Book Review: The Dark Horse

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Dark Horse     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Patricia Simpson
Class/Genre:   Romance   Fantasy   Mystery   Paranormal   Woman Main Character   Amateur Sleuth
Series: Forbidden Tarot # 2
Tor, Nov 2005, $6.99

CommOptima CEO Tobias Benton believes he has located the legendary Fountain of Youth inside a cave in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. On the outside “door” is letters written in ancient Nimian. Tobias knows the person capable of breaking the code to allow entry; he assumes forced access will prove dangerous as he expects booby traps everywhere.

Tobias sends for employee Claire Coulter offering her a deal she cannot refuse. She will go to the site and translate the Nimian runes for him in exchange for her brother obtaining the kidney transplant he desperately needs to live.

Needing money to keep his ranch Dark Horse Ranch owner Jack Hughes reluctantly agrees to escort Tobias and Claire to the cave, a three day ride by horseback though he hates going near there, having suffered a paranormal experience there as a teen. At the same time Set, an Ancient One, seeks the healing powers of the Fountain too and plans to use the human pawns to help him attain his objective; afterward he will dispatch these worthless creatures.

This terrific paranormal romantic suspense thriller has some tenuous ties to the previous Forbidden Tarot tale, THE DARK LORD, but clearly can be perused without reading the first tale. Claire is a wonderful protagonist willing to sacrifice everything including ethics and love to save her sibling’s life; she adds a deep moral dilemma/fiber to the tale. Jack is also interesting as he denies love while Tobias is fixated on finding the Fountain of Youth. However, the most fascinating character remains Set, whose appearances are somewhat limited yet tells quite a back tale involving the Golden Ones and much more.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner