"Great romantic fantasy thriller"
Artur Loginov was once a Russian mobster with the uncanny
skill of "hearing" other people's memories by simply
touching them. Perhaps it is the sadness and nostalgia in
some of the recollections he hears or more likely the
rampage of terror that murdered so many, but Artur turns
himself around by becoming a private investigator, working
for global Dirk & Steele. When he is abducted, Artur assumes his previous life has
caught up with him, but also knows to adhere to his vow to
keep silent at the cost of his life about Dirk & Steele,
who provided his first reason to live by allowing him to
belong to something. He changes his mind about why he was
kidnapped when he meets the other "guests" at the facility
where he is being held. They, like him, have psychic
skills. He especially finds himself attracted to Elena
Baxter, whose feelings of being alone touch Artur's soul.
Her gift of healing amazes even a tainted soul like
Artur. The duo team up with shapeshifters to escape the
prison only to realize that only Elena and Artur as a team
can stop their former warden host from achieving a most
malevolent objective. The sequel to the wonderful TIGER'S EYE, SHADOW TOUCH, is
a great romantic fantasy thriller that is must reading by
sub-genre fans. The story line makes believers of the
audience that X-Men like people exist. The action is fast
and furious, but it is the characterizations that make
this such a wonderful read. When Kirk & Steele enlisted
Artur they fulfilled a basic human need to belong, but
Elena provides him with an even more basic need. Maslow
aside, Marjorie M. Liu provides a fabulous tale that will
bring her plenty of kudos and award nominations. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted January 25, 2006
SummaryElena Baxter can work miracles with her hands. She can coax
bones to knit, flesh to heal. She can mend the mind. She has
been doing such work for almost all of her twenty-eight
years. That is why she will be taken.
The media called it a rampage of terror, the recent murders.
But fighting crime is why Artur Loginov joined Dirk &
Steele. The international detective agency specializes in
the impossible, and their creed is simple: Help those in
need, no matter how difficult, and no matter what, keep the
secret safe. For the agency helps its employees, too; people
like Artur—the gifted, the tormented. Dirk & Steele
gave the Russian emigre purpose, protection, community...and
refuge from his past, for who can trust a man who can start
a fire with his mind, or shape-shift, or read others'
thoughts as easily as drawing breath? For his similar
talent, Artur will be taken.
Into the darkness Elena and Artur will be drawn, into the
clutches of evil. Cornered, isolated, caged, they will fight
for their very souls. But salvation awaits...it exists in a
form least expected: a dream of a face, a brush of a mind,
the hint of a kiss, and finally, at long last, a shadow touch.
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