Note: This review was originally posted at Reader Views.
When Los Angeles police officer Alex Santos helps capture the Tarot Card Killer, the madman throws an ominous prophecy his way. Santos shrugs it off as the ravings of a lunatic and tries to move on, but the risks he took to make the arrest draw the ire of his superiors and he’s sent on a month-long forced vacation to a cabin in rural Louisiana. It’s here that he discovers an empty town, a mysterious woman dressed in Victorian garb, no phone or electricity, and a seemingly endless list of unanswered questions. However, just as things begin to come together, a bizarre twist sends both him and his companion into a tailspin.
I have to admit, Jamie Eubanks’ novel, The Upright Tower, had me questioning what was going on from the first few pages. It starts strong with an action sequence that drew me right in. Eubanks does a great job of setting the scenes, taking the reader from what appears to be an idyllic situation and quietly transitioning it into something strange and ominous.
The protagonist, Alex Santora, is a good cop, although he has a bad habit of staying oddly calm in tense situations, which leads him to take risks that put his life in danger. It’s a trait that unsettles the higher-ups in the department and it’s decided for him that he needs a vacation. His captain, Simon Walsh, sends him off to a cabin in rural Louisiana in the hopes that fresh air and distance from L.A. will help Santos realize that putting his life in unnecessary danger is crazy behavior. Santos agrees and heads out of town with the serial killer’s words ringing in his ears, “…you’re going to meet your fate.”
Once Santos arrives in Catchet, Louisiana, things begin to get weird. There aren’t any people around, the stores and shops are all locked up tight, and no matter how many doors he knocks on, there’s no sign of any inhabitants. Soon after, a young woman, Jessie, appears, dressed as if she just stepped out of the late 19th century. She doesn’t know how she got to Catchet or where she’s from.
The story is a slow burn as it follows the two main characters while they attempt to figure out what’s going on around them. It’s well-written with wonderful descriptions of the scenes that help to paint a picture of beauty and mystery. The dialogue is also well done, helping to establish the characters and it doesn’t overwhelm with exposition. And yes, the twist caught me completely off guard. I had to set the book aside for a while to allow myself time to absorb what I’d just read.
There are, unfortunately, a few shortcomings with this story. I found myself distracted by a few overused tropes. There’s the L.A. police officer who takes unnecessary risks. Then there’s the mysterious woman with an unknown past. There are also a few more, but I can’t mention them here without giving away some of the plot. I also felt like the overall narrative could have been tighter. While the pacing is good, it did feel like the middle of the story began to drag on a bit too long. This was saved by the twist, however.
Fans of mystery novels and paranormal stories should enjoy this novel. It will keep you guessing and spin you around when you least expect it.
Check out more of my book reviews and recommendations on my Reading List page.
RB