Customer Reviews

Dark Summer

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This book is credited to Mark Upton, but it's clear that this is the work of Lawrence Sanders. Why it hasn't been acknowledged by his estate is a mystery. Several of Sanders' early works were published under pen names, and this is the only one not to be reissued when Sanders became a literary superstar.

As a novel of supernatural horror, it's a departure for Sanders, but the erotic content and his fascination with sexual peccadilloes are vintage trademarks.

The story concerns a prosperous suburb --- a kind of generic Scarsdale --- which is turned inside out by the arrival of a mysterious, retired British officer and his equally mysterious and seductive daughter. The Colonel can do feats of magic; and his daughter has a gift for putting people at ease, so that everyone feels compelled to tell her their deepest secrets.

Things get stranger as the new arrivals insinuate themselves into the lives of the townspeople, and their agenda becomes clearer. There's plenty of kinky sex and sparkling dialogue, although Sanders' trademark sense of humor is underplayed here. This isn't one of his best but it's a solid read, and it was a delight to find one last Lawrence Sanders that I hadn't read.

Recommended for Sanders fans!