UK Publishing Date: 1 Sept 2015. 234 pages.
“Hanover House” is a digital prequel to a new suspense series by Brenda Novak. At 234 pages it is described as a novella to set the scene for the rest of the Hanover House chronicles.
As a teen Evelyn was terrorized by her High School sweetheart Jasper. After Prom night he killed her friends and left her for dead after days of torture in a wooden shack that had been their “place”. The physical injuries were horrendous but it was the psychological effects that have had a lasting effect on her. Despite an extensive search by police Jasper was never found and Evelyn suspected that he was still alive. Just waiting for the opportunity to get to her.
As a result Evelyn has made it her life’s work to uncover what makes a psychopath tick. She is a renowned expect in her field trying to work out why they do what they do, attempting to isolate whether nature or nurture have anything to contribute to the birth of an antisocial maniac.
After much wrangling Evelyn has got government support to set up a secure psychiatric prison where she can assemble these characters in one location and analyze their psyche and behaviour. Serial killers and anti-social monsters who have managed to blend into society until their crimes have been revealed.
Hanover House is given the go ahead and a location is found in the sleepy town of Hilltop, Alaska. Hilltop is a fairly isolated community about an hour from Fairbanks and it’s fair to say that not all the locals are particularly keen on the unit opening. Even the local State Trooper has been quite open about his opposition.
This book is largely scene-setting for the main event. “Her Darkest Nightmare” will be the first full book in the series and is currently penciled in for a September 2016 release. The series shows a lot of promise. Evelyn is an interesting character. A tough cookie who has been through an awful lot and is still looking over her shoulder. This novella sets her up as a character and introduces us to her family and the local people of Hilltop. Her attraction to the much younger State Trooper, Amarok, is an interesting diversion and of course there is still the threat of Jasper. Still out there, unwilling to let Evelyn go.
Supplied by Net Galley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
You can buy the book here: Hanover House: Kickoff to the Hanover House Chronicles
Categories: 4 Stars Book Review
angelnet69
Prolific reader, enthusiastic theatre and movie-goer and ex-Olivier Awards judge who spent twenty years working in the music industry in London. Sharing my house with a gorgeous cockapoo called Harry who has taken over completely.
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