A sci-fi triller by the author of ‘Project Eight Ball’.
John Turiano and quantum experiments and research are back! This time, though, there are no time jumps – yet…
The story begins in an uncomplicated way: Marie is waiting in a bar for her best friend Kimbra, who is running late. This is quite out of character for Kimbra, but the two have been besties since 6th grade, so she can’t turn her down. But when, after 2 glasses of wine, Kimbra doesn’t show up, Marie decides to call it a night. She is not sure how to feel: upset? Angry? Disappointed? It doesn’t matter. It’s already late, no point waiting any longer, better head home, go to sleep and sort it out tomorrow.
Problem is: there are no more tomorrows for Marie, because that same night she is killed in her own apartment by a mysterious intruder.
Kimbra is very upset by the news, even more so when she is questioned by the police: Marie was in that bar waiting for her, and the messages came from Kimbra’s phone. The problem is that, after a quick search around her house, Kimbra realises that she is not in possession of her phone anymore. And this opens the door to a whole new line of enquiry: did Marie have any enemies? Why someone went as far as stealing Kimbra’s phone to lay a trap for her? A scorned lover perhaps? A jealous co-worker? The possibilities at this point are endless, but Detective Rizzo, in charge of the enquiry, will use Kimbra’s help to explore them all and give Marie justice.
The road is not straightforward, and more than one ghost of their school past will resurface, until the mystery is unravelled. Or is it?
Turiano is back in full force, and he is testing his skills with this thriller with a hint of sci-fi. The cliffhanger end leaves the door open to more, but for now the only sci-fi element is constituted by Kimbra’s line of work – she runs psychological tests at the Quantum Thunder Company and uses one of the tests subjects, who can read minds and connect with people’s pasts, to answer to a few questions about Marie’s death. ‘Dark Presence’ a well-constructed, action-packed thriller, with some very interesting plot twists and plenty of space for a welcome sequel. Turiano’s writing has significantly improved from his last work; the plot is linear, concise but never boring. A great creative effort overall, an intriguing story that was a pleasure to read. Looking forward to more!
‘Dark Presence’ is available for purchase at: https://amzn.to/40eqpQn
