The Cult of the White Owl

The Cult of the White Owl is a complex story about a man who became possessed by a White Owl that lived in his garden and resided on a limb of his Chestnut Tree. Before meeting the White Owl he was a mild mannered, hard working councilman elected by the people of Philadelphia to do a job and look out for their interests. Which he did faithfully. He married a much younger , and beautiful woman and his life changed dramatically. She shopped and the bills became enormous and his friend Tony McCane asked him to help start a camera club and have his wife pose along with her society girl friends. She was flattered and accepted. Things got more complicated until murder became a part of the game and blackmail.

Jake Guiliani became a part of the White Owl's detection scheme. He wanted to keep a wide berth between them and the only way he knew how to do this was install a spy system within the department. Jake was suspicious when his plans did not bear fruit and he seemed to be playing catch up. The White Owl's camera club became a murder/blackmail club and the victims were chosen by The White Owl landing on the shoulder of the man he had chosen. Every one carried a 20mm South Sea Pearl in case they were chosen. The bird flew back to his cage with the pearl and ate his reward a juicy mouse or another kind of rodent, Everyone wore masks and pointed hats and gowns and paid homage to the bird,. Their headquarters was moved from Tony McCane's camera shop to an abandoned church on the MainLine of Philadelphia The blackmail money rolled in and the victim count mounted. No one knew who the Keeper of the Keys was and his disguise kept him above suspicion., this was doubly true when his wife became a murder victim and the calling card from The White Owl read "Death Where is Thy Sting"

Barbara L. Lefka is the author of "The Black Canary Diamond" "the Scarlet Macau Ruby" and now her third book "The Cult of The White Owl" Barbara L. Lefka has kept journals, Poems, and short stories since she was a small child and often terrified her sister with tales of the occult before bedtime. Her books are a combination of rare and exotic jewels and murder, woven together and becoming more powerful with the introduction of a colorful bird. She lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with her family.