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Reviewed by Pennell Paugh
October 19, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- The Spirit of Shy Moon Lake is a spooky, sometimes creepy, often mysterious tale, filled with tension and foreshadowing. Award-winning local author Reina Lisa Menasche is also the long-time host of the “Bookshelf” segment on East County Magazine’s radio show.
The main character, Jess McCortney, moves to a vacation area in the mountains with Jonah, her four-year-old son from a previous marriage, and her new husband, Charlie.
At times Shy Moon Lake seems like a weird place with nutty residents. Near the water are signs warning residents and tourists of the lake’s dangers; forbidding anyone to swim. When Jess and Charlie attempt to learn more about the lake and its history, the town’s residents not only seem unwilling, they are unable to talk about the area’s secrets which is shown to us through deep point of view of town’s folks.
At times, Jess McCortney thinks their beautiful cottage near a lake is a wonderful place to start her life over. However, it is in these moments that she acts in ways that are unlike herself. A voice speaks to her that tries to influence her way of thinking and behavior. Once, while she is sleeping, she commits an unspeakable act that no one, including Jess, understands. In fact, Jess comes to believe that Charlie made the whole event up. But, then, Charlie does uncharacteristic behaviors too.
Over time, in altered mental states, Jess finds the lake irresistible. The voice beckons her to go for a swim. Little Jonah becoming unlike himself, knows what the spirit is saying to his mother. With all his might, the four-year-old tries to protect her from harming herself.
Jess is a troubled woman and haunted by her past. Her vivid memories are triggered by events in current time. We experience Jess’ moments of rejection; her father falling from a ladder while painting and later dying from his injuries; her first husband abandoning her while she struggled to minister to a baby with cholic; and so on. At times, these moments of memory, mixed in with present events, cause Jess confusion, as a result she has outbursts and deepening suspicions about Charlie.
Menasche creates a compelling story from the inner experience of the characters.
The base of my skull pinged … and I was back to a wintry Saturday, February 15, 1986. My family had almost reached the end of “The Haunted Mansion” ride at the Happiest Place on Earth—Disneyland—when suddenly our cart stopped. We sat there, the four of us stuffed together, me on Daddy’s lap, staring at our reflections in a mirrored wall—with a ghost plunked in the middle. I screamed. My father gripped my shoulders and murmured soothing words while my mother told my brother David to stop laughing. Bru-ha-ha, bru-ha-ha, David cackled as I peed inside the shorts of my brand-new turquoise sailor’s suit. The cart still did not move. The ghost didn’t either. I stopped crying and looked at the ghost; it looked at me. I won’t let you win, I thought.
The Happiest Place on Earth had always looked slightly wrong to me after that, and now I had that memory crowding itself into this present moment, which might be why the lovely town of Shy Moon Lake—A Vacation to Live For!—suddenly looked a little bit off to me too … I won’t let you win, I thought—and wondered who I was talking to.
In vignettes like this, the author artfully pulls the reader into a tale of dark, dangerous spirits who control the weather and events that threaten the town itself.
The Spirit of Shy Moon Lake pulled me in and I craved to read it till the end came all too quickly. This is a great read for Halloween time.
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh
October 19, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- The Spirit of Shy Moon Lake is a spooky, sometimes creepy, often mysterious tale, filled with tension and foreshadowing. Award-winning local author Reina Lisa Menasche is also the long-time host of the “Bookshelf” segment on East County Magazine’s radio show.
The main character, Jess McCortney, moves to a vacation area in the mountains with Jonah, her four-year-old son from a previous marriage, and her new husband, Charlie.
At times Shy Moon Lake seems like a weird place with nutty residents. Near the water are signs warning residents and tourists of the lake’s dangers; forbidding anyone to swim. When Jess and Charlie attempt to learn more about the lake and its history, the town’s residents not only seem unwilling, they are unable to talk about the area’s secrets which is shown to us through deep point of view of town’s folks.
At times, Jess McCortney thinks their beautiful cottage near a lake is a wonderful place to start her life over. However, it is in these moments that she acts in ways that are unlike herself. A voice speaks to her that tries to influence her way of thinking and behavior. Once, while she is sleeping, she commits an unspeakable act that no one, including Jess, understands. In fact, Jess comes to believe that Charlie made the whole event up. But, then, Charlie does uncharacteristic behaviors too.
Over time, in altered mental states, Jess finds the lake irresistible. The voice beckons her to go for a swim. Little Jonah becoming unlike himself, knows what the spirit is saying to his mother. With all his might, the four-year-old tries to protect her from harming herself.
Jess is a troubled woman and haunted by her past. Her vivid memories are triggered by events in current time. We experience Jess’ moments of rejection; her father falling from a ladder while painting and later dying from his injuries; her first husband abandoning her while she struggled to minister to a baby with cholic; and so on. At times, these moments of memory, mixed in with present events, cause Jess confusion, as a result she has outbursts and deepening suspicions about Charlie.
Menasche creates a compelling story from the inner experience of the characters.
The base of my skull pinged … and I was back to a wintry Saturday, February 15, 1986. My family had almost reached the end of “The Haunted Mansion” ride at the Happiest Place on Earth—Disneyland—when suddenly our cart stopped. We sat there, the four of us stuffed together, me on Daddy’s lap, staring at our reflections in a mirrored wall—with a ghost plunked in the middle. I screamed. My father gripped my shoulders and murmured soothing words while my mother told my brother David to stop laughing. Bru-ha-ha, bru-ha-ha, David cackled as I peed inside the shorts of my brand-new turquoise sailor’s suit. The cart still did not move. The ghost didn’t either. I stopped crying and looked at the ghost; it looked at me. I won’t let you win, I thought.
The Happiest Place on Earth had always looked slightly wrong to me after that, and now I had that memory crowding itself into this present moment, which might be why the lovely town of Shy Moon Lake—A Vacation to Live For!—suddenly looked a little bit off to me too … I won’t let you win, I thought—and wondered who I was talking to.
In vignettes like this, the author artfully pulls the reader into a tale of dark, dangerous spirits who control the weather and events that threaten the town itself.
The Spirit of Shy Moon Lake pulled me in and I craved to read it till the end came all too quickly. This is a great read for Halloween time.
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