"A study in what might just happen when someone goes through an organ transplant."
Reviewed by Lynn Cunningham
Posted December 28, 2017
Thriller Psychological
Jacob Wilson and his parents, Pastor Wilson and his mother
Elizabeth, have prayed for the day that a heart would
become available for the very ill Jacob. His life had been
very normal and productive up until his heart problems
began. He even had a girlfriend, Eloise, who he planned to
marry once his health had returned. Therefore, everyone
was thrilled when the call finally came that a heart was
available for Jacob. The heart belonged to a rather horrible, but healthy,
young man named Shane Smith. He was abusive to his lovely
girlfriend, Rosie, as well as feeling somewhat entitled to
have whatever he wanted. He did not care how he got it as
long as things went his way. When he has a car accident
due to his attitude that he owns the road and can drive as
fast as he pleases, he stays in a coma for three days
before finally succumbing to his injuries. His heart is
found to be a match for Jacob and the transplant is made. Even though Jacob seems to be handling the transplant
quite well, his personality begins to change. He becomes
hateful, sadistic and dangerous. On the other hand, he
knows how to pour on the charm and lands himself a new
girlfriend named Rosie after Eloise ends things with him.
Before long, Jacob has set up housekeeping with Rosie and
she finds herself in much the same abusive situation as
she had been in with Shane. It comes as a shock to her later to hear that Shane had
died from his injuries because she had never bothered to
check on him at the hospital. She had sent him a letter
saying she never wanted to see him again. Rosie did notice
that there were some striking similarities in Jacob's
personality and Shane's. She cannot believe that she has
done this again. Jacob has become a completely different person since his
transplant; a different and highly dangerous one. The debate about cellular memory and organ transplants has
been ongoing for quite some time. There are documented
cases where the recipient takes on the traits of the
donor. Some are only minor traits while others have
transformed even physical ones. Many call it "junk
science" while other scientists claim that it is real. While THE DARKNESS WITHIN is a novel of fiction, it does
take on the possibility of cellular memory. This is an
intensely engrossing book and Lisa Stone has done her
research, which makes it seem as if a real occurrence has
happened. She also has created one of the most hateful
characters that you are likely to find in any book. Ms.
Stone has a good handle on both the cellular memory issue
as well as abusive relationships. I could hardly stand to put down THE DARKNESS WITHIN to do
anything else. This plot held me captive until the very
last page. You would be doing yourself a great disservice
by not getting a copy of this book as soon as possible.
Just be sure you have plenty of time to read because it
will be difficult to stop until the end.
SUMMARY
A gripping new thriller debut that asks the question, how
deep in our hearts does evil lie? When critically ill Jacob Wilson is given a life-saving
heart transplant, his parents are relieved that their
loving son has been saved. However, before long, his family are forced to accept
that something has changed in Jacob. Their once loving
son is slowly being replaced by a violent man whose mood
swings leave them terrified – but is it their fault? Jacob’s girlfriend, Rosie, is convinced the man she loves
is suffering from stress. But when his moods turn on her,
she begins to doubt herself – and she can only hide the
bruises for so long. When a terrible crime is committed, Jacob’s family are
forced to confront their darkest fears. Has the boy they
raised become a monster? Or is someone else to blame? This is a spellbinding crime novel with a dark heart that
will stay with you long after you close the book.
What do you think about this review?
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