Customer Reviews

Before and Again

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When Callie Jamieson was eight years old the men in white took her mother Mara away in a strait jacket. Her father Bill explained to the stunned child that he feared that her mom could no longer control herself and might harm Callie so he had her committed at Connecticut's Stonehaven. When Bill refused Mara's plea for a divorce so her beloved spouse and their cherished daughter can move on, she hung herself.

As a child Callie shared the same haunting dreams about the people in gray as her mother. Now a New York reporter, those dreams return with a vengeance following the death of her former boyfriend. A TV psychiatrist feels that the dreams are memories passed down from generation to generation. Callie investigates her roots and that of her deceased boyfriend that make it appear that the family is cursed as it seems everyone dies prematurely from unnatural causes. NYPD detective Ezra Chapin tries to help Callie elude her turn to die.

Though the climax seems too pat, readers will appreciate this taut suspense thriller because of the intrepid heroine. Callie is courageous as she learns the truth about her heritage though she wonders whether she is going schizoid like her mom allegedly did or is someone, perhaps the dead, trying to send her messages from the other side. When the plot keeps the audience wondering about the mind of Callie, BEFORE AND AFTER is a superb tale that travels back and forth between classic horror and psychological suspense. When the resolution turns clear, the plot loses some of its intensity. Still readers will enjoy Callie's quest for mental stability.

Harriet Klausner

I've been a fan of Doris Mortman books for many years. I was excited to learn that she had a new book in the stores and couldn't wait to get the first copy off the shelf. Now that I've finished Before and Again, I can honestly say it's not only Mortman's best work, but it's also the best book I've read in a long time. A must read! Keep 'em coming Mortman!

and really good story. The Characters were funny and appealing; and they made you care what was hapening to them. The story kept me turning the pages, and even though I figured out the "mystery" early on, I couldn't wait for the whole tale to play out.
Well worth the read!
Enjoy, Debbi

I now have read two of Mortman's books. Liked the first one better but this one is a nice read. Nothing deep here but then this kind of book wasn't meant for that. As noted, the plot is rather "pat" and a bit or maybe a lot of circumstantial findings to try to make a cohesive whole. A bit like a science fiction crossover.

With relative ease, Callie and Ezra seem to be able to trace the stories of E.W. Hale and all of the early people in his life. No one ever thinks to look up any information on Faith. (If this is a setup for a sequel, I'm not up to it!) It's a good mystery but for all the very long buildup, the end is a little too pat.