Paula Sevestre is a Mi’kmaq author from Membertou First Nation in Unama’ki (Cape Breton), Nova Scotia. She is the creator of the Lex Tocara psychological suspense series, beginning with Shadow of the Healer, a contemporary novel exploring identity, belonging, spiritual connection, and the mysteries that exist beyond what we can readily explain.
Paula is also the author of The False Healer, a collection of three personal non-fiction works exploring experiences that have shaped her life and perspective. Beyond her writing, she works in Indigenous engagement, bringing a relational approach to health research in critical care settings. She is a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada.
Paula Sevestre is a Mi’kmaq author from Membertou First Nation in Unama’ki (Cape Breton), Nova Scotia, and the creator of the Lex Tocara psychological suspense series.
The first novel in the series, Lex Tocara: Shadow of the Healer, introduces a contemporary world in which psychological suspense and mystery unfold alongside questions of identity, belonging, intuition, spiritual connection, and the things we cannot always explain. Paula’s fiction is grounded in the lives and choices of her characters, while leaving room for the possibility that there may be more to our experiences—and our connections to one another—than what can be seen.
Paula is also the author of The False Healer: A Trilogy, a collection of three personal non-fiction works: Heaven’s Wait, Out from Beneath Your Wings, and the title work, The False Healer. Together, they explore deeply personal experiences that have shaped her life and perspective.
Her perspective as a writer is also shaped by her work in Indigenous engagement. As Indigenous Engagement Program Lead with the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group, Paula works to strengthen meaningful and relational Indigenous patient and family engagement in health research. Her approach centres relationship, respect, reciprocity, and the understanding that meaningful engagement begins long before a question is asked.
Across her creative and professional work runs a shared interest in connection—to people, place, identity, and the stories we carry with us.
Paula is a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada and lives in Ontario.
Lex Tocara™: Shadow of the Healer
A Novel of Suspense
Author: Paula Sevestre
Series: Lex Tocara™ — Book One
Genre: Fiction | Psychological Suspense
Website: PaulaSevestre.com
Publication Formats & ISBNs
Paperback — ISBN 978-1-7772829-4-3
Hardcover — ISBN 978-1-7772829-5-0
eBook — ISBN 978-1-7772829-3-6
Audiobook — ISBN 978-1-7772829-6-7
Narrated by Michelle Bardach
About the Book
Something lies beneath the surface, and Lex is about to discover it.
When her mother becomes captivated by a charismatic healer, Lex Tocara recognizes the shift immediately. What her mother calls purpose, Lex understands as surrender.
As Caspian Locke draws vulnerable participants into his orbit, Lex positions herself to watch—and to intervene if necessary. She does not step closer to be healed. She steps closer to protect.
But what begins as concern soon becomes something darker. Strange occurrences blur the line between manipulation and something far more dangerous.
Now Lex must decide how far she’s willing to step into the darkness—and whether she’s prepared for what waits on the other side.
“Healing is not simple and may come with a cost.”
— Kirkus Reviews
About the Series: Shadow of the Healer is the first novel in the Lex Tocara psychological suspense series.
“Sevestre blends elements of contemporary realism with spiritual and cultural dimensions, grounding Lex’s journey in deeper questions of belonging and purpose.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“… the influence of Indigenous perspectives is woven thoughtfully into the narrative, not as a backdrop, but as an active force shaping its ethical and emotional terrain.”
— Kirkus Reviews
