Description
Chloda Delaney is an investigative journalist on The Daily. When the newspaper receives a phone call stating the intention of ridding the world of all psychics they think it is a hoax - but this is followed by the murder of renowned psychic, Raoul Marlo.
Glen Lassiter is assigned to the case along with his partner Merryfield. But with Glen's hatred of reporters he is quick to pick an ex journalist as his prime suspect - whilst Chloda is equally convinced that Vaughan Tyler (an ex magician) is guilty.
Meanwhile, Father Jacobson, a vocal protester of the wickedness of mediums, is a suspect too - and, as he is plagued by visions of the murders taking place, he is as keen as anyone to track down the killer - especially as he believes that the murderer is his son.
About the Author
The author has suffered with depression and anxiety for several years and finds that the only way that she can feel in control is in the release experienced through writing.
As an avid reader she often wished for the story to take an alternative route to the one in which the author was compelled to go. So, in an effort to escape her problems she sought to control the lives of the characters that she created.
Book Extract
" It was not what Chloda had expected. The hall was larger than she had imagined and more people had squeezed into it than she had considered was either possible or safe. It was also noisier than she had expected - the audience was not the subdued group of people that she had anticipated would visit this event and the air had an edge to it - it was fraught with tension and expectation.
She opened her notebook and wrote down these impressions in her typically big and brash hand writing - she still enjoyed writing in long hand even if it did take longer than the shorthand she was obliged to use in order to get interviews down verbatim. "Investigative journalism," She snorted derisively.
This was not an interview, though, was it? This was a kind of critical review. She had half expected to see signs advertising 'Madame Zelda - Here Tonight Get your fortunes told and discover what is in store for next week'. But, of course, Marguerite Bourne was not a fortune-teller - she was a medium. The cynic in her wanted to quip 'she looks more like a large' but she bit her bottom lip and used her shorthand to jot down some of the snatches of conversation that drifted within earshot instead.
..". and then she said that Billy had laughed when my chestnut hair dye turned my hair pink and I thought 'yes that's my Billy alright'. She was spot on about Auntie Mabel too ..."
"I'm telling you its spooky how she knows it but she does. 'it's in the sideboard' she said - and how on earth could she know what I'd lost let alone where it was?"
Chloda wanted to tell them that this stuff was a load of rubbish and anyone could get lucky with a few 'stabs in the dark' - but she did not say a word. Her job this evening was to investigate Mrs Bourne's 'gift' and to speculate on how genuine it was. Not that she believed that it could be - but an assignment was an assignment and she took pride in her work. Plus there was the added bonus of that psychic guy - what was his name? Marley? Marlon? Anyway, his murder was still hot in the news and anything even remotely related would get printed.
Marguerite wobbled onto the stage and hobbled to the centre where there stood a chair and a microphone on a low stand. She appeared to be in her mid to late fifties and seemed to suffer with arthritis. This was probably not helped by the ample weight her joints had to support. She smiled in a pained way that was evidently meant to convey that they were lucky to have her there and she coughed as if reminding her audience that she was now ready to begin.
