Sunday, March 22, 2015

Loonies - by Gregory Bastianelli - A cross-genre story that will keep you guessing

4 of 5 Stars     Review copy

I love a good opening line and Loonies opens with this one, "Smokey Hollow had the appearance of a quiet and quaint New England town, until the trunk in the attic was opened."  I was drawn in immediately.  Part horror, part crime drama, and part mystery, Loonies kept me turning pages right to the very end.

Brian Keays and his wife Darci are new to town.  Brian has taken the job of editor at the community's weekly paper while Darci spends her days at home preparing for the upcoming birth of their first child.  It's a quiet life until the discovery of a trunk in the attic that when opened reveals a mystery that will envelope the entire town.

Even with all the craziness in this story, the plausibility factor remains very high.  There are many unforgettable characters in Smokey Hollow, some of my favorites being the assistant fire chief, Simon Runck and his ventriloquist's dummy Marshall, and the town Somnambulist, Sherman Thurk. I can't help but think this story was a lot of fun to write, but at the same time, a lot of work. Loonies is a bit like a giant jigsaw puzzle with so many pieces, yet very satisfying when you put them all together.

I found Loonies to be wickedly imaginative and a fun read.  It's available both in paperback and a variety of ebook formats from Journalstone.

Recommended.




No comments:

Post a Comment