A cinematic paranormal adventure filled with ancient secrets, terrifying ghosts, and nail-biting action…
MacArthur delivers unpredictable turns and a full-bodied cast of memorable allies and savage villains in her thrilling latest. With a botched mission in the past that saw her partner getting killed, Tessa’s employer, a disavowed secretive agency, forces her to accept a doomed mission already littered with dead bodies or face termination. Desperate, she approaches Jack de Sombras, an accused traitor who’s also her old partner and unrequited love, for help. Jack agrees despite his initial reluctance. As the pair begin their investigation into the brutal killings, they realize they are up against a very powerful and dangerous enemy. With ghosts and Death itself after them, can they survive their last mission together? MacArthur’s expert prose energizes the narrative, building intrigue with gradual reveals of Tessa and Jack’s dangerous mission and their tortured backstories. The worldbuilding is multilayered. The paranormal elements are revealed gradually, and the authentic setting brings the haunted canyons of Southwest Colorado to life. The meat of the novel, however, is Jack and Tessa’s individual stories as they come to terms with their tortured pasts: Jack’s journey from a troubled soul to a man who wants to live again is hard earned and connects to powerful themes of survival, overcoming trauma, love, friendship, and redemption. Equally compelling is Tessa’s journey, who finds a way to forgive herself after a long period of guilt and regret. The ending is satisfying, leaving room for a sequel. Thrilling, exhilarating, and dark; readers will stay up all night to finish it.
The Skin Thief
T.E. MacArthur
Indies United Publishing House, LLC
Pub date March 16, 2023
ISBN 978-1644565964
Price $14.99 (USD) Paperback, $2.99 Kindle edition