THE ETERNAL SECRET, a thriller by Mary Romasanta, is rooted in an irresistible premise involving evidence-based findings of near-death experiences, or NDEs. The premise grows into a compelling story in which quantifiable, objective data suggest that biological mechanisms might assist the spirit in its travels to the afterlife.
From there, the story unfolds with new layers offering “scientific” support for further out-there paranormal activities—not only that these mechanisms exist but that they can be manipulated to help souls stuck on this plane travel to the next.
The plot involves colleagues and friends Edward Clark and Prasad Vedurmudi, the former a renowned psychiatrist and the latter a neurological researcher, both at a nationally acclaimed research institution in Chicago. They are frequent research partners, and Vedurmudi has drawn Clark into his current study on NDEs. When the board overseeing the study pulls the funding, Vedurmudi’s anger in response is so extreme that Clark suspects his friend has deeper motives. In a second storyline, a cold-blooded assassin and his backstory run parallel to (and then intersect with) the main plot, turning the already interesting tale into a thriller.
Romasanta steadily increases the narrative’s level of excitement, smoothly injecting exposition into high-energy scenes and installing multiple twists that surprise and keep the pages turning. Furthermore, the narrative adds color and interest with authoritative details about surgical procedures.
As the researchers delve deeper into NDEs, religious beliefs—both abstract and specific—inevitably arise. One antagonist, a ministerial leader on the Institute’s board, threatens them with the force of a powerful multifaith organization. In one comic scene, an atheist explains his near-death experience with great irritation, as it conflicts with everything he’s always believed.
Unfortunately, other attempts at humor often fall flat with writing that is sometimes clunky or suffers from overtelling: “Prasad glowered at him incredulously. ‘Comments like that make me wonder why I keep you around,’ he said, smiling inwardly as a subtle game of wit unfolded between them.” Ill-fitting and overused attributions further weaken anemic dialogue. Upon hearing of a terrible death, one character’s response is described, “‘Oh my God,’ she said, pouting her lips.”
Of perhaps more concern is a highly suspect plot-point near the novel’s close. Until then, Romasanta had cleverly stitched credible scientific facts into paranormal notions, and, despite the writing flaws, offered an entertaining and intriguing story. Whether or not it ultimately pays off will be a decision that readers will determine for themselves.
Mary Romasanta’s THE ETERNAL SECRET is a fast-paced, compelling story involving a scientific study of near-death experiences.
~Anne Welsbacher for IndieReader
