Preacher Fakes a Miracle: An Evan Wycliff Mystery

Gerald Everett Jones

Oct 2020 · Preacher Evan Wycliff Mysteries Book 2 · LaPuerta Books and Media

About this ebook

In the heart of rural Missouri, former physicist-turned-preacher Evan Wycliff is no stranger to mystery - or pain.

In the second installment of the Evan Wycliff mystery series, part-time preacher and reluctant investigator Evan Wycliff finds himself pulled into another web of secrets hidden beneath the quiet surface of rural Missouri. What begins as the disappearance of a troubled teenage mother and her infant quickly becomes something far darker. Melissa Benton vanishes after authorities separate her from her child, and her desperate sister Loretta turns to the only man in town with enough compassion—and enough curiosity—to pursue answers others would rather leave buried.

At the same time, wealthy banker Stuart Shackleton asks Evan to visit his institutionalized son, Luke, a sensitive young man labeled mentally ill and accused of unspeakable acts. As Evan enters the world of psychiatric treatment, foster care, and family secrets, he becomes increasingly convinced that the truth surrounding Luke and Melissa is far more complicated than the official stories suggest. Rumors, half-truths, and hidden agendas surround everyone involved, and Evan discovers that powerful people have reasons for keeping the past concealed.

The investigation leads him into a landscape populated by eccentric small-town characters, corrupt institutions, mysterious benefactors, and dangerous outsiders whose influence reaches far beyond Missouri. Long-buried connections involving exploitation, organized crime, faith, and redemption begin to surface. Throughout it all, Evan struggles with his own doubts, his calling as a preacher, and the lingering presence of his late fiancée Naomi, whose memory still guides—and sometimes challenges—him.

Blending suspense, humor, romance, and spiritual reflection, Preacher Fakes a Miracle explores questions of forgiveness, mental illness, family loyalty, and the meaning of miracles. As Evan races against time to save lives and uncover the truth, he finds that appearances are deceptive, faith can take unexpected forms, and the greatest mysteries often lie hidden within the hearts of ordinary people. Rich with quirky characters and Midwestern charm, the novel combines an intricate mystery with emotional depth, delivering a story where compassion and perseverance become the most powerful forces of all.

Fans of Louise Penny, Julia Spencer-Fleming, and James Lee Burke will find a new hero to root for in Evan Wycliff.

2020 New York City Big Book Award - Distinguished Favorite (Silver) in Mystery

About the author

Recognized for four book awards in 2020: Distinguished Favorites by 2020 Independent Press Awards in categories Mystery (Preacher Finds a Corpse) and Literary Fiction (Clifford's Spiral). Eric Hoffer Finalist awards for Preacher Finds a Corpse and How to Lie with Charts. Gerald Everett Jones holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honors from the College of Letters, Wesleyan University. He is the author of nine novels, most recently the mystery-thriller Preacher Finds a Corpse and the psychological literary novel Clifford's Spiral. He wrote a series of three satiric Rollo Hemphill misadventures, the adult melodrama Christmas Karma, the crime story Choke Hold, the father-son comedy Mr. Ballpoint, and the historical thriller Bonfire of the Vanderbilts. He coauthored the nonfiction memoir The Light in His Soul: Lessons from My Brother's Schizophrenia. He has also written more than 25 nonfiction books on business and technical subjects and is an award-winning screenwriter. He is a member of the Writers Guild of America, Women's National Book Association, Dramatists Guild, and the Independent Writers of Southern California. His business title How to Lie with Charts has become something of a classic on the subject of presentation design. He is the host of the GetPublished! Radio show.