Everywhere Hollow (Trials of Patrick Bailey Series #1)

At a small Parish in the Pacific Northwest, a young Priest Father John Delaney begins his service in the Priesthood. He is guaranteed success from his strong faith, secure knowledge of himself, and trust in his role model Father Patrick Bailey. John Delaney’s failure comes from these same things and a woman named Carol Steeves.
Self assured and attractive Carol Steeves tests the vows of even seasoned Priests. She comes to John Delaney to tell him of three women that will seek his council. John Delaney is unnerved by both Carol Steeves confidence and his suspicion that she knows something that he does not.
The three women that visit John Delaney challenge the counseling skills of the young Priest. He is aware he cannot help them with the one problem they share so attempts to help them with their individual problems. Tina is the first to visit John Delaney to confess her sins as a thief. The alluring Liz Heinz tempts John Delaney as he helps her with her issues with men. Katherine’s problems are so severe John Delaney turns to his mentor Father Bailey for guidance.
Father Bailey is a fun loving and jovial man who has served as a Priest for over twenty six years. He teaches John Delaney how to write good sermons and how to play good poker. He seems well equipped to guide John Delaney in helping the three women but ironically is unable to cultivate John’s faith. It is John Delaney who is called upon to rebuild Father Bailey’s.
John Delaney uses his pure beliefs and the Catholic Church to assist each woman with her problems. John Delaney’s innocence, Tina’s humorous confessions, and Father Bailey’s personality combine for many moments of levity until a storm from the Pacific blows in a dark shift with the return of Carol Steeves. On Halloween afternoon, John Delaney’s faith and self knowledge are destroyed with the fall of his role model Father Bailey and confirmation that Carol Steeves does know more than John. She knows who he is.