I read this supernatural mystery within 24 hours. The intricate storytelling in the Soul Collector drew me in and, in all honesty, I didn’t want it to let me go.
Johnathan Bayfield is a boxer who is beaten down in a match. Arielle Robbins is a rich socialite who drunkenly falls off her family’s boat. They both lapse into comas and end up at the same hospital. As they each have out-of-body experiences, they meet Drara the Soul Collector. She promises both Johnathan and Arielle protection over their earthly bodies as they heal in exchange for their signatures in her book of souls. Neither Arielle nor Johnathan seem to have other opportunities, so they willingly sign and wait for the next chapter of their lives to start.
While their earthly bodies heal in the hospital, their spirits meet, share adventures, discuss their predicaments, try to solve the mystery presented to them, and eventually fall in love. The hospital doctors are unaware of their patients’ spiritual meeting and attempt at mystery solving. The doctors do not know why Johnathan and Arielle are healing rapidly but only to a certain point. Johnathan and Arielle visit their bodies in the hospital and discover the partial healing. Did the sinister-looking Drara mislead them into thinking they would be fine after a while? Does Drara have evil intentions for their souls? Will they ever be able to reunite with their bodies?
For a short novel, 168 pages, the author packs a lot of action, intrigue, and love into the storyline. She weaves in supporting characters who advance the story and help to solve the mysteries surrounding Drara and her collection of souls. One of best features of this novel is the character development. There are quite a few relatable human moments for a supernatural story, and you can tell the author took care in shaping what makes the characters tick.
I would love to see this developed into a longer novel with a little more energy spent on scenery development and how it works with the story. There are some editorial mistakes throughout, but they did not distract me from the unique storyline and character descriptions.
I received a complimentary copy from the author. This review is honest and voluntary.
For the amor of language 