Devilish Dust

An Arizona dust storm hides an evil secret in this roadside horror novel.

A highway—a stretch of road between Tucson and Phoenix—becomes the epicenter of a treacherous dust storm in the Sonoran Desert. As the wind picks up sand, pebbles, and small rocks, highway patrolman Richard Hickman works to maintain traffic safety. In a dust storm, there’s poor visibility, “causing a lot of accidents,” Richard warns as he encourages travelers to exit the highway or pull over before the tempest arrives. But this storm harbors a nasty secret: Hiding in the fine particles whipping through the air is a malevolent presence that leaves in its wake untold chaos and destruction. When travelers start dying or disappearing in the clouds of dust, the rumors and legends of evil spirits that possess sandstorms begin to hold more credence. Are there devils in the dust? This question hovers over each of the characters trapped on the highway in Dean’s engaging tale. The story follows a vast array of players, with each chapter focusing on one group, describing how the characters got to the highway and providing a little context to their relationships before disaster strikes. There are Mike and Ruth, a couple on a date in his stylish Firebird Formula. There’s also the Lopez household, traveling on the highway for a close-to-home family outing. Though these characters and chapters seem disparate, when the storm comes, the book’s stories suddenly start overlapping in a gripping multicar pileup. Unfortunately, the novel’s developments before the tempest mute some of the tension. Readers always know where the characters are going to end up (on the freeway, possibly battling sandstorm ghouls). The mundane details of the players’ lives (chats between Ruth and her roommate; 10 pages of a family staycation that involves visiting a restaurant and caverns) do little to actually flesh out their personalities. Instead, they serve as digressions for readers to navigate until the excitement kicks in. When the storm hits, the tale is fun and campy—it just takes some detours to get there.

A thrilling ride that hits a few speed bumps along the way.