Presumed Dead

Emily Melton

In the tradition of King and Koontz, first-time novelist Holton, a veteran Chicago cop, offers a mind-bending, this can't be real tale of terror that's both implausible and disturbingly believable. The National Science and Space Museum is a (fictional) Chicago landmark, but there's always been an air of mystery about the small island behind the building, where nearly 200 people have disappeared since the beginning of the century. A drug bust gone wrong refocuses public attention on the long-forgotten disappearances, and Commander Larry Cole, leader of the doomed drug bust, becomes curious about those who have vanished. But there's more to worry about than disappearing Chicagoansa sleazy local developer has decided to turn the museum grounds into another Disneyland, and the museum's curator is determined to stop him at any cost. When Cole and an attractive female detective team up, they discover an incredible secret hidden behind the museum's famous facade. Thumbs up for mostly skillful writing, a can't put it down story line, an ingenious if sometimes unlikely plot, and plenty of spine-tingling thrills and chills. This one's sure to be popular.