18 Seconds

Written by George D. Shuman

Narrated by Lindsay Crouse

Investigative consultant Sherry Moore is blind and stunningly beautiful, with the extraordinary ability to "see" the deceased's last eighteen seconds of memory by touching the corpse. A head injury at age five left her without sight and prevented her from remembering her past. When Sherry discovers she has the sight, she learns to use her gift to help others solve mysteries that only she can tap into.

Serial killer Earl Sykes was never caught for his vicious murders. Instead, a deadly traffic accident landed him in prison. Now almost thirty years later, he returns to the seaside town of Wildwood, New Jersey -- and to abducting young female victims for his gruesome games.

Wildwood police lieutenant Kelly O'Shaughnessy is stymied over the disappearance of young women. When an old man's untimely death leads Sherry Moore to Wildwood, O'Shaughnessy's desperation forces her to accept Sherry's help, but not without consequence. As the two women join forces to discover the killer's identity, they unwittingly become the hunted, marching deeper with every step into the monster's lair.

A law enforcement veteran himself, George Shuman packs a realistic style and authentic investigative detail into this taunt tale filled with pulse pounding tension that will send listeners right to the edge.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Apr 4, 2006
• ISBN: 9780743554121

George D. Shuman

George D Shuman is author of Lost Girls, Last Breath, and 18 Seconds. A retired twenty-year veteran of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department, he resides in the mountains of southwest Pennsylvania, where he now writes full-time. To learn more, visit his website at www.georgedshuman.com.

Reviews for 18 Seconds

[sherton_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found the blind psychic's ability to "see" a dead person's last memories before dying was a great twist! I hope to see Sherry in more of Shuman's books.

[christineellei · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting concept for a book. It seemed fresh. The characters were interesting enough that I began to care about what happened to them. The premise being that a blind woman, when touching the body of a deceased person can see the last 18 seconds of their lives. Needless to say she is much in demand by loved ones left behind as well as police agencies. No one seems to understand the toll it takes on her personally. A good read.

[evilynj · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Blind orphan Sherry Moore helps the police catch killers by being able to "view" the last 18 seconds of a person's life stored in their short-term memory. A fantastic thriller with strong characters and lots of plot twists. Highly recommend.

[annekiwi · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

okay, but not gripping.

[narrabeen_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fast paced thriller about a search for a serial killer in a small coastal town on the eastern coast of the US. The killer is tracked down by a blind woman who can read the last 18 seconds of peoples lives. It was a novel way of using a psychic in a thriller.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Thirty years ago Earl Sykes landed in prison after a traffic accident that turned deadly. Now he has cancer and only a short time to live and he's planning to get his revenge. He returns to his previous MO, kidnapping young women and killing them. Kelly O'Shaughnessy, a police lieutenant needs help. They can't find the bodies of missing women, Sherry Moore is blind but she can see the deceased last eighteen seconds. This helps her find whats going on and can help the police. However Earl has nothing to lose.It's okay, not great, shows some potential but it's trying very hard to be a lot of things and failing to be many of them. The personification of Earl was compelling and quite realistic but the other characters were quite paper thin.

[theeclecticreview · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found the blind psychic's ability to "see" a dead person's last memories before dying was a great twist! I hope to see Sherry in more of Shuman's books.

[loubigfish · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book ... a thriller and a page turner. something about this book just makes you want to read more and more.

[maryintexas39 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Curious to see where the story goes from here......

[almondjoy_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Blind orphan Sherry Moore helps the police catch killers by being able to "view" the last 18 seconds of a person's life stored in their short-term memory. A fantastic thriller with strong characters and lots of plot twists. Highly recommend.

[kevinjoseph_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"18 Seconds," a first novel by twenty-year police veteran George Shuman, features an irresistible premise. Sherry Moore, a stunningly attractive blind woman with martial arts skills, has come to realize she has the ability, through physical contact, to tap into the short-term memory of the dead. By mastering the art of sifting through the often-enigmatic images comprising these last eighteen-seconds of life, Sherry becomes a national sensation, inundated by requests for her unusual services from victims' families who have no other hope of explaining the cause of death. Around this fascinating concept, Shuman has constructed a solid police procedural, populated by interesting and believable characters. Earl Sykes, a psychopath with terminal cancer, is determined to cram as much mayhem as possible into his remaining days. Kelly O'Shaughnessy, a newbie lieutenant struggling to come to terms with her recent marital separation and the sexism of her co-workers, works desperately to decipher the brutal crimes Sykes commits under and around the boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey. And, Detective John Payne, Sherry's best friend and protector, endeavors to maintain his failing marriage and squelch his intense, unrequited love for Sherry. Shuman employs numerous, though sometimes indistinct, points of view and a large cast of supporting characters, building the suspense as he ties together the multiple strands of his plot. I would have liked this book even more if the author had used fewer point-of-view characters and had given Sherry a larger role in the main plot. I also thought that the story line relied a little too heavily and unnecessarily on coincidence, such as the connection between Sherry and Earl Sykes. Even so, this thriller made a round-trip cross-country flight pass by as quickly as a jaunt to the corner store. And I'm eager to experience Sherry's next adventure. -Kevin Joseph, author of "The Champion Maker"