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Priest A Novel
By: Al Dawson
Faith McGuire is a lawyer with a firm that represents individuals who claim they were abused by clergy in the archdiocese of Baltimore. When a well-regarded pastor of an inner-city church is accused of sexual misconduct after his funeral, the priest's diaries cause her to doubt the claims. Faith hires an investigator and asks two reporters for help. What starts as a "routine" investigation quickly becomes more complex, revealing shocking family secrets, kidnapping, drugs, and criminal activity by highly placed officials, and murder. Her own faith in her church and career choice are going to be put to the test.
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Al Dawson is a retired lawyer living in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida with his wife Jane. A south westerner by birth, he once studied to become a Franciscan priest. In college he became a varsity gymnast at the University of New Mexico where he graduated with a liberal arts major. He earned a law degree in New York and spent his career in New York City and Washington, DC where he practiced law with several major financial corporations, law firms and trade associations.
Father of Sean, Neil and Erin, he loves motorcycles, playing tennis, good wine, a close circle of friends and traveling with Jane. He also enjoys storytelling and has published two novels, with another on the way.
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FAQs
The book follows a protagonist who occupies a position of spiritual authority but is thrust into a dark, secular world of crime or moral ambiguity. The story focuses on internal and external conflict when a man of the cloth must navigate situations that test his vows and survival.
While it features a religious figure, 'THE PRIEST' is firmly a Psychological Thriller and Noir. It uses the religious background to heighten moral stakes, while pacing and plot are driven by suspense and mystery.
Themes include the burden of confession, divine forgiveness vs human justice, moral grey areas, and the psychological cost of carrying others' sins.
Fans of gritty thrillers and psychological character studies who enjoy morally complex stories and atmospheric tension.
His role gives access to secrets but limits his ability to act, creating unique internal and external conflict throughout the story.
Cinematic, somber, and intense with a focus on quiet dread and emotional pressure.
Yes, a major tension point is the psychological burden of knowing secrets that cannot be revealed, and the consequences of that silence.
Yes, the story explores whether a man of peace can ever justify using unholy means to stop greater evil.
It focuses more on spiritual and psychological investigation rather than physical clues or standard detective work.
True faith and character are tested in darkness, not safety. Light shines brightest when confronting human brokenness.
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