 |
When 16-year-old Amy Saunders is senselessly and violently murdered, it throws the lives of her entire family into disarray. Her parents drift toward an inevitable divorce, while her younger sister Faye detaches and becomes emotionless. As Faye begins to investigate what little she knows of her sister’s demise, however, she becomes aware of dark and sinister forces that threaten her own life. With her loyal friend Kaylikim and her charming and handsome boyfriend Simon, she slowly emerges from her shell and begins to live her life away from the shadow of Amy. Those shadows crash down on Faye again as there proves to be more to Simon than she can see, and the hellish influence of Satan’s son yearns to claim both Saunders sisters in order to establish power over all living things.
Grim and grizzly, this brief novel is dense with fear, action, and suspense. Broken into three parts, the first section deals with the corruption and murder of Amy at the hands of the Satanic Circle of Five. The second part, the longest of the three, tells Faye’s story of temptation and horror, while the third part’s resolution covers Faye’s redemption. The focus on otherworldly forces and the dark side to seemingly successful, happy people calls to mind popular programs like Twin Peaks, but the ominous violence and presence of the rules of Hell provide a unique perspective. Containing extremely graphic imagery, especially in the descriptions of the rituals of torture used by the Circle of Five, this story is only for those with a strong stomach and a leaning toward the macabre. Getting past that shock reveals a story that thrills and leaves the reader wondering what to expect until the very end.