Author: Glenn Porzig
Publisher: Graphic Entertainment
Genre: Occult/Supernatural Fiction
Unique Elements: Supernatural Detective, Undead Occult Killer
Series: Darkness Unbound, Book #3
Release Date: August 19, 2016
Number of Page: 113 Pages
MSRP: $8.99
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Website: Click Here
Purchase Site: Click Here
Reviewed by: Reverend Leviathan
Final Score: 3.5 Moons (out of 5)
Is an occult killer reaching out from beyond the grave and claiming new victims? Detective Drake revisits a serial killer from his past. Is it a wannabe who is paying tribute to the former murderer, or has his spirit truly possessed someone and is longing to return to his life of killing? Drake fears the latter…
Story
A different approach in the third book of the Darkness Unbound series is that the story does not begin with supernatural or occult happenings. Detective Drake appears to be just a regular cop, now sticking to things like drug busts and staying away from the bizarre. But all of that will soon change when a new couple moves into the neighborhood.
Christopher and Jessica Clarke buy a house and some strange things begin happening. A shadow man is witnessed by Jessica and the couple decides to have ghost hunters survey their home, which turns out to be the former home of the occult serial killer, Lee Miller. A psychic medium verifies that the spirit of Lee Miller resides in the house, but what’s to keep him behind those four walls? Chris seems a little out of character after the shadow man incident, and at one point goes to a strip club. A stripper begins flirting with him and he says, “You can call me…Lee.”
Detective Drake ends up on the scene of a homicide. A stripper’s body is found in a dumpster and he can’t help but notice the similarities of the victim’s death and how Lee Miller treated his victims. Another body shows up later, again similar to Miller’s victims. Then on the year anniversary of Miller’s death his grave is discovered exhumed and the skull removed from the coffin. What is the detective up against: the spirit of Lee Miller or a copycat? If it’s the former, how will he stop him?
Dynamics
Shadow of Death didn’t pull me in right away as did the other books in the series, however it definitely caught me once familiar names started showing up. It’s very important that one read Lady in Black before reading this in order to better understand the setting and characters. I really enjoyed the idea that the killer I was first introduced to was now trying to come back by way of possession. I expected Sister Marian would show up and indeed she did in a most bizarre way.
Detective Drake was a very important character in this story. Porzig focused a lot on him, his life and mannerisms, almost more so than the antagonist. While the other books in the series held a lot of occult happenings, this was more mystery than supernatural. Was Chris truly possessed by Miller? If so, did he have total control of him or was Chris actually himself at times? It was written in a way that the reader really didn’t know until the end.
The ending worked well for the story (and for now, the series). Nothing really leaves you hanging aside from the mystery of Sister Marian. By the time I put the book down, I felt that Detective Drake had been established as a character that will continue to show up, and I do hope that the Darkness Unbound series will not end with this.
Gothic Fit
An occult murderer who was once possessed by a demon is now himself possessing a man and causing him to kill people in the same style; very appealing to my Gothic nature. The Gothic reader would appreciate the mystery behind this story, especially its supernatural elements.
Closing Thoughts
The final book of the Darkness Unbound series revisits the story that started it all and, although not as strong as the preceding two books, is a worthwhile conclusion!
Story: 4.0 Moons (out of 5)
Dynamics: 3.0 Moons (out of 5)
Gothic Fit: 4.5 Moons (out of 5)
Final Score (not an average): 3.5 Moons (out of 5)
