The night Marny Toogood was born it rained axheads and hammer handles. His grandfather … said it … meant Marny’s life would be full of rain clouds and lightning strikes … One week after Marny’s birth his grandfather died of a heart attack.
Twenty-six years and a couple of lifetimes of hurt later, Marny found himself … living above the garage .. It was nothing special, but it was a place to lay his head at night and dream about the dark cloud that stalked him.
Franticby Mike Dellosso begins with one of best names for a main character since Dean Koontz gave us Odd Thomas. From the moment we meet Marny Toogood we know exactly what his story will be about; a young man struggling through life with the ultimate dark cloud over his head.
But when Marny spies a note with the words “HE’S GOING TO KILL ME,” his story is suddenly about more than just him. Marny works at a gas station, and he’s sure the note has been left behind by a young woman he remembers as having “eyes as blue as the summer sky, but so sad and empty”.
From the moment Marny gets in his car to pursue the woman and whoever has taken her, nothing will ever be the same. Now the man who keeps telling anyone who will listen that is he is no hero must find some way to escape that cloud and his own doubts. The chase that ensues will include more than one heartless villain, the young woman and her disabled brother to save, and a faith that has eluded him most of his life.
There are already some great reviews of Frantic out there so I’ll leave analysis of the novel to others. Instead, allow me to focus on a theme Mike Dellosso has been pursuing and perfecting throughout his previous four thrillers.Consider the main characters in his previous four novels:
Joe Saunders (The Hunted) – When his nephew turns up missing Joe is drawn back to a place he would just as soon forget. Joe returns to the site of a personal failure that has haunted him for years and the love he walked away from without looking back
Mark Stone (Scream) – Mark’s marriage is on the rocks and it’s his fault. The hope of seeing things made right seems futile almost from the beginning. As though that isn’t enough to distract a man, Stone has even bigger problems.
Rob Shields (Darlington Woods) – When Rob shows up to claim a house left to him by an aunt he never met he finds her home town of Mayfield a bit odd. But when he begins to have dreams that his supposedly dead son is still alive he faces darkness he feels he has no power to overcome.
Sam Travers (Darkness Follows) – is an ordinary guy desperately trying to preserve his sense of purpose in the months following an accident at work that has left him physically disabled and he fears, losing his mind.
What do Joe Saunders, Mark Stone, Rob Shields and Sam Travers have in common? They are ordinary guys with obvious flaws who have encountered monsters the rest of us hope to never have to face. But, author Mike Dellosso wants us to know we do all face monsters of one sort or another. And, we all are ordinary people in need of faith and light.
Perhaps you’re a Marny Toogood, dogged by past failures and disappointments. I’m sure Mike would tell you like his character, William, to have faith in Someone beyond yourself. To hear more from Mike on this, take a look at Focus on Mike Dellosso.
If you have read any of these thrilling stories how about sharing what you gained from them. Which character is your favorite and why? Until then, great job Mike for another nail biter wrapped in faith and hope.
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Mike Dellosso writes novels of suspense for both the mind and the soul. He writes to both entertain and challenge. In addition to his novels, Mike is also an adjunct professor at Lancaster Bible College and a faculty member at the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writer’s Conference. His novels include The Hunted, Scream, Darlington Woods, Darkness Follows, and soon to be published Frantic..
[...] Posted on February 20, 2012 by mikedellosso Over the weekend my friend Tim George posted a review of all the leading men in my books. It’s very well done and interesting and worth your [...]
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