MOON - Book review

 

The last James Herbert book I read was Fluke in 2012. So it was about time I read some more of his impressive output, starting with his 1985 novel Moon.

Moon begins dramatically with a boy tormented in his bed; this is ‘before’. The rest is ‘after’. A particularly gruesome evisceration of a dead woman is followed by a diver experiencing a waking nightmare that almost threatens his life. Jon Childes survives, being hauled out of the sea by Amy, a fellow teacher. Both work on a Channel Island; Jon teaches IT, Amy teaches French and English.

It appears that Jon had fled the mainland – England – after being instrumental in tracking down a serial killer. Reluctant to admit it, Jon somehow possessed a weird psychic ability that enables him to get into the killer’s mind and pinpoint where the bodies were buried. Unfortunately, the sensational press and sceptical police cast suspicion on him. That was three years ago. Since then, he has not received any psychic imagery or suffered grisly nightmares. Until now.

Herbert’s success is partly due to his ability to create an atmosphere of dread – usually surrounding innocuous individuals who find it difficult to cope with the supernatural. ‘The mourners were grouped around the open grave, dark clothes struck grey by the sunlight. Stained white crosses, slabs, and smiling cracked angels were dispassionate observers in the field of sunken bones. The mushy cadence of traffic could be heard in the distance…’ (p42)

During a meal with Amy’s family and other guests, Jon briefly discusses computing. ‘You’re talking of an ideal situation where the computer is a normal household item, a regular piece of furniture like the TV or stereo unit. We’re a long way off from that situation’ (p48). How times have changed since 1985! Envisioning video-calls on mobile phones must have seemed like Star Trek then.

Complications arise when Amy’s influential father takes a disliking to Jon and institutes an investigation into his past…

Even nowadays, there are plenty of people who still retain an open mind about extra sensory perception and other related phenomena. So perhaps it is not unusual for Amy to accept Jon’s talent – or curse. Amy says: ‘It isn’t stupid at all; it makes a weird kind of sense. Strong emotions, a sudden shock, can induce a strong telepathic connection between certain people, and that’s well known’ (p79).

The moon begins to evince significance for Jon: ‘He was aware of what was happening to him and dreaded what images were to be further unveiled. He experienced a desperate need to be safe inside his home, feeling terribly exposed, vulnerable to the luminescent night, the moon’s stark glare causing the surroundings to appear frozen, the trees oddly flat as if cut from cardboard, the shadows deep and clear-edged’ (p111).

Jon enlists the help of Detective Inspector Overoy, who had been involved in the cases three years ago. Overoy is a rarity, a believer in Jon’s ability. The case almost cost Jon his sanity, but it did ruin his marriage, though he remains on speaking terms with his ex-wife Fran and fairly regularly sees his daughter Gabby.

Inevitably, this new killer becomes aware of Jon while Jon sees through the killer’s eyes. Now it is a battle of wills, and the killer taunts him, threatening all Jon holds dear, and more tragedy and deaths are to follow before the grim climax.

A fast read. A page-turner. Suspend disbelief in the supernatural and enjoy the ride!