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Tenth House |
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| Tenth House by Phillip Tomasso III Dry Bones Press Reviewed from galleys - 105,000 words Reviewed by Nancy Mehl Note: This novel was reviewed from galleys. Length and changes may occur before publishing. Read our review of Mind Play by the same author The high priest came down from the altar and walked around the beautiful women standing before him. He smiled; knowing his face was hidden under the hood of his robe. He held his arms out, the tips of his fingers extended, came close to touching the women while he walked around them. "And Satan smiled and he laughed and he devoured," the high priest said. "He devoured, people. And the sound of gnashing teeth filled the world as beasts devoured the weak, the undecided and the unfaithful." The sound of the chant grew louder, became stronger. The flames danced on wick’s ends with pandemonium, threatened to go out, but still continued to burn. The high priest stood at arm’s length away from one young woman. He reached out his hand. The choice, his choice, had been made. Detective Nick Tartaglia works for Safehouse Investigations. Things are a little slow. Or at least they were until a new client shows up in Nick’s office asking for help. Darla Bristol wants to hire Nick to solve a murder, and to prevent another. Darla tells Nick about an evil cult that has invaded the local college. Someone will be sacrificed soon and Darla begs Nick to investigate the cult, the Tenth House, before someone dies again. The request is made all the more interesting because of one particular detail: Darla Bristol is dead, the victim of the last horrific sacrifice by the madman who directs his malevolent thirst for blood through the cloak of the Tenth House. When Darla disappears - literally - from Nick’s office, he begins work on a case that will test his faith, his courage, and his capacity for love. Darla Bristol was the child of his high school sweetheart - the only woman he ever loved. Karis Bristol and Nick come back together to avenge Darla’s death and to stop the vile high priest before it’s too late. A young girl who may still be connected to the cult joins them. She calls herself Scar - but her name doesn’t express the vulnerability and tenderness Nick finds beneath the heavy makeup, body piercings and strange clothes that she wears. Is Nick in still in love with Karis? Or is he falling in love with Scar? Who is telling the truth and who is lying? And who is the high priest of the Tenth House? The threats increase as Nick gets closer to the truth. He is being pulled farther and farther into a dark web of deceit, death and wickedness. He is determined to fulfill his promise to Darla, no matter what the cost. And the cost could be high. Very high. Phillip Tomasso III weaves a tale of mystery and suspense with dark threads of the supernatural. The protagonist, Nick Tartaglia, carries the reader’s own sense of incredulity in a way that allows you to suspend your own. TENTH HOUSE is a well-written novel with wonderful characters that come alive on the page. This novel is not for the faint-hearted, but it is certainly for everyone who wants to leave the world of reality for a few hours and come out breathless and wanting more. I’ll be waiting for Mr. Tomasso’s next novel. |
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