The year is 1992. Pete Morrow, misanthropic English major turned FBI agent, has been sent to shoo a drug dealer off a remote Army base. But instead of a dealer, he finds Black Dog: a Canadian rock band fronted by the alluring Jade McClellan. He also stumbles across a ritualistic murder. From here, Pete’s life changes in way that no one, least of all himself, could possibly imagine. The mafia, payola, and the war on drugs intertwine into a Gordian knot of intrigue as Karen Michalson’s THE MAENAD’S GOD continues. Pete finds himself in the company of a group of modern day rock ‘n’ roll witches, with Jade as their golden boy. The mysterious elder Penny will do just about anything to make sure Jade’s music is heard by the world. And opposite her is Hugh McCrae, a monster of a man who just can’t seem to stay dead. Nor can he keep his nose out of politics. As Pete wades deeper into Jade’s world, he begins to find love, poetry, and even some shred of meaning. The pair share a furtive romance as Jade’s star climbs; meanwhile, Pete is called upon to fight against sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll as a public champion of common decency. Before the case is closed, Pete will uncover an ancient, ever-repeating cycle of love, art, and aspiration. And, along the way, he’ll discover shocking truths about himself, reaching back even before he was born.

Michalson’s first-person narrative starts in small ripples, but flows into poetry. The reader can almost see Jade breathing musical life into Pete through their acquaintance, as chapters turn from blunt cynicism to stunning, musical prose. Jade’s Olympian magic seeps into the narrator’s very bones, actively altering the narrative—making him as much of a storyteller as the actual storyteller himself. By the end, all the threads have come together in a bittersweet conclusion. THE MAENAD’S GOD is a rewarding read for lovers of mythology, music, and mystery. While the government intrigue is solid, the romance and betrayal are where this story really sings. Surprisingly fast-paced for its length, it’s a book that never lets up, even into its literal coda.

THE MAENAD’S GOD is never the same book twice: flowing from intrigue to mysticism, romance to mythology, Karen Michalson weaves an epic and constantly surprising narrative.

~Kara Dennison for IndieReader