May 31, 2005
Peter Engstrom and Hal Bonnacker
have fished at Garner Lake for many years trying to catch the one that got away affectionately named Old Jonah. It was
a time for them to bond and reflect upon various memories until a young runaway named Cindy Garvey enters into their lives.
The events that transpire will change them forever.
Luke Downing, who can be
described as a murderous sociopath and his imaginary friend that directs his actions from within his own psyche, conceive
a seemingly brilliant plan. He will blackmail Peter and Hal, threatening to expose their exploits with Cindy unless
they pay him for his silence. All is going as planned until Cindy undermines Luke’s plan by wading onto Garner
Lake and drowning herself.
Peter and Hal return to their
wives even more distant than before. Not only do they have the weight of their infidelity to bear, but they also have
Cindy’s death on their consciences. Therefore, when they return to Garner Lake for a sense of closure, they bring
along their wives as well. They are not prepared for Luke downing, his imaginary friend and Bruce Orum but the evil
trio are prepared for them. Luke has decided that this will be the last time that Peter and Hal will go to Garner Lake
and he has plans to kill them. When they arrive with their wives, the plans change as Luke plans on torturing and humiliating
the two couples before killing them all.
Shadows at Garner Lake is
a well-written book loaded with excitement, terror, suspense and clever dialogue combined with character development.
The story is constantly moving and each character’s role in the story is vital to its impact. There are no loose
ends and all questions are answered at the conclusion of the book. This is an excellent read and mentally stimulating.
When you close this book after reading the final page you feel as if you’ve traveled to Garner Lake and caught the one
that got away. Shadows at Garner Lake is a winner!
Reviewed by Tyrone V. Banks
