Dark Tides

On the Isle of Man in 2005, friends of 18-year-old Claire Cooper, the narrator of this derivative thriller from Ewan (Safe House), rope her into a reckless act on Hop-tu-naa, as Halloween is known on the island. Claire’s friends want to terrify Edward Caine, a creepy older man, who once employed Claire’s mother as his personal assistant. They plan to break into his mansion and leave an outward pointing footprint in the ash in front of Caine’s fireplace, a sign that someone in his family will soon die. The scheme goes awry, ending in unexpected violence. The consequences of the bloodshed continue through the years until 2014, as the conspirators are picked off one by one. Claire, now a detective constable, insinuates herself into the investigations, crossing many lines in an effort to remain alive and uncover the truth. The plot structure is reminiscent of a score of slasher movies, and Ewan doesn’t do enough that’s new to dispel associations with those familiar tropes. Agent: Vivien Green, Sheil Land Associates (U.K.). (Dec.)