Eat the Dark    by Joe Schreiber Order:  USA  Can Del Rey, 2007 (2007) Softcover, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Sally Selvadurai Tanglewood Memorial Hospital – just another health care unit closing down, its facilities moved to a brand new state-of-the-art replacement. On the evening to which we are witness, no one is around save a handful of staff: Dr. Walker, a pediatric neurology specialist; Mike Hughes, a medical technician in charge of the MRI and X-ray units; and Jolie Braun, one of the best looking nurses in the hospital. Steve Calhoun, an obnoxious and alcoholic security guard, rounds out the hospital staff. Suddenly this quiet, uneventful last night in the hospital is turned upside down: Frank Snow, a notorious serial killer, is wheeled in through the emergency department with a six-member police escort. Dr. Walker tells his staff that Snow is here for an emergency brain scan because of recurring headaches, and what better place to do it than this facility when no one else is around? Sarah, Mike's wife, unexpectedly arrives with their three year old son Eli. Sarah is convinced that Mike is having an affair with the bombshell Jolie, and wants to confront Mike; she has evidence in the form of a note from Jolie, found in Mike's jacket, and a receipt for some very expensive jewellery. Everything begins to unravel, and the horrific games begin when the hospital's power, and then the generators, fail. Somehow Snow manages to touch every individual to their quick, manipulating them through fear, horror and illusion, to do his bidding, pitting one against the other in a battle for their cooperation. What is Frank's ultimate objective? What is there about Frank that makes the hackles rise, what kind of unnatural being is he? This was an engaging book; it was difficult to put down and the tempo was fast, even heart-thumping, at times. However, in my opinion, as we come to understand Frank Snow a little more, the horror effects are diluted as the scenario becomes more and more bizarre. Schreiber's fantasy doesn't work well enough through the whole book – it is just a little predictable at times. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Fantasy books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews