REVIEW: The Jekyll Revelation

The Jekyll Revelation
Author: Robert Masello

Working in Topanga Canyon in California, Environmental Scientist Rafael Salazar spies an antique steamer trunk. It's definitely out of place, revealed only because of the bad drought conditions in the canyon. Little does he realize the items inside the trunk will not only reveal the identity of Jack the Ripper but also bring to light circumstances that changed the life of the famous author Robert Louis Stevenson. As he reads a journal written by Stevenson, the whole story unfolds. A flask containing remnants of a dangerous elixir used by Stevenson to hold his tuberculosis at bay will bring a long dormant violence to Topanga Canyon.

This story is fantastic! Alternating in time from London in the late 1880s to present day California, this story unfolds a suspenseful and creepy tale, akin to Stevenson's own Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The story is well-written and the plot moves along at perfect speed. Usually I don't like stories that switch back and forth in time, but Masello pulls it off masterfully. I also enjoyed the creative mix of history and fiction. Very creative!

I listened to the audiobook version and it was perfect. One narrator read the present day portions of the story, and another read Robert Louis Stevenson's portions. Very well done! I have hearing loss, but was easily able to hear and understand everything. At about 12 hours in length, the audio performance took me several days to finish, but I enjoyed every moment!

This is the first book I have read by Robert Masello. He has written several other similar suspense books including The Einstein Prophesy and The Medusa Amulet. I enjoyed this one so much I am definitely going to read more of his work!