UNDERTAKER

A debut thriller stars an out-of-control writer.

Christopher Stone seems to have a pretty good life. His wife, Eva, to whom he has been married for seven years, is beautiful, and Christopher makes a living as a famous writer. But things soon take a turn for the worse. A man calling himself a preacher visits Christopher and tells the author that he is possessed. Christopher disagrees, yet after the preacher departs, he spots a horrific-looking creature in his own home. Later, after Eva reveals to Christopher that she is pregnant, this creature encourages Christopher to kill her. Eva survives the attack, though the couple’s marriage does not. Christopher proceeds to make some major life changes, such as decorating his home with pornographic images and engaging in violent sexual practices whenever the urge arises (and it arises frequently). To make matters worse, the women he sleeps with tend to end up murdered. Inspector Johann Erasmus is investigating the homicides. Erasmus speaks to a man named Rev. John, who informs him that a powerful demon capable of traveling between dimensions is likely the source of the crimes. Can anything be done to stop this demon? Steplewski’s narrative moves quickly from the get-go. No sooner is Christopher devouring a pound of raw meat than he is involved with a woman with a predilection for writing spells on the walls of her room. The sex acts tend to be as fierce as they are explicit (“He was going deeper and faster, slamming away until she began to sweat”), and the audience never knows just what sort of depravities will happen next. But with such a speedy pace, it can be difficult for readers to get a full grasp of the main players. Surely Christopher was not always bent on sadism and cruel to his wife. After all, they had been married for seven years. He certainly turns vile, but knowing more about who he used to be would have made his transformation all the more terrifying.

A dark tale delivers sex, violence, and some unanswered questions.