My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Time taken to read - On and off over 3 days
Pages - 373
Publisher - Tor Books
Source - Bought from Amazon
Blurb from Goodreads
James True was not there when he died.
He returned from an out-of-body experience to find that he'd been murdered and mutilated. He had no body to go back to.
But who murdered him? The serial killer terrorizing the city--or someone closer? True had no enemies, at least none that he knew of.
To discover the truth, James True must track down his killer. The initial horror of True's experience is followed by an even greater terror . . . . his family are the murderer's next targets.
Without a body, True has no substance and no real power. No one can see him, no one can hear him, and no one except his murderer even knows his spirit still exists.
How can he save his family?
My Review
James "Jim" True has OBE (Out Of Body) experiences, astro projection, can leave his body behind and head out and about. This is exactly what he is doing when he is brutally murdered, fitting the killing of a serial murdered. Jim is still around, trying to figure out why he hasn't passed on and why he is drawn to the serial killers layer and whats more is the killer aware of him?
This has a lot to this book, we have a serial on the loose, Jim's ability to OBE at will and a look back and when it all came about. His job, his life and then we look into the killer, as Jim follows the killer and experiences his life through his eyes. How can he stop a killer, keep his family safe when no one can see him, he can't physically manifest and still needs to figure out why he is left behind, what is his purpose?
The thing I loved about this book is, anytime I read a ghost story I always think Ghost, mediums, all the avenues you would try to be seen and heard. Herbert examines these and more and explains why they would or would not work. He takes you on the emotive journey of not only a murder victim, a good guy, a family man but someone trying to work out how to fix things being in a horrendous predicament. You have no idea where the story is going to go and had I not been ill I would have sank this in one sitting. 4/5 for me this time, I have read Herbert before and I absolutely will read him again!
This book sounds very original and well executed. I think that this concept handled the wrong way could be disastrous. It is neat when a type of story, in this case a ghost story. Is turned around and told from the opposite direction.
ReplyDeleteI love Herbert, have you read any Brian? xxx
DeleteOoh, this sounds pretty creepy! And I love it when a story is unpredictable and takes the reader where they least expected to go.
ReplyDeleteMe too, I needed a wee genre switch and I do love Herbet xxx
DeleteWhat an intriguing premise! I'd definitely give this one a try. :)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely recommend Herbert & really liked this one xxx
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