Night of the Furies-David Angsten

Night of the Furies
David Angsten
Dunne, Oct 2008, $24.95
ISBN: 9780312373702

Recent college grad Jack Duran feels fortunate to have survived his week long Mexican vacation in which he searched for his missing sibling Dan. During his week stay south of the border, he eluded the lethal man-eating manta ray "El Diablo Blanco", avoided becoming the sacrifice of the devil-worshipping Punta Perdida villagers, and evaded Argonaut gold seeking killers (see DARK GOLD).

In Greece, Jack finally catches up with his brother, and Dan’s Dutch girlfriend archeologist Phoebe Auerbach. The trio visits the Oracle at Delphi where they hope to learn the facts the truth behind the legendary Eleusinian Mysteries that celebrated Demeter and Persephone. Instead the threesome learn little new about their quest, but instead meet violent sexually abusive women whose Dionysian orgies are deadly. When a homicide occurs, the local Greek police suspect Jack and Dan as the killers.

As with BLACK GOLD, David Angsten provides an action-packed over the top campy thriller that never takes itself seriously as the brothers Duran leap from one harrowing incident to another. However, Dan and especially Phoebe are underdeveloped so the winks behind the fast-paced plot never feel complete. Still, this is an exhilarating series of cliffhangers mindful of Indiana Jones.

Harriet Klausner