THE
STOLEN ONES
By
Richard Montanari
My
first foray into Montanari’s work left me breathless. This author brought me
through catacombs, surreptitious tales of old, and the psychopathic mind of a
killer.
The
Delaware Valley State Prison at Cold River was the home of some
unfortunate—albeit mentally challenged—innocents and those who preyed upon
them. Cold River was closed decades before the murder of a businessman brought
Detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano into an exploration of one of
Philadelphia’s infamous earlier periods. Beginning in Priory Park, Kevin and
Jessica rush around trying to stop further murders of people who may be
connected to Cold River in one way or the other. Luther, one of Cold River’s
past patients, ultimately wants one thing: the young girl that Kevin and
Jessica find standing in the middle of the street in the center of night.
The
girl won’t or can’t speak and the detectives do what they can to help the
child. Because they have no idea who she is, they name her Violet after one of
the streets she was near when they found her.
Dreams
take a major role in this novel, so do The Dream Merchants, who were once
dominant at Cold River, creating killers through dream manipulation. And Violet
is one of Luther’s connections to the past.
Symbolic
to his dreams are spoons he leaves at murder scenes, spoons that could have
been found at Cold River when it was operable.
There
are twists and turns in this novel and I warn you to pay attention to the small
details sprinkled throughout. But the major twists are turns are at the end and
you won’t see them coming.
I
will never look at dreams the same after reading “The Stolen Ones.” Creepy and
definitely compelling.
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