This Plague of Souls

A man ponders his missing family’s whereabouts in this spare metaphysical mystery from Irish author McCormack (Solar Bones). Acquitted at trial on multiple counts of identity theft, artist and carpenter John Nealon returns from jail to his West Ireland farm, eager to reunite with his wife, Olwyn, and young son, Cuan, following months in police custody. Instead, he finds their house dark, cold, and empty of both people and belongings other than his own. The only person who seems to know or care about Nealon’s homecoming is an anonymous stranger who telephones constantly, asking for an in-person chat to “compare notes.” After several days, Nealon finally relents and agrees to meet the caller. He’s heading to Galway for the rendezvous when news breaks on the radio about a nationwide security alert that’s grounded flights and restricted other means of travel. In the shadow of that news, Nealon meets his caller and begins a winding, increasingly discomfiting back-and-forth. Evocative prose conjures vivid images of the brooding Irish countryside and Nealon’s bleak existence, but by eschewing context, catharsis, or anything resembling a conclusion in favor of setting and mood, McCormack delivers more of a half-cooked literary exercise than a full-fledged novel. While certainly distinctive, this is likely to leave readers wanting more. Agent: Marianne Gunn O’Conner, Marianne Gunn O’Conner Creative. (Jan.)