SOUL TRACKER

The prolific Myers steadily plugs along, offering competent novels such as this one, which provides glimpses of heaven while exploring the darker side of the supernatural. David Kauffman is a man consumed by grief. His lovely teenage daughter, Emily, has recently committed suicide, or so it seems, until Kauffman finds himself looking into her remarkable violet-blue eyes—in the face of another person. His obsession to discover what really happened to Emily will literally take him to hell and back. David finds an unlikely ally in Dr. Gita Patekar, a thanatologist from Nepal (she studies death and dying). She's employed by the Life After Life program, which claims to be running a series of studies designed to scientifically track the soul after death. Yet something malevolent lurks beneath the surface since, paradoxically, the search for longevity leads to a loss of respect for human life. As David learns that his obsessive love can obliterate his need for personal faith, Gita discovers her need to learn to love, defying her hyperdependence on logic. Myers likes to flirt with disturbing violence (animal lovers will cringe when a bunny is brutalized), but he stops just short of offending his conservative Christian readers. He also includes dialogue supporting the claims of Jesus Christ, which this same audience will appreciate. As usual, Myers fans will not be disappointed. (Sept.)