Number 25- The leaves forget- Alan Baxter

This is a new novella by the ever reliable Alan Baxter. He's a very versatile writer. The first of his I read was the Roo- a comic horror about a killer Roo.  Since then I've read a really excellent Lovecraftian cosmic horror novella, a pair of novella collections that were truly chilling and put me off mushrooms for life, an action packed supernatural thriller, and now this, which is different again.

Craig's sister Olivia went missing six months ago. When a neighbor returns from a long stretch abroad and gives him 15 letters from Olivia which had been addressed to the wrong flat, he finally has a clue where to find her, and he travels with his family to rescue her.

This is a novella of two halves.  the first half is the letters, and the second half is the rescue mission. Olivia has been taken in by a cult and is in very deep danger. The clock is ticking as to whether they can find her in time, if she's still alive.

It's a fast paced read, I got through it in just a couple of hours. The opening chapter turned my internal narrator Australian and it stayed that way throughout. 

The supernatural elements are nicely incorporated piecemeal into the narrative. They help the story build to a violent and shocking dénouement. 

It's a good fun read that will keep you entertained for a couple of hours. The characters are well drawn and sympathetic. Their relationships feel genuine which adds a whole nother level of nuance to the story.

This is a typically good Alan Baxter book.  I have  a growing selection on my TBR pile so there will be more in the near future.