Karelia Stetz-Waters
Luce
Dr. Helen Ivres has recently accepted a post as president of Pittock College, a small, liberal arts college in a remote part of Berkshire County, MA. She is called to take her position early, a month before fall term starts, when a severed human arm is found in the woods beyond the campus. The college expects a media storm, because the town of Pittock has built a small but thriving tourist industry around the legend of the Luce. The town was founded by spiritualists who believed they were guided by Lucidine, an angelic spirit, but as time went on Lucidine was replaced by the legend of the Luce, a demonic dog rumored to haunt to woods around the small town.
Initially the police suspect a murder. The arm is identified as belonging to a reclusive student, Schuyler Barrett. Students on campus for the college’s famous Summer Theater Program help search for the body. Although a body is not found, suspicious start to point to Ryan Strand, the victim’s boyfriend, another troubled and reclusive student on campus.
Helen works to reassure the community and comfort the grieving parents, but her work is constantly interrupted by Grace, a sweet but frustratingly omnipresent emeritus English professor who is constantly badgering Helen about small issues on campus such as the fact that someone is trying to oust another emeritus professor, Dr. Lebovetski, from his office.
When the college board president, Lee Strand, Ryan’s father, learns that his son is under suspicion he tries to deflect Helen’s attention. He starts proceedings to fire tenured theater professor Adair Wilson whose summer program students performed a scandalous play in which Dr. Wilson, herself, appears naked. As Helen investigates more, the townspeople shut her out. The police cancel the investigation, claiming lack of funds, and eventually the death is ruled accidental.
Helen suspects small town corruption, but as she spends more time on the campus and investigates further, the legend of the Luce seems to be coming true.
