In ‘Inner Space’ by Merlin Fraser, an inquisitive, fact-hungry detective is confronted with an improbable, inescapable situation: his best friend has murdered a paralysed man in his sleep, and has openly confessed to the deed.

As DI Nick Burton, led on by the beautiful Dr. Jilly Tindell, chases the truth in an effort to clear his best friend’s name, he is plunged beneath the surface of what he knows to be real – and finds himself brought up against impossible powers.

In a story that delves into new pockets of the mind – and new realms of genre blending – author Merlin Fraser has accomplished a gripping, fast-paced adventure that invites the reader to question the very basis of their own humanity. The focus of the novel is a sort of realisation of who we are as human beings and how we deal with our own limitations. The best point in Fraser’s novel is to put the characters to the test in extreme psychological conditions and force them with tough choices, the result being realising what human beings are capable of.

Fraser’s concise, pure language clarifies his complex and challenging ideas. His premise is unique, accessible and immediately interesting, and his commanding, subversive plot keeps the reader guessing right up until the very last moment.

This is a superb paranormal mystery full of ambiguity and intrigue.