The Birthday of Eternity

The Birthday of Eternity, the second volume of A.D. Price's Comfort & Company series, explores the delicate interplay of life, death, and rebirth through the lens of its multifaceted characters. The narrative begins with Daivika, who introspectively recounts her life's tragic and transformative moments, starting with her grandmother's death. This event delivers a catalyst for her emotional and spiritual journey. In post-WWII L.A., private investigators Kit and Henry dive into the booming occult scene to find Lillian, the estranged wife of a prominent physician, and her enigmatic spirit lover, Tashin. Amidst dangerous cults and conmen, they must use cunning and luck to navigate a world of love and deception.  

A.D. Price creates rock-solid and multidimensional characters, and readers will be irreversibly pulled toward characters like Daivika, who struggles with loss and the desire for enlightenment and finds herself drawn into the spiritual realm. Her interactions with the enigmatic Madame Zarzinzky introduce an exploration of spiritualism, a theme that recurs throughout the book. Daivika's quest for connection, especially with her soulmate Tashin, underscores her desire for transcendence and understanding—profoundly personal and universal themes. Setting plays a pivotal role, with the backdrop of post-war Los Angeles—filled with its cultural and spiritual curiosities—creeping artfully into the narrative. The 1940s atmosphere, depicted through the imagery of the era—the funeral, the sun-drenched West, and the glitzy but shadowy corners of Hollywood—deepens the thematic threads of grief and recovery.  

A.D. Price is a master crafter of conflict, exploring it at different levels, from the emotional challenges of the characters to interpersonal conflicts and moral dilemmas. Daivika's demons are cleverly explored, but the author also examines the societal perceptions of spiritualism. As she engages with mediums and seeks solace in their practices, she confronts the skepticism surrounding such beliefs, most notably depicted in Henry Richman’s investigation of Monsieur Zarzinzky. The detective's parallel journey intertwines with Daivika’s as he immerses himself into the tangled realm of deception, yearning to unearth the truth about a high-profile divorce case mysteriously linked to the afterlife. The supporting characters, including the suspicious yet captivating Mrs. Sheila Seaver and the distraught Ralph, are finely drawn. Each character is a piece in the intricate puzzle of life after death, with their motives, histories, and unresolved traumas. The Birthday of Eternity is a narrative with unforgettable characters, intriguing plot points, and relentless suspense.