Full disclosure – Chrissey is a member of my writing group. I supported her excellent Kickstarter for this novel (you can find a lot more info about the novel and Chrissey on the Kickstarter page.)
I know how hard Chrissey has worked on this novel and it shows. It’s excellently plotted and the prose really shines. It’s a thick book at over 500 pages but it certainly doesn’t read that way. Chrissey has the knack of writing prose that pulls you on and eats up the pages without you really noticing. I’d compare that to Adrian Tchaikovsky’s writing (although plot-wise there’s no similarity.)
Our main character has retreated to Bristol after his brother’s suspicious death and is running ‘Weird News’ a paper investigating the weird and supernatural side of life with his one employee, Samantha. When a series of bizarre deaths happens they soon find out that the killer is a demonic mime with the power to make its invisible creations real, and deadly. This is a cool idea and Chrissey mines it for all its worth. The pair with the help of some friends, chase the clues to Oxford and Devon and into an exciting final confrontation with the demon.
Of course I’m biased but I thought this was very entertaining and well-written and have no hesitations in recommending it. Having lived in Bristol and Oxford (and for a brief time Devon too) this felt very accessible. I don’t think I was ever afraid of the mime (not a Metamfiezomaiophobe) but I was afraid for the characters, which is the sign of good writing I think.
Recommended.
petewsutton 