A Season of Sons (Black Spiral Series Book 1) - Book Review

A Season of Sons by Rob Tucker is book one of Tucker’s Black Spiral Series.  Readers who love suspense or horror novels with a paranormal theme will greatly enjoy Tucker’s finely crafted tale. The protagonist, Leon Safullo, an FBI agent, becomes involved with the investigation in a horrible murder of a prominent evangelist. His investigation is stymied because the killer appeared to have left no forensic evidence that would lead to his capture. In another case, the disappearance of Paul Evans, the CEO of a major corporation, becomes a new challenge for Agent Safullo. Is there any connection between the two cases?  Leon’s investigation prompts the killer to contact him with a challenge.

Tucker creates some memorable characters for this thriller. Antonio Guzman is one of them, or should we say, Pearl Antonio Guzman.  This individual is the result of a metamorphosis of Guzman from a husband and father to a Jekyll and Hyde combination of himself and his alter ego, Pearl. He is a non-binary character who appears to possess the ability to insinuate into the minds of others, making them his converts. Paul Evans is his current target.  Evans senses that his world is being encroached by something but his concerns about this evil that imperils him are dismissed by those close to him.  The novel is a book of good and evil, and Evans is certainly a little of both. He is a man who had his vices and had hurt those around him as he clawed his way to the top of the corporate ladder. But now, as he is being challenged by Guzman’s powers, he flees to the wilderness with his estranged son to try to escape Guzman’s reach.

There in the wilderness, Evans faces even more dangers both from nature, man, and the unrelenting invasion of his mind by Guzman.  Tucker introduces you into a world that is creepy and upsetting and sometimes genuinely horrifying. You bear witness to horrific killings and share in the desperation and dread that lurks under the surface of Evans’ reality.

A Season of Sons first appears to meander along but quickly shifts into high gear and sprints toward resolution. The ride is a tense and chilling mix of supernatural horror and solid suspense. If you were a fan of Twin Peaks and FBI agent Cooper, you will truly enjoy Tucker’s paranormal world and his psychological spin he adds to his narrative.  He incorporates an extraordinary array of characters, scenes, and motifs into his novel to capture the reader’s imagination. Tucker uses the dark side to propel his narrative.  His mix of the tropes of crime fiction with paranormal horror creates a wholly unique reading experience offering something new and exciting to readers.