The Ridge
Michael Koryta
Little, Brown and Company 2011

Michael Koryta is a very good writer of mystery, and the supernatural.  Case in point, is The Ridge, his latest chilling spellbinder.  Spooky and suspenseful, The Ridge is set deep in the Kentucky woods where mysterious happenings surround a misplaced lighthouse built in the forest atop Blade Ridge by an equally isolated local eccentric, Wyatt French. Kindle: The Ridge

Following a cryptic phone call to Chief Deputy Kevin Kimball, Wyatt is found dead in his lighthouse home.  Plastered on the walls are numerous photos of deaths, accidents and murders, known and unknown, some current, and others dating back to a distant past.  All are connected to Blade Ridge and its inhabitants.

In the meantime, Audrey Clark and her colleagues are moving their formidable collection of rescued wild cats including leopards, lions, tigers and a crowd-pleasing rare black cougar to property on the ridge.  The displaced felines are becoming increasingly and dangerously restless.

Using a skillful mix of fear, suspense, and a cold, dark evil wrapped up in the supernatural, Koryta weaves a tight entertaining story.

The Ridge goes deeper as it deals with the consequences of impossible choices, along with bargaining, the meaning of  balance, and how love can manifest itself in unexpected ways for the greater good.  It is a must read for the summer.