The town of Tuonela, Wisconsin, has a grim past -- once the home of Richard Manchester, a killer who many people believed to be a vampire. Because of this, the residents relocated the town nearby and tried to start over. But now that Manchester's body has been found and put on display in the local museum, the tiny town is in the spotlight again. Curiosity seekers and news reporters flock to see the "Pale Immortal," rumored to have murdered dozens of women and children. But a darker presence is also among them -- a new killer, or perhaps a very old one...

For Rachel Burton, the local medical examiner, the discovery of the first body interrupts her attempt to escape the haunted town and make a new life for herself and her unborn child. For Evan Stroud, whose physical condition restricts him to a life in the shadows, obsession with the Pale Immortal threatens his sanity as well as his fragile health. For Evan's teenage son, Graham, the chilling events are one more chapter in the horror story of his life. For Evan's father, Alastair, the interim chief of police, the murders trigger a growing concern that the killer may very well be his own son.

This is a disturbing book with some graphic images. To me, it was closer to a horror novel than to suspense or a thriller, and I must admit I'm not a horror fan. But the characters are compelling and the question of whether these bizarre events are of human or otherworldly origin kept me morbidly fascinated. If you like the horror genre, I think you'll appreciate the brooding atmosphere and the darkness that lurks even in the "good" characters, some of whom do some unsettling things. GARDEN OF DARKNESS is a sequel to PALE IMMORTAL, and I recommend reading it first. The background will be helpful in figuring out some of the characters' motives and attitudes.

Book Summary

The USA Today bestselling author Anne Frasier delivers a terrifying follow-up to the acclaimed Pale Immortal.

Haunted by both the town of Tuonela and the betrayal of Evan Stroud, medical examiner Rachel Burton tries to leave, but is brought back by the skinned body found in the woods.

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 nothing he is rumored to be will compare to the one who has been awakened...