Garden of Darkness
by Anne Frasier
Published by Penguin/Onyx (December release)
Click on book
cover to order
at Amazon.com
Reviewed by Cerri Ellis
The first thing that caught my attention was the title of Anne Frasier’s upcoming book. Garden of Darkness is the sequel to her bestseller Pale Immortal, which first introduced readers to the mysterious town of Tuonela, Wisconsin.
In Garden of Darkness, Rachel Burton, the town’s medical examiner and coroner, tries to leave Tuonela and put the past behind her, but finds moving on is harder than she thought. She is stopped by the chief of police and begged to help when the body of a woman is found deep in the woods. Rachel is caught between duty and her deep-seated need to protect her unborn baby from the evil that slumbers.
She focuses on her work and tries to forget that the man who betrayed her–a man at the heart of the mystery–is her baby’s father. As the body count rises, and events spiral out of control, she fears her ex-lover may be the killer. Has Evan succumbed to the buried darkness of Old Tuonela?
The legend of the Pale Immortal, the so-called vampire who built Old Tuonela, draws curious visitors. A group of outsiders come to the town; there to film a documentary on what they believe is a hoax–the Pale Immortal and the townsfolk, nothing more than a farcical freak show. But Kristen knows better. The group’s videographer senses something more to the legend despite the hokey hype. But proving she’s right may cost her life.
When I find myself leaving all the lights on, it’s a good sign I’ve found an exceptionally clever and scary read. While the story grabbed me, the book’s creepy atmosphere made my skin crawl. But what made Frasier’s book so compelling was the heart-wrenching love story between Rachel and Evan. The book is layered with rich detail, the subplots nuanced with shadows. Also of note is the smooth way Frasier combined first person and third in the same book, which I felt added texture and another dimension to the story. Garden of Darkness is truly one of the more exceptional books I’ve read.
Armchair Interviews says: Anne Frasier has done it again.
Author’s Web site: http://www.AnneFrasier.com