Joshua Lazarus and his wife Maggie are magicians traveling the countryside performing without much acclaim.  When it seems their days of magic are over, Joshua heads down a new path.  He begins practicing as a medium, relaying messages from beyond the grave to those family and friends who have suffered a loss.  It is all just smoke and mirrors, an elaborate hoax delivering powerful ratings and rewards, until strange things begin to happen.

Amy Howland runs a center designed to keep young kids off the dangerous streets of Raven and out of the hands of the occult members who run the city.  She is confident that her work for God will do some good in her town.  Amy makes it her goal to keep the children from the appealing, yet dangerous, practices surrounding them.

Spiritual battle lines are drawn as each of these characters try to make sense of the greater forces around them.  When their paths cross, they will soon realize they are in a fight that could cost not just their lives but also their souls.

THE DEPARTED is truly full of the unexpected.  It is such an intriguing read - loaded with the type of suspense that leaves you with enough chills to last well past the final words. Although this novel is an intense chiller, it also delivers powerful messages about the dangers of the occult and the delivering power of God.  Elements of the story found their way into a few of my dreams as I couldn’t get this book out of my head.  Don’t miss this one - an excellent novel that will make you reconsider the days of sleeping with a nightlight!