Friday Reads: Amanda's Room

By Chuck Miceli

There is a storm coming, and her name is Amanda.

When infant Amanda died, her parents abandoned their luxurious home, leaving the room untouched. 18 years later, a small group of clever students stumble upon a anomaly - the atmosphere in Amanda's bedroom is stable and unaffected by outside weather conditions - they convince their brilliant professor to study the incident. Little do they know that they are about to witness the unleashing of a supernatural force - and they may not survive to tell the tale.

Author Chuck Miceli crafts a tightly plotted, swift moving thriller, using an unusual (and terrifyingly effective) weapon: the weather. A fishing trip turns deadly when a water spout suddenly appears, a clear road suddenly becomes icy, a courthouse is literally attacked by cyclone - all these frighteningly familiar scenarios become tools in the hand of a supernatural power. True story: I've had nightmares since reading this book about the water spout. 

But weather is only one part of what's going on: there is the mystery of Amanda's parents, one of the students is accused of murder, and another is presumed dead - but may not be. And Miceli adds lots of fun details about weather tracking and patterns and keeps you guessing about who will survive. Throughout it all is the question: is Amanda trying to communicate? Or is she trying to kill? 

This is a fun, brisk adventure, with a mystery at it's core, and anyone who enjoys old fashioned horror/thrillers is sure to enjoy this one.

Note for younger readers: some strong language, gruesome killings, some sensuality, and one brief bedroom scene.

Disclaimer: This review was part of a book exchange for reviews.

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