Prepare to Be Pulled In

This is not my typical jam; I normally steer clear of anything mystical, occultish, or other-worldly. But, hey, the price was SO right ($1.00), and the book was a chunky little tome just calling to me. Plus, it had a weird tree-looking guy tippy-toeing on the cover. How could I resist? Onward and upward the book marched, through my stacks, getting closer and closer to the time when I would, with my strict method of book selection, be required to actually read it. Its time finally came, and to be honest, I wasn't looking forward to it. (See first sentence.) The first two chapters sputtered along, with me characteristically bemoaning my book selection (a witch? people screaming in the night?), but then the sputtering roared to life. Off that story went, and it took me with it.

Our heroine, Miranda, is sharp, bereft, world-weary, and holds those cards close to her chest. And well she should, because she has some secrets to keep. That's all I'll say about that, because I don't like spoilers. Add a bayou, some creepy people, stir it all up, and you have yourself a spine-tingler. As you wind your way through this book, Andy makes every scene come to life, and does so economically. Here's an example: "Far across the bean fields, a swarm of race cars on some dirt track made a sound like a hive of bees." Can you hear it? Or how about this one: "Pulse racing, she had no spit." I read so many sentences twice, just to soak them up. What a writer.

While this still isn't my usual taste, I'm truly glad I didn't miss out.