This spine-chilling tale is set in contemporary London,
just before the turn of the millennium. As a result, when
the phone rings, it's a landline. And something unexpected
could be on the other end.
THE MIDNIGHT SIDE begins with Isabelle De Witt waking in
South Africa, summoned from sleep by the telephone. Her
cousin Alette is calling from London, but the connection is
poor, and they get cut off. Isa shrugs and calls her back,
to no answer. She only finds out later that Alette died
in a car crash two days previously. Now she learns that
Alette has left her a town house, with conditions.
Travelling to London, Isa is given a letter in which Alette
claims that her ex-husband Justin was stalking her.
Justin owns a company which is running clinical trials on a
new wonder medicine. Alette asks Isa to undermine the
company shares to get back at Justin. Understandably, Isa
really isn't sure that she wants to get involved.
Contrasts abound between South Africa's bright sun and
colourful birds, the Zulu spoken by cane cutters, with city
streets and garrulous taxi drivers. Isa hears an intruder
and realises that she has no idea of the emergency phone
number in the UK (it's 999) so she's on her own. When
phone calls keep coming, and dreams of her lost friend
intrude, Isa recalls folk tales she was told in Natal,
which claim that the newly dead may linger to see wrongs
righted. And just what kind of road accident killed Alette
anyway?
Bordering on the horror, the eerie tale presents unpleasant
imagery such as a painting of skeletons, oddly placed in a
bedroom, and African marriage dolls burning in a cremation
along with their late owner. Horror fans will enjoy this
story; those like me who prefer thrillers will take comfort
in the staid normality of a red postbox and manila
envelope, which may or may not bring down a pharmaceutical
firm. I was unconvinced that Isa, friendless in England,
would start seeing a man who by all accounts was a stalker.
London would hold many more potential boyfriends. However
this twist does add great tension to the tale.
Natasha Mostert is a South African novelist, screenwriter
and kickboxer. THE MIDNIGHT SIDE is a lively introduction
to her work.
From the award-winning author of SEASON OF THE WITCH, comes
a haunting story of obsession and revenge. Natasha Mostert's
THE MIDNIGHT SIDE is a chilling tale of a seductive woman
who, even from the grave, is able to manipulate events to
her satisfaction. A haunting story of obsession and loss,
this is an intricately plotted psychological thriller with
an ending that will leave you breathless.
Isa de Witt is not alarmed when she receives a phone call in
the early morning hours from her cousin Alette - until she
discovers that Alette has been dead for two days. Grief-
stricken, Isa travels to Alette's house in London where
Alette had left behind three envelopes and a request. The
envelopes contain instructions on how to bring about the
financial downfall of Alette's former husband: a man who had
made Alette's life a misery while she was still alive.
But as Isa sets out to fulfill Alette's last wish and exact
revenge on her cousin's behalf, she is in peril. Unbeknownst
to her, Alette was murdered, and now it is Isa's turn to be
drawn into the killer's world of dark fantasy and lethal
obsession.
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