description: 
  The Barnes &amp; Noble Review
 With his astoundingly clever debut, Skull Session, Daniel Hecht offers an intelligent novel that is an investigation into the human brain and its dark capacities. Containing elements of romance and mystery, this psychological thriller sweeps readers into a realm of dark logic and holds them in its grip until the very end. Masterful detail, attained through extraordinarily in-depth research, creates an eerie realness in the villain and prompts comparisons of Skull Session with such novels as Gorky Park and The Silence of the Lambs.  Skull Session centers around an abandoned hunting lodge deep in the wooded reaches of the Hudson River valley. Outside all appears tranquil, but inside lies a murderous force, a superhuman violence reflected by the disappearances and deaths that have haunted the area.  Paul Skoglund is hired by his aunt to restore order to the magnificent house. He suffers from Tourette's syndrome, which, despite his brilliant mind, keeps him underemployed and frustrated. In addition to the social hardships he faces because of his handicaps, his ex-wife is using his condition against him to obtain sole custody of their son, Mark.  Paul hasn't seen his wealthy aunt in years, but her 19th-century hunting lodge has been ravaged, and she refuses to allow anyone outside the family to take on the repairs. As Paul and his girlfriend, Lia, start the reconstruction, they can't help but wonder what caused such chaos. Their search for answers takes them to the cutting edge of biomedical research, from the science of genetics toVikinglegends. As they delve deeper into his family's past, Paul must face the darker side of his own nature as he braves the possibility that he may destroy himself in order to save those he loves. 
language: English
title: Skull Session
titlecomplete: Skull Session
characters: Ben Skoglund, Heather Mason, Vivien Hoffmann, Lia McLean, Steve Rubio, Mo Ford, Dub Gilmore, Essie Howrigan, Mark Skoglund, Mike Walinski, Paul Skoglund, Elaine Corrigan, Erik Hoffmann, Royce Hoffmann, Pete Rizal, Dempsey Corrigan, Richard Mason
genres: Suspense, Novels, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Roman, Horror, Fiction, Fantasy, Ghost Stories, Mystery
ratings_count: 969
places: New York (State), Westchester County, New York, Lewisboro, New York, Westchester, New York
publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks