Operation Wormwood

"Helen C. Escott takes you on a thrill ride through St. John's, the oldest city in North America, where historical landmarks become clues and every name has two meanings. It's a crime thriller that will have you researching what's real and what's not. Never take a chapter at face value. You'll have to read Operation Wormwood twice--once to get the story, and again to uncover the hidden secrets in each chapter. An elderly man is carried into the hospital's emergency department, setting off a chain of events that will leave you guessing until the end. He is the first of many victims suffering from severe nosebleeds and excruciating pain. Dr. Luke Gillespie and Nurse Agatha Catania investigate their symptoms but are unable to diagnose them. The only thing they have in common is Sergeant Nicholas Myra, an investigator with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. Gillespie and Myra join forces to solve this twisted mystery. The story takes a critical turn when Sister Pius, a nun from Mercy Convent, informs them about Wormwood: a disease she believes is created by God to kill pedophiles. Wormwood becomes an international storm when parish priest Father Peter Cooke holds a news conference on the steps of the Basilica of St. John the Baptist announcing that "God has unleashed a plague upon the earth." Is God truly unleashing his wrath on child molesters, or is a serial killer targeting them? Dr. Gillespie and Sergeant Myra race to find answers as the Catholic hierarchy cashes in on the "miracle" that is bringing people back to the church in droves. Just when you think you know who the killer is, this fast-paced, intelligent thriller will shock you when you reach the end."--