A Book A Week

"Magic works, but it's an exercise in irony, sometimes a dangerous one. Be careful."

Sometimes a book haunts you so much that you can't stop thinking about it. Even long after you've finished reading it, the story invades your thoughts, instantly taking you back to what you experienced as you read it. Such was the case with Sara Gran's story of a woman slowly succumbing to demonic possession, Come Closer. I devoured that book right before Halloween last year, and I've been thinking about it ever since. It should come as no surprise then that I eagerly accepted a copy of her latest novel The Book of the Most Precious Substance to review. 

Lily Albrecht used to have it all. On the professional front, a fairly successful novel brought her modest sales and acclaim amongst the literary community. On the personal front, she met the love of her life, a fellow author, and was living out her dreams. But all of this wasn't to last. She struggled to write a follow-up novel. Then her husband began to forget things. It wasn't long before everything she loved about her life was gone. She was no longer a working author. Instead, she spent her days caring for the shell of what had become of her husband, resigned to the fact that this was now her life. 

In a last-ditch attempt to support herself financially while still staying in the book world, Lily turned to collecting and selling rare books. It makes for a modest living at best, but there are sometimes opportunities for a real windfall. A fellow bookseller comes around asking for help finding a rare work that Lily's never heard of, The Book of the Most Precious Substance. It promises to be the biggest sale she's ever had, but there's one problem. No one seems to know exactly what the book is or where to find it. Determined to procure and sell the book, Lily sets out on a hunt that will prove to be as difficult as it is dangerous. 

I hadn't read a summary of The Book of the Most Precious Substance before diving in, so I wasn't prepared for the erotic thriller that followed. You see, the titular book in question promises unlimited power through the completion of five acts of sexual pleasure. I won't lie to you. When the true nature of the titular book in question was first revealed, I had to stop reading. I wasn't sure this was the kind of story that I was willing to consume. It is to Sara Gran's credit though, that the main character Lily and the mystery behind hunting for a rare book had so ensnared my curiosity that I couldn't help but to continue reading. While the book never gets too graphic in describing the sensual acts that propel this fictional magic, I don't think that reading about them will be for everyone. Still, those willing to suspend disbelief and stick along for the short duration of the book will find it to be an entertaining and twisty thriller that more than satisfies. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2022, 7)