The Quiet Road Review

Vanguard Press, November 27, 2009
Paperback, 313 pages
ISBN: 978-1843865674
Ordering Information:
Amazon.com

Frankford Lucas is the chief superintendent in the local police force. He is well respected and well thought of. However, he has a secret. Ever since childhood, he has visited The Quiet Road, an old cobblestone street where he always encounters a cloaked figure who magnetically draws him closer in his dreams. He considered this Quiet Road as a sanctuary, but events unfold to prove otherwise. Gruesome murders are being carried out and trophies begin turning up in his flat with no rational explanation. Who is slaughtering the innocent victims and why?

Profiler Lenny Docker introduces a clairvoyant into the investigation and The Sarsaparilla Duchess, seems to know more about Frankford Lucas than she should. In time, Frankford Lucas learns the true secret of The Quiet Road and realises he is dealing with a force beyond his control. Can he save his soul from darkness, and can he save the souls of others who cannot help themselves? The Road is long as is the investigation leading the reader on an intense journey they will not forget in a hurry!

This is a review that is long overdue. I read and reviewed Annie Frame's debut novel Imprint in October of last year. It left me anticipating her second literary work of art. I wasn't disappointed.

Frame not only relays the story of mediums and demons constant battles for control of the human race but also Frankford Lucas a.k.a. Victor Trotter's transformation from respected high ranking police official to murder suspect turned spiritual saint. With each murder, you're given another clue to the puzzle and just when you think the story has no other place to go, you're delighted with another twist. The descriptions are painted beautifully. You get a real sense of where the story is taking place and who is involved.

While the book is a real page turner, I did have a couple of reservations. It seems Frame may have been visited by that awful spell check monster. There's a reason why you should never trust it. On occasion, I would find a word that was a letter or two away from what it should have been such as "that" was in place of "than" or "flesh" instead of "fresh". However, this miscalculation was rather small compared to its companion. I felt the character development of Frankford Lucas started off rather slow. This is a man who has been in the police force for many years but yet didn't show much emotion when murder trophies began showing up. I've heard of denial but he reacted as if he was getting his newspaper on any given day. You'd expect an inner struggle of some sorts. It didn't come off natural. This character didn't really open up until he was arrested for murder.

The Quiet Road is a riveting supernatural thriller. Definitely worth the read.

Comments

Jessica Penot said…
Good review! I'll look for it on my nook.
8:37 PM
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