Pulse

Set in 1976 Boston, this suspense novel from Harvey (Brighton) combines a gritty police story with elements of speculative fiction in a way that doesn’t quite jell. Daniel Fitzsimmons, a 16-year-old high school student who has been sharing a place with his Harvard football star brother, Harry, takes a room in the apartment of Simon Lane, who claims to be a former Harvard professor of theoretical physics and suggests to Daniel that quantum entanglement may also be possible between two people. When Harry is murdered in Boston’s red-light district, the police have an obvious suspect, but the medical examiner finds inconsistencies. Meanwhile, Daniel has been having strange experiences—transforming into animals and believing he has a quasi-mystical connection to some people—though it’s unclear whether these actually occur or are hallucinations. Harvey often writes beautifully, even tenderly, but the ending will leave readers questioning what exactly happened and why. This standalone will appeal to those willing to suspend some disbelief, but not to anyone who wants everything to make sense. [em]Agent: David Gernert, Gernert Co. (Oct.) [/em]