I finished this mesmerizing novel a little over 24 hours ago. My brain is still parsing all the information, all the possibilities. At first blush, I thought I’d opened an interesting psychological thriller as two young sisters camped deep in the Vermont woods, roughly 20 miles from any form of civilization; no way to communicate and carrying no means to defend themselves.  Brilliant idea.  Scenes from B-grade movies start filtering through the mind… But within a few pages, I realized I was probably reading M Night Shyamalan’s next movie.

You remember some of those brilliant brain-melters, right? The Village, Signs, The Sixth Sense? Well, keep these in mind as you read Jamie Eubanks’ latest genre-busting novel, “Myriad Backyard Graves.” As with Mr. Shyamalan’s brilliant works, Ms. Eubanks’ novel will take a bit of patience as you sink deeper into a world that makes no sense, with disparate characters and storylines being woven independently for a time. Your patience will be rewarded as the plot spins its vicious web and pulls you into the madness. Treat this story as you would the deck of a ship in a cyclone: stay alert, keep focused on what your senses tell you, and above all, be prepared for the unknown.

…believing doesn’t make it so; disbelieving doesn’t make it not so. Our beliefs don’t control reality. Pg 107

Theresa and her sister go on a camping trip in memory of her husband. They find more than they expected in the middle of nowhere, Vermont. Others in the area meet a similar fate. Then Don Sinclair, miles away and currently navigating the dissolution of his marriage, receives a phone call from a stranger that makes no sense. It’s a jarring disconnect for the reader going from the backwoods to a phone call in a Vermont town. I believe it’s intended to be. Now that the reader’s mental acuity has been put on notice, the real fun begins.

At age twenty-four, having married young, Theresa Lowell had become a widow. At age twenty-six, having committed no crime, she had become a prisoner. Pg 76

My apologies. I realize I’m being vague and rather mysterious. It’s intentional. After all, if some well-meaning friend had told you how The Sixth Sense ended before you saw it, would it have had the same effect? I’m doing my best to inform while dropping no spoilers. Not an easy task with this story.

The characters here have a good level of development, with interesting backstories. They’ll show even more development as the story proceeds. Don and Theresa are both engaging characters who feel genuine. Neither is perfect, but both are intelligent, resourceful, and driven. The major antagonists, a man named Greer, who seems to be military, and a disfigured scientist named Professor Tines remain only partially fleshed out. Their mysterious natures are part of their “charm.” Secondary characters play fascinating roles here, as hapless readers try to make sense of who these people are, what they are, and perhaps most significantly, are they genuine?

The plot is a mastery of suspense, throwing readers immediately into this confusing anomaly and allowing us to sink or swim our way out. I’ll admit to spending a big chunk of time floundering as my mind simply doesn’t work like Jamie Eubanks’ brilliant and devious intellect does. But even for readers who are wired more like me, this story is fascinating on many levels, providing moments of insane mystery as well as times of profound exposition. To my delight, Jamie Eubanks does leave breadcrumbs throughout the story- for those who have eyes to see them. Some of these may immediately stand out, while others are best discovered after the fact.

Apparently, the current future was not filled with hope. The American Dream was instead marred by innumerable deaths and myriad backyard graves. Pg 221

While the framework for this tale is built on darkness, suspense, and distrust, the themes that drive this story are much more positive. The reader will recognize themes of loyalty, perseverance, and selfless sacrifice among them.

“Myriad Backyard Graves” is one of those unique stories that readers will tend to either love or loathe. For fans of sci-fi, suspense, and dystopian fiction who love the unpredictable and enjoy working out the unfathomable clues (or simply have the patience to let the truth spin out in its own time), this is a remarkable story. Those who enjoy the classic Twilight Zone-style sense of the mysterious, clear your schedule and grab this book!