After the sudden death of her brother
Warren due to a traffic accident, Sidra Smart comes to the small southeast Texas
town of Orange to permanently close his private investigator business. Recently
divorced after thirty years of a mind-numbing marriage, Sidra knows absolutely
nothing about private investigations or running her brother’s business with the
intriguing moniker of "The Third Eye: Intuitive Investigations."
While she isn't sure what she is going to do with her life, she knows that she
isn't going to take over and run Warren's business and she isn't going back to
her old life as a preacher's wife.
Somewhere during the course of that thirty-year
marriage that started when she was so very young, she lost her identity. It is
something she wants back and just isn't sure how to get it back. She isn't
alone with that problem as the visibly agitated blonde woman makes clear by
showing up while Sidra is paying bills and clearing mail in Warren's old
storefront office. The woman's name is Jewell Stone and Warren had just barely
opened a file for her. With Warren dead, Jewell expects Sidra to take over and
help her. Jewell is haunted by nightmares of a naked woman who she thinks might
have been killed by her father, Roy Manly back when Jewell was a child. If the
memories that come out of Jewel and her emotional pain aren't disturbing
enough, while Jewell cries and talks, Sidra sees a small blue flame appear in
the air over Jewell's head for a few seconds. Despite all the reasons not to
get involved, Sidra eventually begins to investigate a sinister world of child
abuse and possible murder far different than her experiences of bake sales and
back stabbing church politics as a preacher's wife.
This is an intense read with frequent and very graphic recounts of horrible child abuse and molestation. Such scenes are intense and very disturbing and will no doubt upset a number of readers. Author Sylvia Dickey Smith details the horrific abuse over and over again to various parties throughout the entire novel while occasionally adding a little new information at the various tellings. After awhile, the graphic abuse and molestations become a bit much and could distract readers from a compelling story.
This is a shame because the main story
is quite strong and would move the story along very well if allowed to do so
instead of being stopped by the detailed abuse materials. The novel revolves
around a thirty-year-old murder case and accompanying arson in the small town
of Orange as well as Sidra's efforts to find herself. During the course of
investigating the case, we learn quite a lot about Sidra, her relationship with
her former Pastor and husband as well as the congregation, a fellow private
investigator George Leger, Sidra's rather eccentric Aunt Annie, and numerous
other characters along with a strong slice of life in that shadowy land full of
mystique and mystery where Texas and Louisiana meet.
Evil walks in many forms in this intense novel. Full of suspense, interesting characters and a heroine trying to find herself once again, the novel delivers on all levels while disturbing repeatedly with the constant scenes of abuse and molestation. Few readers will find this a relaxing read but all will certainly find it suspenseful, intense, and not easily put down.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4jEyIfT
Material supplied by the author in
exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2007, 2012, 2026
Posts
