I’m doing far too much reading and far too little writing just now. Must really crack on with my badly-stalled WIP and with a few other little projects. But first of all a few words about a recent work from Australian author Dianne Gray. I love her work but prefer reviewing new writers. I’m pleased to make an exception though.

It’s always a pleasure to settle down with anything by Dianne Gray. Yet this one surprised me a little. Novella length, there’s not so much scope for the descriptive work that gives depth to her longer novels. Yet Soul’s Child is a strong piece of story-telling that has the punch of her earlier short story collection.
And a little bit of occult too, and this is an integral part of the tale. Whose heart will not immediately go out to the teenage girl robbed in seconds of her mother, her sister and a dancing career? And, having moved from their native Australia to the USA, her father Clive looks after the disabled Aurora as best he can. Or does he?
Aurora has vivid, predictive dreams. As a consequence Clive sees a future for himself as a celebrity medium and ghost hunter – he becomes Clive Soul. However it is in his own commercial interests to keep Aurora in her wheelchair and to banish any friends she has that could upset his little earner. The spirited Aurora though is determined to reclaim the father she loves.
The tension builds as Clive’s popularity grows and the powers of darkness threaten. How will it all end?
The answer is with a typical Gray twist that you don’t see coming, another of her trademarks.
Thoroughly entertaining as always and a worthy addition to the author’s fine body of work.