One. two, three—three missing teenagers. Three grieving families. Three cryptic punishments.
Diana Dirkby’s latest book, Three Kidnapped, Three Siblings, Three Furies, is set to transform your ordinary day into a chilling and horrifying nightmare.
It is normal for Sebastian Ward, Mary Bell, and Fred McCarthy to be late. But when the three teens vanish in thin air without a trace, one after one, without a chance to return, Vrayboro spirals into an abyss of fear and uncertainty.
But their disappearances are not random. There is a method to this madness, a pattern rooted in mythology and twisted justice.
In this novel, the number three is more than a coincidence. It serves as the story’s spine, evoking the power of Greek mythology’s Three Furies. Where in ancient myths, the Furies were deities of vengeance, hunting down those guilty of crimes, especially against their own ki, in Vrayboro, this myth takes on a terrifying reality. When the kidnappers do not demand ransom or make any political statements and orchestrate a series of gruesome punishments that appear to be more symbolic than pragmatic—the real motivation behind these abductions begins to surface tension and intrigue.
The first warning comes in a shocking revelation when the missing teens’ tongues are severed and returned to their parents with a sinister message: “Without their tongue, they cannot lie, nor can they hurt others with their words.”
The horror does not stop there. Days later, another set of packages arrives. This time, it contained severed hands and a message claiming that they could no longer gesture harm or be misunderstood. This ritualistic brutality leaves the town shaken and the authorities struggling for answers.
That is when we get to see Isabel Morse. She is a classics scholar living with schizophrenia. She is the only one who sees the connection between these punishments and the Furies. Isabel’s understanding of Greek mythology allows her to see past the surface horror and into the deeper meaning behind these kidnappings.
But will anyone believe her? Or will her condition render her an untrustworthy voice when the town needs someone to restore peace?
The novel thrives on suspense. The author brilliantly layers psychological terror with the eerie atmosphere of a small town turned hunting ground. The number three dictates every aspect of the story: the three missing teens, the three families grappling with fear, and the three furies and their terrifying punishments. The deeper Isabel digs into this puzzle, the more unsettling the truth becomes. Does mythology merely inspire the kidnappers, or is there something supernatural at play? What is their motivation? And above all, who are they?
As the story progresses, Three Kidnapped, Three Siblings, Three Furies forces you to confront the nature of justice and brutality. If the Furies were meant to punish the guilty, what did these teenagers do to deserve this punishment? What secrets are buried beneath Vrayboro’s surface? And most terrifying of all—who will be the next?
Could Isabel Morse be able to solve this case before it is too late? If so, could she save herself from the upcoming danger? There are many questions, but the answer only lies in this gripping thriller’s pages that are worth the read.
It is a dark, unsettling exploration of guilt, revenge, and the thin line between justice and cruelty. But for those who dare to read it, it offers an unforgettable journey into the shadows of the human mind—where myths are warnings waiting to be understood.
Get your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DR9K6YMG.