Synopsis (from
the publisher):
Loch Ness holds secrets, ancient and deadly. Does a monster inhabit its
depths, or is it just myth? Why, after thousands of reported sightings
and dozens of expeditions, is there still no hard evidence? Marine
biologist Zachary Wallace knows, but the shock of his near-drowning as
a child on Loch Ness has buried all memories of the incident. Now, a
near-death experience suffered while on expedition in the Sargasso Sea
has caused these long-forgotten memories to re-surface. Haunted by
vivid night terrors, stricken by a sudden fear of the water, Zach finds
he can no longer function as a scientist. Unable to cope, his career
all but over, he stumbles down a path of self-destruction...until he
receives contact from his estranged father...a man he has not seen
since his parents' divorced and he left Scotland as a boy.
Angus Wallace, a wily Highlander who never worked an honest day in his
life, is on trial for murdering his business partner. Only Zachary can
prove his innocence - if he is innocent, but to do so means confronting
the nightmare that nearly killed him seventeen years earlier.
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The Loch
Non-series
Steve
Alten
Tsunami Books (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-9761659-2-9 (0976165929)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9761659-2-7 (9780976165927)
Publication Date: April 2006
List Price: $14.95
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Review: One of
the best aspects of Steve Alten's latest thriller, The Loch, is that he takes a rather
preposterous premise and makes it believable.
The blending of factual and fictional material as crafted by Alten for
the book is both fascinating and credible. That he is able to
seamlessly incorporate all this into an admittedly convoluted plot is
all the more astounding. There are several mysteries intertwined here:
historical, psychological, physical, and personal. And they are all
brought neatly together in a satisfying manner in the final chapters of
the book.
Though it is highly unlikely that Alten is planning a series based on
Zach Wallace, the central character of The Loch, he should consider it.
Zach is an engaging character and there are no doubt many more
mysteries of the sea on which he could use his sleuthing abilities.
Special thanks to Blanco & Peace for providing a copy of The Loch for this review.
Review Copyright © 2006 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read The Loch? How would you rate it?
Novels by this author …
Goliath
Forge (Hardcover), July 2002
ISBN-10: 0765300648 (0765300648)
ISBN-13: 9780765300645 (9780765300645)
The Loch
Tsunami Books (Trade Paperback), April 2006
ISBN-10: 0-9761659-2-9 (0976165929)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9761659-2-7 (9780976165927)
The
Shell Game
Sweetwater Books (Hardcover), January 2008
ISBN-10: 1599550946 (1599550946)
ISBN-13: 9781599550947 (9781599550947)
Omnimystery keywords for The Loch ...
Location(s) referenced: Scotland.
