Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
A Mount Darwin-based author, Entrouge Usayi has released a riveting fictional novel titled ‘The Killer Pastor,’ which critiques the abuse of power by clerics while keeping readers in suspense.
Set in Mount Darwin, “The Killer Pastor” introduces readers to a teenage girl named Chivimbiso who disappears mysteriously, leading to a desperate search by her parents.
The missing persons’ case slowly transforms into a chilling story of religious power, manipulation and crime with revelations that a charismatic prophet, Prophet Holiness is behind the sinister kidnapping of the girl, who he intends to kill for ritual purposes.
Usayi was inspired to write this book after observing the ills of society perpetrated by some men of the cloth.
“Ironically, when this girl went missing, her parents went to this prophet to consult about her whereabouts. Despite knowing he is behind this disappearance, he charged the parents US$300 for a consultation and sold them anointing oil. So, this book is about exposing the hypocrisy of these modern-day pastors and prophets,” the author said.
The novel relies on the thriller genre to expose real-life problems such as blind trust in pastors perceived as powerful, weak institutions and how ordinary people are easily taken advantage of.
“The book was well received, it was even bought in Canada, as someone bought 100 copies there. It is also being sold on Amazon. This is not my first book. I penned another called the Angel of Darkness. I am also trying to produce some Shona novels, because the man who taught me to write excelled in Shona,” Usayi noted.
Usayi is set to release two more books this December, with the first titled ‘969 Year of Nothing’, while the other is a collection of four letters titled ‘Letters’.
