A wonderful collection of stories by a masterful storyteller

I enjoy reading short stories, and Heikki Hietala’s “Filtered Light” is one of the best collections I have read in a long time. One of the things I find so magical about this author is his ability to tell a story, tell it well, and tell it in a way that the story and its characters linger. A wise old Sami shaman, an elderly priest in an English village during the 2nd world war, a haunted pipe organ, a boy and his imaginary friend (but is his friend really imaginary?), a Moroccan souk, in the skies over Germany during the war, a Russian peasant in Siberia during the early days of Stalin’s reign, and a small Finnish theme park in which one of the park employees has the last laugh. That particular story has one of the best laugh-out-loud lines in it that I have read anywhere. 

I could go on and on, but won’t. Pick up a copy of this collection of wonderful stories. It’s available in paperback and Kindle, from Pfoxmoor Publishing.

5 stars 

A book and a series that's sure to win a following

John Booth’s “House of Silver Magic”, is sure to become a favorite of readers who love stories about ghosts and sinister neighbors. In this gem of a book, a recently widowed mother and her three teenage children are kicked out of their house in a fraudulent auction. Soon after they learn that a man named Ezekiel has left them a large old house that is completely furnished, has some resident ghosts, creepy murderous neighbors, and is full of magic silver that the neighbors are determined to get at any cost. I found it a very enjoyable read, with lots of surprises, twists and turns, and a very interesting (and very odd-looking) group of house ghosts.

This is Book One in the Magic Series, which, if they’re anything like “The House of Silver Magic”, are books to begin looking for.

This is an excellent 5 star read.

A fascinating paranormal tale of romance, mystery, adventure and love

"I'm a Bringer. It's what I do, and have done since I've existed. I'm here to guide, to make humans feel as comfortable as possible through their ... transition from being alive to just being."

Bringers, who are not human, have only one purpose, and that is to accompany recently deceased humans to the gates of Heaven. This Bringer's name is Lucyna. She's been doing her job for millennia. Everything has gone smoothly until she is sent to bring Max to his eternal home. The problem is Max's son, James, who is devastated by his father's death. "I'm not asking for much," says Max; "Just every now and then check in on him, make sure he's doing okay." It seems like such an innocent request, one that she has been asked thousands of times before and has always gently but firmly refused. But for some reason, this time is different. The difference is Max's son, James. It's not just his emotional devastation; it's a mysterious light that emanates from him that gives her a powerful emotional jolt.

Who is this James, and why, for the first time in her existence, is she so drawn to him? Acceding to Max's request could jeopardize her existence. But she cannot resist the urge to find out who James is and why she is so drawn to him. This is the emotional core of this fascinating tale, and it kept me turning pages until I reached the last word on the last page.

Part mystery, part adventure, part romance and just plain fun, The Bringer is a book you will enjoy and return to. It's a clear 5 Star read.

The Dance of The Pheasodile

 

Tim Roux: The Dance of the Pheasodile. Night Publishing (UK) through CreateSpace, May 2010. Paperback and Kindle editions.

In the opening scene, architect Keith McGuire wakes up to find himself swinging upside down outside the plate glass window that wraps around the lawyer’s office where his wife is a partner. It is freezing cold and he’s bumping up against the glass. His wife and her coworkers, aghast, are staring at him and snapping photos. He has no idea how he got here, who is flying the chopper, who his tormentors are, or why they are tormenting him. He is, as he says in the opening sentence “in a bit of a predicament.” Dangling upside down and naked under a helicopter flown by unknown maniacs is only part of the story. Looking up at his body, he sees the body of a stranger. His body is long, lean and well-muscled; this one is stubby, hairy and out of shape.

I was hooked. I couldn’t put the book down.

Successful architect Keith McGuire has a happy life with wife Chrissie and their two children Ella and Mark for fourteen years … until he goes in for a hypnotherapy session to try and recover some childhood memories. Then the fun begins. Emerging from his hypnotherapy session, he finds himself in the office of a therapist named Brenda Starbright in Hull, a northern city where he’s never been. Worse, he is no longer Keith McGuire; he is Harry Walker, a thug, ne’er-do-well, con man and nemesis to his wife Fran, son Tommy and sister Kathy. What has happened to Keith? And the real Harry? Has Harry …? The thought of Harry inhabiting his body and his home and job gives him the chills.

Part romance, part paranormal crime thriller, it is a wonderful read. There are laugh-out-loud scenes in this book, some chilling ones and some very poignant ones. I won’t say more, because I don’t want to give too much away in this intriguing, funny and well-told story.

 I give it a AAA+