Do Not Go Gentle

Jamie Griffin is an Irish-Catholic police detective in Dorchester, Massachusetts, who becomes ill with what appears to be influenza. Jamie and his partner, Cal Cushing, are assigned a murder which leads them to a cult called the Disciples of Endor.

Jamie's flu-like stomach problems abate, but he still suffers from fatigue, headaches, problems with his short-term memory, balance, and focus. The illness has taken a serious toll on Jamie, his family, and his friends. The murder case Jamie was working with Cal led to additional murders, but no suspects.
Refusing to give up on the case, Jamie follows clues that lead him to Luiseach, an Irish mystic. Jamie's inability to get better costs him his job. His former partner, Cal, is killed and Jamie believes the cult is behind his death.

Although unconvinced there is a supernatural aspect to the murders, Jamie consults again with Luiseach, along with Ríordán, a filí, and Ánrothán, a druid. Jamie quarrels with his father, Frank, a Deputy Superintendent with the force who does not believe Jamie's illness is real. The loss of Jamie's income has put them into a deep financial hole. Jamie now progresses into the fourth stage of grief, depression. Jamie and Eileen are forced to declare medical bankruptcy. Jamie realizes he cannot devote the energy required to successfully connect the cult to the murders and does not see a way to continue.

The Disciples are more involved in his life than Jamie realizes: his youngest daughter belongs to a teen group operated by the cult; Eileen's music store is owned by a management company that belongs to Sedecla, the head of the cult; Jamie's parish priest, Father O'Connor, is struggling with his desire to patronize prostitutes managed by a criminal group which is part of the cult; and the criminal group is headed up by a life-long friend of Jamie's, also a police detective. Luiseach, Ríordán, and Ánrothán tell Jamie that Sedecla is more dangerous than he realizes: she is the actual Witch of Endor from the Bible, having lived thousands of years by draining the life force of countless victims.

Now lacking police resources and struggling with the legwork required to solve a case, Jamie turns to a trio of unlikely allies: Louie Lombardi, a low level thug who had worked as an informer for Jamie, then "retired" after he was kneecapped; Daphné Lopes, an expert with computers and anything technical; and Darcelle, Daphné's twin sister and a wizard with anything mechanical. Jamie is still ill and now has been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Jamie's insistence on continuing to work the case puts more stress on him and drives him to the brink of suicide.

Jamie passes into the fifth stage of grief: acceptance. This allows him to climb out of his depression and focus on directing the efforts of his "team" to solve the case. Jamie begins to repair his relationships and reaffirm his deep love for his family. As Jamie and his team close in on Sedecla, she responds by attacking Jamie, his family, and friends. The team defeats Sedecla, but not without a cost.

Solving the case shows Jamie he can continue to work at least part-time as a private investigator, with Louie, Daphné, and Darcelle as his partners. By the end of the book, Jamie's life is turning around and heading in a more positive direction.