THE SECRET LIFE OF SOULS

HEELER is a taut page turner with that extra dimension.

In addition to gripping psychological suspense, the novel also packs a tremendous emotional punch in its haunting depiction of an ambitious family's fall and the extraordinary, gifted dog who knows the truth behind the all the secrets and lies, the greed and vanity and comes to play multiple roles in their unfolding drama: protector, savior, scapegoat, prop, avenger, survivor. “Caity” is an unforgettable canine character – an unselfish soul in a selfish world – portrayed from the inside out with depth and grace and a profound understanding of a dog's complex emotions and instincts and capacity for joy and transformative love. She's right up there with the great dogs of contemporary literature – Enzo in Racing in the Rain, and, as King points out, Almondine in The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.

Eleven year old actress Delia Cross is special – beautiful, talented, charismatic -- a star in the making. Her days are a blur of hard work, filled with photo shoots and dancing lessons, auditions and tutors. Her family – driven, pill-popping stage mother Pat, wastrel manager/dad Bart and introverted twin brother Robbie – depends on her for their upscale lifestyle and Delia in turn depends on her beloved ginger Queensland Heeler and loyal friend, Caity, for the calming private space they share. After years climbing the showbiz ladder, Delia is on the verge of a breakthrough. But just as the contracts are about to be signed, it all falls apart because of a freak accident that destroys her future and puts Delia in the danger zone with only Caity to protect her.

Dallas Mayr, under the pen name Jack Ketchum, has written thirty books and novellas, five have been made into feature films. His best-selling fiction, including such masterworks of the genre as Off Season, Cover and The Girl Next Door, has won wide critical acclaim and been translated into sixteen languages; he is a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award given by the Horror Writers Association. In 2015 the HWA presented Mayr with their highest honor, The Lifetime Achievement Award, given to only a select, influential group of writers, including Stephen King, Peter Straub, Ann Rice and Richard Matheson. Mayr's novels are modern classics, – terrifying, visceral, disturbing – yet grounded in a deep humanity and emotional truth that makes them timeless and unforgettable. I'm attaching a summary of his titles, with review excerpts.

Lucky McKee is a director, writer, and actor who first gained recognition for his film May, which is a cult favorite. Lucky directed the film adaptation of book,The Woman (co-authored with Dallas), which won Best Horror Film honors at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, won him and Dallas the Best Screenplay Award at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain, and garnered critical and popular praise throughout the world.