Night Visions

By Thomas Fahy

    When her ex-lover, Frank Bennett comes to San Francisco to seek her assistance, Samantha Ranvali isn't sure that she will help him. He is employed by the Pelici, a high priced investigative firm to locate one of their employees who has gone missing while on vacation. Samantha is a severe insomniac who has been taking experimental treatments at a sleep disorder clinic. She doesn't know whether her treatment will affect their possible endeavors. The clinic declares her treatment a success but she has recurring nightmares.

   The body of a friend is discovered in circumstances which she viewed in her dreams while a recording of Bach's "Goldberg Variations" is heard in the background. More ritualistic killings (bizarre and violent) occur always with Bach's "Variations" being heard. Samantha and Frank set out to track down the killer in these crimes and find a connection between an age old curse and Samantha which may lead to Samantha's death.

    In a flashback to the German court of Hermann Carl VonKeyserling, also an insomniac, Johann Sebastian Bach writes what has become known as the "Goldberg Variations" and becomes the basis for the age old curse which is to haunt and threaten Samantha.

    There is a splendid blend of the past and the present which creates an atmosphere of horror and suspense. The story is well plotted with the charcters portrayed vividly as they are caught in their troubled lives. The action is fast paced and exciting with a grim portrayal of the weird and ritualistic killings.