Dissonance Rising

Josiah Knoll ran from a fringe sect called Divine Light-a world of abuse and the only reality he ever knew. He escaped with nothing but the homespun clothes on his back. That was a year and a half ago. Contrary to what they'd told him, life on the outside is far from hell. But it certainly isn't heaven either-it's isolation of a different kind.

Rudderless, he struggles to understand his new world while desperately trying to conceal the truth of his past. Support from a friend and guidance from his therapist help, but he needs more. In search of purpose and connection, he discovers both through an encounter made possible by his aged, but impassioned, therapist.

Nora White-a captivating young woman with her own peculiar past-needs his help to save her friend, who's trapped inside The Seekers. It's the same deadly cult that took her over four months ago. Just one problem-she has no idea where to find them. As a staunch dissident, they'd trafficked Nora out early on. There, she'd awaited certain death before her escape.

Josiah knows what being stuck inside a cult feels like and yearns to help Nora free her friend. After all, maybe aiding her will bring him to terms with his own past and those he left behind in Divine Light. But it's a newfound purpose with a hefty price tag-he'll have to confront his own mental demons lurking in the shadows.

For Josiah and Nora, an appeal to law enforcement in their plight is a no-go-especially after what they've done. If anything, their efforts will only invite further investigation. They're on their own-and the clock is ticking!

The Seekers run a multi-state, well-oiled recruitment operation and they are excellent at covering their tracks. Their most tightly guarded secret: their community location. Breadcrumbs leading to Nora's friend put them on a dangerous collision course with some of society's most despicable characters and their own conscience-as they scramble to cover the trail of collateral damage in their wake. A breach of long-held moral values leads to rising dissonance as they pursue their crusade at any cost.

Together, he and Nora stumble to infiltrate extremist groups reminiscent of what he risked everything to flee, but that's not the worst of it. Because there's only one way into The Seekers-recruitment. Before this quest to save Nora's friend is over, he must willingly submit himself to the unforgiving control of the group. It's a move that will test his moral and physical fortitude beyond anything he could have imagined. To ensure his allegiance, the Inquisitor-supreme leader and self-proclaimed prophet of The Seekers-will go to work on dirtying Josiah's hands as Josiah struggles to gain this leader's trust to decouple Nora's friend from his orbit. Even if he can manage to liberate her, getting himself out will be a next-level feat. Between him and this cult, neither can bend far-one must break . . .