The Staff

by Ron Samul

Murder comes to a remote fishing village. No one can imagine who he is or where he came from when the killer is caught and beaten unconscious. When he wakes, he can’t remember who he is or why he is there, sending the village into chaos and uncertainty. After an age-old ritual, the killer is handed over to a young orphaned woman living on the edge of the village. Taska Valimer is deemed his keeper for a lifetime. As secrets are revealed and the villagers begin to fear the killer will turn on them all, humanity, trust, and the darkest of human nature converge. All the villagers must face the coming darkness and with it comes treachery, deceit, intrigue, and hope.

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 23, 2019

Reviews

[Kevin Hudson]

Terrific novel! It has a unique premise, very satisfying layers of reveal, characters who jump off the page, and, like a good wine, lots to think about after you put in down. These are the things we all want in the novels we read. Pretty quickly in the novel you realize there is something strange going on. There is a murder, and the accused is subject to the village’s unique manner of meting out justice. This leads to some very interesting and intriguing dynamics, and you’ll want to see how it all plays out. But, not to give anything away, you will learn that there are larger forces at work that raise the stakes of the story. The manner in which it all resolves will leave you thinking long after you turn the last page. I give a strong recommendation for this book.

[Rose Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Staff, is a tale that delves into the dichotomy of human nature in trying times. Set in what we would hope, is a bygone era. The advancing mood is like a fog that shrouds this village and never leaves. The mysterious townspeople slowly reveal motives, secrets, and contrasting aspects of their personalities. I can imagine, M. Night Shyamalan, would love directing this story into a movie, it hits all the marks of his style. I was also reminded of the screenplay by Stephen King, ‘The Storm of the Century’, where a town wrestles with itself over the selection in a human lottery.

Ron Samul delicately crafts his phrasing and draws you into the world of his characters, they will visit you, and have you pondering their desperate options in a dire land.

[Kevin Hodgson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book picks up steam midway through, as the story centers on deceit and treachery in an isolated village whose past only slowly comes to light in many ways. Setting is everything here, as the past informs the present. The ending ties together the strands of story in a satisfying way.

Note: Ron is an acquaintance in one of my educational networks.