The Chastisement

by Mary Mahoney

When a heavenly body of unknown origin suddenly drops into orbit around Earth, the event catapults astrophysicist Neil Finn to fame as he unwittingly becomes the MIT media spokesperson on matters dealing with the "asteroid." His sudden notoriety and his inability to decipher the mystery of the so-called asteroid threaten to tear apart his marriage with Carrie, the wife he adores.Grace Williams lives in a cushy suburb outside Boston. Grace is consumed by the infidelity of her handsome husband and her need to break free from the stultifying marriage. When the asteroid appears, Grace's mother Judith, a devout Catholic, is convinced that this is the celestial warning of impending doom predicted by the Blessed Virgin at Fatima, Portugal in 1917. Mary’s message to the world is both inspiring and the world must repent or mankind will be punished. Grace is too caught up in her personal problems to heed her mother’s warning.In Rome, the appearance of the asteroid throws the Vatican into total disarray. The current pope resigns, and an unlikely new pontiff arises. The reluctant new pope is charged with navigating not only the Catholic Church but the world through the crisis. Before the actual punishment is meted out, the asteroid pulls off into space which forces humanity to undergo a painful examination of conscience. However, the skies are not quiet for long. The asteroid returns and a frightened world awaits an even worse fate in the form of The Chastisement.

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 13, 2020