Fiction/Mystery Review

Places the Dead Call Home
by Paul L. Hall
ISBN-10: 0595410715
Review by Heather Froeschl

I think there comes a time in most people's lives where they want to find a deeper purpose to their existence. To some that means digging into the past to find the truth, and to some it means completing a journey that was begun but not finished. In Paul L. Hall's novel, "Places the Dead Call Home," readers will witness the converging journeys of several people, some on the side of truth and some on the side of hidden guilt.

Jeffrey Bonus has been told all his life that his father couldn't have committed suicide, but he had no way to prove it either way. As a reporter, he was used to uncovering details and doing interviews, so when he decided to finally get to the bottom of his father's death he dug down deep and found just the right people to speak to. Others, with even more pertinent information, were digging down deep too, in order to put a stop to the uncovering of truth. Jeffrey's road trip to interview key witnesses includes several pit stops and interesting highway happenings when he decides to give young Jeanette Koskos a ride. She packs a pistol and some large sums of money, but her persuasion comes strongly from her mouth. He just couldn't say no. Josh Kinkaid is an unsuspecting victim to what will be Jeffrey's attentions and would just as soon stay home tending bar and selling drugs. His cousin Frankie suddenly reenters his life though and convinces him that they need to travel to Mesa Verde and the ancient site of the Anasazi. There, they might find the answer to a cryptic message left in the journal of Josh's mother. They might find out why both of Josh's parents were killed in the parking lot of a gas station years earlier. Several dead family members and synchronistic circumstance lead to all four of the group ending up together and under the surveillance of a certain someone who happened to be there years ago when Jeffrey's father died. With the help of a very twisted individual, this surveillance begins to be a deadly game.

Paul Hall offers up an interesting story in a mystical setting, complete with legends and lore. It is clear that he's done his homework and this leads to a vivid scene, helping the reader to experience the book rather than simply reading it. The depth that his plots present, going back to the past and showing how that all affects his characters is outstanding. This is not just one characters' story but that of many people who are connected in some way...as life itself demonstrates. The work is fast paced and intriguing, enticing readers to turn the pages well into the night. Very well done! I look forward to reading more from Paul Hall in the future.