A frank yet compassionate depiction of the culture of the Mormon Church, this compelling rite-of-passage story describes the mystery of the church's rituals and the beauty and rigor of its theology and traditions set against the backdrop of one woman's life. Laake is executive managing editor of the New Times, Inc., chain of magazines and was named Arizona Journalist of the Year in 1988.

Morgan Knight is many things: security company owner, a sheriff deputy's widow, and an expert in alternative religions and occult practices. After local law enforcement finds human remains and evidence of unusual ceremonies, it all points to some sort of occult ritual, and Morgan's late husband's captain taps her to help him solve the case. Her expertise will also prove useful in helping a grieving grandmother make sense of her late grandson's descent into the darkest of occult practices. Mysterious writings and grimoires seem a strange and curious bend for the young man. Her expertise and wit will be soon pushed to the limit, when dark forces pick her as their next target. A descent into the dark beliefs that surround us, 'Secret Rituals' is the first book in Jo Beekman's series of occult mystery novels.

In this study of American 19th-century secret orders, the author argues that religious practices and gender roles became increasingly feminized in Victorian America and that secret societies, such as the Freemasons, offered men and boys an alternative, male counterculture.

Theory -- What Is Magic? -- The Evolution of Magic -- The Gods -- The Elements of Magic -- Initiation and Adepthood -- Types of Magic: White versus Black -- Techniques of Magic -- The Four Elements -- The Kabbalah and Its Magical Correspondences -- The Astral Plane -- Ceremonial Magic -- The Sacred and the Profane Books of Magic -- Talismanic Magic -- The Spirit of Sacrifice -- Possession and Exorcism -- Prophets and Magicians -- Witchcraft and Demonology -- Divination -- Practice -- Rituals and Spells -- Fertility Rituals -- Weather Control -- The Rites for Power: Pagans, Witches, Satanists -- The Rites of the Persians and Babylonians -- The Rites of the Egyptians -- The Rites of the Jews -- The Rites of the Arabs -- The Rites of the Greeks and Romans -- The Rites of India -- The Rites of China and Japan -- The Rites of Africa -- The Rites of Australia -- The Rites of Europe -- The Rites of Haiti and Latin America -- The Rites of Mexico and North America -- Magical Spells -- Spells for Love -- Spells for Wealth and Success -- Spells to Overcome Enemies -- Spells for Health and Protection.