Unable to deal with life in his hometown, Pico Mundo, Odd Thomas has retreated to St. Bartholomew's, where he hoped to find some peace. Telling his secret only to those necessary, he manages for a time to live a quiet life, piquing curiosity, but being left alone. The arrival of bodachs with his first ever snow storm changes all that.

What begins as the mystery of Brother Timothy's disappearance quickly spirals into an ever-growing and changing puzzle. While Odd knows something is coming and the children must be protected, he can't explain to anyone what, why or how, which makes the planning more than a little difficult.

Elvis continues to pop in for comic relief as Odd struggles to make sense of things he's never seen and can barely comprehend. The trusty Boo offers some help as well, but as a dog can only go so far.

In a race against not only the unknown but also the clock, Odd struggles to find a way to communicate with those who rarely do, in hopes of solving the riddle before it's too late for anyone else.

I've loved Odd Thomas since his first story. Apparently some found his second tale to be lesser than the first. I'm not sure I was of that opinion, but for any who were, I can say that this installment should definitely please.

I went through it in less than a day, I think, surprising the three people who saw me reading it, even though I'm known to be a fast reader.