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Months away from facing the death penalty for murdering his only son, Gabriel, respected firefighter Ben Poe reflects on how a fire at the nearby College Inn restaurant thrust his life into upheaval. From the tenuous relationship with his wife, Lexi, to the constant clashes with his son, the Poe family dysfunction is rooted in deep secrets. Though the earlier parts of the story track the inexplicable motives for a father to kill his son—which Poe vehemently denies—the narrative reaches a breakneck pace when Poe comes toe-to-toe with Critovich Daemonium, a ruthless henchman of Lucifer intent on taking souls.
McFarren’s depiction of Critovich, known as Crighton, is downright harrowing, from his glowing green eyes to the uttering of biblical verses in the ancient tongue. Nevertheless, McFarren seamlessly transitions the trajectory of the novel from a murder mystery where Crighton is harassing wrongdoers to one that impels audiences to reflect deeper. Could demons have a moral compass, a sense of empathy? Could they be ostracized for it?
As the novel steers into Crighton’s life, it becomes quickly apparent that he is not your typical demon. Conversely, he is part of the bureaucratic structure of Hell. He is Lucifer’s pawn, who is dispatched to earth to appease Lucifer’s whims. An encounter on earth where he is taken prisoner along with an angel, Ariel, by the Sovereign Sector—a group of scientists who test supernatural beings—changes his entire outlook. Crighton’s evolution from a soul seeker of hate to one who, albeit surprisingly, awakens the love nested within the darkness creates a thrilling progression that culminates in the unveiling of secrets that have stood the test of time and an iconic clash between forbidden love and an enraged Lucifer.