A page-turning, supernaturally-tinged LA puzzle-box thriller - Zodiac with teeth, from the Bram Stoker Award-nominated and bestselling author of Come with Me. Perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Lauren Beukes.What do you see...? When the mutilated body of a young woman is discovered in the desert on the outskirts of Los Angeles, the detective assigned to the case can't deny the similarities between this murder and one that occurred a year prior. Media outlets are quick to surmise this is the work of a budding serial killer, but Detective Bill Renney is struggling with an altogether different scenario: a secret that keeps him tethered to the husband of the first victim. What do you hear...? Maureen Park, newly engaged to Hollywood producer Greg Dawson, finds her engagement party crashed by the arrival of Landon, Greg's son. A darkly unsettling young man, Landon invades Maureen's new existence, and the longer he stays, the more convinced she becomes that he may have something to do with the recent murder in the high desert. What do you feel...? Toby Kampen, the self-proclaimed Human Fly, begins an obsession over a woman who is unlike anyone he has ever met. A woman with rattlesnake teeth and a penchant for biting. A woman who has trapped him in her spell. A woman who may or may not be completely human. In Ronald Malfi's brand-new thriller, these three storylines converge to create a tapestry of deceit, distrust, and unapologetic horror. A brand-new novel of dark suspense set in the City of Angels, as only "horror's Faulkner" can tell it.
This was a deeply unsettling book! Weaving what seems like separate storylines, each with their own creep factor, from Renny and the husband of one of the murdered women with another corpse found and mutilated in the same way, to Toby who thinks he is a human fly with a spider mother and in love with a possible vampire and last but not least Maureen, engaged quickly to Greg who has a disturbing son from another marriage. All the characters feel real and definitely flawed in such ways that it is impossible to tell if there is anything supernatural occurring out there in the desert or if it is all the darkness of human nature. It was hard to stop listening, especially when you finally get to see how it all relates and yes, the ending does leave things open but I think it was done more for the unsettling and thinking long after the story is over.
So I will rate this an eerie and well done audiobook withe the narrators doing a good job of bringing their respective characters to life. The cover is nicely disturbing too, especially when you look closely at it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this book!
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