TORMENT

The paths of a security expert and a photographer cross in this horror thriller.

To the outside world, Anna Albertson is the young owner of Homer Securities, one of the most successful security agencies in New York City. She surrounds herself with deferential employees who fear her, clients who admire and respect her dedication to her job, and the odd lover always kept at arm’s length. But Anna’s meticulous work, unemotional demeanor, and rigid routine hide a manipulative, driven person with a tormented past, a dark secret, and a self-imposed mission. Veronica Carter is a well-established, brilliant photographer who is often pursued by the wealthy, who have a penchant for having their most extravagant, secretive lifestyles captured on camera for posterity. What Veronica does not advertise is a keen eye born of trauma and suffering. She has the ability to notice and record people’s grossest, foulest, emptiest moments. These pictures of “the Husks” she keeps for her eyes only. With their secrets and yearnings for something they don’t understand, these two women share similarities that become obvious when their lives intertwine after a serendipitous moment of violence and a snap decision bring them together. Heidin and Slater’s riveting novel offers a weird, dark, and unsettling tale that deftly creates foreboding. The meandering narrative follows both characters in their parallel lives until they merge into a ferocious unit. Veronica and Anna had traumatic upbringings that led them to self-heal in different ways. While they are now enjoying success, their lives are still filled with plenty of unaddressed hurt. As a result, these damaged women embrace twisted and deranged ideals. The bread and butter of the story is found in the slow revelations about the two characters and their states of mind, revealed to readers in an unassuming way. Instead of lots of gore, ostentatious violence, and scares, there is dramatic, psychological horror with a side of thrills. An unexpected cliffhanger signals that there’s more to come from this remarkable pair of vigilantes.

A gripping, disquieting tale with two unlikely protagonists.