Psychiatrist Viktor Kosárek has a new job in an asylum for the criminally insane that houses six—and only six—of the country's most dangerous killers: the Woodcutter, the Clown, the Glass Collector, the Vegetarian, the Sciomancer, and the Demon. The state-of-the-art facility is retrofitted within a medieval castle, which adds a haunting and violent mythology to his already complicated caseload. As Viktor assimilates, he tests his theory of the Devil Aspect (part possession, part multiple personality, part voice of the devil) with each of his patients, attempting to find a motivation for their crimes. As his work progresses, his expertise is sought by police inspector Lukáš Smolák, who needs to catch a serial killer known as "Leather Apron" currently terrorizing Prague. As the psychology and detective work intersect, the lines dividing patient, victim, and the law begin to blur for both the inmates and the residents of Prague.
VERDICT Scottish author Russell's U.S. debut is gothic horror, heavy on the horror. Initially complicated and slow, the incredibly graphic and violent story delivers a colossal twist that warrants the reading effort. [See Prepub Alert, 9/17/18.]
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