Phantom

August 14, 2023
Power (The Ghosts of Thorwald Place) mostly impresses with this propulsive, high-concept Faustian thriller. It’s been a year since a Chicago serial killer known as the Phantom Strangler has struck. The city finally believes it might be out of the woods when a woman is strangled shortly after leaving her pastry class one evening. The latest slaying freaks out struggling artist Regan Osbourne, who’s just lost her casino job and is trying to shake off her drug dealer ex-boyfriend, Ben. Desperate for rent money, Regan steals $1,200 from the wallet of a stranger she sleeps with one night, only to have the man, Sylvain Dufour, track her down and offer her a devil’s bargain: Dufour will pay Regan $1 million and make sure Ben is out of the picture if she agrees to sever her left hand and give it to him. Regan eventually agrees, and experiences debilitating phantom pain where her hand used to be. When the pain subsides, she’s suddenly able to sense what her missing hand is doing—and it feels like it might be strangling people. While certain surprises disappoint, Power maintains a breakneck pace, and she sticks the landing. Daniel Palmer fans will enjoy themselves.

June 10, 2024

Regan "Roz" Osbourne is a starving artist with no luck in the art world and an ex-boyfriend who won't take no for an answer. When Roz is given the opportunity to acquire money and protection if she gives up her left hand, she reluctantly agrees. Almost immediately, she begins experiencing excruciating phantom limb pains. Desperate for relief, she enters a drug trial, but the drug has a disturbing side effect. She now has a psychic connection with the serial killer who owns her hand. Power's (The Ghosts of Thorwald Place) latest starts well, promising thrilling twists, shocking events, and a flawed but struggling main character. Unfortunately, the plot rapidly wears thin, requiring listeners to suspend too much disbelief for Roz, who is frustratingly shallow and unsympathetic. Despite the novel's shortcomings, narrators Rachel Fulginiti and Eunice Wong skillfully give voice to the cast of questionable characters, adding atmosphere and tension to the story. VERDICT Listeners who don't mind unappealing characters or messy plots may want to check this out, but it's an otherwise optional purchase for most libraries.--Elyssa Everling

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.