The Touch

Jessica Kolb can kill people with her mind. She's only done it once, to her brother--an accident, but that doesn't assuage the guilt. She's kept her dark secret hidden, not that anyone would believe her, anyway. But when she discovers someone with the same ability in her small Wisconsin town, she's desperate to know more. Maybe she can finally learn why she's been given this sinister power.

That someone is Claude Weissman, a popular local doctor. Jessica's got a million questions, but talking to him yields no answers, only a deep revulsion that sends her running to throw up. Digging into Weissman's past, Jessica confirms her gut was right: Weissman's a murderer, a conman who fleeces his patients before killing them with his Touch.

While investigating, Jessica befriends the vengeful father of a girl killed by Weissman, and decides to help expose the not-so-good doctor for the monster he is. But their plan is complicated by the arrival of Freyja, a hedonistic wanderer who also possesses the Touch. Freyja might hold the clues to why the trio has been drawn together, but her presence is a distraction Jessica doesn't need, especially with Weissman lurking in wait.

Cunning, sadistic, and able to kill without a trace, Weissman is a terrifying foe. She'll need the Touch to beat him, but she'll need uncommon strength to resist its seductive power.

Adan Berkowitz studied creative writing at Boston University, and has published short stories in several different literary magazines and journals. As a professional freelancer, he's held nearly every writing job imaginable: ghostwriter, reporter, film and music critic, and more. When he's not writing, he enjoys playing guitar, playing poker, and singing karaoke. Berkowitz lives and works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.