Review of The Camaro Murders

[Rajnee Varma]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Camaro Murders" by Ian Lewis.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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The Camaro Murders By Ian Lewis is a novella that combines the paranormal with crime. When seventy-year-old Ezra Mendelssohn is found dead, the cause of death is assumed to be a stroke, but the Deputy Sheriff, Eustace Hildersham, of Deckland County, is not convinced. The momentary sighting of a boy in Ezra's home and the recurring appearance of a mysterious car—a Camaro IROC-Z with a girl in the passenger seat—that appears from nowhere and vanishes in thin air intrigue him. About two months before this, seven-year-old Starla went missing and was never found. After 13 years, Eustace returns as the Sheriff and sees the car again. While revisiting Ezra's home on a hunch, he discovers something he had never imagined he would stumble upon. The story of Starla and the little boy is revealed from the perspectives of the boy, the driver of the Camaro who was shot dead, and a man who was murdered along with a dog. The story leaves many points to ponder over—the existence of life after death, a parallel world of the dead, the distinction between a ghost and a soul, and the transition from life to death.

The story is one of crime, but the theme is clearly paranormal. It has been made clear by the author that there are some intentional gaps in the story, but nowhere does the story seem incoherent or poorly written. The depiction of a parallel world of the dead is speculative but plausible. It reminds me of the works of Hans Holzer, the Austrian-American author and professor of parapsychology, who distinguished between a ghost, a spirit, and a soul. It is interesting to imagine how the dead feel about adjusting to the transition to a new realm. They are unable to taste or smell food, drink, or smoke. They don't feel any sensation in their bodies but feel emotions, remember their past lives, and have tasks to perform. The to-and-fro passage between the two worlds through special openings is quite interesting.

I did not find anything to dislike about the book, and it is very interesting to read. But I wish the author had written more about the Upper Territory, the Fold, and the Father, who controlled the dead and assigned them tasks. And I wonder if the dead really need cars and buses to travel. Also, the use of DNA to reconstruct the body of someone who was murdered seems a little odd.

The book is written in a reflective style, wherein the characters describe their thoughts and events. It is a well-edited book, and I noticed only two minor typos that can be easily overlooked. My overall rating for this book is 5 out of 5 stars.

In addition to entertainment, the book compels the reader to think about God, or the Father, the life after death, the good, and the evil. I would recommend the book to people who love paranormal stories as well as crime and mystery.

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The Camaro Murders
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[NetMassimo]

This seems like quite a unique mix of paranormal and crime fiction set between the world of the living and the world of the dead, with some reflections about the afterlife and some religious themes. Thank you for your great review!

[Trungdn]

The book has a gripping and suspenseful plot. The events are intertwined in a clever way, making it impossible to predict what will happen next.
The book also has some horror elements, but they are not too scary.

[Upphilan Paul]

The reviews I have been reading drew my attention to this book genre. I haven't been reading C/T/M/H novel, but I believe there are lessons to be learnt from them. This is a captivating and mind-hacking read with a compelling review and I long to read this book and see what you've read.
I like your review. Good job.