‘Security’ pays homage to horror masters

“Security” by Gina Wohlsdorf; Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill (240 pages, $25.95)

A posh five-star resort hotel is about to open for the ultrarich on the California coast. The brochures boast of exclusive soundproof rooms and unrivaled privacy – ensured, we learn, by a security team of elite operatives tucked high above the penthouse floor who keep watch via a system of secret surveillance cameras. Despite such careful measures, we see right away that something is about to go very wrong.

The housekeeping staff and a few managers are making final preparations for the gleaming tower’s grand opening, unaware that their fortress has been penetrated by a murderous intruder. As the security cameras document every move by the unwitting staff, the killer is spotted stalking the halls and setting his traps.

From behind the cameras, a mysterious narrator watches as the killer prepares to pick off the workers one by one. Will the narrator try to warn them?

An interesting writing technique follows the cameras as they record concurrent activities in different parts of the hotel: the narrative splits into columns on the page to create parallel story lines. It’s not overdone and has an addicting appeal.

This is a chilling tale that pays unabashed homage to such horror masters as Stephen King, Daphne du Maurier and Edgar Allan Poe. It’s an intense and unforgettable debut novel by a Bismarck, N.D., native whose media photo reflects the sweet face of the girl next door, but whose blood-dripping prose will have horror fans sopping up every word.

This story was originally published September 2, 2016 at 2:05 PM with the headline "‘Security’ pays homage to horror masters."