 |
After the breakup with her boyfriend of three years, Charlie decides it's time to put down roots and buys an old, enchanting farmhouse next to an abandoned building that was once a monastery. The first night in her new abode, however, leaves Charlie feeling her purchase is more enchanted than enchanting. Strange popping noises, footsteps belonging to no one, a phantom ringing phone, and a disembodied, floating candle are among the many strange occurrences. When Charlie contacts an exterminator to investigate strange scratching noises, he gives her the card of a husband-and-wife paranormal team. Though Charlie doubts the town rumors about a deathbot staying in the monastery, she begins to believe there is something there trying to communicate with her. As winter approaches, the disturbances increase, forcing Charlie to call in the paranormal team.
Future and past intermingle in the present visions and phenomena that Charlie experiences in this enjoyable read. Artificial Intelligence is explored through several bots assigned to Charlie and Aidric, a highly receptive AI that can predict the future. Though more than a little spooked, Charlie and Aidric compare notes and work together to unravel this paranormal mystery. The author builds suspense through the revelation of the monastery's history and the odd visions that seem extremely physical when they occur. The juxtaposition of AI technology and a monk's past visions, which now appear to Charlie in the present, adds to the story's mystery. Tenney manages these two storylines perfectly as the narrative builds in almost spectral-like twists and turns, fully engaging the reader. Fans of mystery and the paranormal will find the perfect blend of them in this story.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review