Fearful Symmetry

English author Dunn completes his Secret of the Journal series with this stunning fifth and final volume (after Realm of Darkness). Continuing the story of Dr. Matthew Lynes and historian Emma D'Eresby, who met at a Maine University while Emma was studying a 17th-century journal, Dunn brings their mysterious relationship to a satisfactory conclusion and finally explains the full story behind Matthew's long life. Emma and Matthew are the parents of two children who exhibit many of their father's characteristics: able to survive on little sleep and food, whip smart, quick to heal from injuries. Their quiet lives in Maine are disrupted when mysterious forces capture Matthew and force Emma and the children to flee to England. As Emma struggles to keep her life afloat, she and Matthew's family dig deeper into the family history and discover what may have caused Matthew's anomalous traits. Series fans will enjoy this conclusion, but new readers will want to start at the beginning to get the full effect. Many moving parts are tied up, and the writing maintains an intense (though not speedy) pace until the end. Dunn's final book in the series brings it gracefully and inexorably toward a gratifying coda. (Nov.)