by Bob Tucker
Black Moon by Thomas Ripley is a thrilling, weird book of voodoo
worship and adventure that should please any weird fan. The author
knows voodoo, and voodoo worshipers, and he most ably presents it in
this story.
The story concerns a young man of New York City, who is called to San
Cristobal, an island off the coast of Haiti, by a mysteriously worded
message, to the effect that the life of his sweetheart depends on his
coming. Of course he goes, and is immediately plunged up to his neck in
mystery and adventure.
His skirmishes with the voodoo'ers and his eventual discovery that his
own is the virgin queen of the voodoo worshipers prove thrilling. He is
beset by two villains, so to speak. Both his sweetheart, and her father
make several attempts upon his life, after he makes the discovery.
The only criticisms of the book, are two, which even the most casual
readers will notice at once. The story, and one of the characters, are
altogether too "silvery" and too "cool".
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