The town of Tuonela, Wisconsin, has a grim past -- once the
home of Richard Manchester, a killer who many people
believed to be a vampire. Because of this, the residents
relocated the town nearby and tried to start over. But now
that Manchester's body has been found and put on display in
the local museum, the tiny town is in the spotlight again.
Curiosity seekers and news reporters flock to see the "Pale
Immortal," rumored to have murdered dozens of women and
children. But a darker presence is also among them -- a new
killer, or perhaps a very old one...
For Rachel Burton, the local medical examiner, the
discovery of the first body interrupts her attempt to
escape the haunted town and make a new life for herself and
her unborn child. For Evan Stroud, whose physical condition
restricts him to a life in the shadows, obsession with the
Pale Immortal threatens his sanity as well as his fragile
health. For Evan's teenage son, Graham, the chilling events
are one more chapter in the horror story of his life. For
Evan's father, Alastair, the interim chief of police, the
murders trigger a growing concern that the killer may very
well be his own son.
This is a disturbing book with some graphic images. To me,
it was closer to a horror novel than to suspense or a
thriller, and I must admit I'm not a horror fan. But the
characters are compelling and the question of whether these
bizarre events are of human or otherworldly origin kept me
morbidly fascinated. If you like the horror genre, I think
you'll appreciate the brooding atmosphere and the darkness
that lurks even in the "good" characters, some of whom do
some unsettling things. GARDEN OF DARKNESS is a sequel to
PALE IMMORTAL, and I recommend reading it first. The
background will be helpful in figuring out some of the
characters' motives and attitudes.
The USA Today bestselling author Anne Frasier
delivers a terrifying follow-up to the acclaimed Pale
Immortal.
Haunted by both the town of Tuonela and the betrayal of
Evan Stroud, medical examiner Rachel Burton tries to leave,
but is brought back by the skinned body found in the woods.
Others are coming to Tuonela, drawn to the legend of the
Pale Immortal, the so-called vampire whose exhumed body is
now on display. And others will die.
As Evan succumbs to madness, those around him will suspect
the worst of him. But nothing he is rumored to be will
compare to the one who has been awakened...