Phoebe and her cousin grew up on the same street, in the same
corner of their city... Where people still shopped at a no name corner store,
where all the men worked for the same company, where all the women met for
gossip and event planning and crisis management.
This is the same place a much older Phoebe returns to, decades
later. The place she swore she'd never return to. Circumstances have forced her
back, all these years after she ran away.
Timelines following both 18-year-old Phoebe and 46-year-old Phoebe
intertwine. The reader gradually learns what it was that drove Phoebe away, and
the truth about the rust maidens.
Kiste draws readers into Phoebe's life and story and builds
suspense as she slowly reveals more details-details that only add to the intrigue.
For me, this was as unputdownable as a book gets. I was
mesmerized, not only by the plot and revelations, but by Phoebe's journey. This
work exemplifies the very best of the horror genre. It is a book I would point
to when arguing that horror is the most hopeful genre, because a critical
component of much of the best horror is the ability to find strength within
yourself and stand up to the terrors you're facing.
This work is every bit as much about healing and forgiveness and
regret as it is about the horror of what happened that summer 28 years ago. It
made an indelible mark upon me, and although it has been weeks since I finished
it, its impact remains. And if you want to prove to someone that not all horror
is gore, monsters, serial killers or demons, this is the book to hand them.
It's the fear of what's beyond your control that is what produces the horror
here, and it gets under your skin in a real and palpable way.
I highly recommend this novel.
Sandra Ruttan ©2020
Sandra Ruttan is an editor, author and reviewer. Keep up to date
via Twitter @sandraruttan
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