Dark Country

"Anyone liking a tense mystery with elements of the supernatural, a villain who believes himself about to become a god, and a heroine who swears she'll prevent it while at the same time acknowledging her own weaknesses, will read Dark Country and demand more. Thankfully, the sequel, False Prophet, is already on the way." ~New York Journal of Books

From multi-Bram Stoker Award Nominee Monique Snyman, Dark Country highlights the multicultural mythologies, magic, histories, beauty, and horror of living in pseudo-modern South Africa.

Too often people mistake monsters for gods.

When a ravaged corpse is discovered in Pretoria, South Africa, Esm Snyder-an occult-crime expert-is called in to investigate. But she doesn't know the scope of what she's up against. Esm is the target of a cat-and-mouse game with a serial killer who uses the paranormal to do his bidding, with the intent of becoming a god on Earth.

With assistance from her team-a brusque detective, eccentric millionaire, stoic priest, hawkeyed secretary, and handsome British forensic criminologist-Esm hopes to find the killer before he strikes again.

But the clock isn't all that's working against them. The media catches wind of the threat against the citizens of Pretoria, and their reported speculations promise a post-Apartheid Satanic Panic.

As the body count grows, Esm must figure out who is behind the heinous crimes before she ends up the final sacrifice.

* * * * *

"A blend of horror and thriller components make Dark Country a thoroughly compelling, edge-of-your-seat read. As mythology, history, and cultural relations coalesce, Snyman excels in an ability to bring both the investigative and the supernatural potions of the story to life against a backdrop of South African culture. "A fictional tale with one foot in reality," the story tackles issues of magic, belief systems, and their impact. The broader meanings of good, evil, and crime-fighting efforts elevate Dark Country in delightfully unexpected ways, lending to its appeal to a broader audience than readers of supernatural horror or crime-solving alone." ~Midwest Book Review

"While reading an author without prior exposure, certain resistances and preconceived notions are prevalent and skepticism rears its ugly head. Allow me to be the first to go on record and say faithful readers, believe the hype; believe every last word. Few can deny that fear is an ultimate aphrodisiac and Dark Country delivers from cover to cover. Snyman's prose are infectious from page one. The tell-tale sign of an effective storyteller is when a reader is so enthralled, he or she doesn't even realize they're reading a story. Perhaps what is most noteworthy is the elusive presence of the serial killer. The author seems to firmly grasp just how effective the elements of less is more. It is often what is read between the lines that is the true horror. Snyman takes the audience along a psychological winding path, knowing full well, as reluctant as we are, we'll follow each step of the way. The feedback is unanimous, the word of Monique Snyman is here to stay." ~HorrorNews.net