McGivern William P. (2)

A riveting novel of power, passion and intrigue, from the author of .

Harry Selby knows disturbingly little about the father he never met — until he comes to Summitt City, a chillingly efficient “planned” city where his long-lost half-brother begins to unlock the mystery of their common past... and then suddenly disappears. The brutal sexual assault upon Selby’s young daughter convinces him that beneath the dark currents of the two tragedies is a dimly discerned secret malice, a leviathan whose nature confounds even as he presses his search to the highest levels of law and government. The trail twists to a frightening military experiment in mind and memory control; to a sensational — and darkly suspicious — murder trial; and finally to Summitt City, where it all began — a city now lethal guardian of a most terrible truth.

Summitt is a novel of remarkable range and depth, a brilliant exploration of at once the lowest and noblest in human behavior, including a touching father-daughter relationship that defies and survives the mindless evils arrayed against it. Summitt is the premier work of a fine writer at the top of his creative powers.

Every man, and every community, has its breaking point. This is the arresting and powerful idea which is examined by William P. McGivern in his new novel,

The suburban development of Faircrest had seemed a model of contemporary values, pleasures and problems, its young home owners sane and intelligent — until the unexpected happened. Then John Farrell’s son began to steal, the Wards’ boy lied in terror about a fight he had been in at school and a German Luger disappeared from the Detweillers’ home. It became apparent that an ugly and mysterious influence was operating within the peaceful blocks of Faircrest.

The adults recognized the danger signals. It was obvious their children’s values and safety were being threatened. This was a time for calmness, for issues to be clearly defined. But the parents failed to realize that their own values were also put to test in this explosive situation. A conviction of righteousness swept through the community like a grass fire, and with it an impatience with the law and a disregard for the rights of anyone beyond the threatened portals of Faircrest. What man, what individual life is ever strong enough to survive such a spell of riot?

Here, in a tense and unusual book, is a sobering picture of what could happen in any modern American community.