Skull Session

Daniel Hecht

Jim sent this book to me and he was very certain I'd like it. He was, without question, correct. Skull Session is a mystery, but more than that it's an examination of those people in our world who live with neurological dysfunctions such as Tourette's Syndrome. The protagonist, Paul, is one such person. He's lived his life with this disease, he's learned to manipulate it just as it manipulates him, and to some degree, he's learned to control it, but never quite to overcome it.

When you meet him he's in period of down on his luck, between jobs, between marriages, and trying to adjust his future. He gets a call from a relative, a distant Aunt he's not spoken to for years. She owns an old hunting lodge and it seems she's abandoned it for the time being and she needs someone to "do some repairs" over the winter in preparation for her return. Paul's skills, among other things, are carpentry and she calls on him to utilize his knowledge and ability. She offers a great sum of money in return for his agreeing to do so and thus the story begins. He knows this lodge, he spent much of his childhood there, and he knows that somewhere within its dark walls is an even darker secret, steeped in evil and layered in deception. But nothing prepares him for what he see's upon his first look at the lodge, and this is where Hecht sets the hook, because as the reader, you can't quite believe what is on the pages before you. The mystery begins in full at this point and you're introduced to a stage of players from whom you get to play the ultimate "who dun it". Hecht is skillful and wise in his execution of this novel, I never saw the ending coming and when it did, it was one of those moments of pure surprise. This is a mystery with some real meat to it, some parts are not for the faint of heart. But if you're looking for a novel which will keep you up at night, this is one such book. Highly recommended.