DARK PRAYER Review

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My thoughts....4 stars

Eloise Blake isn’t who she appears to be. She’s actually Jenilee Gray, surviving daughter of a brilliant memory scientist murdered in her home when Jenilee was five. Eloise is Jenilee in a fugue state. Her skill sets are all intact but she has no personal memories of Jenilee. Her looks, personality, everything is different.

So, is someone actually trying to kill her or are they simply random accidents?

Jack Simonetti is a poor little rich boy. His father, Leon, is controlling, manipulative, and distant. His mother died in a car accident. Jack is a wastrel, no purpose or goal. After his last less than stellar episode involving a bar fight captured by paparazzi Leon gives him an ultimatum. Jack is sent to England to help Leon’s old friend, Daniel Barone, retired scientist, recover his missing ward.  That missing ward happens to be the fugue sufferer, Eloise.

DARK PRAYER is categorized under literature, mystery/thriller, and occult. All those tags apply but they don’t quite capture the allure of DARK PRAYER.  The wonderful writing helps ease the fact that the mystery is a no-brainer. Even someone who rarely reads mysteries would easily figure out who is behind the attempts on Eloise’s life and probably the why behind it. But that isn’t the whole answer. Combine the writing with what you think and feel while reading. That’s where the allure lies. Ms. Mostert introduces new ideas and/or views to the table. Memory isn’t something I’ve given a lot of thought so the various opinions on memory and its effects on a person were fascinating even before you consider the religious/mystical overtones.  In fact, DARK PRAYER raises thought provoking questions about memory and so much more.

As interesting as the present was, Eloise’s fugue state and Jack’s efforts to befriend and protect her, what intrigued me the most was Mnemosyne and its members.

All this brilliance focused on memory, the differences in the ways they approach it, see it, and their end goals. These five people, their actions, and their transgressions, the repercussions of which are being played out now, years later.

One of my favorite lines is when Eloise is told by a former member that her mother, Julianne, was corrupted by love. It was so utterly fitting, corrupted by love.

DARK PRAYER is thoughtful and thought provoking, making me consider things I’d never really paid much mind to. This puts Ms. Mostert at the top of my “new to me” authors list. Looking forward to seeing if her other works live up to DARK PRAYER.