The Shadow Before, by L. P. Davies
An intriguing start, but rather tails off
(Review posted 11 Oct 2004 17:30:54)

A story about an ordinary British pharmacist, divorced, somewhat sad and down at the heel, to whom some extraordinary things start to happen, but then sort of stop again.

The first half of the book involves a routine head operation, an attractive mystery about some missing memory, and (a bit less than half way through) a rather satisfying revelation.

But then the book goes on for another hundred pages, and nothing much remarkable happens. The interesting and mysterious events of the first half cause, or contribute to, some rather more ordinary and straightforward events that seem like they might lead to something else happening, or some character development, but then there's a snag and they don't. And the book ends.

I think I'll be putting this one back on the Book Exchange rack where I got it. Maybe someone else will enjoy it more than I did.