Book Review: Darker Than Night

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Darker Than Night     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Owl Goingback
Class/Genre:   Fantasy
Signet, Nov 1999, $6.50, 352 pp.

In Hudson County, Missouri, Vivian Martin resides at the site of the old sawmill that mysteriously burned down several years ago. Her neighbors think she is crazy as she constantly informs the sheriff that she has intruders inside her house, but the law enforcement officials never find any corroborating evidence to support her claim. Over time, the law enforcement officials treat Vivian as if she is Peter and the Wolf by ignoring her calls for help.

After Vivian dies, her grandson Michael Anthony inherits her estate. Michael, a New York based horror writer, sees an opportunity to relocate his wife and children to a safer environment. The family moves into Vivian’s former home. Soon, they observe the strange happenings that haunted his grandmother. Pictures of evil spirits appear on floors and walls. Shadowy creatures seem to exist in the peripheral vision of the Anthony family. As Michael and his brood begin to work out the mystery, they do not yet realize the danger posed to them from beings of mythical proportions.

Winner of a Stoker for his first novel, Owl Goingback seems to be returning to the lofty level of an award recipient with his chilling tale DARKER THAN NIGHT. Weaving in Native American legends and myths, Mr. Goingback creates a story line that rivals the best of the genre’s masters. The eerie atmosphere seems to grow in horror and foreboding as everyday people such as the Anthony family must react to circumstances beyond their understanding. Since their reactions and counteractions seem so genuine, these four characters make the tale into one of the year’s best horror novels.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner