11/07/2022
Johansen (A Message from Boo) goes for the jugular in this not-for-the-faint-of-heart mystery brimming with suspense, shocks, and supernatural evil as it follows a teenage girl in the 1960s on her hunt for the killer ravaging her small town. Jamie, a 16-year-old tired of living with her alcoholic mother in the slums of Paradise Point, wants nothing more than an escape for herself and her younger brother, Tommy—but as she strives to create a better life, Jamie is drawn into a series of brutal murders close to home that no one can seem to solve. When the town starts to suspect an evil presence is behind the deaths, Jamie joins ranks with her boyfriend, Lenny, to unravel the puzzle.
Readers should come prepared for plenty of bloodshed: the murders are gruesome, and Johansen skillfully elicits the fear and torment that plague locals when they’re unable to solve the crimes. Jamie, an unlikely hero in many aspects, suffers her share of trauma as she chases down the killers, but her pluck and resolve will resonate with fans of strong female protagonists. The supernatural elements lurking behind the town’s troubles emerge gradually, but once Johansen introduces them through the locals’ superstitious beliefs, the story quickly comes to a head, alongside a dramatic ending that’s equal parts hair-raising and proudly, can-you-top-this? excessive.
Though the length may intimidate some readers, Johansen’s steady stream of action keeps the pace balanced—even when the narrative delves into the somewhat stereotypical backstories of the main characters. Happy endings aren’t the norm in this thriller, but Johansen manages to keep the outcomes believable despite the onslaught of paranormal savagery sprayed across the pages, and readers cheering for Jamie will be satisfied that her efforts to put the pieces together are eventually rewarded. Fans of paranormal mysteries with elaborate carnage will be pleased.
Takeaway: A small town falls under the spell of paranormal violence in this relentless thriller..
Great for fans of: Alex North’s The Whisper Man, Yrsa Sigurdardóttir’s I Remember You.
Production grades Cover: B+ Design and typography: A Illustrations: N/A Editing: B Marketing copy: A
2022-10-19
A teenage girl in 1960s North Carolina braves a homicidal evil in this supernatural thriller.
High schooler Jamie Thompson has become a mom to her 6-year-old brother. She makes sure Tommy has enough to eat and more than just one threadbare shirt. She clocks as many hours as she can at the local grocery store since the siblings’ alcoholic mother can’t hold a job. It’s tough work, but keeping Tommy content makes Jamie happy, though she also finds joy in her dealings with her blond, blue-eyed co-worker Lenny Robinson. Their friendship soon makes space for some romance. Elsewhere in Gaston County, the sheriff’s office probes a spate of murders—the bodies are practically torn apart. The investigators have suspects and motives linking some deaths, but they haven’t made much progress. Jamie may be able to help, as she has “the sight,” or so God-fearing 80-year-old Maw Bates insists. Jamie, Maw, and Lenny look into the murders themselves as their town’s history of reputed Satanism and witches pushes them closer to an unspeakable menace that may be inhuman. Johansen aptly develops the characters while very slowly introducing an evil presence. Jamie, for example, goes about her normal life, from fishing with Tommy to dating, and police interviews sometimes lead nowhere. But the horrific killer behind those mutilated bodies gradually comes to light as the tension builds. The author lavishes the engrossing story with passages jampacked with details. In one scene, the deputy sheriff crosses a property teeming with “roaming chickens” while the “unpleasant odor” of animal pens quickly changes to the delightful smells of a kitchen where someone is cooking sausage and biscuits. Despite nods to Sherlock Holmes, there’s little mystery. Jamie doesn’t piece together clues or make Holmes-ian deductions. Still, the big reveal packs a punch, sparking a frenzied and scary final act.
An engaging young hero propels this unnerving tale of untold malevolence.
