The thoroughly sinister aspect of Saul’s novel, The Devil’s Labyrinth, was enough to convince me that Saul must have studied under the auspices of the parochial school system and exaggerated his feelings of injustice and control to deliver such a scathing and unholy plot. This piece of roller coaster horror could have only been achieved by someone both familiar with the system and gifted in telling a work of fiction.

The setting takes place in the school halls of St. Isaac’s, under the care of charismatic Father Sebastian, a supposed expert in exorcisms. However, it soon becomes obvious that there is much more to Father Sebastian than what is presented to the other clergy and the student’s parents. One is also led to believe that on the surface the good Father is exceedingly popular with the students until they are forced to come face to face with the demonic evil he projects into their lives.

Struggling to overcome the emotional turmoil brought on by his father’s death and the new man in his mother’s life 15-year-old Ryan McIntyre finds himself enrolled at St. Isaac’s where he discovers a terrible secret and as a result soon finds himself another of Father Sebastian’s victims. Ryan like the others will find himself involved in a plot to assassinate the Pope who, aware of Father Sebastian’s apparent success with student exorcisms, plans a visit to Boston to observe the cleric’s techniques.

Fortunately, however, Ryan’s father had given him a crucifix that he had found in Iraq that was supposed to protect him from evil. The question then becomes will the crucifix indeed protect Ryan and the others from the evil that Father Sebastian has planned thus saving the Pope’s life or will the diabolical work come to fruition?

I felt that Saul managed to write to another thrilling novel, even though it did get a little slow in the middle, as he covered the very controversial and little-known subject of exorcism. Otherwise the author managed to build the intensity throughout the book until the story was ultimately brought together with well-developed characters that the reader could identify with. I would recommend the book as a first-rate supernatural thriller that will keep the readers interest but I have read many reviews by readers that did not agree with my assessment. Therefore, I will suggest that you get a copy from your local library rather than purchase it unless you can find a deal on Amazon, that way you are not out the expense and can decide for yourself if the read was worth the time or not.