The Rector

If Solo, Mississippi, had any claim to fame in the 1950s, it was due to the small town's proximity to notorious Parchman Farm Penitentiary. When the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church dies suddenly, most locals believe he had a heart attack. Martha McRae, widow and owner of the local newspaper and boarding house, disagrees. She knows the young rector was carrying on with Martha's friend, Mary Magden Grater, wife of the wealthy Capp Grater. Martha believes Capp had more than enough motive for murder. Martha's suspicions go unvoiced-in part because she hopes to shield Mary's past from public scrutiny and in part because the new rector captures her attention. Father Cain's brand of prosperity preaching and good works captivate everyone in town, but something about the man doesn't sit well with Martha. Then Cain is murdered. Everyone's a suspect. Including Martha. When the new rector arrives, she encounters a different sort of puzzle. One that takes her into Parchman Penitentiary where she comes face to face with evil. "The Rector " is a thrilling mix of mystery, suspense, and Christian allegory. Solo may be a speck on the map, but a story as large as the heavens is playing out in its boundaries.