Nine-year-old Caroline Wilkes slips away from her brother’s ninth grade graduation party, to get a free ticket for a gondola ride at Storm Mountain for his gift, only to disappear. Clue by clue, the police discover it’s no ordinary kidnapping and the suspect may be closer to Caroline than anyone ever realized. During a hike near Storm Mountain, Lester Cranshaw and his dogs, Paddy and Patches, are drawn into the sordid mystery by discovering an injured cat possessing a dark secret only he can make known. At once, Lester finds himself searching for an innocent child and fighting evil forces. The Red Gondola and The Cova, a chilling thriller, stirs the tempest of domestic abuse, opioid abuse, and modern child slavery and sex trafficking. One shining light is an appearance by the Blessed Mother, at the cova, to one of the victims. It reveals a world where the most sacred bonds are shattered–a world where a mother sells her child.

Patricia deals with child sex trafficking in a small town in The Red Gondola and the Cova. President Amy Rice was the editor on the project a couple of years ago. The subject matter is difficult to tackle, but Patricia does it with tact and honesty. Small towns are NOT immune to issues and the people we have been taught to trust (clergy, law enforcement, public officials, parents of other’s children, medical professionals) are not always trustworthy. This is an INCREDIBLY timely message as we watch the travesty of human trafficking unfold on the world stage. The most amazing thing about Patricia’s book is she made it accessible and not inappropriate for younger readers–which means that it could be a great conversation starter for parents who want to talk with their children about hard issues but don’t always know how to get the conversation started. There is also a sweet moment that shows the importance of faith in making it through difficult times. There is also an animal element.

When Patricia heard about HAVAH, she brought her title, The Dog Men, over for a second edition print and gave HAVAH the opportunity to debut The Red Gondola and the Cova. She is currently working on a handful of other titles to release in the future. You can find other writings and book titles HERE.