Book of the Week: The Dead Path

Intriguing. Sinister. Engaging. Seriously creepy. These are just some of the adjectives that come to mind when trying to describe Stephen M. Irwin's The Dead Path. I knew nothing about the book or the first time author when I picked it up, but I would definitely read another Irwin novel if one should come along. This particular story revolves around Nicholas Close who, after a motorcycle accident and the death of his wife, gains the dubious gift of "second sight." What this means is that Nicholas can see ghosts, and not just anywhere. Nicholas sees these ghosts at the place where they died, reenacting their deaths over and over in an endless loop that threatens to drive him mad.

Unable to continue life in England after his wife's death and with his hauntings Nicholas returns to the Australian suburb where he grew up. Immediately you know all is not right in Tallong. The town and the ordinary people who live here are definitely hiding secrets and Nicholas is surprised to find that the dense woods on the outskirts of town have yet to be developed despite his long absence and the property boom that followed.

Those woods have played a big part in Nicholas' life--his childhood friend was murdered there--and when another child goes missing the night of Close's arrival he begins to realize that whatever evil lurked in the woods during his childhood remains. This is a story of the supernatural and the spooky, spiders and shaky sanity, about childhood terrors come to life. This isn't a story about blood or gore and it's to the author's credit that Nicholas Close is one of those anti-heroes (tragic, tortured) that you hope can finally know a day of peace. Definitely an engrossing read.

Oh, and for those of you waiting for a Gossip Girl post I have to apologize. I didn't actually get to watch last night. So I'm hoping to catch up tonight and have a fashion-filled post for you tomorrow.