THE MISSING MEDIUM

THE MISSING MEDIUM

Book Two in the Utgarda Trilogy

By Joab Stieglitz

Available at Amazon

177 pgs

A while back we reviewed the first entry in this trilogy, “The Old Man’s Request” and we told you how much we enjoyed it.  An old college professor had dappled in arcane arts and somehow made a connection with another dimension in which resided fiends of all kinds. When one such beast, Utgarda, attempted to cross over into our realm, the old teacher sought the aid of three associates; Doctor Harold Lamd, Prof. Anna Kykov and Catholic priest, Father Sean O’Malley. 

By the end of that first book, the trio successfully thwarted the foul beast and thus granted the dying man’s final request. But at the same time Father O’Malley believed there was still more for them to do. One such unfinished agenda was to locate a well known medium, Brian Teplow, who had gone missing to learn his connection with this alternate world. As book two opens, Father O’Malley is in Rome reporting the past events and his role in them, while Harold and Anna venture into New York City to begin their hunt for Teplow.

Instead of finding Teplow, Anna and Harold find a vagrant claiming to know them from their adventures in that “other” world. He tells them he is a warrior/scout and together they fought the demonic creatures in that strange dimension. Our protagonists are not all that trusting of these claims until, while searching the missing medium’s room, they discover a drawing of the three of them, along with others, dressed in Dungeons & Dragons type clothing and supposedly posing in that weird world. The biggest shock of all comes when Teplow’s mother tells them the picture is ten years old.

At the same time Anna and Harold, now accompanied by Ganon, are chasing down these clues, Father O’Malley has returned stateside only to battle a demon in the apartment of Teplow’s booking agent. Then Anna finds herself in a crossfire between two criminal gangs and is kidnapped by one of them. As in his previous novel, Stieglitz never once lets up on the action. “The Missing Medium” is really a fun read and totally sustains the suspense and mystery set forth in the first chapter.  Stay tuned, loyal readers, the final book is now on my To-Read Stack and a review will soon be coming your way.  In the meatime go find these first two, you’ll be happy you did.