The Shimmering Road

The stunning Southern gothic style of Hester Young's debut, The Gates of Evangeline, is nowhere to be found in The Shimmering Road. But that shouldn't deter any readers from snatching up this strong second installment of journalist Charlie Cates's story. Young incorporates a chillingly complex plot, evocative sense of place and mystically engaging characters to lure her audience into this captivating thriller steeped in spine-tingling action.

While The Shimmering Road is the second novel to feature Charlie Cates, it is essentially self-contained. She and her partner, Noah Palmer, are living in Texas as they nervously await the birth of their daughter. But a dark cloud hovers over what should be a happy occasion because Charlie is experiencing violent premonitions in which she and her unborn infant are murdered. Due to her unusual supernatural gift, both parents know this isn't just prenatal stress; it is legitimate cause for concern. And in Young's deliciously terrifying imagination, it's only the beginning of Charlie's nightmare. She learns her mother, who abandoned her as a small child, has been shot to death, leaving behind a granddaughter Charlie knew nothing about. The couple head to the southern Arizona desert in their search, but discover much more than Charlie's orphaned niece. And it could lead them straight into Charlie's nocturnal portent.

Young proves she's no one-hit-wonder with The Shimmering Road. This encore truly shines. --Jen Forbus, freelancer

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