Serene

When I wrote this mystery novel, I was inspired by two developments. The first was the conflict surrounding the Bhagwan Rashneesh cult in Oregon. This controversy is now featured in the Netflix Original Documentary, WILD, WILD COUNTRY. The second development was the popularity of adult coloring books. The result is SERENE, a Dr. Rachel Edelstein "Color-Me-a-Mystery," the first ever combination mystery and coloring book for adult readers. The differences between the actual cult in Oregon and my fictional cult are these: The Rashneeshees were located in Oregon, and my cult is in San Diego (home of the Heaven's Gate, Marshall Applewhite cult). My cult develops scientific products that can be sold at a great profit, whereas the Rashneesh cult never developed beyond being an agricultural and crafts cult. In my cult, the protagonist, Rachel Edelstein, gets sexually molested by the cult leader, Bhagwan Sharma, and she also becomes the "sleuth" who wants to find out how her scientist parents were murdered. My mystery has many science fiction elements that propose military androids and other developments that were never a part of the Rashneesh cult. After teaching and working at Caltech for many years, I wanted to show the dangers of combining high technology with a cult-like worship of power and an attempt to bring about The Singularity. I purposely use Israel in my mystery because Israel is on the verge of becoming a dangerous militant power, and my protagonist is a Jew who needs to reconcile this paradoxical fact to prevent her own mental and emotional breakdown. The serene "implant" gives Dr. Edelstein a power she never expected, and it helps her to solve the mystery. I hope you enjoy this fast-paced, exciting mystery developed for your adult pleasure.