Holiday Spirit Book 3: Monsters Arise

Holiday Spirit Book 3: Monsters Arise by John DeGuire

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“Holiday Spirit Book 3: Monsters Arise!‘ by John DeGuire is a book that will give you friends in beings you never imagined or expected. These are characters you will be surprised how quickly you get drawn and attached to, and how strongly you will want them safe as they unravel a world that feels increasingly fragile with each new page in the hands of individuals who pose the question of who the real monsters really are.  Purchase Here.

The tale takes us right to the edge of the world – the Arctic, where the main character, Count Dracula, who is described as a peripatetic figure, appears as a hidden traveler moving through the storm. He is riding a resurrected woolly mammoth, accompanied by a saber-toothed tiger. They are planning a rescue that feels as emotional as it is dangerous for his friend, Captain Saul Frankenstein. Saul was kidnapped for his unique monstrous biology under the orders of Dr. Moreau and Professor Moriarty. One is a scientist and the other a criminal mastermind, both of whom intend to exploit him for their experiments. Dracula himself had also earlier been captured and surgically given a human heart transplant by the duo. They had subjected him to the procedure, hoping to study his hybrid vampiric physiology and use their findings to unlock secrets to prolonged life for specific human elites. As for Saul, it turns out that he was found near death by a female Yeti who took him home, nursed him back to life, and later became his wife according to the Yeti customs. He is now the Yeti’s king and has adapted to their brutal ways. He also oversees their gladiatorial ice battles.

Elsewhere, Dracula’s wife, Aoife, learns, much to her shock, that her husband is alive. We first meet her mourning for her kidnapped twins, newborns who Dracula himself didn’t know were born. The news gives her much-needed hope and renewed determination to fight on against Moreau’s network, alongside Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and the invisible Dr. Ralph Ellison, forming an unlikely alliance between humans and monsters, united by a shared longing for survival and redemption. As you follow their planning, several questions arise, chief among them whether Dracula’s heart will survive the cold weather in the Arctic let alone the journey ahead to find his family, whether his departure from the Yetis land will be seamless, whether Saul, who is living his best life as a king will accept to join him and lastly, what exactly Moreau and Moriarty are really building, a plan so dire that they are willing to weaponize monsters to achieve it.

This tale wields great characters who smoothly propel the plot, such as Dracula, whose health and unknown fatherhood create urgency and tension, Aoife, the Werewolf Contessa who embodies maternal ferocity and the moral heart of the human-monster alliance, Saul who embodies adaptation and redemption, The Invisible Man who bridges science and monstrosity, Holmes who offers the logical, deductive lens through which the conspiracy gets uncovered, Annie, Emma, and Pete who represent innocence caught in the crossfire, reminding us of the cost to the next generation, among others. It uses turns and twists but leans heavily on heightened drama and emotional tropes, with most chapters ending in emotional uncertainty, not in what will happen next but in how it will feel. The author is brilliant enough to use dual narration that provides the long read with emotional contrast and deep sensory immersion, where the environment feels like a living character and classic characters such as Dracula and Holmes become modern archetypes.

“Holiday Spirit Book 3: Monsters Arise!‘ by John DeGuire is bound to leave you richly entertained even if you are not a fan of classic monster lore, precisely so because it just doesn’t tell a story but rather makes you see a beautiful but broken world, where the greatest fear comes not from a literal monster but from the coldness and greed of the human heart. With lessons such as ‘a family is chosen, not given’ and ‘survival requiring adaptability, not just strength,’ this is a book that will leave you looking at love, the past, grief, and power differently, as fuel, not for destruction but for transformation.

 

 

The Seven

The Seven by Igor Stefanovic

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“The Seven” by Igor Stefanovic, a sweeping family saga, begins with the shocking decision by an aged father to send each of his children to different continents, with the intention of breaking them out of their insulated, privileged lives and having them learn what he couldn’t teach them himself. Abraham, an old man and patriarch of the Meyer dynasty, has never believed in privileges, but rather in hardship and struggle through which he has built an empire that includes Meyer Diamonds and International Hotels. The first pages show him as a regret-haunted man who sees happiness as a lie told to people to cover up the true nature of reality. He recently discovered that he has lung cancer, prompting him to summon his children and assign them to travel the world in search of seven sculptures that best portray the purity of love. However, only known to him, and to his friend and confidant, Obed, the task isn’t really about sculptures but about deeper, startling realities. Some of the children dismiss the request as an old man’s stubborn theatrics, while others see it as a distraction masking something secretive. None, however, surprisingly, has the guts to refuse out-rightly, especially after the old man warns of dire repercussions if any of them disobeys.  Purchase Here.

What follows is a journey that severely fractures the family across continents, with each child thrust into a world that doesn’t feel in the least fit for them. Talk of Asia, Africa, Europe, etc.; these destinations embody everything they had never dreamed of or predicted, from isolation, to what feels like stillness that demands honesty, to people unimpressed by wealth, to power that refuses to submit, to the impossibility of having it all without having a loss, and to environments where systems fail and others that do not obey or follow rational timelines. These realities force them to confront the emotional gaps they have long avoided, as well as the adult version of those gaps they have produced. They also establish the conditions for a reckoning in which identity, responsibility, and love move beyond theory and are tested through loss and severe discomfort.

In this book, the reader is allowed into the characters’ definitions of love through each of their journeys, revealing how love has been translated into different substitutes, including control, achievement, and independence. The very inviting thrill of finding sculptures that best portray the purity of love feels like a mirror one beholds as they delve deeper into the story, one that will help the reader gauge how much they are willing to relinquish, endure, and leave behind in lasting form. By framing the concept of love through a quest for the right sculpture, it feels like the novel is trying to suggest something life-changing – that love may not actually need to be proven through intensity or intention as widely believed, but through that which survives time, pressure, and at times, personal costs.

This story’s primary focus feels ancient in nature from the first page, yet modern in texture, which I believe makes it relatable rather than merely abstract. It’s remarkable how its strongest qualities get revealed through characterization rather than explanation- basically, what the characters do when under pressure, and through a father figure who comes out as more of a moral engine than he is a moral authority. I believe that sending the characters all over the world signals a global psychological exploration of its core themes. Lastly, its episodic, character-driven chapters capture each sibling’s arc, while keeping the subject-object at the center across the arcs, which, as a result, keeps the narrative unified. “The Seven” by Igor Stefanovic is a must-read for readers who love a story without a major protagonist, as well as those who ask big “life” questions, particularly about success, direction, and values. It is also that story which, instead of offering closure, invites reflection, asking readers to carry these questions beyond the last page.

Very Slowly All at Once

Very Slowly All at Once by Laurel Schott

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“Very Slowly All at Once: A Tense Debut Thriller Full of Twists About the Danger of the American Dream that Gillian McAllister Calls “Devilishly Twisted” by Lauren Schott is a gripping and wickedly entertaining debut thriller that begins with a quiet moment that suddenly feels anything but ordinary. When Mack, an assistant professor of English, notices the envelope in his wife’s hand one morning, a quiet but shattering chill creeps down his spine, and his thoughts circle back to his department’s supervisor’s earlier warning about his inappropriate interactions with his students during and after the COVID lockdown. However, far from it, it turns out to be the third check in six weeks sent to him by mail, bearing his full name and postmarked from Newark, New Jersey, from a company called Sunshine Enterprises. The first one was a $5000 check, which he thought was from his criminal father, who maybe was trying to reach out to him after a long, lingering silence and a twenty-five-year period defined by a biting sense of “enmity” between them. He decided to deposit it, but remained bewildered by the sender’s consistent practice of sending other checks, each with $1000 more than the last.  Purchase Here.
This story captures a devastating series of discoveries. Their cumulative weight is startling and reveals unsettling truths about Mack’s father. The story also exposes the precarious state of his mother’s care. Hailey’s shocking decision to entertain a man she sees as better than her husband adds more tension. Worst of all, this choice results in her being called out by a client in an unexpected turn. Hailey is then humiliated, used, and ghosted in quick succession. This experience seems to be part of a well-crafted blackmail and a heinous move that feels linked to a dreadful request her family may not outrun.
“Very Slowly All at Once” by Lauren Schott pulls all the right notes of a domestic thriller, with every new chapter looking determined to tighten the screws around what makes ordinary life suddenly vulnerable. It is a tale that carries a strong sense of horrific dread, as if it waits in a corner, poised to pounce on the reader and expose the fragile foundations upon which its characters have built their lives. It is also a novel that carries this slow intensity through its lines, revealing how financial strain, fractured relationships, and buried resentment can quietly corrode judgment and, as a result, build life-altering consequences out of small compromises. Schott has offered mystery lovers an outstanding work with precise pacing, emotionally grounded characters, and a story line that, from the outset, tugs at familiarity and vulnerability before steadily sliding into something far more unsettling: biting more than you can chew and life turning into a river of unexpected outcomes.
Second Place: A War Through Destiny by Sarah Lindsay Peterson

A War Through Destiny by Sarah Lindsay Peterson

Reviewed by Lily Andrews

“A War Through Destiny” by Sarah Lindsay Peterson is a gripping story that opens in a secluded ancient ice enclave in Dukhovia, where a sacred meeting is going on between the Shaman, a group of eight spiritual leaders. These men are seeking guidance from the Spirits on how to keep the people safe and their faith alive now that the war has ended. They are, however, taken aback by a revelation that two new heirs have been born, in what they see as a rare direct communication by the Spirits. It is further prophesied that following them will bring great turmoil and international disdain to the country, but, again, denying them will be like wishing a death sentence on themselves. What however, leaves the Shaman more shocked and deeply divided is the fact that one of the heirs is from a banished family, and the second one is from a family that had been stripped of their ancestral name following suspicion of trying to overthrow the ruler. At this point, some of them are left questioning the decision of the Spirits, wondering whether they can see a future that the men cannot or whether the Spirits are simply punishing the land.  Purchase Here.

Elsewhere, the story introduces Stacy, a child termed as unaffected by the cold, unlike her brother Dan. She has a deeply ingrained belief instilled by her mother that the Dukhovian people don’t simply choose paths; rather, they are called to a purpose by the Spirits. One gets the sense that she is caught up between living in America, where she feels isolated and boxed in by expectations, and a recurring dream that feels more than just a mere dream, but which she has no idea how to answer to. Little known to her is an immediate sense of danger that surrounds her, as an assassin who has been trained since childhood and now sent to specifically kill her, arrives in America. The latter is also on a family honor redemption mission that, unknowingly to him, could potentially condemn his own soul and defy the very Spirits he believes he serves.

This story is set in the corridors of a divided heart, twisted pathways of duty and guilt, shadowy halls of prophecy and power, and what feels like a dangerous crossroad of destiny. It captures a severe cultural shock that doesn’t reveal itself as just a background detail but a critical plot device that helps raise the stakes, create a sense of sympathy, and set up dramatic irony. What begins as a seemingly simple plot quickly spirals into a complex web of moral ambiguity that is bound to bring readers into character study as well as deep internal inquiry into whether prophecies are absolute and whether destruction necessarily means evil occurrences.

Stacy comes out as a strong protagonist, who embodies the conflict between tradition and modernity, as well as the relatable struggle of chasing after a destiny denied. Her grandparents, brother and cousin, offer a living reminder of the cost of being a Dukhovian and how the past can sometimes imprison you in its traumas, silence and legacies of violence. Together with other supporting characters like Rachael, whose absence feels like it would deny Stacy’s character a much-needed boost, these individuals are well drawn in parallel, not in competition, with each shining their own light. From the start of the story, it feels like they are working in sync, to bring the novel’s central themes to a satisfying crescendo and also, a powerfully consequential one. In this context, “A War Through Destiny” by Sarah Lindsay Peterson is that book that you will want to read if you are feeling like a stranger in your own skin, caught in between worlds, and in  need of something that will not only entertain you but offer something better – understanding.

 

Swallowing the Muskellunge

Swallowing the Muskellunge by Lawrence P. OBrien

Reviewed by Rahul Gaur

Most of us take our freedom for granted, but we forget that at some point in time, the price for the freedom was so hefty that entire generations worked their whole lives and still couldn’t pay it off. Forget about freedom; your chances of surviving were extremely low. Survival depended on staying awake—awake to the cold, to memory, to illness, and to the truth people would rather ignore. And, this way, the novel opens a new world with its first chapter, where danger doesn’t announce itself with claws or fangs. It arrives quietly, offering fake promises, faith, authority, and safety.  Purchase Here.

The book is divided into 4 parts, which resemble the cycles found in nature. For example, four seasons, four directions, or four stages of life. Each part shows the progression of the protagonists (Oxfords). London Oxford is not introduced as a hero but as a man trying to keep his family safe in a world that keeps changing the rules. He is free, but that freedom depends on white landowners, the Wright family. Jane Oxford, wife of London, does not trust these arrangements. She senses that promises can be broken. Whereas London always feels that it is legally free, yet economically and socially dependent. Thus, the first part is about history, family, memory, and promise.

The second part is where the book takes an interesting turn. It shows how grief, racism, fear, and lies shape the lives of London, Jane, Abner, and others around them. There is a chasing scene where the antagonist follows Jane Oxford before killing her, and it is written exceptionally well. It will definitely give you goosebumps. After the death of Jane, desperation takes over London, not hope. London drinks to numb his pain. Abner is forced to grow up fast. He must care for his sisters even though he is still a child. He knows the girls were his responsibility. The book does not soften this burden. It shows how trauma passes from parent to child. In the third part, the story becomes darker and more urgent. When bodies start piling up suspiciously, everyone is freaked out. Whom to trust and whom not. Here, the author has done full justice with the portrayal of the antagonist. He is charming, authoritative, and clever, and he uses politeness to mask the brutality. Though he is not loud and scary, to get his things done, he can be anything. One powerful insight in this part is the role of women. The women join together to protect their children. They stand up when the men hesitate. Their unity becomes a quiet form of power. Fourth part beautifully concludes the novel’s central concern and reaches its darkest and most meaningful point: that even when evil is defeated, suffering does not end. Freedom is not a single event but a constant struggle. The book also refuses simple moral clarity. Survival sometimes requires brutality, and justice is imperfect.

O’Brien has beautifully shown that living as a Black family in the 18th century was not at all easy. Their daily struggles and fear of getting into any trouble without their fault are horrific. What makes the book work is how it balances character and plot. The research done to weave real history with chilling Indigenous folklore is commendable. The author’s writing is simple, and the prose often uses short, direct sentences that mirror exhaustion, fear, and urgency. However, the lack of illustrations leaves some weakness in the narration. Regarding the pacing, it is dynamic but plays an important role in the book. For example, the middle of the book slowed down quite a bit as the settlers dealt with the logistics of camp life. However, these moments added to the “stuck” feeling of the blizzard. Similarly, in the final chapters, it spikes when there is a desperate chase through the deep snow to save young Annie. By the end of the book, the reader will definitely ask, what is the real price of freedom? And can we ever truly reach a place of peace, or is it an endless pursuit?

Since this is the first novel in the Mischief Makers series, I am sensing that all the books in the series will connect to a central story related to Wìsakedjàk. So, pretty excited for the upcoming books.

First Place: Bad Americans by Tejas Desai

Bad Americans: Part I by Tejas Desai

Reviewed by Christine Kinori

Bad Americans by Tejas Desai is an immersive emotional roller coaster that tells the human tragedy of the pandemic era like never before. The book is set in the summer of 2020 in New York, where 12 strangers from diverse backgrounds find themselves living in a mansion in the Hamptons to find love. As they mingle, they share their life experiences, which elicit some heated debates, with each narrative depicting the complexity of modern America.  Purchase Here.

Tejas Desai is a literary master, as he brings to life the deep-seated political, social, and economic divisions in each character’s narrative. From the story of a nurse recovering from the horrors of the pandemic to a queer Black man trying to find his identity and others from various walks of life, this gripping and haunting tale of survival manages to inspire a sense of humanity.

In this book, Desai uses the frame narrative to paint an illuminating picture of the struggles of modern Americans hoping to find their identity and make sense of the confusing times they are living in.

The book gains momentum as the multifaceted experiences of the 12 strangers highlight the conflicting perspectives entrenched in modern society. Tejas effectively conveys social inequality, political division, and the repercussions of the tragic pandemic in a manner that easily resonates with the reader.

The book’s striking juxtapositions are both enlightening and reflective. It speaks to Desai’s powerful mastery of storytelling.  The refreshing combination of dark humor and the raw emotional tones of the characters gives the story a lot of depth. In its unique way, the plot is a compelling summary of what America has turned into over the years. It will be fair to say that the book is a social and political work of fiction inspired by the realities faced by Americans.

However, Bad Americans offers no quick resolution; instead, it inspires the reader to critically analyze human behavior. By presenting the diverse viewpoints about the current social and political polarization, the book challenges readers to confront the hard truths, which are often uncomfortable.

One of the main themes in this classic work of art is the exploration of morality versus human nature. Through the characters’ narrative, Desai perfectly encapsulates the intertwined complexity of this theme and exposes the flaws in society. However, the book also manages to capture the essence of humanity through shared experiences, such as the pandemic.

The timing of this book couldn’t have been more perfect. It not only highlights the horrific pandemic experience but also the American division. The nuanced exploration delves into some of the current deeply divisive issues, such as immigration, healthcare, race, identity, and class. By doing this, it provides a chance for a much-needed social commentary on modern America.

Bad Americans will pull you in with its realistic portrayal of contemporary society. It will have you contemplating your stance on many issues and how they all fit together in the grand scheme of things. The book is bold and impactful, skilfully narrating the complexity of our times, making it a timeless masterpiece. It is a thought-provoking piece of literature, as it serves as society’s mirror. Once again, Desai establishes himself as a novelist who is worthy of recognition.

 

 

First Place: Short Stories/Anthology
Murder Your Darlings

Murder Your Darlings: A Novel by Jenna Blum

Reviewed by Ephantus  Gold

“Murder Your Darlings: A Novel” by Jenna Blum follows Sam Vetiver, a novelist with twenty-five years’ experience and New York best seller who is grappling with loneliness after fifteen years of marriage. She is drawn into the world of captivating charm and intellectual seduction, often failing to see the manipulation lurking behind the disguise. Inspired by her dad who was a writer, Vetiver’s career sprouted early at the age of four. All she would think about or spend time doing was writing mystery and magic. In present day, she is waiting to write her fifth book, “The Gold Digger’s Mistress” but is worried that she won’t hit a home run as the date to its delivery draws closer. We meet her on her final “Sodbuster” book tour, whose culmination sees her tired and lonely, and as usual, with no one to celebrate or commiserate with.  Purchase Here.

But much to her shock, she receives an email from a familiar author turned “admirer” who she deems “ridiculously successful” and “a bad boy of literature,” with whom she shares a publisher. In the message he appreciates one of her books which he claims “changed him forever in some invisible but indelible way.” Curious as to why he, “the real deal” reached out, Sam sets on a journey to find out. Little does she know that her arrival at the venue where he is hosting one of his book reading, sends chilling waves down the spine of a stalker who has been trailing him for the longest time, threatening to pull Sam into an obsession where she is not just an “intrusion” but a “betrayal” that demand immediate response.

This book pulls the reader into a high-stakes psychological labyrinth where literary ambition collides with dangerous obsession. You are plunged into tense moments, where every one of them threaten to twist in a potentially dangerous game, making you loudly wonder who the true architect of the story is, and which character seems destined for a tragic end. It masterfully weaves a dual narrative plunging the reader into the chilling, fractured mind of an antagonist, which it does with the same intimacy and passion that it grants its weary protagonist. I love how this novel transcends its thriller framework to deliver a profoundly humanly relatable story where it explores the need to cure loneliness, and how that can lead to trusting the wrong people. I believe that its raw power lies in how it connects the dots between traumatic pasts, the many times dangerous commodification of people, and the desperate, flawed choices we all make when we fail to see our own worth. “Murder Your Darlings: A Novel” by Jenna Blum is that one book that holds a dark mirror to the soul of anyone who has ever longed for a connection. It will seduce you with its prose, haunt you with its insights, and leave you breathless with its twists.

The House Guests

The House Guests by Amber and Danielle Brown

Reviewed by Ephantus  Gold

“The House Guests: A Novel” by Amber and Danielle Brown was a book that did not ease me in gently but grabbed me by the collar right from the first page. It began with Iris as she remembered the most haunting thing in her life, being forced to watch her own mother take her life in front of her. The gun had been bought from a pawn shop with money her mother had stolen from the most unlikely person where she worked. That opening was shocking and honestly disturbing and it set the tone for what turned out to be a raw and unsettling journey.  Purchase Here.

Iris had already been scarred by years of neglect and abuse from her mother, and those wounds never healed. She kept having nightmares, she could not sleep without chemicals in her system, and the chaos in her head never seemed to stop. Even with all that, she still tried to hide her desperation from her boyfriend Eli, holding on quietly to the hope that he would not leave her. When I found them, they were on their way to a lonely lake, Eli’s idea of the cure for her constant torment, and maybe a way out of the heavy block of stone she had been buried under for over a year.

At the lake, Iris came across something that rattled me as much as it did her. A strange man was bent over the dirt, digging frantically like he wanted to hide something or someone. The image burned into her, and when Eli’s friends later joined her, she tried to tell them but none of them believed her. They mocked her, saying it was her bad eyesight, and when she mistook a doll for a severed arm, she was ridiculed even more. Eli himself did not defend her when he joined them but only grew colder, turning his attention toward another woman. The doubt took over, and I kept asking myself the same thing Iris did – Was she truly losing her mind, or was she the only one who saw the truth nobody else dared to face? That scene pushed the story into deeper dread and put doubts in me about who to trust.

The structure of the story felt like a slow spiral where every step down brought more uncertainty, moving from strange sightings, like when one of the friends claimed to see a skull, to Iris’ sleepless nights, trapped in her own fear. That layering of dread made the book heavy and claustrophobic. The prose itself worked like a trap, sharp and unsettling, even in quiet moments. All of it carried menace. So when betrayal came, it hit harder, especially because Eli never stood by her.

The characters were painfully real in how frustrating they were. Iris clung to Eli and his love, but he mocked her fragility and eventually discarded her like she was nothing. In the worst turn, he even handed her over to a friend, like she was a thing to be passed to the highest bidder. That made him more terrifying than any ghostly shadow or imagined figure in the story. Her friends were no better, brushing off her fears, mocking her mistakes, leaving her completely alone.

Trust, betrayal, and gaslighting ran through every page. I kept asking if Iris was imagining everything or if she was the only one who refused to be silenced. “The House Guests: A Novel” kept that question alive, not only about Iris but about the people around her. That was what made it devastating, and yet I could not look away.

The Murder at the World's End

The Murder at the World’s End by Ross Montgomery

Reviewed by Ephantus Gold

“The Murder at World’s End” by Ross Montgomery is a thrilling mystery that will leave the reader staring into the middle distance, replaying the clues in their mind, not with frustration but with a sense of awe at the author’s craftsmanship. It follows Stephen Pike, a young man overwhelmed with immense joy after arriving at his new job at Tithe Hall, where the Viscount of World’s End, Lord Stockingham, resides. This is his only chance at redemption following a successful rehabilitation after serving time, due to a situation in which he claims to have made an “unpardonable error of judgment.” At Tithe Hall, he learns that his job includes a special instruction from the Viscount’s cousin to Mr Stokes, the head butler at Tithe Hall for twenty years, that as a footman, he should be brought on with utmost discretion.  Purchase Here.

Pike comes in at a crucial historical moment, according to the Viscount, when all signs point to an inevitable apocalypse. He claims to have credible information regarding a comet that will pass very close to Earth, leaving behind fatal, poisonous cyanogen gases that will kill every living creature therein. Over the next few hours, the staff ensures every room is airtight, in a desperate bid to survive the annihilation. Pike’s duty, however, also involves “babysitting” a woman whom people speak about in the way dragons are described in fairy tales. However, his encounter with her leaves him speechless by the sheer knowledge and intelligence she exhibits, especially when she reveals her findings about the comet, and right after, she tells him why she hates Stockingham. The next day sets in motion an event that catapults the story into a relentlessly tense dive. The viscount is dead right in his sealed study, and suddenly all eyes are on the one person with a criminal record. His possible alibi? The woman he stayed with through the night – the same woman who had threatened to kill the Viscount.

This tale sets in motion an odd pairing of protagonists who are forced to look beyond their age difference (which is actually quite large) in a bold endeavor to investigate a crime in which they are key suspects. They bring to life an unlikely alliance between a disgraced young man and a sharp-tongued woman who has been written off by her society. Their story is built on a foundation of rich interconnected themes that elevate it from a simple mystery to a complex social and psychological thriller, one that explores the corruption of the upper class and the illusion of authority, holding a mirror to society’s twisted perception of persons that are too intelligent to be controlled or too flawed to be granted a second chance. Here, one gets the sense that the mere weight of human greed is way more dangerous than a “comet’s gases.” As I read, I found myself forced to weigh every character’s motive, not as a detached observer but as if I were in the room with each of them. The stakes remain perfectly pitched all through the read, and every new chapter exhibits tension that tightens like a vise around a circle of trust that is forced to shrink with every revelation.

“The Murder at World’s End” by Ross Montgomery stands out for its ability to hold the revelation of the culprit until the final, breathtaking pages. I, however, believe that its true genius lies not in the delay but in the flawless execution of its narrative architecture and character-driven misdirection. If you need a book that is a master class in suspense, and one in which the end of the world is the backdrop of an even more gripping crime scene, then this book is your perfect next read.

 

First Place: Tokyo Juku by Michael Pronko

Tokyo Juku by Michael Pronko

Reviewed by Timea Barabas

A teacher’s murder changes a young student’s life forever and threatens to rip through the social fabric of Japan. At first glance, Michael Pronko’s Tokyo Juku appears to be a suspenseful modern detective novel. However, it quickly becomes clear that the story offers much more. Beneath the tightly woven murder mystery lies a sharp critique of a uniquely demanding education system and its many ramifications, both on an individual and societal scale.  Purchase Here.

What truly brings the novel to life, though, are the characters; each vividly portrayed as their lives unfold between the lines. Michael Pronko’s characters simply exist, without ever needing to persuade. Their actions, interactions, words, and thoughts are so organic that they naturally inhabit the space within Tokyo Juku.

After failing her exams the previous year, Mana is enrolled in the juku system to train mind and spirit in preparation for another attempt at gaining admission to a top university. She is determined to turn failure into conquest, akin to a ronin. What was meant to be another sleepless night of intense study takes a dark turn when the deep stillness is shattered by unexpected noises. Hesitant, Mana goes to investigate, only to discover her mentor, the school’s most prominent professor, had been stabbed.

Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is assigned to lead the murder investigation. Stepping outside his usual comfort zone, forensic accounting, Hiroshi brings a unique perspective to this complex case. As he follows multiple leads, he uncovers the murdered professor’s polarizing presence in both professional and personal spheres.

Just as he begins to get a firm grip on a thread that could reveal the motive and the perpetrator, a new dimension to the case emerges. The numerous conflicting leads threaten to overwhelm the investigation (and the narrative itself), but Hiroshi, guided by Michael Pronko’s precise penmanship, expertly maintains control and delivers a neatly packaged resolution.

What gives this work of fiction its strong sense of authenticity is, in large part, the infusion of the author’s own experiences. Michael Pronko, an American-born literature professor who has been living in Japan for more than two decades, pulls back the curtain to reveal the inner workings of the Japanese education system.

In my view, the most distinctive quality of Tokyo Juku lies in its sense of in-betweenness. The author passionately explores the spaces in between identities, cultures, and states of being. His characters embody this tension: some come from multiethnic backgrounds, while others travel and immerse themselves in new cultures. While a few seamlessly integrate multitudes, others can’t seem to settle on stable ground. Yet the most striking liminal space is the period of preparation before the exams; a suspended moment for students who have previously failed, caught between past disappointment and future possibility.

While Tokyo Juku is the seventh book from The Detective Hiroshi Series, it also stands firm as an independent book. Michael Pronko’s welcoming narrative voice makes any reader feel at ease, no matter when they arrive.

First Place: Adult Fiction
First Place: Mystery/Thriller/Horror/Suspense