Killer opening for Alan Baxter's latest novel, Devouring Dark...
"Matt McLeod knew the old adage, that light is supposed to push away the darkness. But he also knew it wasn’t true. Light sits on top, like a film of oil on water. The dark is still there underneath, deep, permanent, waiting. And usually it’s enough, that surface skein of brightness, to keep a soul from the yawning black abyss below. But once the cracks appear, the fall is inevitable. And the darkness devours."
If you have previously read Alan's Australian Shadows Award-Winning short story, "Shadows of the Lonely Dead," you may already be familiar with the overall theme of Devouring Dark. If not, you could do something I never suggest and skip to the end of the book and read that first, or read the book and then discover the short story. Either way, you're in for a treat.
Devouring Dark is full of delightfully rich characters. Matt has a unique talent he uses to eliminate people who deserve to go. Amy Cavendish works at the Sally Gentle Hospice and has a similar talent, but exercises it in a decidedly different way. Then there's Vince Stratton, a mob boss/hitman of sorts. Generally, Matt is very careful about when and where he does what he does, but the one time someone sees him, it's one of Vince's "boys." Now, Vince wants Matt on his crew and he won't take no for an answer.
That should be enough to whet your appetite. Devouring Dark is a brilliant mix of crime and the supernatural. One I won't soon forget.
Recommended.
Published by Grey Matter Press, Devouring Dark, is available in both paperback and e-book formats. Pre-order now and read on November 6th, 2018 https://tinyurl.com/ydcwpb5p
From the author's bio - Alan Baxter is a British-Australian author who writes supernatural thrillers and urban horror, rides a motorcycle and loves his dogs. He also teaches Kung Fu. He lives among dairy paddocks on the beautiful south coast of New South Wales, Australia, with his wife, son, dogs, and cat. He’s the multi-award-winning author of several novels and over seventy short stories and novellas. So far.
No comments:
Post a Comment