Rite Judgement

Author’s Note

AUTHOR’S NOTE

This novel may shock you. If it doesn’t, I apologise. In parts, it may offend and, yes, I apologise…? There is a cavalier attitude to religion, exaggerated caricatures, but what would you expect of a real / surreal story. Is there a happy ending? That depends on your point of view, but, there is hope…

St Winifrede – Wikipedia According to legend, Winifrede was the daughter of a Welsh nobleman; her mother was a sister of St Beuno. When Winifrede decided to become a

nun, her suitor, Caradog, was enraged and decapitated her. A healing spring appeared

where her head fell. Winifrede’s head was subsequently re-joined to her body, thanks to the efforts of Saint Beuno, and she was restored to life.

The DaDa Detective Agency – Police Detective Jack (nicknamed Jane) Austin and his wife, Detective Superintendent Amanda Austin, retired and formed the agency. In his Oft-deluded parallel existence, Jack declared that his wife would henceforth be known as Duck, and himself as d**k. Now, Amanda Austin is a strong woman indeed and, at any time can disarm her dipstick husband, but occasionally, she allowed his follies to remain unchallenged, confident that the anticipated train crash would derail any of Jack’s pig-sty thinking (we think he meant big sky, but then again…). And, in this case, nervous that in retirement they would both become bored, she thought a low-profile detective agency would be quite fulfilling. All she needed to do was persuade her errant husband to select a new name, not being totally enamoured of the d**k and Duck Austin (DaDa), Detective Agency name, principally because she was a woman and not a bird and, if she had to be a bird, then why a f*****g duck? She did, however, think her husband was a d**k and so left that half of the nom d’agence, unchallenged. Maybe she could be Dorothy, a gift from God, or Daisy? Perhaps Dianna? Oh God, not Dee Dee. But she was lumbered with Duck and, DaDa. Maybe LaLa had a more appropriate ring to it?

Dada – Wikipedia – A European artistic and literary movement (1916-1923) that flouted conventional aesthetic and cultural values by producing works marked by nonsense, travesty and incongruity. Dada rejected reason and logic, prizing nonsense, irrationality and intuition. Maybe it helps to understand matters if we make a nonsense of them? This is what the DaDa series of novels seeks to achieve.

Umble Pie – A mediaeval pie made from the heart and entrails of a deer. If you upset the lord of the manor, you were sent to a lower table, where the fare was of poorer quality, and, made to eat umble pie (not humble – although this is the modern day derivation).

Ooh La Lovelies – a name inspired by Portsmouth fashion designer, Michelle Louise Finnerty and her company, Oh La Lovelies, producing beautiful haute couture, inspired from the fifties elegance mode – Michelle has kindly given me consent to use the name.

Illuminati – Wikipedia – The Illuminati are often alleged to conspire to control world affairs, contriving situations, infiltrating governments and corporations, in order to gain political power and influence and to establish a new world order.

Illusionati – Not very much is known of them, as you might expect.