The possession : a novel /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

From the author of The Anomaly comes the second installment in The Anomaly Files , a series in the tradition of James Rollins of a team investigating American myths and legends. Still recovering from the shocking revelations they uncovered deep in uncharted territory in the Grand Canyon, American myth and legend investigator Nolan Moore and his team take on a new mission, investigating a rumored case of witchcraft and possession.

Nolan hopes their new case, in a quaint village in the middle of the woods, will prove much more like those he and his team investigated prior to their trip to Kincaid's cavern.
But as the residents accounts of strange phenomena add up, Nolan and company begin to suspect something all too real and dangerous may be at play. A force that may not be willing to let them escape the village unscathed.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Rutger's creepy, creative sequel to 2018's The Anomaly finds Nolan Moore, the host of a second-rate YouTube series, dispirited by the low sales of a book based on his show. Still, he hopes to attract more of an audience when he takes his production team to northern California to investigate "one of the most little-known mysteries in the entire country." The region contains hundreds of miles of stone walls of unknown origin marked by "odd variations in height, failure to enclose, and a tendency to run through or over things like lakes and mountainsides." When Nolan reaches the town of Birchlake, he crosses paths with his ex-wife, Kristy Reardon, who's looking into the disappearance of 14-year-old Alaina Hixon. Ten days earlier, Alaina vanished while walking home with two classmates. A photo of her later posted online elicited four comments calling Alaina a witch, and one stated that it was time for the girl to join her dead mother. Smith does a fine job ratcheting up the tension as the two story lines converge. Fans of supernatural thrillers will be more than satisfied. Agent: Jennifer Joel, ICM Partners. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Booklist Review

This follow-up to Rutger's The Anomaly (2018) continues the story of Nolan Moore, host of The Anomaly Files, a semisuccessful YouTube series about the strange and paranormal. Nolan's team are now on their way to the small town of Birchlake, California, drawn there not only by the presence of mysterious stone walls dotted throughout the surrounding forest but also by the presence of Nolan's ex-wife, Kristy. Kristy, an investigative journalist, is following her own mystery: namely, the disappearance of local teen Alaina Hixon, last seen in the Birchlake woods. Though Nolan was using the trip as a pretext to keep an eye on Kristy, he and his team become drawn deeper into the mysteries of the town after strange and disturbing incidents begin to occur with increasing frequency, not least of which is the return of a seemingly haunted and eerie Alaina. Rutger ably creates a brisk and engaging narrative grounded in a world familiar to fans of both X-Files-style sf or horror, sure to keep most readers entertained.--Nell Keep Copyright 2019 Booklist

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Michael Rutger is an acclaimed short story writer whose work has been optioned by major Hollywood studios. He lives in California with his wife, son and two cats.