THE PIERCING

by John Coyne ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 25, 1978

A new low in eroto-Satanism. Father Stephen Kinsella, just shy of 30, has lost his priestly chastity to Jewish Deborah Laste--so he's feeling the guilties. His current lust is bad enough, but way down deep is the horror of his boyhood homosexuality, oral sex acts too disgusting to recall. But the Devil remembers!--and Satan has engineered a most fantastic plot to recapture the impenitent priest-fornicator. The plot: Betty Sue Wadkins, a poor girl in the Blue Ridge Mountains, has come down with stigmata. For the past five years this sensual Madonna-like virgin has been bleeding from the hands and feet and side and from an invisible crown of thorns on her forehead. For a twist, she's not even Catholic, but a hillbilly Baptist--and her folks don't take kindly to Stephen and old Father Driscoll, who come to witness her bleeding. Stephen, who's been sexually awakened by Deborah, now feels a big sexoelectric spark flitting to and fro between himself and 17-year-old Betty Sue. Jealous Deborah hits the university stacks to prove to Stephen that Betty Sue is only a hysterical neurotic. But Stephen knows better: he has seen a letter written by Betty Sue that bleeds! Lots of blood. And you well can imagine--well, we'll hope you can 't--the satanic climax with Stephen violating the blood-pouring dying body of Betty Sue, and then the Devil himself appearing to reveal his master plan: ""Quit fuckin' around and let the cunt die! She did her job. . . I've had to wait a long time for this. Wait until you did something unforgivable, like fuck Betty Sue. . . Hurry up, asshole, and blow me."" Proceed at your own risk.

Pub Date: Jan. 25, 1978

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1978

Categories: FICTION