Library Journal
Straub set this 1985 nonhorror novel, his second, during the kaleidoscopic years of the late 1960s. Protagonist Elliot Denmark, a composer returning to his American roots after a four-year stay in Paris, finds himself torn between Midwestern tradition and his creative spirit. Though Straub has created a popular niche in the horror genre, fans might find this more straightforward story refreshing and rewarding. Stealth books are available only through the publisher online at www.stealthpress.com. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Internet Book Watch
Back in his Midwest hometown, Elliot Denmark, a brilliant composer and expatriate, finds himself caught up between the urgent claims of the past and the conflicting, confusingly uncertain demands of art, morality, family, and his own divided emotions. A political issues divides the town; a haunting old love reasserts itself; old and new enemies assail Elliot everywhere he turns; and along with the rest of the country, Elliot must make choices that will define the remainder of his life. Under Venus is a sophisticated, masterfully crafted, and at times unsettling novel that is as original as it is entertaining.