Reviewed by David Brzeski

Chuck Wendig is one of those rare authors with such masterful use of language, and such a good ear for dialogue, that he engages the reader from the first page and never lets go.

Miriam Black is a tough young woman. She knows how to look after herself. She’s getting by, considering her special circumstances. You see, Miriam has a special ability… a curse, if you like.

Miriam knows when people are going to die. She doesn’t know where, but she knows how and when down to the second. It only takes the briefest skin on skin contact. If she as much as brushes against someone, she knows.

It doesn’t take a genius to think of dozens of ways that this could turn out to be not such a good thing. In fact it turns out to be quite a bad thing. It’s bad enough before others learn of her ability and try to use her to further their own ends.

What we have here is by no means the sort of romantic urban fantasy one normally finds populated with angst-ridden young people of the paranormal persuasion. It’s laced with enough real horror to satisfy the darkest of tastes. It’s also as much a crime thriller, as it is fantasy, urban or otherwise.

I was reminded of some of the darker crime/supernatural novels of John Connolly, except Miriam doesn’t have a Charlie Parker, or any hit men with hearts of gold to look out for her. She’s on her own.

I can say little more for fear of spoilers, other than to proclaim this a very good book indeed.