Thursday, December 20, 2007

Pg. 69: Anne Frasier's "Garden of Darkness"

The current feature at the Page 69 Test: Anne Frasier's Garden of Darkness.

About the book, from the publisher:
Return to the haunted town of Tuonela, Wisconsin, with the USA Today bestselling author of Pale Immortal. And find out if the rumors are true.

All roads lead back to Tuonela...

Rachel Burton tried to leave, but the killing brought her back. The skinned body was found in the woods, just as Rachel — the town medical examiner — was driving out of Tuonela for good, or so she thought. Now her baby will be born here, and the betrayal of Evan Stroud — the man she's always loved, the man who can never see the light of day — will continue to haunt her waking and sleeping hours... Others are coming to Tuonela, drawn to the legend of the Pale Immortal, the so-called vampire whose exhumed body is now on display. And others will die. As Evan succumbs to madness, those around him will suspect the worst of him. But everything he is rumored to be will pale in comparison to the one who has been awakened...
Among the early praise for Garden of Darkness:
"Garden of Darkness, the second Tuonela thriller is a fabulous horror thriller that combines events from the past with a frightening present. The story line grips the audience from the moment a couple driving stop when the woman who just miscarried sees a girl and never slows down from her first scream to the last confrontation. Keep the lights on as Anne Frasier provides a powerfully scary supernatural tale."
--Harriet Klausner

"When I find myself leaving all the lights on, it’s a good sign I’ve found an exceptionally clever and scary read. While the story grabbed me, the book’s creepy atmosphere made my skin crawl. But what made Frasier’s book so compelling was the heart-wrenching love story between Rachel and Evan. The book is layered with rich detail, the subplots nuanced with shadows. Also of note is the smooth way Frasier combined first person and third in the same book, which I felt added texture and another dimension to the story. Garden of Darkness is truly one of the more exceptional books I’ve read."
--Cerri Ellis

"Frasier has created a compelling take on the vampire myth that leaves plenty of room for more in this suspenseful series of sinister secrets and unspeakable evil. There are modern day parallels with Manchester and his followers that add a ring of authenticity to the main storyline. Taut action and excellent character development make this one of the better horror offerings. "
--Sandy Amazeen
Read the prologue to Garden of Darkness.

Anne Frasier's novels include Pale Immortal, which began the story continued in Garden of Darkness; Before I Wake, in which a secret government medical experiment goes wrong; Play Dead, set among the voodoo scene in Savannah, Georgia; and Sleep Tight, a traditional police procedural set in Minneapolis.

Learn more about the author and her books at Anne Frasier's website, her blog, and her MySpace page.

The Page 69 Test: Pale Immortal.

The Page 69 Test: Garden of Darkness.

--Marshal Zeringue