Title: Dead Serious
Author: Jerry L. Lane
Publisher: Independently published
ASIN: 979-8296850355
Pages: 164
Genre: Fiction / Mystery / Thriller & Suspense
Reviewer: Jack Chambers
Hollywood Book Reviews
At a time when the world feels darker than ever and people are desperate to find hope again, people spend a lot of time debating and asking themselves where that hope can come from. Perhaps from the discovery of a new hobby or a new possible romance, or maybe the promise of a reunion with a loved one thought lost, or even a prospective new job. When the world collapses around a person, finding solace or hope is the driving force that keeps one going.
In author Jerry L. Lane’s Dead Serious, the author explores hope in a hopeless world through the town of Prosperity. In a world which feels more dystopian by the day, the small Southern California town is considered peaceful and idyllic, until one day when tragedy after tragedy begins to hit the townspeople. Years later, when a new set of tragedies unfold, a renowned scientist returns to her hometown to discover the cause, hoping to use science to develop a way of stopping more untold deaths. However, her investigation takes dramatic turns, and science may not hold all the answers as a larger, darker presence makes itself known to her and the people of Prosperity. It’s all tied to a darker secret the town buried years before.
The visceral imagery the author pours into every chapter was superb in bringing the tense atmosphere juxtaposed against the serene town of Prosperity to life. The book is more of a novella than a full novel, and yet the pacing keeps readers fully immersed in the narrative and enthralled with every twist and turn the story takes. The story becomes very character driven, with not only Acire becoming a remarkable protagonist that embodied the story’s central themes so greatly, but her relationship with Robin Jr. becoming the heart and drive of her emotional journey as well makes this story truly shine.
For those who enjoy the fiction genre, especially those that envelope aspects such as romance, mysteries, suspense, and thrillers – this story is the perfect fit. The harrowing developments as the protagonist uncovers more and more disturbing secrets and the way the author showcased how even the most perfect small towns are not immune to the pressures and darkness of the outside world is phenomenal to read about The way that translated into the darkness the protagonist faced and the way humanity’s ability to find hope and light within itself to face the darkness makes the story feel both relatable and engaging all at once.