Eye of the Moon

Described as a "gothic mystery of the finest order, Eyes Wide Shut meets Agatha Christie" (IndieReader), an "ingeniously constructed... engrossing tale of mystery and magic" (Kirkus Reviews), "gripping, intense, thorough. Everything I wanted in a thriller, and then some." (Nick Thacker, author). "In ambiance it rivals Downton Abbey, but the plot tells a far more intense and shocking story." (Tom Hyman, author). "Filled with hidden motives, mysterious relics, and sinister unknowns, Eye of the Moon evokes the drama of Dynasty with the atmosphere of Manderley." (Jennifer Whitman, professional bookseller, Barnes & Noble).

Percy was brought up with his childhood friend Johnny Dodge at Rhinebeck, the Dodges’ sumptuous estate overlooking the Hudson. The two part company after a trading disaster, and his ties to the Dodge family are weakened. Ever loyal, Johnny eventually persuades Percy to join him for a weekend house party at the Rhinebeck estate, with a volatile group of family and guests. Once owned by Johnny’s legendary socialite Aunt Alice, Rhinebeck holds more than just childhood memories. Alice mysteriously died while reading the Egyptian Book of the Dead when Johnny and Percy were ten, and they have been kept in the dark about that night ever since. From the family butler, long a faithful servant to the Dodge family, they learn that Alice’s story is far darker than anticipated and will impact the lives of all who are present before the weekend concludes. Eye of the Moon is a complex and sophisticated web of mystery, Egyptian occultism, sumptuous elegance, and intrigue, where family members, guests, and even the servants have their own agendas, and nothing is what it seems.

"... Obolensky conjures a remarkably imaginative tale, seamlessly juxtaposing the quotidian and the magical in a way that renders the latter mesmerizingly plausible. Johnny and Percy’s headlong march into the occult world that may have destroyed Alice is shockingly inadvisable and yet seems to make sense all the same. In addition, the author has a morbid gift for the description of human turpitude that simultaneously inspires both revulsion and awe... Alice’s complex character powerfully emerges as the plot’s tonal center, a bewitching amalgam of moral strength, intellectual vitality, and a lust for life. Likewise, Stanley is far more than meets the eye, and Obolensky skillfully portrays him with literary restraint, leaving the reader to deliciously wonder if he’s truly a friend or a secret foe... the story as a whole remains a transfixing one, ingeniously constructed. Despite its length, an engrossing tale of mystery and magic." -Kirkus Reviews

"... When Johnny Dodge knocks on Percy’s door and asks him to help uncover whether they’ve accidentally drunk the bottles of Château Lafite 1959 that Johnny’s parents were saving for their anniversary, Percy should have known that more than fine wine would be opened during a weekend in Rhinebeck, the Dodge family estate that always felt a bit peculiar. Soon the best friends are deep in a mystery involving the questionable death of Johnny’s aunt Alice, the occult, hidden paternity, and high-stakes financial risk—all over the course of a weekend party at the unsettling estate. The mysteries are finely woven together and readers must think fast on their feet if they hope to keep up with the meticulous minds of the weekend guests. Percy is a capable protagonist for this high-stakes maneuvering, and half of the fun is reading his descriptions of the five-course meals served by Dagmar and the fine liquors decanted by Stanley, who run the house for the Dodges..." -IndieReader, 4.7 stars, IR approved