William Todd Rose

This edition collects the two novellas 'Crossfades' and 'Bleedovers', however the second story follows the first one closely, so it feels almost like reading a novel.

While the concept of the book was very intriguing: after their death, some people get trapped in a realm somewhere between life and death, creating their own reality. Specially trained employees of a secret institution journey into those 'Crossfades' and help them take their final step into the next life. However, on one such mission Chuck Grainger encounters someone who is everything but lost - a serial killer who purposely created a sinister universe where he intends to eternally torture the souls of the dead. The second story is about a poltergeist-like ghost that threatens Chuck's life not only in his dreams, but also in the real world. Is it the serial killer taking revenge?

While I enjoyed the unusual premise and original ideas, I felt unaffected by the events and somehow unable to build a connection to the characters, but I can't really explain why. Writing, character building, plot - everything worked together nicely, but I wasn't really drawn into it. Still, a very unique and interesting book.

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)