The memories of a childhood worse than his wartime experiences preys on the mind of Henry Cadmus who grew up on Catalina Island, a picturesque paradise 26 miles off the coast of Southern California. Henry is now middle aged and married to Ruby, an unorthodox woman with a definite dark side. At Ruby’s persistent urging, she, Henry and their young daughter return to the island so that Henry can face his inner demons as well as locate and confront his aged mother who for some reason has returned to the island after many years away. ( The Nick Nolte character in Prince of Tides comes to mind).

As the exploration of Henry’s life jumps back and forth in time the reader begins to wonder just how much of Henry’s experiences and recollections are grounded in reality and how much is the work of an overactive imagination. Henry’s thoughts, feelings, and sensations, while sometimes plausible, lacked a certain authenticity as did the pagan ritual scenes which were more hokey than frightening.

As the story gathered a little momentum, much of the narrative became riveting while at the same time the underlying cheesiness factor and the less than rousing ending made what could have been a five star reading experience a mere 31/2.