cover image Little Boy Lost

Little Boy Lost

T. M. Wright. Tor Books, $18.95 (247pp) ISBN 978-0-312-93172-8

Six years ago Miles Gale's first wife was murdered. Three years later his second wife disappeared. Now his youngest son has vanished from the back seat of their car. Seeking clues in the disturbing pattern of events, the police are unwittingly led by Gale's second wife, Marie, a demoness who can traverse time and cloud men's minds. Marie killed Gale's first wife so she could have a son by him, and has now claimed the boy. Wright ( The Place ) fails to convince: there are so many loose threads that the plot seems never to have been woven, and attempts at characterization seem limited to players who make only cameo appearances. This effort to straddle the horror/fantasy boundary disappoints in both genres. (June)