The Reluctant Hallelujah

Dodie’s parents have gone missing, and at school Dodie is approached by ‘Enron’, not the smartest or most popular guy in her class. Enron knows Dodie’s parents are missing, but what is his involvement? After exploring her home, Dodie finds an old, ornate key and a previously-unknown trapdoor leading to a previously-unknown basement in her house. In the basement is a coffin, which turns out to be hosting the body of no less an entity than Jesus, who is in a supernatural, coma-like state. Along with the coffin is a letter from Dodie’s mother telling her she can trust Enron, and she and her sister Coco must leave the house immediately, taking Jesus with them through Melbourne’s underground drain system. In the drains, Dodie, Coco, Enron and Jesus meet up with two members of the Cave Clan, Jones and Taxi. They help Dodie and the others to a car. With Dodie as driver, they all make their way to Sydney. At Rosedale, they are confronted by some enemies who want to take Jesus, but they outwit them, and continue to their destination, where eventually Jesus is shipped out with Taxi. Jones heroically takes the fall for the entire escapade, as by this stage Dodie, Coco and Enron are the subjects of a giant manhunt.

• Year of Publication: 2011
• Genre: Literature
• Audience: Young Adult