Helltracks - Softcover

Nolan, William F.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 038075746X ISBN 13: 9780380757466

Publisher: Avon Books, 1991

Synopsis

As, one by one, people on train platforms begin disappearing without a trace--the victims of a phantom train--a psychotic serial killer travels through the state on a rampage of slaughter

About this title

From Publishers Weekly:

Made up of two seemingly disconnected stories (which finally get connected by the thinnest thread), this is the entertaining yet not fully satisfying horror debut by the author of Logan's Run. The first story concerns the sheep-ranching Ventry family of MontanaAwidower Paul, son Josh (who has ranching in his blood) and daughter Amy (who doesn't). One day, Amy hops a train for the bright lights of Cheyenne. She never arrives, but she does drop Dad a postcard from an isolated depot saying that she's boarding a black steamer train just after midnight. Of course, no steamers run in the area. Her father decides (correctly, as it turns out) that the steamer is responsible for her disappearance and becomes obsessed with tracking down the evil engine. The second story is told through the journal of Edward Michael Timmons, an attractive man with "innocent charm" who's also a colder-than-ice serial killer. Eddie considers himself a rational guy with a minor personality disorderAa compulsion to kill. With the help of pseudo-sciences like past-life knowledge and astrology, he thinks he can quit killingAjust like he managed to quit smoking. The two stories finally merge in an unimaginative grand finale laden with supernatural special effects. Nolan delivers a technically proficient narrative; however, apart from Eddie, who's an extraordinarily rendered, fascinating monster, the characters are one-dimensionalA and even Eddie's story, after his final mistake, gets predictable. This bifurcated novel moves fast and never derails, but the ride it offers is bumpy. (July)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Avon Books
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 038075746X
• ISBN 13: 9780380757466
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256