Returning to Seattle late one night after visiting a friend, Markham runs into a renegade spirit jumping from host to host leaving a trail of burnt out bodies in its wake. Markham’s only chance of keeping the spirit from running loose through the Seattle populace is to catch it on the Bainbridge ferry before docking. A momentary loss in focus causes Markham to loose his quarry, get him arrested and inadvertently draws some unwelcome attention from the past. Of primary importance is tracing the secret cult of dark magicians who separated the spirit from it’s body, especially as the spirit had recently been in contact with Katarina, the girl who stole a piece of Markham ten years ago.
Aided by the Chorus, a collection of human souls that Markham binds to his will and detective John Nicols, who was abruptly introduced to the world of magick when the spirit temporary stole his body, Markham follows the trail of powerful dark magicians. While he seeks the missing part of himself from Katarina, Markham discovers a magickal battle brewing and he is key to the outcome.
Dark and urban, this paranormal thriller is more cerebral then most as it explores the philosophy behind the nature of good and evil in an unusual blending of Tarot cards, Hermetic tradition and a myriad of spiritual beliefs. Brisk pacing, a suitably complex storyline and strong character building help keep this from diverting far off course when the author gets into examining the merits of different approaches to attaining godhood. With his struggles with the Chorus and a traumatic past, Markham is an engaging character trying to make the right choices and perhaps save a few souls along the way.
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