The Hangman's Psalm: The Girl at the Gallows

A desperate thief, his dead father, a beautiful young girl, a priest, and a hangman are destined to meet at the foot of the gallows-so claims a gypsy fortune teller whose tarot card predicts that someone will die a fool's death...but who? In 18th century London a thief could be hanged for stealing a kerchief, a hat, a bolt of cloth-and the thief in this story, Daniel Tavard, is guilty of such crimes. A bounty of 250 Guineas is offered by the Crown for his capture. But the bounty-hunters are not the ones who bring the thief to the hangman and collect the Guineas. Daniel's birth and death are shrouded in mystery. Why did his father Joseph flee France? Where is his mother? Only Maggie Quinn knows-Joseph's mistress(whore). When Daniel was little he thought Maggie was his mother-she quickly disabused him of that notion. But Maggie knows who his mother is, and why Joseph fled France, and she swore she would never tell the boy. Daniel goes about searching for answers, but as he does so, two bounty-hunters lay a plot to seize him. A young girl, Catherine, enters Daniel's life, and for the love of her he risks his fate at the hands of the bounty-hunters. About the Author Mr. Gregory has authored two books derived from his background in psychology and theology: "The Fourth Watch of the Night," and "Beethoven's Love for Antonie Brentano." In his study of Beethoven, Mr. Gregory finds a parallel between Beethoven's need for the love of a pure woman and his fictional Daniel Tavard's need to be loved by a woman pure in heart, who will not betray him. The author has worked in private practice and as clinician in hospitals. As an educator on mental health subjects he has instructed in a variety of settings, including schools and recovery groups. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Hunter College in New York City, did graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Theological Institute, and The General Theological Seminary in New York City. He has been certified as Pastoral Counselor by the Foundation for Religion and Mental Health, which has led to his work in a psychiatric hospital in New York, and his election as President of the New York State Association of Chaplains in 2003. Outside of work his passions include music, writing, political interests-and playing with his four grandchildren, whom he loves dearly.