Our Lady of the Sign

by Abigail Favale

A successful college professor in her thirties, Simone Stark has achieved everything she has strived for—everything other than happiness.

One winter day, in the face of unexpected news, Simone impulsively returns to her isolated hometown after a long absence. The snowy mountain landscape is meant to provide sanctuary, a sense of refuge, but instead awakens long-dormant desires and buried pain.

When Simone reunites with her first love, a tantalizing future opens. But in the darkness of Simone’s childhood home, a series of unsettling encounters begins, revealing a presence that is both alluring and terrifying, a force she cannot decipher as good or evil, diabolic or divine. Is it a manifestation of her own inner demons or something far more real?

Torn by conflicting desires, Simone must face both a present choice and a past that won’t stay hidden. As the power in the house grows stronger, the lines between reality and nightmare begin to blur, culminating in an encounter that will leave Simone forever changed.

Our Lady of the Sign is a haunting, evocative exploration of freedom and temptation, of fear and love, of the lies women tell and the lies women have been told. It is a spiritual and psychological thriller that maps the darkest terrain of a woman’s soul—her capacity for reckless abandon and self-deception, but also for heroic love.

Genres: Fiction, Catholic

224 pages, Paperback

Published July 21, 2025

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An almost allegorical story of a soul facing her past wounds and the reality of the spiritual world in the midst of supernatural appearances. I think Favale’s prose and ability to weave together the reality of spiritual consequences with real life choices is well done, I think this is successful as a psychological and spiritual allegory rather than a deeply developed novel. That being said, I think there are some truly dramatic scenes that are really well crafted, and the way the psychological and spiritual aspects are described are pretty singular in contemporary fiction.

[Margaret Gipson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have appreciated Favale's non-fiction in the past and bought this without knowing anything about it, so I was surprised when this turned out to be Catholic Horror. As it happens, I quite like horror, and I was glad the spooky elements weren't purely just psychological drama. If you're expecting literary fiction you might be disappointed, but if you go into this expecting a well-paced horror thriller then you'll have a great time staying up late and reading this in one sitting.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the usual kind of book that I read - psychological drama is not my genre, but it was written by Abigail Favale, and I have appreciated her non fiction work so much that I wanted to see her fiction too.

In short I liked it immensely. It’s a strange novel, but I will think of the story and the characters for a long time after finishing the book. The tone is ominous and the build up to the final scenes is fantastic. The writing is lyrical and moving. The subject matter too is difficult but wonderfully expressed.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always curious about the new Catholic fiction that gets published and was glad to be able to borrow this title though my mom's library. I really enjoyed Favale's (non-fiction) "Genesis of Gender" and thought this fictional offering was good. There were some parts that were well-done; other parts were unclear to me and I had to re-read them.

She had some great stuff in Chapter 8 including one long quote that I want to remember when I look back:

"What if she's been wrong all along? What if her mother was wrong, her professors, the high-achieving women who had ushered her along, shaping her in their mold, guiding her choices to validate their own. What if they had all heard this yes, this call at the center of their being, just like she was now, only to greet it with a no?"

[Celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

On my quest to read books published by Catholics and written by Catholics, I came across this title, which intrigued me. This was not what I expected. An intensely written story of a young woman who is trying to find answers from her past, and to resolve a present situation that is plaguing her. Simone takes a break from her life and live-in partner to travel back to her small town in Idaho, where she had spent the last years of high school before leaving everyone behind. She is searching for answers and is met with some pretty strange demons. Good writing, if a bit scary.

[Mary Beth Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t have time for a deep review but I will say that I appreciate the “courage” to write about perhaps the most controversial issues of our time, abortion and the Catholic Church. If only more people knew the Church’s (Christ’s) healing power! The writing was beautifully crafted. I enjoyed it immensely.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did not finish.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel was written in a style different from what I usually read. Reading about Simone's struggle was very thought-provoking.

[Mary Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird but okay