Deadly Rites, A Robert Sable Mystery Nov 2012

           Sergeant Robert Sable and his partner, Aaron McCabe, have been called to a crucifixion at Saint James’ Church.  Someone killed and nailed a priest to a hewn cross, raised it, inverted and left it hanging in the center of the sanctuary.   At the base of the cross, a plaque reads “For the Children.”  A parishioner finds an unconscious priest next to the cross and calls the troopers.  He has a bloody knife in his hands and across his chest are scattered photographs of both priests molesting the parishioners’ children.  CSIs also find pornography on the priests’ computers and in their rooms. 

          At first, the case seems a slam dunk, but chemical tests show both priests have been drugged with gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB).  Another priest is missing and Sable wonders if he’s the killer or he, too, has been murdered.  In the missing priest’s room, there are no fingerprints, hair, fibers, DNA, or any trace of the him.  However, an invisible message readable only with black lights had been left with the name, Avenger.  On the surface, it appears priests are killing priests, but perhaps Alaska has another serial killer.  

          As Sergeant Sable starts his investigation, he finds similar murders occurred across the lower 48 states, the killer apparently working his way toward Alaska.  A number of priests blamed for similar crimes at their churches are on death row.  The troopers begin their investigation by questioning church staff and parishioners, and getting a sketch of the missing priest.  Sable’s team checks numerous databases to see if they can pin down a suspect.  Realizing the Avenger is somewhere in the state’s system of church schools or churches, Sable’s team decides to go undercover to catch the killer.  With the killings still happening, Sable must sift out the clues, find and stop the killer.