The Truth (Mass Market Paperback)

John and Susan Carter find their dream home, a large turreted house in an idyllic part of London. It needs work, but John's company are at the cutting edge of computer technology and on the way up; Susan is an editor at a City publishing house. They decide to take a risk and invest all they have in the new house.

Then the abyss beckons. John's bank Manager retires and is replaced by a new man with old values. The large overdraft that John's business have is not looked upon favourably. While John's company are heading toward a big break, they also have a court case hanging over them and the new Bank Manager doesn't think the bank's money is safe. He wants the overdraft down in a month, whatever it takes. Susan's job looks a bit unstable too when a takeover threatens to squeeze her out.

In step's Swiss Banker Emil Sarotzini. He offers to save John's business and consequently their home by paying off the business debts. In return he asks Susan to be a surrogate mother for his baby. Mr Sarotzini's wife is unable to have a child after a recent illness. He says.

Will they? Won't they? At first John and Susan are dead against, but the bank are breathing down John's neck, the business is definitely going to hit the skids unless they do something drastic, so they agree to Mr Sarotzini's offer.

By now however, the reader has become well aware that something more is going on here. Mr Sarotzini knows a lot more about the Carter's than they realise. He has a very special sidekick, Kundz, who is twisted in some very deep ways that I won't spoil for you. He is watching the Carters day and night. Especially at night, if you catch my drift.

After Susan is impregnated events begin to take a more macabre turn. The man at the centre of the court case with John's business suddenly dies. And then someone else close to the Carter's dies unexpectedly. And then another. Strange rumours begin to emerge about Mr Sarotzini himself. Is he really a Swiss banker? Can he be 110 years old, a man who was declared the Anti-Christ in 1947 and was supposed to be dead, but clearly isn't? And is Susan's very prominent gynaecologist, hired by Mr S, actually involved in Satanism and child sacrifice? Also, and here's the biggie, is the baby some kind of demonic beast, a special creation to wreak havoc on mankind?

So many questions, and Peter has your fingernails down to the quick by the time he has answered them. Like THE ALCHEMIST this book throws a lot of events together and then takes off on a wild ride into terror and chaos, pulling the reader by the seat of the pants, like it or not. And I for one liked it. A lot.

Peter James is one of those writers who tells a rollicking good story, and the pay off for the time invested is always generous. THE TRUTH is disturbing, all too plausible, and the denouement is very cleverly done.

Another winner. And that's the truth.