Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Thirty-something Emily Collins inherits her recently murdered aunt's house, deciding to move to Heartshorne, Oklahoma, to claim it and confront her family's dark past after her dead mother begins speaking to her in dreams, propelling this gothic, neo-noir thriller toward terrifying revelations of murderous small-town justice when a horrible community secret is revealed through the supernatural pull of Echo Lake.

My Review: "Dark House Press" is an imprint of the newish press,Curbside Splendor. All part of a Chicago blooming of publishing talent, laden with the starter jobs that publishers and editors need so much.

Here's the usual rub: Amateurs are the decision makers and frequently they don't have mentors or cicerones. And now here this: To my melting happiness, [ECHO LAKE] has trimmed these ordinary issues far, far down and has risen to higher levels than any other first-time author could reasonably ask for.

The plot is a juicy one; the characters feel more vigorous and buzzy-bizzy than I, a real corporeal being, than I can even pretend to occupy.

At $15.95 USD, this eerie and suspenseful exploration of solitary life is a terrific value. Make a dent in your loneliness, read this book, and remember how it all began. ( )

great literary suspense novel, completed 12.29.14 ( )