements of the daily
lectionary. The
serene surface of the distinguished church is abruptly disrupted, as
Page—along
with the rest of the staff—is thrown into the ensuing chaos of a
criminal
investigation and into the company of two police detectives from the
Special
Case Squad, Roy Merton and Leona Vesba. The
detectives interview staff
members and parishioners exhaustively, perceiving hesitation and an
unwillingness to cooperate. They quickly discern as well that opinions
are
divided concerning the murdered priest’s character. Was he a
compassionate man
of God or a self-promoting manipulator who pimped for the rich men who
attended
his “Bible Study” group? They also hear varying versions of Page’s
involvement
with Costello and insinuations that they were more than spiritual
friends.
Merton, to the
consternation of his
abrasive partner, is attracted to Page and would like to believe her,
but he
cannot shake his feeling that she is involved somehow in the murder.
When a
prominent parishioner is murdered in Costello’s office less than a week
after
the priest, and his death also points to a lectionary tie-in, the
disagreeing
detectives begin to see how indeed Page Hawthorne may be involved. The
pressure
mounts as church leaders insist on a speedy denouement in order to
maintain the
position of the parish in the community and as a third murder seems
more than
likely if the murderer stays true to form.