Season of the Snake Book

With a title like this, how could I not at least pick the book up as I was browsing at Schwartz in February? When I turned to the back cover and saw that the first paragraph of advance praise for this book had been penned by Mark Spragg, I was in. Had to read it. {Spragg is another of my bedrock favorites.}

The words "Proustian", "literary" and "thriller" don't usually find themselves seat mates applauding for the same story, but in this case, the descriptives are apt, and as usual, following Mark Spragg into a story is not a mistake.

This is a story of sisters and heartbreaking fate and of the convincing disguises worn by predators against even shrewd intelligent eyes. The narrative moves from LaCrosse Wisconsin to the western stretches of Utah, unfolding with calculated stealth and mesmerizing detail. With a psychological subtlety which compellingly paints the dance between self doubt and skillful deception, Davis illumines the risks inherent in trust. She has a fine appreciation for the interplay between intelligence and our too-easily silenced inner voices, and for the power of deliberate charm to topple the balance between the two, to our peril.

This story is a haunting reflection on the hopes and vulnerabilities of the human heart, writ with clean incisive clarity. Davis is one of those writers who honed her craft by studying poetry. I've never been able to resist writers who tangle keen insight with lyrical language, and I'm looking forward to reading more from her.