LOVE STORY

Renshaw’s new novel is an intricate affair featuring an attorney who delves into the world of extrasensory experiences.

A reader of Renshaw’s earlier books (Science, Remote Viewing and ESP, 2009, etc.) might be prepared for the emphasis on psychic phenomena in the present work. For the uninitiated, however, this novel provides a persuasive primer on channeling, remote sensing, space-time perceptions and other brain functions beyond our physical reality, in addition to a skillfully crafted first-person drama. In fact, the theme of psychic activity powers every aspect of the action, including a love story that gains momentum as the narrator’s logical skepticism fades. Dave Willard is a successful Los Angeles patent attorney and a sailplaning enthusiast. Tina, his companion on weekends in the desert, where he keeps his plane, is a teacher whose enthusiasm for channeling and her apparent ability to “read” his thoughts keep skeptic Dave from commitment. Yet, when he impulsively (and implausibly) agrees to take on the prosecution of a case in which a psychic will be the chief prosecution witness against a small-town sheriff and prepares his case by interviewing scholars and practitioners of ESP, he soon accepts the validity of extrasensory experiences and concomitantly realizes he is in love with Tina. The affair flourishes despite sabotage attempts, convoluted security activities as the trial date approaches, an air of suspense in courtroom scenes and the fast pace of events. But this novel is not a thriller; it isn’t even what one might expect of a love story. There are no steamy scenes, just a lot of hugging and kissing and occasionally kittenish mock-seductive behavior as Tina leads her lover to the bedroom. In fact, their dialogue sometimes lacks the spontaneity of other exchanges and takes on a pedantic tone when Tina expatiates on the work of regional artists. That said, this novel will hold the reader’s attention because the plot is clever; the remote-sensing experiences riveting, particularly for a skeptic; the sailplaning episodes invite envy; and the characters exhibit a breezy California outlook that is refreshing. Renshaw’s novel practically vibrates with the relentless activity of several interconnected plot-threads moving to a highly satisfactory end.