Mortom by Erik Therme

When Andy inherits his late cousin’s house, he thinks he’s finally stumbled onto a bit of good luck.

Until he finds a dead rat under the refrigerator with a note stuffed inside it’s mouth.

Written inside were just two words:

Follow Me.

So begins Mortom, the stunning debut novel from author Erik Therme. Set in the fictional town of Mortom, Iowa, brother and sister team Andy and Kate find themselves entangled in a bizarre series of events set forth by their late cousin, Craig, who died in a tragic accident -leaving behind a strange trail of clues for them to follow.

But who really was Craig, and why he would go to such lengths to create this “game” -and to what end? The more they look into his past, the more secrets are revealed in the small town of Mortom- and not everyone is happy about it.

With each new clue Andy falls deeper into a maddening obsession, determined to get to the bottom of this ever-increasingly-strange mystery, while sister Kate tries to figure out what role Debbie, the girl next door, and her grandfather Ricky play in it all. But is it all just a sick joke, or is there more at stake than either of them realize?

Mortom is a fiercely gripping mystery that wont let you go until the very last page- by the end of the first chapter I was completely hooked and devoured the entire book in one sitting (something I almost never do). Therme has done a masterful job in crafting a suspenseful story, and I loved the back-and-forth sibling rivalry between Andy and Kate (as a “little sister”, I can vouch that it’s done quite well), as well as the intriguingly complex cast of characters that crop up as the story progresses. A brilliantly fast-paced book, Mortom offers readers a tantalizing mystery set in a small town full of secrets. The perfect book for a cold fall evening, and an absolute must-read!

Rating: 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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About the author

Erik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harbored runaways, and met Darth Vader.

When he’s not at his computer, he can be found cheering for his oldest daughter’s volleyball team, or chilling on the PlayStation 3 with his eleven-year-old. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only seven places in the world UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature.

You can learn more about Erik Therme and his book MORTOM by visiting his website www.eriktherme.com