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Destroying Angel

Charles M. Larson
Zyrus Press (2008)
ISBN 9781933990187
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (9/08)

“The first thing that filled her vision was a pair of bare feet dangling in the air before her.  They were her husband’s feet, for they protruded from the pajama bottoms she had gotten for him the winter before.  Before she had time to begin to comprehend her eyes traveled to the object hanging to its side – another pair of bare feet, these coming from her daughter’s nightgown.  One of the feet twitched obscenely, and Barbara felt the bile rise in her throat and at the same time she realized that there were still other forms suspended beyond David and Heather’s.”  (Prologue, p.13)  The murder of this family in a mostly Mormon community in Utah is how “Destroying Angel” begins.  When police go to investigate they find the words, “FOR AND ON THE BEHALF OF DUDLEY LEAVITT, WHO IS DEAD, DAN 9.11”neatly printed on the wall.  This same story plays out over and over again with the same message, but with a different ancestor’s name written on the walls.     

In the “Notes and Acknowledgements” section in the beginning of the book, Larson brings up the fact that the Mormon culture really has never really broken into “mainstream literature,” (p.5) which I had never really noticed before until now.  When you look at popular novels you see almost every other main religion and culture represented, but I don’t think I have ever read a book that has centered on the Mormon culture like this one does.  That fact alone piqued my interest in the book right away.  Books that have unique characteristics such as this have always intrigued me.

Although the book is fictional, the settings and the background behind the book are based in fact.  In fact, regarding the roads, buildings, and canyons mentioned in the book, Larson informs us that he has personally been to all of the places mentioned and did his best to portray them with accuracy.  I think that this extra research adds a sense of “realness” to the novel, which makes the book even more interesting

“Destroying Angel” is a fast-paced crime thriller that definitely will hold your attention through all 473 pages!  As there are quite a few murders committed throughout the book it is definitely not for the faint of heart, but I think that anyone would be able to tell whether it is their type of book or not just by looking at the cover, which illustrates the very first quote in my review.  “Destroying Angel” is skillfully written and I highly recommend it!  I hope to read more novels from Larson in the future.   

     

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