Former NFL linebacker Tommy Gunderson is awakened in the middle of the night by his alarm system. Upon investigation, he discovers an elderly woman on his property who exhibits superhuman strength and keeps repeating a Latin phrase to him. Just hours later, he receives a call from a young friend who has been implicated in a murder that happened near the time when he met the old woman. At the police station, he runs into forensic psychiatrist Dani Harris, who he went to school with and hasn’t seen since graduation. Dani is investigating the murder, a vicious killing of a high school girl that appears to be ritualistic. Strange things are happening in East Salem. Is it all a coincidence combined with the fear of a vicious killer or is something supernatural behind the murder and other events? Meanwhile, will the spark that Dani and Tommy felt in high school be reignited or will they continue to be left with the question, “What if?”
Wow! That, in a word, was my reaction while readingย Waking Hours (book #1 in The East Salem Trilogy)ย by Lis Wiehl with Pete Nelson. From the very first page right up until the last, I was on the edge of my seat. This is a fast-paced story with plenty of mystery, suspense, and supernatural elements, plus a touch of romance. While this is classified as a young adult book, and the story contains many elements for young adults, as a not-so-young adult I still found the story thoroughly enjoyable. I can’t wait for the trilogy to be continued!
The manner in which the murder was committed is quite shocking, but the descriptions are not overly gory. There is a very strong Christian message and the book is very clean. The main characters are positive role models and there are positive supporting characters as well.
I highly recommend this book for every teen or adult who likes mystery and suspense. Just be ready to check the door locks repeatedly and be scared out of your skin once or twice while reading.
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