The prologue instantly had me intrigued, causing me to keep on reading to find out what happens.
The voice that mysteriously comes to the teenage boy, Colin, sets the scene as though he has an angel watching over him, and brings a fascinating and insightful aspect to the plot, as this voice enables Colin to know what others are thinking, and be able to know certain elements of the future. But when he needs the voice the most, it abandons him. The disappearance of his girlfriend builds tension. Blame and fear can be felt. And although you know something has happened, you can feel there is more to come.
The author has a creative way of keeping the reader engaged, with the roller-coaster of emotions. With the voice finally returning to Colin, he is given advice to do something he never thought he could ever do. A situation continuously created as though you feel something is amiss. You know it’s not over, and that’s what is exciting. It is what makes it so hard to put down.
And the past comes to haunt. Fifteen years after a kidnapping and Colin’s mysterious insights, the past comes back. In a happy relationship (or so it appears), a very successful job, aided by this voice, but still unable to let go of the past, believing there was something more to it. And it would seem the kidnapping was only the beginning. Other girls found dead, sold as sex slaves; just a tattoo connecting them.
So, who was this inner voice? What was she? Was she there for another purpose? As the past becomes present, it causes conflict. Keeps on bringing up surprises.
In parts a sentimental read, as the inner voice helps Colin to assist the less fortunate.
I would say though that the novel would have been even better if there was a bit less detail on the character’s life. I admit though, I was pretty impatient to get more clues to what happened fifteen years ago. So, perhaps a strategic move on the author’s part.
A twist in the plot from the voice left me wondering, what is good and evil? Something big asked of Colin causes him to become a murderer. But can he kill a seemingly innocent man, or is this man not so innocent?
The religious aspect makes it a unique novel. I enjoyed the mix of sexual tension, combined with the need for God to overcome the evil that plagues man-kind. Even for those that don’t believe in God, this aspect struck a chord for many, needing something more to help them overcome certain situations in their life, and how easily something bad can manipulate a person to appear that they are good.
The kidnapping does seem more of a subplot than the main storyline. There is more focus on this inner voice and how it impacts the main character’s life.
3 ½ out of 5 stars
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