matthewsitlerCheck out this great review of my novel via Australian reader Darin Draper:
“In The Night Wandering, author Matthew Sitler has created a gripping and original novel laid out like a crumb trail for the reader to follow with its twists and turns towards a remarkable and truly unexpected ending.
Set in the Muskoka District of Canada, the earthly aspect of the plot unfolds in and around historical manors, pristine wilderness areas, a vast lake with its secluded coves and boat houses, and even a snow-covered ski village.
It is the end of the tourist season as most of the tourists depart and the weather starts to chill, setting the tone for a thrilling and unpredictable read.
Mysterious events and psi phenomena hint at the existence of parallel universes or perhaps visitors from other planets. Mutilated dogs, gruesome killings, ghostly visitations, teleportation, psychic knowledge, time slips, shamanic ritual, and strange objects hovering in the sky, all mark the unearthly sub plot of this novel.
Two of the novel’s main characters, journalists Ethan Charlish and Saara Khan set out to investigate the murder of two local women and end up discovering way more than they could possibly have anticipated on their bizarre and terrifying journey as they become entangled in a life-and-death struggle with nefarious underworld figures and dark unseen forces.
Other characters, colloquially rich and well developed, bring an air of realism cleverly set against an ongoing exploration of the fundamental nature of time and space, of reality itself.
There’s Ronnie Watson, champion gamer whose exploits in the virtual world merge into the real, yet as the novel unfolds the seeming real world begins to break up and the reader is left with nowhere to stand as Ronnie pursues his mission to avenge the cruel treatment of his childhood orphan companions, used like laboratory rats in some strange and secret government research project.
There’s “the Baboushka” a demonic, otherworldly creature disguised as an old cleaning lady with an appetite for human sacrifice.
Essentially a mystery novel, Sitler takes the reader to the limits of what is real, and then beyond. For example, another character, Francois, speaking about some of the strange phenomena being experienced in the district says “from what we can gather, they believe it is consciousness itself that is the phenomenon – that we are but a subset of reality and that everything is in consciousness”.
These metaphysical sentiments pop-up frequently throughout the novel and add superbly to the unpredictable and pacey plot leaving the reader grasping for the final explanation until the very last page.
This novel will appeal to mature readers especially those interested in mystery novels, in the paranormal, psi phenomena, or UFOs.
I enjoyed this novel very much and would give it a star rating of 8 out of 10.”
Darin Draper – Twitter: Sunyata @darin_draper
Purchase ‘The Night Wandering’ here