Security - Gina Wohlsdorf

Horror

Rating: 8/10

Have you ever experienced the sensation of being watched? As if eyes were following your every move?

The night before the opening gala of a luxury resort, several employees are putting the finishing touches on the party details.  What they don’t know is that they are being watched.  And stalked.  And sooner or later, maybe killed.

There are several styles of narrative voice telling us this story; all the characters get a turn or two, the security cameras do a part, and we also have an unknown narrator in the mix.  Who is it that has their eyes on everything?  That can see it all, both as it happens and before. I was impressed with the author constantly “flipping” from perspective to perspective, as a camera may cycle through angles.  She does that while ensuring that the scenes connect flawlessly.  Like I said, impressive.

Our killer(s) roam through locked rooms and secret passageways to chase their prey and kill with maniacal glee and an abundance of gore. And the author chronicles every bit of it, building up tension that leaps off the page as vividly as any high-tech cinematic wizardry.

An ingenious spin on a cat and mouse game!

P.S. There is also a poignant love story told throughout this book, an unexpected juxtaposition but it worked beautifully.

Book Pairing(s): The Shining by Stephen King, Behind The Red Curtain by Casey Barston, The Sun-Down Motel by Simone St. James