LUTE

Victoria Blunt performs an unsettling horror novel in which years of peace are guaranteed by human sacrifices. The island of Lute is remote and is blessed with prosperity and fortune. Nothing can cast a pall on the land, not even war, except that one day every seven years the island takes seven human sacrifices. Blunt brings the newest denizen of the island to life. Nina has married into a family that protects the island. Blunt's narration adds to the beautifully realized characters, even as the atmospheric horror begins to mount. The story is mesmerizing in its minimalist prose, and Blunt's capable voicing brings the too short horror novel to a head with an engaging performance. J.M.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2022]