Semi-Finalist in the 2021 Publishers Weekly/BookLife Prize Fiction Contest in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror category!
"Knight has crafted a disturbing, horrifying, and eloquently written novel that expertly captures the sensations of desperation, fear, and confusion."--2021 BookLife Prize Fiction Contest.
If you had the chance to bring back a lost loved one, but the cost was the death of an innocent person at your own hand, would you do it?
In the year and a half since Jack Clausen lost his five-year-old daughter, RosaMarie, his life has fallen apart. His marriage is failing, he’s been fired from his job, and his drinking is problematic. Sitting in a local bar on a typical weekday, Jack encounters an old woman who issues a dire warning: “You must be on time and pay your debt.” Later that night in a drunken stupor, Jack ignores three phone calls from his teenage son, Bryson. After learning Bryson was calling him for help but then died from an overdose, Jack decides he cannot live with the guilt and pain of losing two children.
Depressed and despondent, Jack steps off a platform into an oncoming commuter train. At the moment before impact, someone grabs him from behind and pulls him away from danger. His rescuer is a small person with unusual features who offers Jack a way to bring his daughter and son back, but there is a high price to pay. When Jack agrees to the deal but then refuses to pay his debt, events spiral out of control, leading to series of different realities, each worse than the one he originally tampered with.
My Thoughts:
How many times throughout your life have you wondered what life would be like if you could bring a loved one back? As an avid reader/watcher of thriller/suspense/horror, I know better. Yet, a part of me does often think it would be nice to bring my brother or grandfather back -- regardless of the consequences.
The build is a little slow, but it helps create a deep-seeded fear inside as we journey with Jack to the resurrection of his daughter. We hope that perhaps Jack could beat the odds of a second chance being bad. Unfortunately, it goes from bad to worse -- much, much worse.
As Jack desperately seeks a way to make things right, you'll find yourself rooting for him to succeed, even though you know that fate isn't exactly on his side. Vivid descriptions enhance your senses while reading - especially smell. Honestly, there were a few times I could literally smell the scene as I was reading. A book that can give you that kind of experience is definitely worth a read!
For fans of horror legend Stephen King and his Pet Sematary story, Fringe, Rumpelstiltskin, and other sci-fi/horror oddities, this book is one you need to add to your TBR right now. I refused to put it down until I learned how the situation was going to play out. Thankfully I read this during the day because I'm sure I wouldn't have slept if it'd been at night. The creep factor is high, settling a fear within you as you read through to the end. One final twist has you questioning the entire course of events and makes you pray that you'll never get a visit from the Identicals!
I received a complimentary copy for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own!
Author Bio:
William Brennan Knight is originally from Chicago and settled in Arizona in the late 1980s. In his life, he has been a father, musician and business owner. His passion for writing began early in his childhood and flourished as he grew older. He enjoys reading horror, supernatural thrillers and science fiction as well as memoirs and biographies. Knight's books have received praise from a variety of recognized reviewers, including the Publishers Weekly/BookLife Prize Fiction Contest (semi-finalist), Horrornews.net and Readers Favorite (5-star winner). Knight currently lives in Southern Arizona and spends most of the summer in the mountains of New Mexico.
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