Drowned Sorrow (Llumina Press ©2008)
Review by G.L. Giles
Story by Vanessa Morgan

This novel is a well-paced supernatural thriller/mystery that tells the stygian story of Megan Blackwood and her family. After the death of her only son and her devastating divorce that followed on the tragedy’s heals, Megan decides to head to the remote village of Moonlight Creek for some expected rest and recreation. However, all is not as it seems in the water-logged place as she and her daughter and their dog are quick to find out. The plot moves quickly, as the main action in Moonlight Creek takes place in mere days.

The lake at Moonlight Creek and the rain that is almost always continually falling are both personified in more ways than one. I won’t say more here to avoid a Spoiler Alert, but the author does a wonderful job of presenting visual pictures of it. I attribute this to the fact that Morgan is a screenwriter as well as a novelist. She has a great way of presenting the storyline in vivid pictures throughout this novel. I could easily see Drowned Sorrow as a film one day…

The character development is good. The dialogue between Megan and her daughter, Jenna, is frequently very believable verbal sparring. Likewise, their actions are also believable, even in the midst of extraordinary circumstances. Same goes for the dialogue involving the secondary characters. Moreover, you’ll become involved with the characters. You’ll feel the protagonist’s, Megan’s, pain in particular by the time the novel’s ended. Furthermore, great choice for the title, Drowned Sorrow, as it is clearly a double entendre, maybe even a triple entendre before all is said and done.

Other highlights include a great surprise ending, and an “Alternate Beginning” included at the back of the novel. The “Alternate Beginning” has an even darker bent than the beginning Vanessa Morgan decided to use, but I believe Morgan made the correct choice in the one she used because the other might have been giving away too much information at first and not created the exact atmosphere she was looking for and accomplished with the beginning she went with. Plus, I personally like her son being older to begin with.

I hope I’ve whet your appetite enough to pick up a copy of this novel for a fast-paced, possibly even one-sitting, read at 168 pages. I give it a 9 out of 10.

It’s available in paperback and e-book formats. Go to www.drowned-sorrow.com or www.llumina.com for more information.