THE FINAL OBSCENITY

About the Book

Archibald Knowles returns as a missionary from Africa to his first parish in Defiance, Iowa in the 30s  This is an American that has disappeared.  He buys an old Willys car and drives all the way from Chicago to a small town of less than a thousand residents.  However, he is forced to stop overnight and becomes the victim of an escaped mental patient from a local asylum---an actor who had toured with the Toby shows through the midwest.  Collier is looking for money and murders the missionary and being an actor believes that he can take the place of the missionary and assume his identity  he drives into Defiance which is a typical 1930s village and proceeds to devastate the community.

Pauline is a high school teacher and she lives with Grace who is a nurse and they are considered by the local postmaster to be lesbians.  Showalter misses no opportunity to put them down. He is a World War I veteran.  Collier preaches his first sermon from notes he found in the dead missionary’s pocket and endears himself to his congregation especially the banker’s wife Claire who is a nymphomaniac and seduces young delivery boys.  However, since Thaddeus, her husband controls the money in the town she toes the line.  Claire flirts with the new pastor and they become lovers which infuriates Thaddeus who is never able to catch them together.

When Collier has sex with a teen age girl the elders of the church descend on him but he defies them.  The village continues to endure him until. Thaddeus reports him to the Presbyterian synod who decide to investigate.  After viewing a photo of the real Archibald Knowles, Thaddeus calls their man an impostor.  They notify the police, they descend on the manse and trap Collier in bed with Claire.  Collier is led away in a strait jacket, convinces the town to continue on its path of righteousness and they sing a hymn as the ambulance drives away.

THE FINAL OBSCENITY is based upon an original screenplay which never made it to the screen because I was told the material was too controversial.  I believe that as a novel it has additional power and is more timely than ever in a time when the church is trying to play a more important role in national affairs.  What would happen if your spiritual advisor was a madman?  It would be the final obscenity.

About the Author

Norman Spencer Graham has moved through two other media before he approached the novel. His MFA in Theater helped him write and see mounted five of his plays. The titles of his plays are ARABESQUE, LEGEND OF THE SUN, AN EVENING WITH PRACTICALLY EVERYBODY, AN APPETITE FOR JADE and RETURN ENGAGEMENT. He has also written five original screenplays. NIGHT OF THE SERPENT (cult horror film) THE RAGPICKER, NEVER LOOK BACK, MONDO EROTICA and ONCE UPON A SCOUNDREL Mr. Graham believes the stage gave him an insight into dialogue and the screen---a feeling for structure. Armed with these experiences, approaching the novel was less daunting. A CRYING SHAME is his fifth novel. He has also written DEATH IN GUATEMALA, THE FINAL OBSCENITY THE END .COM, and EYE OF LUCIFER.