The pyx

The Pyx (1959), Buell's first book, follows a policeman as he unravels the suspicious death of prostitute Elizabeth Lucy. Through flashbacks, one sees Elizabeth's final struggle to reclaim her life. She helps another woman escape prostitution only to incur the wrath of Keerson, an underworld boss. The pyx of the title is the vessel in which Catholic priests carry the Eucharist when visiting the sick. The evil Keerson, seeking a twisted revenge on Elizabeth, commands her to wear a pyx around her neck before he attempts to assault her sexually. But she thwarts him by swallowing the consecrated host it contains. Though Keerson kills her for her defiance, Elizabeth has finally and fully redeemed herself. [Dictionary of Literary Biography].