Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
A Darker Place
Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Laurie R. King
Class/Genre: Mystery Woman Main Character Religious Fiction
Series: Anne Waverly
Bantam, Feb 1999, $23.95, 385 pp.
Almost two decades have passed since the catastrophic event that forever destroyed Professor Anne Waverly's inner peace. Eighteen years ago, the professor of religious studies left a Texas cult whose members, including Anne's spouse and daughter subsequently committed suicide. Anne, blaming herself, has always tried to make up for that disastrous day. So when the FBI asks for her help to infiltrate the California-based Change, she agrees because she figures the group to be led by either maniacs or con artists.
Anne easily joins the group and learns that the leadership is modern day alchemists. She is surprised because she quickly understands that the Change is different than she expected, as they believe they have discovered a path to righteousness. Still, they are a cult, willing to risk the innocence of children. Though she suffers from monumental guilt, Anne risks her life to try to protect two of the innocents.
Award winning Laurie R. King shows why she is one of the regal fiction writers of the last few years. A DARKER PLACE highlights the dim environment of a cult so that readers obtain a fascinating and quite interesting look inside a well-designed story line. However, what make this novel so good are Ms. King's characterizations. Motives are obvious and bring various players into full scope. Especially brilliant is Anne, whose dichotomy of feelings makes her one of the best and most compete characters of the decade. Ms. King remains the true king.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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