“FLASHES,” by Tim O’Rourke, Chicken House, Oct. 27, 2015, Hardcover, $16.99 (young adult; 14 and up)
While going through my TBR pile over the holidays, I picked up Tim O’Rourke’s “Flashes.” I was looking for a quick and easy read; what I found was that and much more. “Flashes” is a suspenseful thriller that holds your attention throughout.
At the center of “Flashes” is Charley. Charley has visions, flashes of things she can’t understand — the sound of trains, a terrified girl — but she instinctively knows their connected to something big, most likely a crime.
No one believes Charley, not even her own father. No one until she crosses paths with Tom, a young police officer on his first case. He’s investigating an accidental death on the railway tracks. He can’t shake the feeling there’s more to the case, and when Charley starts sharing her visions with him, he knows there has to be more to the story than mere coincidence. The two begin to work together, but at what cost?
“Flashes” is a fast-paced thriller with a supernatural twist. It’s not the best book I’ve read in this genre, but it certainly is one of the better ones. Author Tim O’Rourke is a former police officer of 15 years, and his life experience shines through in his work. He’s also a strong writer. There were a few plot holes and I did figure out the bad guy before he/she was revealed, but the writing is accessible and his pacing wlell thought out.
Like most thrillers, it’s dark and there’s some grit to it. The publisher’s suggested age is 14 and up. I agree.
