In Paul Petrucci's debut novel PRODIGAL LOGIC, protagonist Ray Gabriel is on the verge of a breakthrough creation, a computer program that imitates logical deduction. But the fatal fall of Father Peter from the roof of a Seattle cathedral pulls Ray into a more menacing world. Miriam Towson, an alluring but enigmatic architect, suspects that the priest was pushed and enlists Ray's help. Unfortunately his software, christened Sherlock-in-a-Box, doesn't have all the bugs quite worked out yet. And when they finally are, the program offers conclusions that Ray doesn't want to hear...

Ray's journey is fraught with a riveting and humorous blend of psychology, religion, and metaphysics as he encounters channelers, poets, professors and cults in his search for the truth. In discovering the murderer, he also discovers the limitations of logic in an investigation that skirts the fringes of reason. Read more about Prodigal Logic

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"Paul Petrucci has crafted a rarity -- a true puzzle mystery -- flavored with brilliant plot twists and eccentric characters. To top it off, he has resurrected the genius of Holmes in the person of Sherlock-in-a-Box, which comes programmed with principles of Holmesian logic and makes deductions with the quirky élan of the master. A clever, compelling tale by a slyly talented writer." -- Stephen Greenleaf, author of the John Marshall Tanner detective series