PROJECT ÜBERMENSCH

Busch’s SF thriller spans 70-plus years, from World War II into the new millennium.

Unsuspecting sailors aboard the USS Eldridge in 1943 are the subjects of an experiment conducted by the United States Navy in which their ship physically disappears then reappears; the experiment goes awry, killing many and wounding several others, including Third Mate Peter Smithwick, whose legs must be amputated at the knees. The narrative flashes forward to present day North Carolina, where religious handyman and all-around nice-guy Orvin Littney meets his new neighbor, the mysterious Geoffrey Cannon. While out on a walk, Orvin nearly dies of a heart attack, and as he hangs in the balance between life and death, Geoffrey miraculously saves him. Such miracles explain why, Orvin soon learns, Geoffrey has a cult following in the self-help and alternative philosophy world. Such a dedicated following, in fact, that Geoffrey has been known to romance his female sycophants. The problem is, the women who sleep with him keep ending up murdered under mysterious circumstances. Geoffrey likes to be rough, but he hasn’t killed anyone, and the forensics gathered confirm as much. But readers soon learn soon there’s more to the story when the author reveals just who Geoffrey is: the very Peter Smithwick who nearly died on the USS Eldridge and, by all rights, should be in his 90s by now. And yet—Geoffrey is a young, hale man. Once readers meet Geoffrey’s “handler,” the enigmatic and extraterrestrial “Edward,” the mystery only gets foggier—oh, and there is also Bigfoot to contend with: “Not a bear. But huge, and he could almost hear the rumors…Bigfoot. Sasquatch. Yeti.” There is a lot going on in this novel, but the snappy prose and a suspenseful plot make for an exciting read, and the mystery will keep readers turning the pages. The well-drawn Geoffrey and Orvin are sure to become favorites.

A fun, fresh take on a SF trope with enough surprises to keep readers guessing.