The Return

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:5 From deep within the slums of Brazil, an impoverished woman has emerged, delivering a stunning message. Thousands gather to see her, to touch her, and to be healed by her. "I am Christ reborn," she claims. Reporter Michael Mason has spent years investigating religious phenomena. Torn between the razor-sharp edges of hard fact and the comforting nature of his own deepening belief, he has traveled worldwide to witness--and until now, discredit--those who profess to walk side by side with God. Haunted by the guilt of past indiscretions, he is driven to find a bastion of truth amidst the darkness of the most devious of deceptions. Now he is faced with the one who calls herself Zhzush, an unassuming black woman from deep within a troubled nation. Crowds mob her every move. Her power, if nothing more than sleight of hand, is more compelling than anything Mason has seen. Is she actually the daughter of God, or is her existence conceived by evil? Before he finds an answer, his already troubled faith will be put to its ultimate test through an intensifying vortex of lies, political corruption, and murder. Only a horrifying showdown with his own inner demons will allow Mason to escape alive and ultimately lead him to the truth about Zhzush.


Genre: Literary Fiction