Thomas Shelton, the vice chairman of Lambert Capital, might seem to have it all. But he’s a haunted man—a watched man. Over the two decades since he took the life of a pedophile reverend while somehow speaking ancient Hebrew and Latin, Shelton has been shadowed—”observed"— by hooded men, always at a distance, but always there. When he receives confirmation from his trusted friend and bodyguard, Ben Davis, that the men are not hallucinations, Shelton is relieved to know that he is not crazy yet understandably vexed by the watchers. In the intricate thriller that follows, Dane’s debut and the start of a projected trilogy, the influence of these paranormal entities called "guardians" will rock the church and global governments, with Shelton at the center of it all, the bearer of a mysterious destiny that transcends worlds and time.

Dane's offering is an imaginative and creepy story of ancient secrets and immortal life forms that watch from the sidelines and strike in strategic and deadly ways. Shelton is more than just a wealthy businessman with an impressive military career— he is a complex character with a secret double life as a vigilante seeking justice for the innocent and those who have been violated in the foulest way. Dane peels back the layers of this complicated hero with care, building suspense and setting up jolting revelations. Embroiled in a doomsday narrative that spans centuries are a wide range of characters from clergymen to the president, as Dane pits good against evil and humanity against a threat to the world itself.

“I am required to rely on seven souls to help me. Seven souls who believe in what I am doing and will lay down their life for the cause," Thomas explains of hismission. That captures the tone of this brisk, tense novel. Readers who enjoy bloody thrillers of demons, souls, lost religious tomes, and quick-witted, philosophical-minded characters will find much to enjoy.

Takeaway: Suspenseful doomsday thriller of demons and ancient secrets.

Comparable Titles: Mike Carey’s Felix Castor series, John Shirley’s Demons.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B+