The Gemini Factor | Paul Kane

The Gemini Factor
by Paul Kane
Pub: Screaming Dreams
Cover: Steve Upham
270 pages

I was struck first by the dark poetry of Kane's writing. Then I was grabbed by the story and the characters.

When Sergeant Deborah Harrison visits the family of a murder victim she is shocked to find herself staring at the dead man's face. It quickly becomes evident that all the killer's victims are one of twins. Then there is Jack Foley, whose link to the killer is bizarre and unbelievable.

The Gemini Factor is dark, a crime novel with a horrific supernatural twist. It's intense, Kane doesn't give his characters or us much of a breather, a handful of domestic moments to ground us and keep us with the characters are all the respite the reader gets.

The characters themselves, Inspector Mason is not especially likeable but he's not meant to be. Foley and Harrison are the leads in this really and they are easy to empathise with, easy to like. The Sergeant is torn between her work and the possibility that Foley may be telling the truth, the need to solve the crime. Foley just wants to finish this, to stop seeing what his brother left in his head.

It's a good story, with good characters and great writing and for all that there is a supernatural aspect, it's the human element in the book that provides the real horror.

To experience Paul's writing for yourself see the short story Baggage we posted and for more on Paul's influences visit his Writers Reading post. For more on Paul Kane generally visit his website.