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In this quirky thriller, Jerry melds classic horror tropes with his knowledge of the insurance industry. Benny Johnson works hard on big-ticket business and industrial claims at BestEver Insurance, so when he catches a glimpse of something robed and spectral in the company bathroom mirror, he wonders what could possibly happen next. Benny may be one of the top guys in his department, but his life is looking a bit shabby after his wife has disappeared with her lover and all the furniture. Perhaps stress and overwork are getting to him… or maybe not. Frances Murphy, one of Benny’s regular clients, the shrewd owner of a popular restaurant, accosts him on the phone about her encounter with a similar phantom in her ladies’ room on the same day. Benny is articulate, fast on his feet, and rarely pauses when push comes to shove, but Frances Murphy’s tale chills him to the bone, especially since what he saw spoke in her voice, and her spook spoke in his.
The author wields his irreverent, humorous prose like a dagger, quickly driving the fast-paced, engaging scenes into the heart of blood-curdling territory. While the rotating first-person viewpoints amidst a mostly third-person narrative cause some personalized but odd shifts of perspective, and the story development could be more seamless, the snappy writing and the need to know what’s lurking over Benny’s shoulder will keep pages turning. Without delay, Benny and local law enforcement officers discover Lord Lawrence, the rather clichéd evil character seeking his old soulmate in the form of Benny’s flirtatious coworker, Trudy (known formerly as the Lady Caitlin), and everyone involved gets more than they bargained for. Jerry’s highly imaginative tale leaves readers to ponder what is imaginary, what is real, and what it takes to break a human mind.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review