2009 Dorchester Publishing: ISBN 0-8439-6199-6

 Black Cathedral, the latest offering by LH Maynard and MPN Sims, is an exciting horror novel reminiscent of the movie 1408. The reader is quickly drawn in to by the tense, gripping start: a haunted house and Robert Carter, a ghostbuster. One can easily picture actor Tom Hanks as Robert Carter. He’s a character with many dimensions and an intriguing personal background. He’s resourceful, likeable, and he knows what he’s doing. Besides this, Jane, Crozier, and the other people who work for Department 18 are also well drawn. Jane, for instance, is a complex character. The authors go into extensive detail about her, making her as prominent at least as Robert and perhaps more so. We’re given a slice-of-life when it comes to Jane, and what we see is a very human, realistically-portrayed woman. Even the big boss Crozier stands out because he’s such a codger. Then as Jane and Robert come to know each other the authors go into further detail about Robert, really giving him added depth.

 The historical background and Jewish lore behind Kulsay Island is both extensive and riveting. Also, the poltergeist activity makes it exciting. Ghostly occurrences don’t come along that often, but when they do they’re very effective. We even find some surprises in store along the way. On the other hand, the story goes off on a tangent. We want the story to be about a haunting, not Jane’s day-to-day family life. The characters spend a big portion of their time bickering and engaging in off-color language, making us wonder when we’re going to get back to the real story. Many pages go by without any mention of the haunted house. Worse is to come; halfway through the book the story goes off in all kinds of directions. What it lacks is cohesiveness and linear plotlines. The authors completely forget about a group of people who were on the island previously, yet we’re introduced to new characters, who don’t seem to have anything to do with the rest of the story. The pace drags and is not improved by what many readers may consider an unsavory scene between lesbians.

 Fortunately, the closer we come towards the end, the more horrifying and action-packed the book becomes. It’s intense, cryptic and chilling. There is also a diabolical twist to it, one the reader doesn’t expect. It’s like something out of a Clive Barker movie. And it comes to a dramatic conclusion, one that gives us a hint of a thoughtful, well developed romance.

 Middle book confusion and slowness apart, this novel is an engaging and very entertaining read. The authors know what it takes to scare the reader, and they succeed on many different levels. Those who like horror will forgive Black Cathedral its shortcomings, and will eagerly look forward to the authors’ next book.

 For more on LH Maynard and MPN Sims’s books see  http://www.maynard-sims.com.

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