Mr. Connolly's latest effort is a different look at an old sin, that of child abuse. This is not about domestic child abuse, but more a story about a sick an on-going society of men and women who have no qualms about destroying the lives of countless young boys and girls, and absolve themselves with the belief that they are simply carrying on an honored tradition. Right.

Once you get past the introductory pages, you will find that it is really a mystery novel, with nothing supernatural about it, featuring along with the hero of the story some pretty disgusting and evil characters. I think that the key to enjoying this epic novel is to look at it in just that way – as a mystery. I really don't understand the need for all the strange appellations I mentioned in my first paragraph, unless the intent was to make it what I disliked, namely a horror story. Yes, what happened to those poor children was indeed horrible, but it seemed to me to be a mistake on the author's part to cloak it in what one might call characters from the living dead. Child abuse is terrible enough on its own.

On the other hand, if you are a Stephen King fan and enjoy the portrayal of evil, you will find this a very interesting book. Certainly it is very well written. It is not, however, for the queasy stomach or the faint of heart, to paraphrase the quote from Publisher's Weekly. With that caveat, I would recommend this Connolly novel to anyone who is willing to take it on. Criticism aside, it is engrossing.
Review by Litera Scripta