Michael Koryta: The Cypress House

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Err
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Michael Koryta: The Cypress House

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Michael Koryta: The Cypress House

Koryta's second book in the realm of the supernatural centers around WWI veteran and West Virgina Native Arlen Wagner. During his time as a soldier, he discovered his ability to know when a person was going to die. He sees the doomed person as a skeleton or with smoke rising from their eyes. Now in 1935 in the midst of the Depression, Arlen is traveling to a CCC camp with his 19-year-old companion Paul Brickhill by train with other CCC workers to work on a new project in the Florida Keys when he sees the passengers on the train turn to skeletons and smoke rise from their eyes. As much as he tries to convince everyone that they must get off the train, only Paul believes him. Now stranded in the Florida Gulf, Arlen and Paul begin to walk to a nearby hotel when they meet a stranger who agrees to take them to the nearest CCC camp. On their way they end up at The Cypress House, a run-down fishing resort run by the mysterious and beautiful Rebecca Cady. As they wait inside for the stranger to do his business an explosion occurs. Arlen and Paul run out front to find the car they came in and presumably the stranger engulfed in flames. Arlen does what anyone else would do and goes to town to call the Sheriff. From here, Arlen and Paul's lives take a turn for the worst as they are arrested and accused of knowing what happened to the stranger by the local corrupt Judge and Sheriff. They are then released only to find they are stranded at Cypress House with no money (thanks to the local law enforcement) and a hurricane on the way.

After weathering the storm, they stay to help Rebecca repair the damages in return for board and money to get them on their way. Paul is immediately taken by the much older Rebecca. Arlen begins to uncover the mysteries involving the Cypress House which lead him deeper and deeper into struggles with the local government, his own past, and his own love for Rebecca.

Koryota weaves a intricate tale in Cypress house. While Arlen's gift is given mostly a minor role in the book until towards the end, the story is very compelling and hard to put down. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.
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