Unease prevails in this bizarre domestic thriller.
“My name is Zoe Hearty, and I am a killer, but I am not a monster.” Locked away in some shady institution, Zoe is left with nothing but her overwhelming guilt over events largely out of her control. At least, that is her side of the story. Without a fair trial, the system has written her off as a dangerous fantasist, one that deserves nothing more than a sterile cell with amenities like 24/7 surveillance and little interaction with the outside world. Still, Zoe defends her murderous role by retelling events in her life, beginning with her debauched college days and moving on to marriage and motherhood. What starts as a promising home life devolves into a marriage punctuated by drunken disputes, tension-filled interactions and unfortunate ‘accidents’ that land Zoe in the hospital. By outside accounts, her husband Jimmy is a model family man. Though his writing career never took off, he is well known in Temple as a beloved teacher and coach. However, his suspicious and increasingly violent behavior at home does not match his affable public persona, leaving Zoe in a difficult position. As she uncovers a shocking truth, will anybody believe her explanation? Or will they discount her as a delusional woman with a persistent drinking problem?
Of course, the title says it all. Yet still, the alien elements in Zoe Hearty and the Space Invaders manage to come as a surprise. Zoe’s character is written as such an irrational and possibly deranged woman, that readers fall under the spell of manipulation cast by the darker forces looking to discredit her. Zoe’s troubled background further calls into question her sanity, but at just the right moment, the audience is enlightened, brought into the inner circle of alien terrors. And a cult-like society of alien worshippers is only the beginning of the frightening happenings in Temple. Unease prevails in this bizarre domestic thriller/alien invasion novel. The story seems to move solidly in one direction until, suddenly, readers are yanked in another, forced to focus on a different dreadful aspect of Zoe’s journey. Although the text could use some polishing, readers will appreciate Zoe Hearty and the Space Invaders for the unique and horrifyingly bizarre psychological adventure it is.
