Book Reviews by Elizabeth A. White

That Prosper Snow would have such self doubt is perfectly understandable. After all, as an officer sworn to uphold the law it would naturally cause internal conflict to find yourself breaking it in the most extreme manner possible – murder.

Yet that’s precisely where Snow found himself in The Kult, the first book from author Shaun Jeffrey which featured the character. When Snow and his group of friends became the target of a serial killer after trying to frame him for a murder they committed – not the most brilliant idea in retrospect – it was all Snow could do just to save his life. That he was able to massage the facts in such a way as to cover up his involvement and keep his job was a bonus.

Except now there is a new string of horrific killings occurring on Snow’s patch. And this time not only is he unable to take charge of the investigation, but the leader of the under the radar government agency that takes over the case implies he knows about Snow’s past criminal activities. He uses that knowledge to force Snow to join their team, and that’s when things go from bad to bizarre.

Turns out the shadow agency has special reason to be interested in the string of killings. Much to Snow’s horror, he is informed that the group has been conducting psychological experiments trying to determine whether a person can be made into an über efficient, remorseless killing machine… and one of their test subjects has escaped. (more…)

Joanna Raines used to think there was nothing worse than darkness. What else would a young, aspiring professional photographer think when they begin losing their vision to Fuchs corneal dystrophy? Distraught that the chance to pursue her dream is slipping away, Joanna undergoes a corneal transplant in one eye in hopes that will restore her vision. If all goes well, she’ll have the other eye done too.

While waiting on a train platform on her way to a follow up visit with her physician, Joanna witnesses a horrific accident when a man falls in front of the train and has one of his arms torn off. While the man is down, apparently dead, Joanna sees a dark shadow envelop him, seeming to enter his body through the stump of the ravaged arm. As the shadow dissipates the man jerks back to consciousness, not only alive but far more calm and upbeat than anyone has a right to be having just lost an arm to a train.

Joanna tries to convince herself what she saw was merely a trick of lighting, or perhaps something amiss from the operation. When her doctor removes a tiny stitch that had been irritating her eye and affecting her vision Joanna is satisfied that was the problem. That is until upon exiting his office, located within a hospital, she sees the man from the train platform being wheeled past her in the hallway and, despite the bright lights of the hospital, he is still shrouded in the menacing black shadow.

When the shadowy vision persists not only with the man from the train but begins appearing around other people, people who all seem intent on doing her harm, Joanna slowly comes to the disturbing realization she is seeing something very real, but which others cannot. She is seeing pure evil. (more…)