I am a huge fan of Mae Clair, having wandered happily through pretty much everything she’s written. Take a pinch of history, a curse or time-traveling threat, a touch of the supernatural and a whole lot of mystery and you have one of her books!
A Desolate Hour is the last in her Point Pleasant series, but you don’t need to read the first or second to enjoy this one – the creepiness is nicely explained as the story unfolds. This book is a superb ending to the series.
Something happened in the area in 1777 – the brutal murder of a Shawnee Chief who cursed the town of Point Pleasant with his dying breath. At the same point in time, a man named Obadiah Creech (great name!) performed a ceremony of evil incantation in revenge for the death of his wife, and Jonathan Marsh happened upon it.
Over the years, the town has been devastated by a series of catastrophes and is barely managing to stay alive as a result. Adding to its sad history are the sightings over the centuries of a supernatural being the townspeople call the Mothman, an enormous alien being with huge wings and dazzling red eyes.
Living now in Point Pleasant is a descendant of Obadiah Creech – Shawn Creech, former winning dirt-track racer but now a day laborer and a drunk, being divorced by his wife for domestic violence. Quentin Marsh, a descendant of Jonathan Marsh, arrives in town to see if he can determine why, when twins are born into his family, one of them always meets disaster. His sister is carrying twins and wants him to discover the nature of the curse and why their family is involved. Was his ancestor involved in the killing of the Shawnee Chief?
Sarah Sherman, a historian working at the town library, helps Quentin in his search. Although she doesn’t believe in curses, she feels compelled to use her knowledge of Point Pleasant to uncover the long-buried truth, perhaps because she and Quentin possess eerily similar family heirlooms. As the two of them dig into the past, Shawn Creech become possessed by an evil spirit linked to Obadiah’s hunting knife. The deeper Sarah and Quentin go in their search, the more the ancient mystical forces surrounding Point Pleasant become enraged.
I’d love to say more, but I want the reader to discover the enjoyment of a good read for themselves.
As I’ve said with previous books, Mae Clair has crafted a gem of a creepy thriller about supernatural occurrences and a centuries-old monster. The tale is chilling, but not particularly gory. I loved the characters, so well-drawn, and the author is supremely talented at physical descriptions, which add color and atmosphere to the overall tension of the story. There are many twists and turns in the plot, and I couldn’t wait for the author to resolve all the questions she created for me. This is one book a reader cannot put down, and I highly recommend it.
About the author
A member of the Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers, Mae loves creating character driven fiction in settings that weave contemporary elements of mystery and suspense with urban legend and folklore. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania, and is passionate about writing, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail and cats.
You can find her
On twitter: @maeclair1
On the internet at: https://maeclair.net/
And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maeclairauthor/
A Desolate Hour is on Amazon:
For what it’s worth, I loved this entire series. Great stories.
Craig, I am not surprised!
Craig, thanks so much for stopping by to add your support. I am so thrilled by Noelle’s review, and having others share their recommendations for A Desolate Hour and my PP series!
Well deserved.
This was a fabulous book in a fabulous series. So nice to see it getting some love here today.
I always love on her books! Thanks for stopping by!
Staci, thanks so much for visiting with Noelle to share your thoughts. I am so excited about her review and am thrilled by the support of so many great comments!
Great to see Mae Clair’s book featured today! It’s always a pleasure to read one of her books, and this one was no exception! Sharing! 🙂
Hi, Marcia. What a delight to find this review, and also find friends dropping by to share their thoughts about A Desolate Hour. I couldn’t be happier!
I couldn’t read this post, Noelle, because I haven’t read the book yet. Lol. I read #1 and plan to finish the series soon. I’m certain it’s going to wonderful. 🙂
Diana, thank you so much. I hope you enjoy the remainder of the series with the conclusion, A Desolate Hour. I am so excited by Noelle’s review!
I’m sure I will!
I just bought both. 🙂 I’ll definitely get to them this month.
Wow, thank you. And you are high on my list, too. Honestly, I need more hours in the day for reading!
I know how it is, trust me. I enjoy series because I can get so immersed. Looking forward to it.
Hi Diana: I didn’t really give a lot away – it might serve to whet your appetite even more!
Ha ha ha. I never even read blurbs. Isn’t that weird? I pick up a book and just start reading.
Wow! What a wonderful surprise to find your review of A Desolate Hour, Noelle. This made my day. I am so delighted you enjoyed the story and the wrap to the series. I seriously miss visiting with the Mothman, LOL. Thank you!!
What an outstanding character! I really felt badly for it! Another review will be forthcoming soon.
WOW! Thank you!!
I’m a Mae Clair fan too, Noelle! Great review.
Aww, thanks, Bette. Much appreciated!
Pingback: Noelle Granger Reviews: A Desolate Hour by Mae Clair (@maeclair1) #paranormal mystery #historical fiction | Sue Vincent's Daily Echo
Terrific review! That’s one more for the TBR tower.
Thanks for the pingback and I’ve got one of those leaning towers too!