A madman's disturbing question, a string of savage murders, the legacy of an ancient goddess and an evil being seeking to return to our world -- all are pieces of a puzzle that investigative reporter Alex St. John must solve to thwart the plans of a murderous cult and its demonic god. "Are You the Shepherd?" Working for a crummy Portland newspaper, Alex St. John thought his life was at a dead-end. But when a madman's nonsensical question sends him in pursuit of a serial killer, Alex finds himself in a nightmare world of violence and occult mysteries. With the help of eccentric writer Damien Smith, he discovers the murders are the work of a modern-day cult seeking to resurrect ancient evil--the demon-god known to Native Americans as Onatochee. Joined by a motley crew of allies -- Irish researcher Michael O'Regan, beautiful occult enthusiast Trish Martin, fellow journalist Loren Hodges and her loyal dog Beowulf -- Alex and Damien delve deeper into the mysteries surrounding the cult and its evil deity. With the growing realization that everything he thought he knows about the cosmos is wrong, Alex faces death, betrayal and a growing army of possessed killers. Only by discovering the hidden secrets of the past and accepting a mystical weapon from the hand of an enigmatic goddess can Alex hope to stop the return of the demon-god Onatochee.