Recently laid-off from his newspaper and desperate for work, war correspondent Nick Bishop takes a humbling job: writing a profile of a new mindfulness app called Clarity. The app itself seems like a retread of old ideas--relaxing white noise and guided meditations. But then there are the "Sleep Songs." A woman's hauntingly beautiful voice sings a ballad that is anything but soothing--it's disturbing, and more of a warning than a relaxation--but it works.
... a story that will infect the dreams of readers and leave them with some unsettling imagery, all of which has been masterfully crafted by a talented author who keeps adding to his already impressive resume.
Carson does not disappoint ... Nick’s own mind and the app are the bogeymen here, and Carson cleverly connects our technology with memory. Readers will be terrified by the notion that an app could control them as Clarity does Nick, but more so by the question of how much we know ourselves. Horror fans will want to keep an eye on Carson.
... [an] uber-creepy horror thriller ... Superior prose enhances a craftily twisted plot, which sticks its landing. Peter Straub fans will hope for more from Carson.
