A Season of Sons by Rob Tucker--Paperback
A Season of Sons is a vivid story difficult to easily define. At once a murder mystery, a thriller, and a horror story, it incorporates paranormal and psychological elements to add tension on different levels, creating a compelling story of high-tech manipulation and a deadly being which provokes a powerful confrontation between good and evil.
Fathers and sons are the focal point of a story steeped in blood and tears. Paul Evans senses something is stalking him. His son thinks he may be crazy. As emotional darkness, inner strengths, and obsessions come into play, readers will especially enjoy the contrasts between personalities and the challenges facing not just father and son, but the threats that a diary reveals.
One challenge is that Paul has to set up Matt as bait in order to provoke a confrontation with Guzman. The other revelation is that Paul Evans apparently has a dark side. Even before his disappearance, he was a pleasure seeker who exploited and used those around him. This is in stark contrast to other indicators about the values and morals of his life's progress, and another indication that dark forces are at work.
As Leon probes the progress of different lives and the evil that infected them, he comes to realize that the undercurrent of horror runs deeper than a singular crime.
Unlike most horror stories, Rob Tucker takes the time to inject psychological details about his characters to enhance the story's overall emotional draw. This creates a depth that is revealing and engrossing: "It bothered Leon that he was beginning to question whether there was ultimately any purpose in what he was doing, any value. Growing older, he thought. Maybe all this matters only when you're young and you're not looking to see what's on the other side. Life is short. Life ends."
Readers receive a powerful story of killing, redemption, clashes between good and evil, and a story that probes the nature of father and son connections in a gripping horror piece that holds a powerful undercurrent of grief, light, and love. Is the dark spirit real? Will Guzman's abilities win over all?
Horror and psychological suspense readers seeking a story that stands out for its depth and multifaceted approach will relish the questions, conundrums, and confrontations of A Season of Sons. (Donovan Literary Services / Midwest Book Review)