darkfictionreviews

I've been on a roll lately with my reading. One great book after another has passed through my hands all year, both independent and professional fields of publishing, too. When I decide to do my top ten reads of the year in month or so, it's going to be one of the most difficult lists I've ever had to make since I started recording these things.

One book that might make that list is Malice by Griffin Hayes. I felt a familiarity with the prose and characters almost right away. It reminded me of the late summer nights I used to stay up and read the darkness away when I was a lonely teenager. Back then, I would read books from the likes of Dean Koontz, John Saul, and Stephen King. Malice reminds me of them.

Lysander is the new kid in town. Right away he makes more than a few enemies, but he also makes some friends. Which is a good thing, because he's going to need their help. Something is after Lysander, something that is killing other people in town and making it look like suicide.

I don't want to go into too much more plot for fear of ruining things. But, let's just say that there are a few twists and turns and a lot of action along the way that will keep you guessing.

The two main characters interested me a lot, too. Both Lysander and Samantha were both the reason I was reminded of those other authors. Watching them develop and get out of the perilous dangers hunting them was a lot of fun. As this is a YA novel, I think that Hayes will have similar sixteen year old readers, identifying with always being the odd one, the outcast.