Scream by Mike Dellosso Published by: Realms Fiction (2009) 301 pages Rating: 6/10 Buy it Now:

Mark Stone, an auto mechanic and failed husband, has his life changed forever by a cell phone call. While talking to a friend, the call is suddenly interrupted by screams - not just any screams, but bloodcurdling screams of absolute despair, pain and horror. Mere seconds later, Mark's friend is dead, victim of a terrible accident.

At first, Mark chalks the screams up to some bizarre prank or interference on the cell lines. But then it happens again - a call is interrupted by the screams, and the person on the other end of the call abruptly dies. It's clearly not a coincidence. Is it some kind of elaborate serial killer plot, or perhaps something... spiritual? At the same time this is happening, several women are kidnapped by a mysterious figure who clearly is not planning anything in their best interests.

Mark desperately searches for the source of the screams, but then his search becomes horrifyingly personal and immediate. The last quarter of the book composes the truly intense climax as Mark discovers the true source of the screams and his purpose in hearing them.

From the start, the concept of this book sounded really intriguing. The first guess you make about the source of the screams is probably correct, but the reason behind it is much harder to deduce. It makes for very vivid illustration of a crucial spiritual truth, and works very well into the overall storyline.

Unfortunately, much of the suspense in the rest of the story is somewhat predictable. The villain is telegraphed in the first chapter, and there's never much doubt as to his identity. There are also a few too many overused suspense methods, such as ending chapters on a cliffhanger that appears to say one thing, when the reality is something else that won't be revealed until several paragraphs into the next chapter. It's a bait-and-switch tactic that is somewhat annoying unless handled supremely well.

The mystery isn't that mysterious, but the spiritual element is interesting enough to make up for it, for the most part. It kept me reading, anyway. Mildly Recommended.