This is the second book I have read by Michael Cordell and I enjoyed the switch in genres: legal thriller (book 1) to a psychic thriller (book 2). So, let’s meet Matthew Davis, a transplant from Hatchett, Nebraska living in Brooklyn, New York working as a short order cook at a diner for a living. He shares a psychic connection with identical twin brother, Jake and when a sudden pain hits him violently one night, he knew that Jake was killed.
It's been 10 years since Matt went back home to Hatchett and this time going back for Jake’s funeral conjured up feelings of regret for not keeping in touch with Jake and their mother and for leaving Claire, his high school sweetheart without giving her a reason. While certain things remained the same when he was high school, the town has now been infested with meth addicts, dealers and corruption.
When Matt first
arrived in town, he was attacked at a gas station by someone who thought he was
Jake.
It was obvious Jake had pissed a lot of folks off and some of them didn’t mind that he was dead. Anyway, when Matt learned that Jake was a meth dealer, he wanted to find out who killed him. After the funeral, Matt stayed at Jake’s place where he found a letter that could possibly offer up a clue. With the help of Skiz, who could talk to the dead, Matt learned Jake was condemned to Hell. Now he has to figure out how to break the psychic connection, but this task wouldn’t be easy because a demon wants to inhabit his body to wreak havoc and destruction on the world.
Overall, the plot unfolded nicely with a big twist at the end. The characters, the dialogue, and the eeriness were all well very written although there were times when the description of the town slowed down parts of the action. Also, surprisingly, Jake turned out to be my favorite character as Cordell did a great job showing him as a maniacal, egotistical and selfish character. The relationship between Matt and his mother was a strained one and this too was well written. Andy, Matt’s best friend from kindergarten through high school was a hoot pretending to be a priest because he couldn’t find a job in theater. Claire, was well written too. I loved that despite the years her love and support for Matt were still there to fight against evil.
While I’m not a horror fan, Cordell weaved a spell binding story that drew me in and made me want to see how this would end: good versus evil. And of course, good won but not without some twists, turns, self-reflection and struggle to come to terms with who Jake really was. I enjoyed this novel and would definitely recommend it to others. Two thumbs up!
Some of my favorite lines:
“What do
you mean? Like another spirit?
“More like
a demon.” Skiz wiped his sweaty brown. “Aw hell, man, I’m not going to say his—
its—name.
But I don’t have any doubt in the world. I could feel him figuring out the
score.”
“He—it—knows of Jake’s connection with you; figured out that someone in Hell has a direct line to the living, and if you ask me, it’s interested. Real interested. If it can use you as a conduit to the living…well, I’m serious about you not wanting to sleep for a while. I get the feeling it ain’t done with you.”
Rating: 4 stars
Thanks to TCK Publishing for a copy of this book and the
opportunity to post a review.
Here is the link to the book:
Our Trespasses - Michael
Cordell https://amzn.to/3p2Uu1f
Here is the publisher's website
link:
https://www.tckpublishing.com/
And here is the author’s
website:
https://www.michaeljcordell.com/
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