When The Taker turned up in my incoming mail, I hadn't any plans to review it. But the cover kept catching my eye, and then I'd flip through it a bit and maybe read a few paragraphs.

It wasn't long before I settled in on a cold rainy day to give it a proper read. And am I glad I did.

The Taker is the debut novel by Alma Katsu (published by Gallery Books). It's a novel, but made up of stories within stories, each as compelling and puzzling as the last, that comprises a satisfying whole.

Dr. Luke Findley, the nightshift ER doctor in a rural Maine town's small hospital, finds himself treating a most unusual patient - a young woman brought in by police, covered in blood, who claims to have just murdered a man in the woods. But she is not at all as she seems, as the good doctor soon discovers.

It turns out she was born at the turn of the 18th century when the town was a rough place settled by Puritans.

As a child she fell in love with the son of the town's founder and benefactor, a match that would never be allowed, given her humble background.

It isn't long before the girl finds herself in real trouble, and when sent by her family to Boston, it only gets worse. It isn't long before Lanny's past catches up to her and Jonathan, her forbidden lover, becomes the most enticing prize of all, and not just to her.

Lanny exchanges her life story for help in escaping the police over Jonathan's death.

Slowly, we learn of her terrible secrets and astounding life as the doctor does, a format that allows for the more sensational parts to be questioned just as any of us would if faced with such a tale. And of course there is much to question, like how can Lanny really be two centuries old for starters.

But Katsu has a knack for combining the supernatural with outstanding storytelling, creating characters who grab your attention and tug on your heartstrings.

This novel will certainly find an audience in all those who enjoy supernatural thrillers, but it shouldn't be set aside by more serious readers just because of its fantastical aspects. It's a well-written book that can resonate beyond its genre.

ccooke@thenownewspaper.com

Twitter@CarolynCooke1