A Book A Week

"Magic works, but it's an exercise in irony, sometimes a dangerous one. Be careful."

Sometimes a book haunts you so much that you can't stop thinking about it. Even long after you've finished reading it, the story invades your thoughts, instantly taking you back to what you experienced as you read it. Such was the case with Sara Gran's story of a woman slowly succumbing to demonic possession, Come Closer. I devoured that book right before Halloween last year, and I've been thinking about it ever since. It should come as no surprise then that I eagerly accepted a copy of her latest novel The Book of the Most Precious Substance to review. 

Lily Albrecht used to have it all. On the professional front, a fairly successful novel brought her modest sales and acclaim amongst the literary community. On the personal front, she met the love of her life, a fellow author, and was living out her dreams. But all of this wasn't to last. She struggled to write a follow-up novel. Then her husband began to forget things. It wasn't long before everything she loved about her life was gone. She was no longer a working author. Instead, she spent her days caring for the shell of what had become of her husband, resigned to the fact that this was now her life. 

In a last-ditch attempt to support herself financially while still staying in the book world, Lily turned to collecting and selling rare books. It makes for a modest living at best, but there are sometimes opportunities for a real windfall. A fellow bookseller comes around asking for help finding a rare work that Lily's never heard of, The Book of the Most Precious Substance. It promises to be the biggest sale she's ever had, but there's one problem. No one seems to know exactly what the book is or where to find it. Determined to procure and sell the book, Lily sets out on a hunt that will prove to be as difficult as it is dangerous. 

I hadn't read a summary of The Book of the Most Precious Substance before diving in, so I wasn't prepared for the erotic thriller that followed. You see, the titular book in question promises unlimited power through the completion of five acts of sexual pleasure. I won't lie to you. When the true nature of the titular book in question was first revealed, I had to stop reading. I wasn't sure this was the kind of story that I was willing to consume. It is to Sara Gran's credit though, that the main character Lily and the mystery behind hunting for a rare book had so ensnared my curiosity that I couldn't help but to continue reading. While the book never gets too graphic in describing the sensual acts that propel this fictional magic, I don't think that reading about them will be for everyone. Still, those willing to suspend disbelief and stick along for the short duration of the book will find it to be an entertaining and twisty thriller that more than satisfies. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2022, 7)

The year is 1991 and college student Julia Carroll has her whole life ahead of her. She's a bright aspiring journalist, dedicated student, and loving daughter and sister. Her strong investigative instincts lead her to the story of Beatrice Oliver, a local girl who mysteriously disappeared a few weeks ago. Oliver left her home to buy some ice cream for her father and never returned. As often happens in missing person cases, time advanced, evidence was scarce, and the trail went cold.

In addition to her university studies and role at the school newspaper, Julia volunteers her time at a local homeless shelter. The women who live there have all had rough lives, but are appreciative of the charity they receive. When Julia learns that one of the residents has not been seen or heard from in a few days, she fears the worst. Other residents claim that the young lady was snatched by a man and pulled into a van. Julia worries that this disappearance is related to the Beatrice Oliver case.

Determined to find answers and to warn other women of potential attacks, Julia begins researching data to use in an article covering abductions. All of the girls who vanished were young and beautiful, not unlike the blonde hair, blue eyed Julia. She begins to place herself in their shoes, mentally recreating the moments leading up to their disappearances, and trying to find ways that their actions could have prevented their kidnappings. It is easy for Julia to recognize the mistakes that each women made leading up to their vanishing, but she fails to heed her own advice. As she walks home from a party one night, completely alone, there is nothing she can do to prevent the beginning of her own nightmare.

This short novella acts as a prelude for Karin Slaughter's new novel, Pretty Girls. Slaughter creates excellent tension as the story slowly edges toward its inevitable conclusion. There is palpable suspense as Julia investigates the disappearances of the several women. Slaughter includes statistics on rape and abductions that gives the narrative credibility and makes the conclusion all the more terrifying. Despite the excellent pace and competent writing, Julia is not a particularly likable character. This dilutes the atmosphere of anxiety with bursts of unbridled frustration. It is hard to believe that a girl who is investigating the kidnaping of women who share many similarities with herself would make so many foolish decisions. Still, the solid tone and driving pace of the narrative makes this a fine appetizer to Slaughter's main course.

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter is published on September 29, 2015.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and GoodReads.

(2015, 23)