Dead Voices

Master humanitarian plotter Rick Hautala does it again with this engrossing trip into past imperfect lives and the occult foes who rule it. Elizabeth Myers is a woman who just can't let bygones be bygones, and with good reasons. You see, loosing a loved one is hard enough, but when you happen to see it all in its action details, then the I'm O.K. you're O.K. line certainly is far from being your cup of tea. Trapped in her spiderweb of guilt, Elizabeth goes back to her homestead to start anew despite unlucky streaks hovering over her still, like the raving maniac with a black magic agenda, for example. Hautala uses again his old human heart hat trick formula and succeeds in weaving cold terror to and around his protagonist, whom shall we say is one unlucky chick. Not only does she see things like the freakin' undead, but surrounds herself with some bad bad people. Without getting more into it, let's just say that although "Alien" Ripley she ain't, her need to wake-up and smell the rotting Hand of Glory is way past due. When Hautala finally lets her in on it, what is already absorbing becomes mighty tastier. The author adapt savoir-faire brings it all to a rockin' denouement of karma gone wrong and one on one spirit chat. Yes, DEAD VOICES speaks volumes when considering strong narrative and adroit characterization. It may tend to prosper onto safe grounds once in awhile, but overall it is one hip trip giver aimed mostly for the devoted atmospheric crowd.-----Martin Boucher