A story that grabs you throughout, although the brutal first chapter is almost too much in its successful effort to set up the stakes. Good characterization, absorbing plot, and skillful writing by a writer who specializes in ethnic demons. Recommended but watch out for that first chapter. ( )

Generally, the first book I read of an author's is a dangerous proposition; if I don't get suckered in pretty quickly, I dismiss both the book and the author -- there's just not enough time, and too many good books. I expected a typical serial killer/supernatural combo, with both horror sub-genres clumsily dancing around with each other. Instead, I got a creative, nasty, sexy, rawly violent novel, with seamless interplay between the two sub-genres.

There's also a mainly non-hokey dose of magic realism involved -- I say "mainly," b/c Masterson almost let the story away from him a time or two. Happily, though, it never actually devolved into a melange of voodoo queens and dark gods demanding favors.

I finished the book quickly, and was immediately jonesing for more. Nice work. ( )

First off I just want to say how much I enjoy reading Masterton's works, especially when they make me research on topics that he brings up. I love having a novel bring something up that I don't know that much about and have it encourage me to look it up in order to figure out some things related to the novel in question. Just like The Pariah and Blind Panic, I was compelled to go out and find out more about Aztec mythology and Native American mythology alike.

Taking place in San Francisco, Master of Lies follows policeman Larry Foggia as he tracks down the Fog City Satan, a serial killer that uses ritualistic killings for some unknown reason. Thanks to his research and journeys into the occult, Larry finds that the Fog City Satan is after a demon known as the Master of Lies in order to give himself powers beyond his wildest dreams.

This is a really enjoyable book and a fast read under the right conditions. Highly recommended. ( )

Another frightening novel from this master of horror. He has to be one of the very few authors who can make you feel soooo very scared when reading his books.

Back Cover Blurb:
A ritual killer stalks the city....a killer so cruel and so sadistically inventive that the police nickname him 'Satan'. His hideous murders appear to have no purpose and no pattern....until Lieutenant Larry Foggia is assigned to hunt him down.
With the aid of a spiritualist medium, Foggia discovers that the killings do have a purpose....a purpose so terrible and strange that he cannot bring his superiors to believe him.
So he must stand alone against a black and shattering menace that has been concealed in the city for decades. A menace that threatens his friends, his family, and literally thousands of other lives....as well as the only thing that can save him....his sanity. ( )

NIL