An attractive but secretive maker of rather grotesque clocks enlists Penny's help in tracking down his sister. Martin feels she has been taken in by a cult, run by a man named Riley Thomas. The Thomas Doctrine is well thought of by many of the Golden Spirit therapists. The details of the program are sketchy, and the missing sister sort of becomes irrelevant at the end. The relationship between Martin and Penny is intriguing, but hardly a romance.

Ricci, head of the Golden Spirit, is bossy, but ineffective. The other therapists vary in skill, intensity, and motives. Then there's Timothy, head of the Shamanic Drumming Hit Squad, beating the unseen with thudding music. The book didn't indicate how often the squad performed, or if its services were successful.

The setting is Edinburgh and evidently the Scottish workplace has a much drama and backbiting as any here in the states. I found this both clever and interesting.

It's a fascinating cast, with some startling action, but few conclusions are reached. Penny is intelligent and likable, but I wanted to know more about her life and the direction it would take. It was a compelling read. However, I was left with too many unanswered questions.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Sweet

Reviewer: Lynn Bushey
January 8, 2009