08/06/06 — If you were a little boy growing up with only sisters, I’ll bet you spent a lot of time wishing you had a brother to play with.

Conversely, if you were the only girl in a family of brothers, you probably longed for a sister to share your secrets.

Be careful what you wish for. You’ll see what I mean when you read “The Other Brother,” the new novel by Brandon Massey.

Gabriel Reid was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. Gabe’s father is T.L. Reid, owner and CEO of a major Atlanta construction company. From the time Gabe was able to walk, T.L. groomed his son to take over the business.

Life has never been anything but easy for Gabriel. He and his sister, Nicole, always had everything they wanted: the latest technology, private schools, fine cars and prestigious colleges. Home was a huge mansion in a high-end neighborhood. T.L. took care of his family.

Maybe too much.

From his luxury apartment to his luxury vehicle, Gabe’s father bought Gabe everything he owns. Although he loves his father, Gabriel dreams of being “his own man.” Dana, Gabe’s fiancée, wants that, too. She’s not fond of T.L., and she makes no effort to hide it.

Still, life is good for Gabriel Reid. That is, until the accident.

During a storm, Gabriel’s vehicle rolled over an embankment and he suffered a head injury. Shortly after that, he felt tingling in his arms and hands. Then he began to see dark shapes in mirrors and glass. Is it possible that Gabe’s injuries weren’t as minor as they seemed?

Gabe put the accident behind him and began to heal. And then Isaiah showed up.

It was eerie how much Isaiah and Gabe looked alike. From their grey eyes to their height and their birthdates, the two men were almost identical. Everyone remarked upon it. But there was a reason for that strange resemblance.

It seemed that, 30 years ago, T.L. Reid had a small “indiscretion” with another woman. That other woman was Isaiah’s mother. Now Isaiah wants his birthright, and he’ll stop at nothing to get it.

Okay, yeah. You’ve probably figured out the big secret in this novel. It’s pretty transparent, and you’ll likely have it figured out about a third of the way through this book, if you don’t get it already. But trust me, getting through the remaining two-thirds of “The Other Brother” is well worth your time.

Author Brandon Massey is the Throne-Keeper of Thrillers, and this book is no exception. Gabe is easily-flustered and soft, and it’s fun to watch him grow steely. I’m sure Isaiah wasn’t meant to be a likeable character, but I enjoyed him anyway because he was so purely bad. The good-versus-evil battle that consumes the brothers makes this a fine book to read anywhere but just before bedtime.

If you want to escape into a creepy novel this week, this is the one to grab. Start “The Other Brother” and you won’t want any other book.



The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and never goes anywhere without a book. She lives in West Salem, Wis., with her husband, three dogs and 9,000 books.