#FridayReads THE MESSENGER 26 of 71 Reviews

 

Over the years, I’ve read many of Jan Burke’s Irene Kelly mysteries and always found them suspenseful and entertaining. The Messenger is billed as a supernatural thriller. I decided to step out of my comfort zone to read this novel. (I’ve found that setting a goal of reading 71 books in 12 months gives me the incentive to read a wide variety of genres. )

As always, Burke held my interest with the promise of a good mystery to solve. But she ratcheted up the tension with a new dimension of possibilities.

This story quickly brought to mind a powerful aspect of the Harry Potter novels, that of the young protagonist’s main nemesis and the series’ ultimate villain. Burke expertly weaves into her supernatural tale strands of reality that suggest plausibility requiring little “suspension of disbelief” on the part of the reader.

The back-of-cover synopsis states, “The mystery dates back two centuries, when a wounded British officer exchanged his life to become the messenger, a being who conveys the final thoughts of the dying to their loved ones.”

Even if the paranormal genre is not your usual cup of tea, you may want to venture into the arena for this fun and suspenseful read.

Next up for review is:

The Pearl Harbor Murders by Max Allan Collins