Salesmen tend to be outgoing, hale-fellows-well-met types, things I am not and never have been. But as a writer with no publisher’s deep pockets from which to draw advertising funds, my primary way of selling my books is for me to sell them. I wish it were different, but it is not, so….

“Hi, there! I’m Dorien Grey, and I have a great new book just released, ‘The Serpent’s Tongue,’ that I know you’re going to absolutely love. I hear Hollywood studios are already fighting for the movie rights and are talking Tom Cruise or Zachary Quinto for the lead–but you can get in on the ground floor and read it right now, either in print or as an e-book. Take a look at how it starts at  Dorien Grey’s Books: Opening Words Facebook page, or read the entire first chapter on www.doriengrey.com. Here…have a look at the cover…..”

Sigh.

When Dick Hardesty is hired to look into threats against former priest Dan Stabile, possibly from someone whose confession Dan heard while still in the priesthood, it’s just another case. Then, on a stormy Sunday, on a rain-slick road, Dan is killed, Dick’s partner Jonathan is severely injured, and suddenly, it’s personal.

Was the accident really an accident…or murder?

Dick learns Dan’s secret could involve a child murderer, and now it seems the man is stalking Joshua and tormenting Jonathan. The objectivity so vital to Dick’s role as a private investigator goes out the window as he pursues one lead after another, and it begins to look like Dan wasn’t the target after all.