Monster’s Chef

At the center of this moderately suspenseful novel from Tervalon (Dead Above Ground) is Monster, a Michael Jackson–like eccentric recluse who has surrounded himself with well-paid flunkies in a remote mountain retreat. Gibson, who is on parole and resides in a halfway house, is a former drug addict determined to stay on the straight and narrow and regain what he lost to his addiction: his wife and his successful New York City restaurant. He earns his keep by cooking for the other halfway house residents. The woman who runs the home, Asha, is impressed by his culinary skills, and she helps Gibson get a job as Monster’s chef—a cooking gig unlike any he’s had, and one that eventually involves dead bodies. Tervalon writes evocatively of eccentricity that borders on madness, but his characters, while believable, aren’t interesting enough to hold readers’ attention. Those who can focus on the psychological components of the story are more likely to be entertained. [em](June) [/em]