In this riveting paranormal thriller from MacGregor (Black Water
, etc.), Florida psychic Mira Morales, her FBI agent fiancé, Wayne Sheppard, and her 14-year-old daughter, Annie, pay a visit to old friends, Ramona and Jerry Stevens, at their woodland cabin outside Asheville, N.C. Soon after arrival, Mira opens the cabin door to a seemingly pleasant woman who introduces herself as Allie then pulls out a gun. For a stranger, Allie seems to know an awful lot about Mira and Sheppard. When Mira flees to the Stevens' barn, Allie chases her and shoots her in the thigh. Hurting Mira wasn't part of Allie's plan, but it does make it easier to abduct Mira in her Land Rover. While Sheppard and Annie work on tracking Mira down, the story flashes back 15 years to focus on the dysfunctional, wealthy Curry family. These flashbacks are the book's biggest strength, as they present a tantalizing puzzle involving Dean Curry and his power-mad older sister, Allie, and provide a convincing motive for Allie's violent actions. The story works so well as a family drama that the supernatural elements are almost forgotten. Still, Mira's special gift, which later becomes Annie's, turns an already exciting yarn into something truly unusual. Agent, Al Zuckerman at Writers House. (Oct.)
