INHERITANCE by Joe McKinney_Review

Review of Inheritance by Joe McKinney

This is such an incredible book. A blurb quoting Rick Hautala, himself a famed horror author, states that his initial response was simply “Wow!” If that indicates speechlessness in a state of awe, I’m there also. Multilayered, complex, issue-coping, deeply, deeply characterized-and with horror and plotting and gore and graphic incidents; sex, romance, magickal power; there is so much to delve into in this special novel. It is my first introduction to Mr. McKinney, but I was fortunate enough to acquire 3 more books of his from the Library earlier this week, so I guess I’ll be having a Joe McKinney weekend-what glorious fun!

Simply put: Paul Henninger grew up dirt-poor, grindingly dirt-poor, on a goat farm in South Texas, son of a mother he remembers only as deeply depressed, and a father whose rages were matched only by his ceremonial magickal rituals. Mother dies at twelve, an apparent suicide; father dies when Paul is eighteen, by his hand in self-defense against learning the rituals. Paul goes to University on a football scholarship, marries, joins the Police Academy-and becomes a San Antonio patrolman. But the evil that lived in Martin Henninger isn’t finished with young Paul—who is in a sense a “child of prophecy”-and neither  is Martin finished, for he returns from beyond to wreak his evil intent.