Prophet of Loss

"Weible deftly unpacks the cunning charm of the cult leader in this unsettling novel...a powerful story."

--Kirkus Reviews

"This book is destined to be banned."

--Rev. Stephen Prosper for the Brock Independent

In this compelling novel, a young girl is thrust into a dark and dangerous faith.

Celia's family is like so many others struggling in a bad economy. In the small town of Brock, South Carolina, Celia's father delivers newspapers, and her mother works in a dentist's office. They are a hardworking, industrious family, but that isn't enough. When Celia's father suffers an injury and is unable to work an extra shift, the family begins to crack. Celia's mother loses her job soon afterward.

In an effort to cope with their poverty and depression, Celia's parents become more active in their church. The church, led by the charismatic young preacher Barrett Higgins, gives Celia's parents hope for a better life. They become more and more enthralled with his warnings of the Second Coming of Christ and an upcoming revolution against the secular world. When the family loses their house, they move onto Barrett's compound. There, in the heart of a growing and powerful cult, Celia begins to realize the horrible truth behind the pastor's teachings.

Prophet of Loss explores the dark charisma of cult leaders and the desperation that leads a congregation to blindly follow them into deadly places.