Published by Cemetery Dance, Robert McCammon’s THE LISTENER is a departure from his popular horror stories. This new work is, as the cover promises, a novel of suspense, but highlighted by a slight dose of the supernatural and satisfying amounts of character depth. It may not be a typical McCammon novel, but it is without question one of his strongest works to date.

The novel takes place in 1934, in the midst of what would be known as the Great Depression. Businesses across the country are closing and breadlines are a common sight in most urban areas. John Pratlow, a small-time confidence scammer, joins forces with carnival husker Ginger LaFrance in a scheme to make some serious money by kidnapping the children of a wealthy family and demanding ransom.

In another part of town, Curtis Mayhew, a young black man who works as a redcap for the Union Railroad Station, furthers his reputation for mending quarrels and misunderstandings among his friends. But Curtis has a special, hidden talent that allows him to “listen” – that is, to hear things that are not spoken aloud.

Curtis suddenly hears the unspoken cries of a young child. He learns that the child is being abducted by Pratlow and LeFrance and disparately tries to convince his supervisors of the dangers the child faces. But how can Curtis make others believe what they cannot hear?

The narrative structure shifts back and forth between the lead characters. Fortunately McCammon maintains an effective balance and avoids confusion as the two stories mount and eventually encounter each other.

McCammon also convincingly recreates the ambiance of the Depression era. With the nation suffering mass unemployment it is easy to understand how such already desperate individuals like Pratlow and LeFrance are pushed even further into crime to secure a quick source of income.

Two character backstories are included. Of these the more memorable is the one involving Curtis as he tries to understand his power (not yet known as telepathy). At one point Curtis’s fearful mother takes him to a voodoo witch doctor, and it is the witch doctor who recognizes Curtis as a “listener.” Less effective, however, is the much shorter section that explains LeFrance’s often erratic behavior.

This weakness is quickly forgiven as the suspense mounts. With each passing chapter Curtis leans more about the kidnapped child and the dangerous situation. This eventually overtakes Curtis’s every waking hour as he tries to convince the child’s father and local law enforcement of the threat to the child’s life.

While THE LISTENER is, again, a departure for McCammon, it presents him at the peak of his talents. New readers will want to seek out his earlier works immediately after finishing. —Alan Cranis

Get it at Amazon.