Brandon, MS: Dogwood Press (August 2024)

First Edition. Signed.

New in dust jacket.

When south Mississippi banker and former sheriff’s deputy Blake Weaver learns of the arrest of Philip Mason, superior and abbot of the Christian Center for Peace and Life, he’s elated, sickened, and infuriated all at once. Mason, charged with tax evasion, money laundering, and fraud, loudly proclaims his innocence for the TV cameras. But Blake knows better.

One of Mason’s victims was the late Sandra Weaver, Blake’s beloved wife. Sweet-talked and conned by Mason, Sandra turned against Blake (who was in the throes of a nasty battle with alcohol at the time) and was bilked out of thousands of dollars before taking her life.

Now sober, Blake doesn’t believe for an instant that Mason will spend a day in prison, much less take the straight and narrow, and his suspicions are confirmed when he spots the conman in disguise in his bank shortly after Mason’s release on bail. More than willing to take justice into his own hands, Blake crafts a complex plan to finish Mason for good.

An electrifying tale of revenge, redemption, and a good man trying to right a series of wrongs, The Amendment introduces a memorable supporting cast that includes Blake’s quirky love interest at the bank, a youthful Episcopal priest put into an almost impossible position, and a colorful crime family that’s eager to provide a little muscle. But can they stop a determined criminal whose hatred of Blake Weaver knows no bounds?

Originally from McComb, Mississippi, Scott Lenoir is a retired Episcopal priest and was the editor of The Mississippi Episcopalian for 12 years. He and his wife, Harriet, live in Gautier on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and have two grown children. The Amendment is his first novel.