A novel “inspired by the popular TV program: One Step Beyond.”
I don’t think it has anything to do with the show though. My guess would be the marketing department thought it would be a good idea to slap the popular television show’s name on the cover to help sell books. Maybe the Twilight Zone people were more apt to sue? Either way, it worked on me. Of course, with that cover art I would have picked it up anyway.
I love when stories don’t fit snug into any genre. If you think about shows like the Twilight Zone and Outer Limits both had straight up sci-fi episodes or horror episodes but what always intrigued me was the ones that didn’t fit in any genre. They were just weird, original ideas flirting with many genres at once while never fully committing to any. Always a little spooky, a little mysterious, dreamlike, and sometimes supernatural or at least seeming that way at first. One of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes is A Stop in Willoughby. It’s a perfect example of what I’m talking about.
Dane is having a rough time as of late. He doesn’t have a job. His girlfriend ended things because he stopped giving a shit about anything. His rent is late and he’s about to be evicted. It all started when he started reading those Eastern philosophy books. Same old story you hear time and time again.
He sees an ad in the newspaper asking, “Are you a failure…?” Sri Ahandi is giving a lecture on how to improve your life in a crappy old building in the warehouse district. Dane has nothing better to do and thinks it’s amusing that this Eastern hypnotist type guy is swindling people out of money, so he goes to watch the show. And much the same way I make fun of a Bon Jovi song so much that I actually begin to authentically enjoy it, Dane is impressed with the power this Sri Ahandi guy is giving off. In a private meeting Sri Ahandi tells Dane that he will come into a bunch of money by the end of the week. After he does, he is to report back and give him some of it. A lot of it. Dane is like, sure buddy. But he has to admit the man has some finesse going on.
On his way home he sees a lady from the seminar. She asks him to walk her home. He also notices that there is a dark shape following them. Dane drops her off at home. The shadow approaches Dane and tells him to stay away from Sri Ahandhi he’s dangerous. The girl never appears at a meeting again.
Immediately Dane is dumped in this crazy conspiracy world. The money comes through, and Dane isn’t sure if it’s random luck or the power of Sri Ahandhi, spiritually or physically as the man is a giant brute. Dane is an out of work writer, so he decides he’s going to write an article exposing the man. He pretends to be all in to investigate the man but after awhile he can’t tell if he’s pretending or a true believer.
I absolutely loved this! It’s all so shadowy and esoteric. There are two clandestine forces pulling Dane to their side. Sri Ahandi with his hypnotic alpha prowess and his enemies with walk-through walls magic and wishy-washy philosophy. Dane is constantly trying to figure out what in the hell is going on and both sides answer in these hilarious non-committal non-answers. I saw a few reviews on Goodreads where people complained about it, but I thought it was hilarious. The author comedically parodied the type of philosophies of Eastern mysticism while completely nailing it.
This was an occult mystery with dabs of Maltese Falcon in a blender with mystic ideology mindfuck. It was so much fun. Never dropped the pace. And to be fair to whoever slapped that Outer Limits comment on the cover, I think it could easily fit in that or Twilight Zone wheelhouse comfortably.
Monarch Books 1964
Cover art: Ralph Brillhart
Review by Nick Anderson
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