| From RomanceJunkies.com Paranormal/Futuristic
Sheila is devastated after the death of her newborn son. Doctors tell her it was from SIDS, but Sheila believes a horrible supernatural creature is responsible. Her behavior and speech become so erratic that her husband Karl feels he has no choice but to have her committed to a mental health facility.
After Sheila is released from the hospital and returns home, things are still not normal. She sees things that terrify her, and her moods have wild swings. Sheila's eccentric Aunt Iris and Chad Olson don't think she is crazy and they begin to look into her allegations of bizarre visions and real life happenings. Their investigation leads them to an old Chinese man who tells them of an old mystery that involved gold and greed in the 1880's, as well as Chinese legends with amulets and a demon fox-maiden. It all seems too strange to believe, but when tragedies and horrific events continue to occur all around Sheila logical explanations just don't fit. The author has crafted characters who are authentic with all the quirks and issues we are all prone to on our daily journeys. The paranormal twists of the plot add emotional depth and extra entertainment. Romance plays a smaller, but pivotal element, in the storyline. The author explores love and passion on several levels. Maternal love is a universal theme that has the biggest impact on this terrific tale. The short chapters give an extra suspenseful feel to the fast paced action.
The setting of the novel in the Sierra foothills of California is important to the historic background of the book. The author has taken the area where she lives and brought it to life for the reader. Ms. Lehr has written Young Adult novels in the past. DARK MAIDEN is her first adult book. I am a hug fan of paranormal stories and I hope Ms. Lehr will write more novels in this popular genre soon.
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