When a young woman is ritualistically murdered in her Saint Louis apartment with the primary clue being a pentacle scrawled in her own blood, police are quick to dismiss it as a cult killing. Not one for taking things at face value, city homicide detective Ben Storm calls on his long time friend, Rowan Gant- a practicing Witch- for help. In helping his friend, Rowan discovers that the victim is one of his former pupils. Even worse, the clues that he helps to uncover show that this murder is only a prelude to even more ritualistic bloodletting for dark purposes. As the body count starts to rise, Rowan is suddenly thrust into an investigation where not only must he help stop a sadistic serial killer, but also must fight the prejudices and suspicions of those his is working with-- including his best friend.

Author profile: M. R. Sellars

An active member of SinC (Sisters in Crime) and the HWA (Horror Writers Association), as well as being an. Elder of the Grove of the Old Ways coven, M. R. Sellars has been called the “Dennis Miller of Paganism” due to his quick wit and humorously deadpan observations of life within the Pagan community and beyond. However, his humor is only one facet of his personality, as evidenced by the dark, unique paranormal thrillers he pens. That face has earned him another name—the “Pagan Stephen King.” Even with all these comparative monikers he still likes to think of himself as just another writer trying to eke out a living doing a job he loves.

Born in the small town of Fulton, Kentucky, Sellars spent many summers during his formative years working on the family farm. He credits these “working vacations” with instilling his strong code of ethics and sense of family. While he readily admits that spending long days “bucking bales of hay” and “piloting a tractor or combine across seemingly endless acres” felt like unfair torture at the time, he misses it now and deeply appreciates the values he learned.

After graduating Ritenour High School in Saint Louis, Missouri, he went on for a short stint at College, majoring in Journalism and Literature. Due to unforeseen circumstances, he was unable to complete a degree and went to work as a Computer and Electronics Technician, which was one of his inherent skills. He never lost his love for writing, however, and continued to pen short stories and feature articles in his spare time. After 25 years in the industry, and achieving the level of CTIA Certified Senior Electronics Tech, his first novel, Harm None, was published. A few years later, with the growing success of the Rowan Gant Investigations series, he retired from the computer/electronics field in order to devote his time to writing and touring.

All of the current RGI novels have spent several consecutive weeks on numerous bookstore bestseller lists as well as a consistent showing on the Amazon.com Horror/Occult top 100. The Law Of Three, book #4 in the saga, received the St. Louis Riverfront Times People's Choice Award soon after its debut. All Acts Of Pleasure, the seventh book in the RGI series, (second book in the much touted MIRANDA TRILOGY), was released October 31, 2006 and in February 2007 became the recipient of the “2006 Preditors and Editors Award” for best novel in a mainstream genre. The End Of Desire, book eight of the series and third in the MIRANDA TRILOGY officially hit the streets October 31, 2007, immediately catapulting from its placement on the Amazon pre-release bestseller list to the top 10 hot new releases for November. Blood Moon, the next installment in the ongoing RGI saga is due for release October 1, 2008.

Sellars currently resides in the Midwest with his wife, daughter, and a host of what he describes as, “rescued, geriatric, special-needs felines”. At home, when not writing or taking care of the household, he indulges his passions for cooking and hanging out with friends.*