Customer Reviews

18 Seconds: A Novel (Sherry Moore Novels)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Another psychic story - this one featuring Sherry Moore - a blind woman who is able to `see' the last 18 seconds of a person's life by holding the hand of the person who has died. Sherry's past is an enigma, so no one knows why she can do this or how she lost her vision. Sherry's closest friend is a married police detective who has never asked for her help - until now. Sherry travels to help local police lieutenant Kelly - unasked - and things start to unravel - and come together - at the same time. The story is told in multiple perspectives, which can be disconcerting, but I felt it came together well. I enjoyed Shuman's debut novel as well as his imaginative storyline.

I was in the drugstore and needed a new book and this was the only thing that looked interesting. I have to say I really like George's style of writing, and I read the book within a few days. 18 Seconds is a great story, and I look forward to reading future books by this author. I am always so glad when I have finished a book and feel like it was time well spent. Sherry is a very interesting character, and the "last gift" is really brilliant. Great Job George! Thanks, Jamie

I'll admit I was a bit skeptical when I first picked up the book 18 Seconds. I'm not a paranormal genre fan and while the parallel story lines in the first few chapters confused me, I was hooked early on. This is not your average first novel. It could only have been written by someone who understands human behavior both good and depraved. The blind Sherry Moore who can "see" what a deceased person saw in the last 18 seconds of their life is a refreshing new character. I also felt the character of lieutanant Kelly O'Shaughnessy to be extremely believable. Mr. Shuman's ability to weave story lines that make you think you know what will happen, but then leave the reader stunned is amazing. The ending is heartstopping and very realistic. This author knows people and knows how to make fictional characters from that knowledge. Terrific first novel.

For some unknown reason I reviewed '18 SECONDS' last weekend and it did not get posted, so, I will re-review Mr. Shuman's book because it is worth a second visit.
18 SECONDS is the finest first novel I have read in many, many years! Spending a great portion of my life in the company of fictional serial killers I feel I know the good, the bad, from the ugly. The entire premise of this thriller is so fresh and daringly original I know Mr. Shuman has opened the door for others to follow.
Sherry Moore is a young lady whom because of a mysterious childhood trauma which has rendered her the ability to touch a corpse's hand, no matter how long they were deceased and see the last 18 seconds of their life. After much prodding from not only her friend but the media she agrees to help various police and sheriff's departments help solve cases that until her involvement remains unsolved.
Still skeptic are the police even after her abilities have proven to be of a considerable assistence.
She is asked to help the police in Wildwood New Jersey and Philadelphia solve crimes involving a serial killer whom seems to have risen from the dead.
Needless to say, to give too much away would be a sin of great proportions in which I could not forgive myself.
Mr. Shuman has created a cast of characters so creepy and original you must read it to believe it. His description of the Pine Barrens makes the New Jersey Devil seem almost juvenile.
As Mr. Shuman weaves his tale of macabre doings against the backdrop of the tranquil Wildwood beaches, he brings to a boil a pot full of police procedurals and grisly killings that eventually spill over onto a stove encrusted with old sins and even older lies.
If you are a fan of thrillers and tired of the repetitive whodunits.....seek out a copy of 18 SECONDS and get lost on the beaches of depravity.

I have read Grisham and Koontz for years.. while in an airport and without a book.. I quickly grabbed this one. It captivated me from the first chapter and held my interest throughout. I normally skim a little when reading, but not with this one. I wanted to make sure I read every word.

Excellent!! A must read! I can't wait to read his next book.

carries this story and will make me come back for the next. Good little page turner with a bad bad guy.

The author writes a fascinating story, as long as you accept the premise of the protagonist. That premise makes the book into science fiction, which I've always enjoyed. The bad guy seems to make Hannibal Lecter a good guy in comparison.

The author's understanding of law enforcement techniques certainly adds to the story, and lends it an air of credibility.

I don't see any point in reviewing the plot, for other reviewers have done that. It's like reading the front inside fold of the dust jacket.

If you're spooky about reading alone at night, leave this for the daytime. Or read one of Stephen King's books as a starter. Certainly a different style, but equally gripping.

18 seconds is a unique, interesting and expertly written crime/mystery novel. Part of the story involves a blind psychic who can see in her mind's eye the last 18 seconds of someone's life. The trick is she needs to touch the person's earthly but dead body. Think of the possibilities!

Some crime/mystery novels suffer from a great lack of good writing. I couldn't write myself out of a wet paper bag but I do believe I can tell good writing from bad writing. This author is a more than capable writer. The author is adept at laying out the story in tactical ways which is necessary for a crime story but what I like is that he delves into the character's lives rather nicely.

I also liked that he didn't necessarily tie up the story in a nice little bow. Could there be a follow-up to this book with some of the characters in the next book? I hope so!

I enjoyed 18 SECONDS immensely. I liked the way Shuman took a plot element that has been done before and relayed it in a fresh way. I dislike how this book is portrayed as a psychic thriller, psychological thriller, yes, but to call it a psychic thriller degrades it, because it's not really, which is a better angle in my opinion. A blind character in the novel possesses the ability to "see" the last 18 seconds of the person's life, when she makes physical contact. This character is not psychic. She does not communicate with the dead person. She is just able to make an energy-to-energy connection with the short term memory of a corpse. For eighteen seconds, she experiences what the person thought and lived through in the last moments of life. I felt the author did a great job at making that element believable in the story's context.

I also enjoyed the character details, punchy verbs and grittiness. I didn't find anything that dragged momentum.

The only aspect I didn't like was that the two main female characters didn't meet until near the end. I think it would have been great to see them interacting earlier somehow.

The climax of 18 SECONDS was especially gripping. Excellently written fight scenes and final confrontations. I liked that the author didn't hold back any punches and allowed the female characters to experience pain and turmoil.

Fun read for me.

Serial killers are the rockstars of publishing. There is a seemingly insatiable demand for these books. It is one of the few arenas where an unknown, unconnected writer can still break in. This was Shuman's first book, and it was published in March of 2006, less than a year ago. On the basis of its success, he has a follow-up coming out in August and is working on a third.

The premise of the book is the trademark for the series. Sherry Moore is blind and beautiful. She also has a special talent. She can touch a corpse and experience whatever went through a dead person's head during the last 18 seconds of their lives. As with most special talents (at least in contemporary novels) it comes with some baggage. First, touching corpses is creepy, especially when they've been a few weeks late for their funeral. Second, those 18 seconds might not reveal as much as a crime solver would hope. The victim-to-be might spend that time remembering the classic beach scene of her life, providing few clues to catch a killer. Third, law enforcement is reluctant to work with someone best described as a psychic. Oh yeah, and she's still blind.

All these tensions provide a good base on which to build a plot. If anything, Shuman spent too much time on this plot. Re-raveling the story toward an ending knot isn't overly difficult, but the interweaving, intersecting stories are coincidental enough to overwork ones' eye rolling muscles.

Shuman has a law enforcement background that helps him get the details right. That, combined with his cleverly invented heroine should make his future books solid sellers. [...]