DaytonDailyNews.com

"The Messenger" by Jan Burke, (Simon and Schuster, 305 pages, $25).

Crime fiction is immensely popular. I'm rather fond of crime writers like James Lee Burke, Sue Grafton, George Pelecanos, Ian Rankin and Robert Crais.

Another favorite of mine is Jan Burke. She created a series that features the reporter Irene Kelly. Burke is a meticulous researcher. In 1999, her novel in the series "Bones" won the most prestigious honor a mystery writer can get, the Edgar Award.

A new book from Jan Burke is always a noteworthy event. A few pages into her latest novel, "The Messenger," I made a startling discovery; it's not crime fiction. "The Messenger" marks a radical departure for Burke. Her latest book is a supernatural thriller.

I called Burke to find out what led her to write it. She explained that in the course of her work writing crime fiction that she had pondered some recurring themes. She wondered what it would be like to create a character who could communicate with people who were dying, a character who could transmit those final thoughts and desires to loved ones who were unable to know their final words without some supernatural assistance.

She dreamed up a character, Tyler Hawthorne, who has the mission to locate people who are dying so that he can pass along these final requests. Tyler is "The Messenger." He also is eternally 24 years old, rich, handsome and immortal. His constant companion is a big black dog, an immortal canine partner.

As the story opens, we catch a glimpse of Lord Adrian Varre, our villain. I asked Burke how she conceived of this unsavory fellow. She told me that "it's really important to have a villain who's up to weight for your hero. Tyler's not all that vulnerable. Something really nasty has to come after him. For as good an individual as Tyler is, there had to be a counterpoint there to bring any tension into the story. My villain Adrian is utterly selfish."

And repulsive. Adrian Varre is the most disgusting literary monster this reviewer has encountered in years. So, you might be wondering; is Tyler Hawthorne a vampire? Amanda Clarke, a genuine 24-year-old who is Tyler's love interest in the book, actually asks him that question. You can't kill him. But he walks in the daylight. Who is he?

"The Messenger" builds to an astonishing finale that simply begs for a sequel. And it makes us ponder whether living forever would really be a such good thing? Burke explains that "the more I thought about it, the more I realized there is a certain gift that comes with aging, in not having life go on and on — if you outlive all your peers and you outlive everyone you love ..."

"If you outlive your time, would that really be as wonderful as a lot of us think? There's something to be said for the natural plan of things."

Jan Burke will visit Books & Co at The Greene, 4453 Walnut St. in Beavercreek at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14.

Contact b

ook reviewer Vick Mickunas

at vick@vickmickunas.com