The Devil's Foothold

by Marilyn Meredith

Resident Deputy Jessica McGuire’s day starts much the same as usual, but when she jogs by the old family cemetery, she discovers the grave of a baby dug up, and the skeleton is missing. Not much later, Pastor David Tanner reports the theft of a hand-carved redwood cross from his church. Next, a baby goat is reported stolen, and one of the pastor’s cows is discovered mutilated in the field. Jessica and Pastor David team up to investigate these strange occurrences. He is convinced Satan worship is going on in their town. Jessica isn’t sure until she discovers a hooded and robed group meeting in the woods. They flee upon her arrival. She needs to get to the bottom of things before it escalates into something worse. Or has it already?

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2012

About the author

aka F.M. Meredith.

Marilyn Meredith is the author of over thirty published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series and the under the name F. M. Meredith, the Rocky Bluff P.D. series. She borrows a lot from where she lives in the Southern Sierra for the town of Bear Creek and the surrounding area, including the nearby Tule River Indian Reservation.

For the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, she uses a lot she remembers from her time living on the coast, in a place much like Rocky Bluff.

She does like to remind everyone that she is writing fiction. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America
Series:
* Deputy Tempe Crabtree

Reviews

[Laurel-Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a small Northern California town, a young Sheriff's deputy, Jessica McGuire, is raising her son as a single mother and trying to do the job of keeping the community safe. Not too much seems to happen in those parts, until one day, something very strange happens. And then a few more odd events transpire, and before she knows it, Jessica is investigating the happenings that seem to suggest a devil worshipping cult in their midst.

Her boss doesn't believe any of these things can be happening, and dismisses what she tells him. What is the most challenging aspect of the cult is that the most powerful members of the community seem to be involved. And a few teenagers, most of whom are good kids.

With the help of the local minister, widower David Tanner, who first got involved when he discovered that an infant's grave had been robbed, Jessica is able to follow the clues that lead to the sinister answers. Along the way, there is plenty of suspense and a few tidbits about the personal lives of the characters that made me root for them.

Definitely a page-turner, "The Devil's Foothold" gifted the reader with the author's depiction of small town police procedures, while offering a glimpse of life in a part of California that I love. 5.0 stars.

[Patricia Gligor · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Devil's Foothold" by Marilyn Meredith is a fast-paced mystery that kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next and I couldn't stop reading until I finished the book.
Jessica McGuire is accustomed to handling the usual routine calls she gets as Deputy in a small town and she's very good at her job. But she has no idea what's in store for her professionally and personally when she discovers that the members of a devil worshiping cult are holding their satanic rituals in her jurisdiction. As she strives to learn the identities of the members, her life and the lives of people she loves are put in serious jeopardy.
I highly recommend this book.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story had a lot going for it up until the end when it became a bit far-fetched in part. There also started to be too much banal Christian-speak.