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Panic No More
Even the best families can have dark secrets.
Some people would say that Nick Baker has it all: the trust fund, the family connections, and the country club membership. However, the Baker dynasty is in decline, and being a Baker comes with obligations as well as a family history of insanity.
Already prone to panic attacks, when Nick sees a supernatural creature dancing outside his office window, he wonders if he's just hallucinating or suffering a complete mental collapse. However, the creature is all too real, and it has come to collect on a promise made by one of Nick's ancestors, the secret of the Baker's success. Nick must choose between thwarting the ambitions of his family or facing the wrath of an ancient god.
Some people would say that Nick Baker has it all: the trust fund, the family connections, and the country club membership. However, the Baker dynasty is in decline, and being a Baker comes with obligations as well as a family history of insanity.
Already prone to panic attacks, when Nick sees a supernatural creature dancing outside his office window, he wonders if he's just hallucinating or suffering a complete mental collapse. However, the creature is all too real, and it has come to collect on a promise made by one of Nick's ancestors, the secret of the Baker's success. Nick must choose between thwarting the ambitions of his family or facing the wrath of an ancient god.
260 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 15, 2015
When I go to pick up a Shannon Ryan, I'm looking for a surreal story with quirky characters and plots that occasionally makes me question my reality. This novel did not disappoint.
Needless to say, this is a character-driven piece. It doesn't take long to show that with characters that appear to be two-dimensional in the first chapter or so but they quickly gain depth in fascinating ways. Even the villains grow throughout the story. One thing I like is that almost everyone is competent in their own right. Each one has something they can do, something they excel at. Even if it is creating wine out of the strangest of ingredients.
The plot of this novel is relatively simple, but how it is revealed is where Shannon Ryan shines. The individual parts that come together aren't obvious until the end and there are well-written moments of tension coupled with the surreal humor.
I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys reading a quirky, light-hearted story with surreal characters and a plot that definitely takes the scenic route through a madhouse.
Needless to say, this is a character-driven piece. It doesn't take long to show that with characters that appear to be two-dimensional in the first chapter or so but they quickly gain depth in fascinating ways. Even the villains grow throughout the story. One thing I like is that almost everyone is competent in their own right. Each one has something they can do, something they excel at. Even if it is creating wine out of the strangest of ingredients.
The plot of this novel is relatively simple, but how it is revealed is where Shannon Ryan shines. The individual parts that come together aren't obvious until the end and there are well-written moments of tension coupled with the surreal humor.
I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys reading a quirky, light-hearted story with surreal characters and a plot that definitely takes the scenic route through a madhouse.
December 14, 2015
Witty and imaginative, a fun read for anyone under sixty. Though set in Iowa and anything but a detective story, Ryan's refreshing style and wicked sense of humor call to mind some of the best of Carl Hiaasen's writing. Troubled by a pesky faun, indebted to the god Pan, plagued by a wacky mother, and facing an unwanted marriage to a lustful beauty, the protagonist struggles valiantly to save the family business from disaster.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews