Review of the Thriller Damnable
Debut Novel Full of Horror and Suspense by Hank Schwaeble
Sep 12, 2009
The suspenseful thriller Damnable begins in New York, with interrogator Jake Hatcher imprisoned and tormented by staff and cellmates. When the call from his mother leads to his early release, he’s relieved but confused and begins to investigate immediately.
Mystery
Hatcher questions his mother about the dead brother he didn’t know he had, which leads him to unravel more dangerous mysteries. Why does this gorgeous surviving woman want him around and who is following him, trying to set him up for murder?
Jake Hatcher becomes an unlikely hero in Damnable, who is subjected to undeserved ordeals and is challenged to confront the ultimate evil to save mankind. He’s already damned, so will he risk his life to save others? After finding out his family’s betrayed him as well as a fellow officer, his faith is severely tested.
Confronting Evil
Half human, half demon creatures, zombies committing crimes and freakishly bred perfect females make things even more interesting. After following strange clues to a secret brothel, he begins to understand an evil plan that will have diabolical consequences if he doesn’t stop it. A crooked cop, an evil genius into torture and an unlikely damsel in distress take Damnable further up a notch.
The rich, powerful and manipulative genius Demetrius is hell bent on bringing down heaven, because he’s convinced his parents are in hell. His hatred is so strong that he would rather risk sending everyone to hell than leave his family there.
There are several unbelievable scenarios, yet somehow Schwaeble makes this thriller thrive. It took some convincing for an ex con and a torturer to become a likeable hero. Compared to Demetrius, Hatcher was an angel, but they do have surprising similarities.
The characters and violence are described so well that the story may make some squeamish. It’s not easy to write about such things and make them sound plausible, which makes it an impressive accomplishment for Hank and his debut novel Damnable (Penguin Group, 2009, ISBN: 9780515146912). The fact that the hero remained skeptical up until the end also helped.
About Hank Schwaeble
Hank Schwaeble won a Bram Stoker award in 2007, thanks to three short stories he contributed to Five Strokes to Midnight. He's an active member of both the Horror writers Association and the International Thrillers Writers Association. Hank has conducted criminal investigations for the air force and department of defense. This first hand experience helps him write about investigations convincingly. He’s presently a practicing attorney who’s also working on his next novel, which is bound to be another exciting adventure.
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