Séance Infernale

November 1, 2017

Alex Whitman is tasked with finding the first motion picture film ever created. A man named Augustin Sekuler supposedly made a short narrative film, Seance Infernale, in Edinburgh in 1888 (years before Edison or the Lumiere brothers). For Alex, this is a doubly difficult endeavor since his daughter was kidnapped in Edinburgh more than ten years ago and was never found. Meanwhile, a serial killer in Edinburgh has started leaving charred child-victims after a decade-long absence. After Alex finds a copy of Seance Infernale and views it, he discovers a friend dead and mutilated in his Edinburgh home. Now, running from police and a group of killers, Alex, a colleague, and a rogue policewoman try to figure out how the current serial killer is using inspiration from the film. MacLeod Andrews narrates effectively, and his Scottish and French accents are accurate. Skariton's debut is hindered by its convoluted story line, odd pacing, and uneven character development. Gruesome scenes of exceptional violence on children will put off squeamish listeners. VERDICT This audiobook will find a home with fans of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and lovers of the macabre. All others can avoid it. ["A fast and entertaining read for those who enjoy dark thrillers": LJ 8/17 review of the Knopf hc.]--Jason L. Steagall, Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI

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