The Ditchwalkers

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Summary: The Ditchwalkers
Review: Providence, Florida, is a Christian based community where Ester Jo Arnold has resided for over forty years. Prepared to retire, Esther places her restaurant, EJ's, up for sale.
Before selling, three strange patrons-all in one day-stop in at EJ's. The last, the only woman, requests pink lemonade, and later asks for a refill. When Esther takes the glass from the woman's hand, their fingers barely touch, and Esther is overcome with nausea and foreboding dread. When Esther returns with the filled glass, the woman has mysteriously disappeared, leaving a note at the table stating "Walk Away". Later, what
Ester believes to be a doppelganger, leaves the same warning traced in condensation on the restaurant's window. These events lead Esther Jo to seek understanding and assistance
through Wicca beliefs.

Twenty-three year old Tammy Jean Elrod is thrilled when her father, Jimmy, purchases EJ's for her, but is disturbed by strangers she meets, especially Mort (Mo) Krisner, who seems to have the ability to communicate to her without speaking. Becoming comfortable with Mo, Tammy hires him to help at the restaurant they rename as "TJ's". Obvious affection for Mo soon has Tammy's boyfriend enraged with jealousy. But what
Tammy and Jake do not realize is that their relationship is not the only thing endangered by Mo.

Mo, a.k.a. "Number Twenty-nine", is working himself up to "Number 666" in the ranks of Satan's temptation-leading disciples known as "ditchwalkers" and he's not the only
tempter walking in Providence-seems the town is filled with them. So innocent Tammy unknowingly becomes Mo's "soul" target for his next climb up the numerical ranks.

Reverend Jerald Taply, like Esther and Tammy, notices strangers in Providence, especially as his normal congregation dwindles and new faces fill the pews. But
what none but Esther seem to notice is that sickness prevails over Providence and its people. So Esther seeks help from Wicca prophet, Aunt Anna, and Reverend Tapley,
but can Wiccan rituals and Christian faith work together to end the evil encompassing Providence and save Tammy before losing her soul to Mo? And will Mo succeed in
becoming Number Thirty or will his growing love for Tammy send him to Purgatory's "Viper Lake" or save him from an eternity in Hell?

Morgana MacArthur uses her imagination, writing talent and religious conceptions to create an eerie paranormal love story using the basic plot of good versus evil. The abnormal romance is made believable through gifted dialogue and descriptions. Intrigue begins in the first chapter and the compelling pace and suspenseful tone is hardly ever slacking. I highly recommend THE DITCHWALKERS to adult paranormal romance enthusiasts that are open to an explicit, fictional view of Purgatory, its dwellers, and opinionated Wiccan and Christian beliefs intermingled together.