October 11, 2004
Fahy's debut novel hovers uncertainly on the borders of the horror and suspense genres, much like his insomniac characters hover on the edge of sleep, yearning for unconsciousness but fearing the visions and nightmares they know they will find there. In present-day San Francisco, lawyer Samantha Ranvali's ex-lover Frank Bennett shows up asking her for help locating a missing woman for his employers, the Palici Corporation, a high-priced private investigative firm. Samantha, a severe insomniac, has just begun experimental treatment at a sleep disorder clinic. She's worried about the treatment and worried about Frank, but agrees to help him. Their investigation leads to a body, the first of many, that has been slashed and crucified. Meanwhile, flashbacks to the court of the historical German Count Hermann Carl von Keyserlingk—also an insomniac, and the man who hired Johann Sebastian Bach to write what will become known as the Goldberg Variations—prove crucial to the solution of the puzzle. The problematic finish of the book aims for stylish intrigue, but ends up as simply unclear and unsatisfying. Perhaps this is because the novel is intended as the first in a projected series of five using the same characters, but unless Fahy finds some way to put a little zip into the sleepy Samantha, readers will be disinclined to pick up the next installment. Agent, Elaine Markson.
July 1, 2004
Insomniac Samatha Ranvali finds relief through an experimental study, but it seems that with each night of newfound sleep, another person must die. A psychological debut thriller by Fahy, who lives in California. Regional author appearances.
Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
October 15, 2004
Fahy's first novel has an interesting premise--insomniacs committing murders while in a sleep state--but he attempts to pack far too much into the story. Numerous italicized flashbacks--the bane of backstory--quickly become tiresome, and the main plot skips around almost randomly from the eighteenth century to the present. A convoluted subplot about Bach's Goldberg Variations only adds to the confusion. What does work here is the story of protagonist Samantha Ranvali and her relationship with former lover Frank, who comes back to San Francisco to investigate the insomniac murders. As Sam starts to see a pattern between the sleep clinic where she is being treated for insomnia and numerous murders that involve upside-down crucifixions, she realizes that she may well be the next victim. Her reluctance to rely on Frank for help frustrates him, and their relationship continues on rocky ground. Fahy's ability to develop characters, his substantial descriptive skill, and his historical knowledge are all evident here. If he can reign in his plots a bit, this could become a fine series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)