Supernatural and the Occult

Things that go bump in the night, flashing lights, furniture that moves by itself: here you will find books about ghosts, haunted houses, the occult, as well as happenings and creatures involving other dimensions.

    Small and quiet, Brinkley Springs, West Virginia is a dying town. People move out and no one ever moves in. Houses go up for sale, but no one comes along and buys them. Tonight five strangers will pay a visit to Brinkley Springs, and they will commit atrocities the people of this town have never seen. Will anyone be left in the morning to tell what happened?
    Five crows come to the mountain above Brinkley Springs and turn into human-like figures clad in black. Everything they touch on their way down the mountain dies. The animals that sense their presence kill themselves rather than allow the ancient evil they feel to get them first. These five beings are on a mission for their master. They will go house to house killing every living creature in Brinkley Springs—people, pets, livestock, all of it. What the five don’t anticipate is the presence of someone who knows the old ways of magic and knows about what the five are. Levi Stoltzfus just happened to stop for the night on his way to Virginia Beach. Maybe he was meant to be in Brinkley Springs on this very night. A handful of people have been able to elude the five strangers, but not for long. Can they defeat the evil that has come here?
    Brian Keene has done it again. He starts the mayhem and murder in chapter one and it doesn’t quit until the final page. He tells a fantastic story of magic and evil with a bit of history thrown into the mix. His character development is perfect—the reader gets a great sense of who these people are, with one exception. Levi Stoltzfus is a bit of a mystery. We do get a sense of who he is, but are teased with pieces of his past. He was initially introduced in Keene’s previous books Ghost Walk and Dark Hollow and according to Keene we will be seeing more of Levi. Overall this is a great read; Brian Keene has one hell of an imagination. I highly recommend A Gathering of Crows. I have enjoyed other books by Brian Keene in the past and look forward to more of his wonderful stories.
Blood and gore; some foul language.
Colleen Wanglund

Having lost his son to the ocean, Evan now walks the beach each night trying to deal with his sorrow and guilt. One night he hears singing and, seeking out its origin, he sees a naked woman in the ocean. Once spotted, she slips off under the ocean waves, and Evan fears she has drowned. If only he could’ve been so lucky! Instead, the next night Evan finds her singing again in the same spot, and a sordid affair begins as he returns to see her night after night. Needing to tell someone about this woman who has made him do things he thought impossible, Evan turns to his friend Bill, who tells him that it sounds like he is dating The Siren. Laughing this off, Evan continues his affair until he realizes that there may have been some truth in what Bill had told him. Having already fallen in love with his “water wife”, Evan has some tough decisions ahead of him. Decisions that could potentially make worse the grief he had been trying to soothe all along.
This latest release from John Everson shows him broadening his horizons, as Siren contains neither demons nor any extremely graphic sexual scenes like his previous titles. However, Siren could be Everson’s scariest novel to date, as some of the fears and challenges Evan has to face throughout the story are things that COULD happen. This is also an emotional title, as the main backbone of the story is the loss of a child. There is no greater fear to a parent than that loss, so immediately the reader will sympathize with Evan’s character. Everson not only plays on the emotional fears of his readers, but he also has created a side story that allows readers to learn more about the background of Ligeia, and what she is capable of. The flashback sections of Siren are creepy in themselves, but also make the reader fear for Evan’s present day situation. The siren is one spine-chilling woman and John Everson uses that to his advantage to scare the hell out of his readers! Highly recommended!
Contains: Adult Language, Adult Situations, Sex, Violence, Mild Gore
Review by Rhonda WIlson

    Detective Adam Garret is on the fast track in the Boston police department when a terrible murder shocks the city. Garret leads the investigation, hoping to use it as a springboard to a promotion, as well as being driven to catch a predator stalking the streets. After solid police work leads to an arrest, Garret just has to take care of the paperwork. But when Tanith Cabarrus, a self-proclaimed witch, walks into the station proclaiming that the wrong man has been arrested, and that there are more bodies out there, with more on the way, Garret's world is turned upside down, and his Catholic upbringing runs straight into a supernatural world that he never imagined.
    If Book of Shadows doesn't make Alexandra Sokoloff a household name, something is very wrong. It is one of the most compelling stories I have read in quite some time. I spent far too many nights staying up much too late, wanting to know where the story would take me next. Adam Garret is a wonderful leading man who dominates the book. He is a down-to-earth detective with high ambitions, as well as a lapsed Irish Catholic who begins to question what he knows of the world when the supernatural encroaches on his investigation. Garret's partner, Carl Landauer, breaks the mold of the stereotypical overweight, chain-smoking detective. He has his partner’s back, even when he disagrees with what Garret is doing. Throw in an overbearing, ultra-religious boss, and a social climbing D.A. girlfriend, and Sokoloff has a great cast on the 'official" side of the story.
When Tanith Cabarrus is introduced, Sokoloff takes us from a well-written mystery novel into a slightly off- kilter supernatural thriller. Or does she? Sokoloff uses many tactics to make us question whether the "magic" we see is truly magic or just sleight of hand, hypnotism, and drugs. Tanith's natural spiritualism is a nice counterpoint to Garret's "real" world. Is Tanith really a witch, or is she a charlatan? Does she truly want to help, or is she insinuating herself into the investigation for her own underhanded reasons? Sokoloff keeps us guessing until the end.
    Sokoloff beautifully depicts Massachusetts’ autumn, as Halloween approaches. The descriptive passages flow smoothly, never slowing down the action. The language is poetic without being flowery, and I could almost hear the crackling leaves and smell the scents on the breeze. The action scenes are fraught with tension. I found myself holding the book tightly, flipping the pages faster and faster. Compelling barely describes the pace. Anyone looking for a good mystery, a good scare, great characters...look no further. The highest recommendation for libraries and, well, everyone.
Contains: Strong language, violence, some gore, and sexual situations.
Review by Erik Smith

Sideshow by William Ollie*New Review
Dark Regions Press 2010
New Paperback 212 pages
ISBN 978-1-888993-83-7
On an empty field in Pottsboro, South Carolina, a Ferris wheel rises, seemingly out of nowhere. A black cloud appears into the blue sky above town, and leaves many of the men mesmerized. Hannibal Cobb’s Kansas City Carnival has come to town, but it is a carnival unlike any other.
Justin Henry rides out to the field with Mickey Reardon to see if the Ferris wheel is real. What they end up seeing that afternoon couldn’t actually have happened. The two thirteen-year-old friends decide to go back later that night, as do the same people who were entranced by the black cloud. They want to know what other tricks Hannibal Cobb has up his sleeve. What they experience is the best of every carnival they’ve ever been too….almost too perfect. Justin and Mickey meet Hannibal Cobb in the Sideshow tent where he gets Mickey to make a wish, but Justin is wary and begins to doubt what he sees around him. Hours after they’ve left the carnival, Mickey’s wish comes true. Well, you’ve heard the saying ‘careful what you wish, you just might get it’?
The protagonists may be thirteen years old but this is not a story for children. William Ollie has taken a very dark part of American history and turned it into a modern horror story. Justin and Mickey take us through most of Sideshow. It is through their eyes that we see the “too perfect” carnival and it’s described with such detail you can almost smell the corndogs and funnel cake. There is a dark purpose for the carnival that Justin and Mickey were not meant to see. For those that the carnival is meant for, including some very prominent citizens of Pottsboro, they each see what they want to see….their own “perfect” carnival experience. It soon becomes their own personal nightmares. It’s time for payback for good men doing some not so good things to people, as well as for the things that happened many years ago in the very same field the carnival sits on now. There were some cool surprises but what I really liked was the fact that I didn’t see the purpose for the carnival coming. Sideshow is a brilliant story that I recommend to any horror fan. Highly recommended.
Contains adult language, sex, violence and gore.
Review by Colleen Wanglund

The Labyrinth Of The Dead by Sara M. Harvey
Apex Publications, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-984553-0-1
Available: New
Portia Gyony shares her body with an angel, and that gives her power. Power she will need when she enters the underworld to save the soul of her lover, Imogen. Assaulted on all sides by dark forces, Portia must use every tool in her bag of tricks not only to survive, and save Imogen, but to stop the underworld from taking over the world of the living. Can Portia find her way through The Labyrinth OfThe Dead?
The Labyrinth Of The Dead is book two of a "steampunk novella trilogy" (The Convent Of The Pure is the first book) but stands on its own as a thrilling story of the power of love and the dark forces that would use that love for their own evil purposes. While there are a few things that will be fleshed out for you if you read the first book first, all you really need to know is right here. The characters are full-blooded and compelling, even the bad guys, who are deliciously evil. Sara M. Harvey has built two worlds, the steampunk "real" world (of which we see little in this installment), and the world of the dead, a frightful place filled with horrific creatures who clamor for lost souls, the coin of the realm. Harvey writes cleanly and with style. The story moves at a good clip, but never sacrifices character for action. The love that Portia has for Imogen pours out of every page. But there is more to the story than lost love. Everything, and everyone, comes together at the end for a cliffhanger that has me waiting breathlessly for the next installment. The Labyrinth Of The Dead is a great chapter in what could prove to be a fantastic trilogy. Highly recommended.
Contains: Violence and horror imagery
Review by Erik Smith

In the remains of a post-apocalyptic world, thoroughly devastated from battles between angels, demons, and rebellious groups of damned souls who refuse to accept their fate, a young woman suffering from amnesia sets out to explore what remains of Hell, her past, and herself. Vee is alone in her quest, except for a gun that talks, a gun that can help her find the answers she seeks, a gun she names Jay.
Thomas creates a remarkably vivid world, far, far beyond the standard Christian descriptions of heaven and hell, demons and angels. His hell is networked, with elements of cyber activity and life, but for all its connectivity, the reader is overwhelmed by the sense of abandonment, solitude and sheer loneliness that Vee faces in her surroundings. The Fall of Hades questions mortality, morality, and religious expectations. Through straightforward narration, incredible character and plot development, and some flat-out bizarre settings, Jeffrey Thomas has developed a truly fantastic read.

This particular book can be read without having read Thomas’ prior Hades works, but as the author notes, it will enhance the reader’s experience to read his other works as well. The Fall of Hades will be great in a horror or bizarro fiction collection in a public library.

There is no denying that Campbell’s writing is head and shoulders above the vast majority of his peers. You’d be hard pressed to find a more elegant writer of dark fiction. If there’s a fault in Creatures of the Pool it is that the characters seem almost secondary. This is a novel about a place, Liverpool to be exact. You will find within the ins and outs, overs and unders of this murky, dark landscape, brought to life through the magnificence of Campbell’s unique voice. With a deft hand, the author brings the dark underbelly to life and instills in the reader an unnerving feeling, an uneasiness, as he leads you into a tenebrous black of subtle terror that will linger with you long after the book has been closed. Be aware, though: while I really liked this book, it is not for everyone. Far from it.

Surprising, disturbing, and sometimes heart wrenching, Strange Magic is an ambitious tale that follows Wilson Kemp through the despair of his many failures and the bitter depths of alcoholism. Kemp is wonderfully wrought, a completely broken character who is at once easily pitied. Kemp’s life has spiraled out of control. He is suffering through a broken marriage, substance abuse, and the weight of a tragic past. Rollo masterfully traverses this fractured landscape, dragging the reader easily along as Kemp, faced with a horrific nemesis, is forced to rise above his self-loathing to redeem himself, and ultimately to confront the evil menace of the Stranger. Captivating and chilling, Strange Magic is a real page turner sure to excite even the most callous fans of dark literature.

In Kelly Brigham’s Demon Legacy, the ever-present battle of good versus evil has taken center stage in one troubled family. This battle, however, goes beyond the dysfunctional interfamily relationships of siblings Jared, Lewis, and Monica. The entire fate of the modern world rests on their choices, pitting brother against brother, with their sister straddling the line.

Jared’s adoptive mother has passed away, leaving behind a terrible secret. As the balance of good and evil tips in evil?s favor, Jared is forced to take on the burden of this secret to safeguard the world from demon Malice. Jared’s brother, Lewis, seeks to undermine his brother’s efforts by releasing the demon for personal and gruesomely deadly purposes. Jared must now battle not only Malice, but his equally terrifying and malevolent brother to save the world from the forces of darkness. The tale finishes without actually ending, allowing a perfect segue into a second novel for the series.

Demon Legacy has plenty of violence and gore without detracting from the plotline, as the violence is actually central to the story’s “good versus evil” narrative. Brigham’s lyrical writing style creates beautifully dark imagery that enhances the fast-paced, urgent mood of the novel. She develops her characters extremely well, ensuring that the reader will make an emotional connection with them. Brigham also develops enough back story to provide the novel with a solid foundation, without interrupting the flow in the fast-paced atmosphere. All-in-all, Demon Legacy,is a strong, well-written paranormal horror novel that kept me on edge to the very end. Recommended for adult horror readers and public libraries.

If Lovecraft lived in the Deep South he might have come up with something like Jars in the Cellar. This short tale (about 30 pages) has a familiar beginning. A high powered, rich city guy is trapped in hillbilly country by car troubles is at the mercy of a backwoods witch, a mysterious man with a huge secret and their genetic monster of a child. But the outcome isn't what one might expect.

While this is an enjoyable read through and through, and even plays on readers' own preconceived expectations from previous pop culture exposures to this particular setup, it's a very short, very fast read- just the kind of thing to make a doctor's office wait or even a boring movie more enjoyable. For the purposes of this site, though, its value to a public collection is questionable, unless the library is actively acquiring and lending in digital form.

Louis is a New York book editor on his way west to try and finish a manuscript for an author who was brutally murdered. Travelling in the same stagecoach is O’Rourke, who is headed to the West to take a job as sheriff. Nathan is attempting to do God’s work to stop a demon from killing everyone in the West and bringing on the End of Days. All are converging on the town of Reaper’s Valley and all will ultimately confront the demon that is Legion.

Eric S. Brown sets his religious-based horror tale in the Old West, complete with the requisite cast of characters. He has done a fantastic job of introducing these characters in this 94-page novella. Nathan is exactly what you’d expect in a hero, except he is dressed in black. Legion is as menacing a demon as you’ll find, but for the fact he is an effeminate beauty in all white. Even Louis fits the stereotype of a Western-movie Easterner, right down to the glasses and inability to handle a firearm. This was a brutal but fun read, encompassing murder, mayhem, and demon possession. Another plus for me was the unpredictable, and unexpected ending—the hallmark of a great story for me. One thing that disappointed me was the lack of explanation as to the manuscript that Louis was attempting to finish. I understood that it was about what was happening in this tale, but I would have liked to have seen more, and learned more about the author’s murder…just a bit more. Otherwise, I loved How the West Went to Hell, and I think other horror fans would as well.
Review by Colleen Wanglund

There is a fine tradition of telling coming-of-age stories in the horror genre. Robert McCammon's "Boy's Life" and Stephen King's "The Body" are period pieces clearly inspired by the authors' childhoods and the era they grew up in. The late 50's or 60's coming of age horror novel is almosta sub-genre itself. We are just seeing my generation start to write these kinds of stories set in the 80's. A great example is James Newman's Midnight Rain. Neverland stands up quite strongly next to the classic works in this sub-genre, a coming of age horror novel so rooted in the 80's it's like holding a 288 page time machine in your hands.
           The strongest element at play in these novels is the almost magical reverence paid to being a child in those times. I have a hard time imagining the youth of today writing poetic novels about this age when they spend their time playing video games, talk by text message and hang out online. Neverland is a story that exists because the children who make up the characters' greatest entertainment is not a computer or a phone but their imagination.
            Beau and Sumter are cousins who have gathered at their grandmother's island home off the coast of Georgia each summer to create 'Neverland.' Sumter has created a childish fantasy that an odd shed mysteriously placed in the middle of the woods, used as a clubhouse, is like a beacon to communicate with a god he calls Lucy. According to Summter they must worship and sacrifice animals to Lucy. The novel really starts to take off when Beau, our narrator, begins to hear the voice of Lucy himself.
           Is Lucy an angel? A devil? Or is Lucy something different? Clegg does an amazing job of building and maintaining family drama while the mystery and terror surrounding Lucy's identity grows. As you can imagine, the price of the sacrifices continues to get higher as this short and effective novel builds to the exciting conclusion.
           Douglas Clegg is a long time veteran of horror and dark fantasy, and has great reason to be proud of this novel. There is no doubt it is one of his best and most solid novels. Considering the power of several of his past novels that is no small praise. This is Stoker quality horror. Beyond that, the book looks amazing. Vanguard Press did an amazing job of designing a beautifully packaged trade paperback, with "old-school" looking rough paper, and there are amazing illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne, who recently made waves adapting Stephen King's short stories in the Secretary of Dreams black and white comics.
             Neverland is a horror novel that readers will eat up, and fellow writers will read green with envy. This is how it is done.This is essential for every collection and recommended for readers 15 years of age and older.
Mild violence, alcohol consumption, and brief mention of sexuality.

Review by David Agranoff

Ghost Monster by Simon Clark
Leisure Books,2009

ISBN: 9780843961799

Available: New and Used

       Ghost Monster is the story of a church on the English coast that contains a very important artifact, a portrait known to the locals as the ghost monster, protected by generations of the Murrain family. Touch it and you're cursed, so the story goes, but the insanity of this novel comes when the church falls in the ocean and sets off a tidal wave of craziness in the nearby town. Clark did a great job juggling a lot of characters.
       I wanted to like this novel. In a good Stephen King novel, a creepy story can transport you to New England. I wanted this story to transport me to a rain swept, scary, English coastal town. I didn't find this one as interesting and powerful as I have found other works by Clark. Nothing grabbed me. The story is a traditional Gothic story, which is fine, but that type of story requires strong characters and setting. I love this kinda of story when it's told with energy.
       This novel lacked energy. It felt like I was watching a sports team that has clinched the play-offs and is going through the motions. I felt little connection to the story, I think this novel will not stand out from other Leisure monthly releases. I would suggest that libraries interested in having a complete horror collection and in representing this important voice in British horror fiction should consider his apocalyptic masterpiece Blood Crazy.
Review by David Agranoff

Thirty years later, Evie and Stu plan to spend Halloween weekend, the same weekend as the annual Butcher Bride Festival, at the Silas Mansion. They are not concerned by the stories of ghosts and mysterious deaths occurring over the past three decades. But they should be.
Vince Churchill has crafted a wonderfully gory and creepy tale. The first part of the story, the party in 1979, reads like a great 80s slasher movie. A woman done wrong is taking bloody revenge. Very bloody revenge. When we jump to the present day, a spooky ghost story takes over. There are many "bump in the night" scares, as well as plenty of blood. The characters are well written, with depth, quirks, and plenty of personality. Churchill reveals the ongoing horrors of the mansion a bit at a time, creating tension, which builds and builds, until the explosive, and, once again, bloody climax. All of the kills are quite imaginative and entertaining. Churchill does not fall into the trap of repeating himself, as the body count rises.

       Those in the horror field are familiar with Lisa Morton. She has worked as a screenwriter for several B-movies, and has also written one-act plays and chapbooks. She has also written four nonfiction books, including The Hallowe'en Anthology, which won the 2008 Bram Stoker award for nonfiction. She has also won the Bram Stoker award for short fiction for her short story "Tested," published in the horror magazine "Cemetery Dance", and has been a contributor to a variety of anthologies, alongside the greatest names in the genre. In 2009 her work was nominated in two different categories.
        The Castle of Los Angeles is her first novel, and I think Morton is due for another well deserved Stoker award nomination. Don't let the low page count fool you- Morton has packed in an unbelievable amount of story into a short space. She doesn't waste words, and she paces the story so well the pages fly by.
       The story follows Beth, the new owner and director of a black box theater on the bottom floor in one of Los Angeles' oldest buildings. Known as the Castle, its history is as ancient as LA gets. Several people live in the building, including a struggling filmmaker and a famous artist who owns the penthouse. I could go into more detail, but sold by my history with Morton's shorter works, I knew I would have better experience going in blind, and other readers will as well.
       Morton plays a series of traditional Gothic horror power chords(as science fiction author Rudy Rucker calls them) within the haunted house sub-genre. Would you give AC/DC a hard time for playing a power chord? Lisa Morton takes a familiar riff, tuned slightly to her pitch and the result is a near perfect traditional horror novel. It is the characters and their reasons for living at the Castle that make this novel unique.
         Bravo Lisa Morton, I'd like to start the standing ovation right now. The Castle of Los Angeles is a wonderful short horror novel. It has very few weaknesses and packs its short pages with story telling strength.
       Libraries intested in filling their collection with interesting, well-written fiction from the independent presses or horror fiction should not miss this one.

Review by David Agranoff
Here is a second take on on The Castle of Los Angeles by Rhonda Wilson.

Lisa Morton’s first novel, The Castle of Los Angeles, takes place in a castle with both numerous artists and a theater. Beth Ortiz has just moved into the castle in order to take over the theater, which takes up the lower portion of the castle. Beth witnesses strange things happening in the castle and starts to wonder if it might be haunted. After asking around she finds out that, yes, the castle has been said to be haunted for a number of years. Soon even stranger things start occurring, and Beth decides to figure out what exactly is going on. At the same time, she is trying to piece together a brand-new play, inspired by disappearances that have been taking place nearby.

Last year, one of my favorite reads was Morton’s Stoker-winning novella, The Lucid Dreaming. This year, The Castle of Los Angeles may very well be one of my favorites. This novel has a little bit of everything and is written beautifully. Morton creates a cast of characters that typically wouldn’t mix. For example, the main character, Beth, befriends a prostitute early on, which leads to the whole idea of the big production that her theater takes on. Additionally, the eccentric characters that inhabit the castle cover a wide range of talents and don’t always appreciate the talents of others. One particular character I have in mind here is Jessamine, an artist within the building who can be a bit unapproachable at times and whose artwork Beth finds intriguing. The strong casting and realistically creepy haunting scenes sprinkled throughout make this a powerful novel. Morton has a very strong future ahead of her in writing horror if she continues as she has thus far. She’s definitely an author that belongs on everyone’s personal bookshelf. Highly recommended!
Includes: Adult Language, Adult Situations, Sex, Mild Violence

       Peter Clement, an antique dealer who is terrible at business and life alike, finds a book buried within his shop that will make his every wish come true with just a mere payment of blood, which he is more than willing to pay. Not wanting to give up this life of bloody luxury, Clement finds and exploits a contract loophole that will make him evil incarnate everlasting. 350 years later, as organized religion is quickly becoming a thing of the past, it is Clement's perfect opportunity to come forth and reign supreme.
       Lee Pletzers' The Last Church is a surreal, gripping tale of debauchery, bedlam, depravity, violence, and blood lust. The pace is incredibly quick, with an enormous amount of action packed into the last 50 pages. There's even a lovely cliffhanger right at the very end.
       The Last Church would make a great addition in a public library's adult fiction section. Science fiction fans and horror fans alike will enjoy The Last Church; it is the perfect story to introduce science fiction to horror fans and vice versa, provided the reader in question can handle the gore and violence.
Contains: Graphic violence, sex, gore, and strong sexual violence
Review by Kelly Fann

In Symptoms of a Broken Heart, Cory Cramer tells the story of two sisters, Susan and Lisa, who go on a special trip to New Orleans in order to celebrate Susan's birthday. The sisters couldn't be more opposite in that Lisa has always been the "wild child" and Susan the quiet, reserved one. Susan is also preparing to get married to the one and only man she has ever been with and has decided that this trip will be her one big adventure before tying herself down. Little does she know that the "Full Moon" party, hosted by a society of werewolf and vampire enthusiasts, that Lisa has scheduled for them to attend, could end up more deadly for her than she expects. After Susan's death, Lisa is scared that her family will blame her, and goes on an adventure of her own to cover up what she feels she has caused... even turning to the aid of dark magic.

Cramer has created almost a fairytale with Symptoms of a Broken Heart. This novella is only forty-five pages in length, but has more story wrapped into it than some of the novels I have read. Lisa, our main heroine, seems shallow, especially considering she's more upset regarding the fact she may be accused of getting her sister killed when she was supposed to be looking out for her, than the fact her sister has died. However, Cramer makes us feel sympathy towards her as the story progresses and she deals with one of the most painful experiences one could imagine. However, that sympathy was short-lived, as I found myself doubting her tactics again. The final scenes of this novella will surprise readers and leave them thinking about the outcome long after having read it. Cramer is a talented new author and I plan on seeking out more by him in the future. I would recommend this to all readers of the horror and urban fantasy genres, though some scenes may be a bit too graphic sexually for a younger audience.

    The Girl in the Woods is the story of a small Ohio town that has many dark secrets.
    Diana Greene has strange visions of a clearing in the woods. Diana has never been the same since her sister disappeared. She believes the answer is there in the clearing, but she can never find it.
    The novel's darkest and most terrifying moments come from another storyline, following Roger, a serial abductor who is driven by voices he hears calling to him from a seemingly haunted clearing in the woods on his vast property. Roger does not want to commit murder, or necrophilia, for that matter, but the clearing calls to him.
    Is this the most original concept for a horror novel? Maybe not, but its traditional elements are like power chords in a Ramones or AC/DC song. If you're looking for the kind of traditional horror novel that flew off the shelf in the 80's, look no further. I think the average horror reader will love this book.
    My biggest problem with The Girl in the Woods is that Bell introduced a fascinating concept with the cult behind the clearing, and there was potential to explore the deep-seated and patriarchal roots of the murder of and domination of the women in the novel. This concept was hinted at but not explored. I don't want to be too hard on this novel, just honest.
    There are several moments and chapters (like twenty-five) that are very effective. David Jack Bell is an exciting writer. What I like is his willingness to play the "power chords" in the horror genre and give them his own unique touch. The Girl in the Woods is creepy and disturbing, and horror devotees will not want to miss this. I am excited to see what he has next for us! Libraries should consider this book for their collections, as I am sure in a few books Bell will become a household name in the genre.
Contains: violence, sexuality and gruesome adult themes

Donny's Day is the surreal, graphic tale of Donny, who has been running from demons ever since the day, as a child, that he stole and read from a book that let them into the world. It's short, very short, coming in at fifty-five pages of story. More than two-thirds is back story and dream sequences, and there are no attempts to separate reality from delusions. But the imagery is strong, and creepy, straight out of the best "What was that?" horror movie moments. Berntson is a skilled writer. Donny's Day is just too musing and dreamy, and lacks the forward momentum and engaging plot to be satisfying to most everyday readers. Private collectors who enjoy tales heavy on mood and theme will find enjoyment here, but public collections catering to a larger swath of readers will probably not.

Father Quentin Thomas, while leading Easter Mass at the Cathedral of San Marcos, experienced something…unusual. Could it be the Stigmata? Out of fear and confusion, Father Thomas goes to see Bishop Michaels for help, but is greeted with hostility. The bishop does not want the publicity; he doesn’t even want to believe it was a miracle. As Easter comes around again, the bishop, after speaking with the Vatican, agrees to attend the Mass and videotape it. What happens at the Mass to Father Thomas is almost surreal; even the congregation is affected by a trance-like state. Some are awed, some confused, some strengthened in their faith.

The Vatican has sent Father Donovan Prescott to investigate the incident. Was Father Thomas creating a hoax? Was it, in fact, the Stigmata, the bleeding wounds of the Crucifixion, or something more sinister? Father Prescott tells Father Thomas about his investigation into a possible miracle involving a statue of the Martyr, St. Peter, to try to help ease the young priest’s mind.

Easter comes around again, and Father Thomas, Father Prescott, and Bishop Michaels prepare themselves for the potential of the event happening again. What happens during that Mass leaves even Father Prescott confused and frightened. The entire congregation is caught up…but in what? Father Prescott must find out if he is to save the life of the young priest before it is all over.

This is an excellent story. It is religious-themed horror, done in a subtle way. David Niall Wilson uses his words to create beautiful, vivid images, which allows the reader to fully experience the story. Mr. Wilson takes us on a journey from a dusty office in Rome, to a mission in the jungles of Peru, to a small village in Italy, and finally to a cathedral on the ocean in California, while keeping us all on the edge of our seats wondering the same thing….are their really miracles happening? I also enjoyed the multiple meanings of the title, but I won’t give that away. I highly recommend On the Third Day to any fan of horror, although hard-core gore fans may not find it to their liking.

Walden is your average small town. That is, until residents awake to complete and total darkness. People who attempt to leave do not return and are presumed dead. Once they enter the darkness, they fall victim to whatever evil is residing inside. The narrator of the book is Robbie, a pizza delivery guy, who details everything in a journal that may serve as the only record of the events in Walden. The other key characters are Robbie’s girlfriend and a few of his neighbors. Dez, a rambling homeless man, plays an integral role in the novel. He seems to be the only citizen able to explain the darkness and its source. Unfortunately, Dez is known to be a bit “eccentric”, so his knowledge of the darkness almost implicates his involvement in the catastrophe. The darkness itself is also a very active character within the story. It overtakes the people of Walden, and tricks them by manifesting into their loved ones, calling them into the darkness.

People have compared it to King’s The Mist, and while the beginning is similar, the overall theme is completely different. Keene does an outstanding job of portraying what happens to people when catastrophe hits, and in typical Keene style, leaves you guessing at the end. Highly recommended, especially to existing Keene fans.

Contains: mild language and gore

Here is a second opinion review of Darkness On the Edge of Town by Colin Leslie.

After years of waiting for a 'town cut off by unknown forces' novel, two have come along at once- Stephen King's Under the Dome and Brian Keene's Darkness On the Edge of Town. Yet what different beasts they are. Whilst King's book was a lumbering behemoth, Keene's is a fast footed predator. Where Under the Dome was the trans-Siberian express, all fantastic vistas, epic journey and slightly disappointing ending, Darkness On the Edge of Town is an endless ghost train, full of visceral shocks, thrills and pace. The amazing thing is though, that despite the thematic similarities and the different styles, both books are fantastic horror novels.

In Darkness On The Edge Of Town, the people of Walden, Virginia awaken to darkness. They immediately dismiss is as a power cut, solar eclipse or some manmade temporary blip, but it's not long before they find out the darkness is not temporary and their lives are about to descend into chaos. Not only is the entire town dark, but the outskirts of the town are even darker,"it's not just dark, it's the dark".
Robbie Higgins, his girlfriend Christy and his neighbor Russ are among the residents faced with the darkness. It soon becomes clear that like the majority of society these days, Robbie and his pals know nothing about the rest of the community they live in. The community is forced to interact to try to combat the darkness, but they are faced with increasing tension and violence which seems to be emanating from the darkness.

The darkness continues its malevolent campaign to reach the inhabitants of the town but is thwarted by some mysterious markings somebody has drawn at key points. Without electricity or water society crumbles and chaos ensues. Cue scenes of tragedy, horror and sheer lunacy.

Keene's writing is powerful and fast-paced, and amidst the gore there are some truly tragic scenes, as well as some powerful moments which question basic human nature and values. In another comparison with King's book, where Under The Dome had, in my opinion, a weak ending which revealed the rather fragile premise on which the whole book was built, Keene takes the opposite tack and doesn't end the book at all. We, the readers, are left to decide the characters' fate, as the book ends on a cliffhanger. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, it gives the reader a choice based on their own personality, pessimist or optimist, good or bad ending, it's up to you. On the other hand, it all feels like a bit of a cop out. The book is fairly short, and I felt there was room for expansion. Structurally, it may have been difficult given the narrative format, but for a writer of Keene's ability it would have been possible.

So full marks to Brian Keene for coming up with an original plot, engaging characters and some truly memorable scenes but sorry, lose one point because I for one, want to know what happened.

The Gray Zone by John R. Little
Bad Moon Books, 2009
ISBN: N/A
Available: New

The Gray Zone is a time-travel novella that follows the adventures of Henry Davidson. During a visit to Aswan, Egypt, Henry saves a young boy from drowning in the Nile River. In order to reward him, the boy's father, Mohammed, gives Henry a secret powder. After Henry swallows the powder, strange things start to happen. He starts jumping back and forth between the past and future and at times into what he simply describes as the "gray zone", and when in the "gray zone" he is having trouble recalling any events of the past or future. It is a disturbing and haunting feeling for Henry, and makes the powder Mohammed has given him seem more like a curse than a gift
Often horror is written with paranormal elements in order to scare the readers with monsters, but in The Gray Zone, Little completely avoids these things. Instead, he makes us think about what it would be like to live in a world where we can't change the course of our actions based on knowledge of past events. Personally, I've always learned from my mistakes. What if the knowledge of those mistakes were no longer there? Would we all just keep making the same mistakes over and over again? Now THAT is a scary thought! But that is one possibility of living in the "gray zone". Little has written of a very scary "world" in this novella, and I felt sorry for Henry as he struggled to deal with everything. Even if it was just a temporary curse that he might eventually overcome, it was still a nightmare to live through. The Gray Zone is highly imaginative, thought-provoking, and a fast read. The author will keep you wondering what is to come next and keep you turning the pages for more. Highly Recommended.

Contains: Adult Language, Adult Situations

Review by Rhonda Wilson

A Dark Matter by Peter Straub

Doubleday, 2010

ISBN: 038551638X

Available: New

The year is 1966 in Madison, WI. Four high school students, Hootie Bly, Dilly Olson, Jason Boatman, and Eel Truax, become enamored by Spencer Mallon, a charismatic guru who promises to introduce them to a “higher reality.” During an occult ritual, something goes horribly wrong, killing one teen. The four friends are forever changed, each dealing with this horrid day in a different way. Hootie was taken to a mental institution. His only means of communication is quoting lines from Hawthorne’s A Scarlet Letter. Eel marries Lee Hayward, her high school sweetheart, but she eventually loses her sight. Boatman, once a shoplifter, now runs his own theft prevention company. Dilly Olson never really got over the entire situation. Decades later the group comes back together when Hayward decides to write a non-fictional account of that afternoon. Each learns that their own personal account wasn’t as accurate as they believed. This reunion is the first time they have had the opportunity to share their experiences with one another. Pieces of the puzzle are finally starting to come together to form a large, broad picture.
Once again, Straub does an outstanding job. A Dark Matter is purely character-driven; the book is broken up into several parts, each devoted to detailing the account of each of the main characters. Readers are transported thirty years in a matter of pages. I was impressed at how smoothly this transformation flowed. There is potential for novels with character-driven storylines, specifically ones with as many characters as A Dark Matter, to seem drawn-out and exaggerated. I did not feel that in this case, for I do not think the overall “feel” of the novel would have carried through had it not been for the varying and differing accounts of each of the characters. Those demanding a defined and definite resolution might be disappointed, however I think this aspect is what makes this such an amazing book. It takes an extremely talented writer to do what Straub has done with this one: giving detailed explanations of one situation from various standpoints, yet still leaving the actual event quite vague. Highly, highly recommended book.

Contains: Mild language, sex and gore.

Review by Jennifer Lawrence

Our Winter Chills colleague HorrorWorld is running A Dark Matter contest feel free to stop by and enter.

    Gord Rollo's latest release, Strange Magic, tells the story of former magician Wilson Kemp. Wilson has been trying for years to escape his past, going as far as changing his name, moving, and giving up his career as a magician. His wife and daughter know nothing of his past life, but unfortunately, his past has finally caught up with him and he may not be
able to keep it hidden any longer. Someone in town known as "the Stranger" is killing both humans and animals, leaving messages at the scene of each crime for "The Iceman", which happens to be Wilson's old stage name. Wilson is now scared for the life of himself and his family. He is not sure who "the Stranger" really is, but fears it may be his old partner, "The Heatseeker". The problem with that scenario is that "The Heatseeker" has been dead for twenty-two years!
    Intense, imaginative, well-balanced, fast-paced... you name it and Rollo has accomplished it in Strange Magic! Ever since Leisure started putting out Rollo's work I've been grabbing them up off the shelf immediately and I haven't been disappointed yet. Strange Magic may very well be my favorite so far. A couple of the characters' actual identities are kept secret through a good chunk of the book. Usually it is hard to keep up such a "front" that well without the reader figuring it out prior to the big "reveal", but Rollo managed to accomplish this without a hitch! I was ultimately pleasantly surprised, and a bit disturbed, with both of the characters once I found out who they really were. In addition, the death scenes within the book aren't overly gruesome, yet still cringe-worthy enough that both gore lovers and those of the weak stomach should be able to enjoy them. It is truly a well-rounded book and I feel that Rollo has definitely written something that all horror fans will love.
    In addition to reading the Leisure addition of Strange Magic, I also had the pleasure of reading Rollo's short story, "Peeler", a tie-in story to Strange Magic. This story can currently be found in the limited edition of Strange Magic published by Bad Moon Books. Peeler is the name of one of the side characters from Strange Magic who happens to have what you might call a weird "fetish" for peeling off his own skin. In this short story, we get to learn what causes Peeler to mutilate himself and where he was at prior to the time-frame of Strange Magic. The story is a bit gross, yet definitely ties into the whole magical element playing throughout the novel. It's a must-read for die-hard Rollo fans, and it's a shame that Leisure couldn't have included it in their edition of the release. Hopefully, this story will be released in a short story collection from Rollo, for those that are unable to get their hands on a copy of the limited edition of Strange Magic.
I highly recommend reading both Strange Magic and the tie-in story, "Peeler"!
Contains: Adult Language, Adult Situations, Mutilation
Review by Rhonda Wilson

The Haunting of Sam Cabot by Mark Edward Hall
Damnation Books, 2009
ISBN: 9781615720316
Available: New, print and digital

Sam, his wife and son have just bought a dilapidated monster of house in the countryside, determined to see the old hulk rehabilitated and livable for the first time in over forty years. But things aren't adding up. The previous owner keeps visiting, despite having already replaced the bits he agreed to, and there is a creepy old heater in the basement. Then one of the roofers tells Sam about the strange murders that took place in the basement long ago, and hints about ghostly visions and occurrences that have scared off the town folk since. Not even these disturbing tales touch the surface of what really lives in Farnham House.
The Haunting of Sam Cabot holds reader attention very well. It's a classic haunted house tale with a heavy dose of foreshadowing and an abbreviated length to keep eyes
glued to the pages. Some of the events will be familiar to the well-read. Also, this books uses a method of storytelling wherein the author withholds information from the reader to aid in the final reveal, which will aggravate some readers. However, the book is solid and readable and in this age of so many ghost investigation and haunted house shows, deserves a place in public collections. Private collectors should adjust their buying decision to their own taste. Recommended for public library collections.

Sam Stuart is on a downward spiral. He has a dead-end factory job, a drinking problem, and his wife has left him and taken their children with her. Now he is seeing his dead ancestor, Joel, a one-armed veteran of the Civil War. Joel has a warning for Sam. The spirits of Union soldiers are being released from their imprisonment in a ribbon, one once owned by Josephine, sister of "Bloody" Bill Anderson, scourge of the south. The Union soldiers have a plan for revenge, one which will unleash a horrifying evil on the world. Can Sam overcome all of his personal problems and save the world?

Steven L. Shrewsbury has crafted a wonderful tale filled with horror and history. Sam Stuart, the well rounded main character, is a man who cares deeply for his family and friends, yet can't overcome his reliance on alcohol, and has nightmares of the civil war, which Shrewsbury paints with great detail. The soldiers speak and act authentically, each with a distinct voice. As the spirits of the union soldiers take possession of the dead, some of their reactions to their new bodies are pricelessly funny.

Joel Stuart, the one-armed confederate, is a great counterpoint to Sam. His gruff, no nonsense attitude pushes Sam to step up and face not only his own figurative demons, but, what could be literal demons.
Shrewsbury pulls no punches, and no one is safe from the ravages of this story. The writing flows smoothly, even as the road Sam travels hits bump after bump. Steven L. Shrewsbury is a strong writer, whose early work I will certainly dig up, and whose forthcoming work I very much look forward to. Highly recommended.

In Blind Panic, the entire United States is suddenly hit by a surge of mass blindness. No one is immune, not even the most powerful man in the country. Thousands upon thousands are killed when planes fall from the sky and cars plunge into one another. Masterton brings back characters from his first novel, The Manitou, including Amelia Carlsson and “psychic” Harry Erskine. After conducting a séance, they discover Misquamacus, a.k.a "He Who Went and Came Back", an ancient Algonquin medicine man, has returned to seek vengeance for all the wrongs committed by “the white man.” Masterton does an outstanding job with this apocalyptic tale. Although this isn’t the first time he has written about these characters, the back-story is sufficiently filled in without dragging on, and Blind Panic can serve as a stand-alone novel. Highly recommended.

Randall is a small town nestled in the mountains of northern Arizona. It is dominated within by the local sawmill, and on the outskirts by a heavily wooded area known as The Rim. Some very strange things have begun happening in Randall—a local minister and his family have disappeared, an eighty-year-old woman in the nursing home is pregnant, churches have been vandalized, and local farm animals have been slaughtered en masse. The sheriff has his hands full and now an itinerant preacher has come to town preaching the coming of the apocalypse. It seems that something evil has come to Randall, Arizona.

Well, I didn’t see this one coming. Steven Wedel hits the proverbial homerun with this tormented ghost story set on the Oklahoma prairie. Perhaps best known for his series of werewolf tales, Wedel has captured the heart of the tortured landscape that he calls home. This is a story that is so bleak and gut-wrenching, the reader is all but overwhelmed by the sense of loss and loneliness felt by the man who turns his failed farm into a graveyard for folk who would like their dearly departed to be entered in a more secluded location, far removed from the world at large. Wedel has masterfully woven a tale wracked with emotion and the ending will leave you breathless and disappointed, but only because this ride is over so quickly. Truth be told, if this were a longer piece the psychological damage just might be irreversible. Little Graveyard on the Prairie lingered with me long after I’d finished. Truly powerful stuff.

Highly recommended for serious collectors and libraries as Little Graveyard on the Prairie is a signed limited edition hardcover slipcase of only 100 copies.

    I'm not sure why - but book sites across the internet pitch this as a historical thriller. I was excited, but being a horror reader I now wish that they had posted it as a horror novel originally because many people expecting a historical thriller will be a bit upset, as the book leaves the realm of historical thriller about halfway through, when the supernatural begins appearing.
    The story takes place during the Depression, and follows Connolly, who has left his wife to chase after the man who killed their daughter. The killer is a man covered in scars, known only as Mr. Shivers, who travels across the country by rail, leaving a path of misery behind him. Connolly begins his hunt, chasing the elusive Mr. Shivers from Memphis westward. Slowly he discovers others who have felt the pain that Mr. Shivers brings, and they band together as they plan their retribution. But is Mr. Shivers a sick, demented man, or something far worse?
    Bennett’s style is reminiscent of early Stephen King. Unfortunately, the author is not as skilled at character development as King is, so don't expect the overall skill of King. Those who have read a lot of older horror will find many of the situations will remind you of older works (think "The Lottery", for example). Though the ending is good, 90% of readers will have figured out exactly where the story is going by the time they finish the first third of the book. Unfortunately, like most other King-esque books, this is very much mainstream horror. Do not expect this book to break any new ground, and for those of you in the "extreme horror" crew - this is not it.
    On the whole, this is a fairly good breakout novel by a newcomer in the horror section - there is a lot of promise here and the concept is fun, if not a bit drawn out.

Drowned Sorrow starts with a bang. Vanessa Morgan throws the reader directly into the hectic life of Megan Blackwood, a successful investigative journalist whose ambition leads to a family tragedy.

And then the author starts over, with an expository first chapter that distances the reader and muddies characterization, and a depiction of a mother-daughter relationship that has an extremely unlikely dynamic. The unsympathetic, take-charge character from the first chapter has disappeared entirely, but it’s hard to like or trust the “new” Megan Blackwood after that initial impression.

In an effort to escape their grief, Megan and her daughter decide to leave home and vacation in the tiny town of Moonlight Creek. Moonlight Creek is a very odd place, though. It rains constantly, and the restaurants and stores only sell water. When the hotel owner shares a story about supernatural drownings in the lake, Megan pooh-poohs it, but there does seem to be an unseen menace, a suffocating, watery atmosphere…

The plot of Drowned Sorrow is a confusing mess, most of the characters are thin, and relationships in the book often seem contrived. The author doesn’t seem to have a clear idea of how she really wants to get the story started, as her first chapter takes a totally different approach to introducing Megan and her family than the prologue, and additionally, after the story is done, Morgan includes an alternate beginning that focuses on different characters. What makes Drowned Sorrow worth reading is the menacing, watery, and increasingly creepy atmosphere she evokes… the setting she creates will stick with readers long after the story itself. I expect that as Morgan tightens and focuses her writing, her storytelling develops, and her characterization improves, we will see some excellent work from her, and horror readers will have more satisfying opportunities to experience the foreboding atmosphere she creates so effectively.

Sarah and Josh Lincoln have a new neighbor. His name is Dale McCarthy, and he is a pale, weird, little man. Dale has a secret. He can resurrect the recently deceased, leaving them alive and well, with no memory of how they died. Unfortunately, Dale is no saint. In fact, he is quite the opposite.

Ever since her new neighbor moved in, Sarah has been having nightmares. Every night, she dreams that Dale McCarthy is coming into her bedroom, killing her husband, then raping and killing her. But if they are just dreams, why is she so affected by them? And why is her mattress soaked in blood? Sarah is alive, so how can she prove that her new neighbor has murdered her?

I read a lot of horror. I’ve read a lot of great horror. But, it has been a long time since I have been blown away by a book, the way I was by The Resurrectionist. Wrath James White has a crisp, clean writing style that never gets bogged down. The story starts with a bang, and barely lets up. Even the "quiet" moments are full of tension. With a character like Dale McCarthy, anything could happen, at any time.

Dale is an original villain, whose motivations are somehow both insane and reasonable. The way he rationalizes his actions makes a weird kind of sense. While his past might have made readers sympathetic, his present behavior makes him reprehensible. Dale is a wonderfully vile character.

The other main players, Sarah and Josh Lincoln, are also well rounded characters. Sarah is a strong woman, the bedrock of her marriage, who is afraid for her own sanity, and angered that no one believes that something strange is going on. She is determined to find out what is happening, and won't stop until she feels that she and her husband are safe. Josh is the emotionally weaker of the Lincolns. He depends on Sarah for support, due to some bad experiences in his childhood. But he has a temper, and will do whatever it takes to keep his wife safe. It’s just that he isn't really sure that she is in danger.

Wrath writes complex people with seeming ease. Even the minor characters have plenty of personality. There are no cardboard cut-outs here. A lot of bad things happen to the folks in this book, and I felt every bit of it. There is Plenty of sex and blood flowing throughout the pages of The Resurrectionist. Mr. White isn't known as one of the up and coming kings of hardcore horror for nothing. If you are looking for a brutal, beautiful tale that will keep you turning pages well into the night, look no further. Highly recommended.

Wrath James White starts us off into the world of The Resurrectionist by vividly exploring a scene where a young boy listens intently from outside his parents’ bedroom door as they fight. The boy continues to listen as his dad beats up his mom and he even listens as his dad kills his mom. Then he decides to call the cops. Once the cops arrive, even more chaos takes place as the boy is escorted out to a cop car and the cops go in to see what has taken place. He watches them one by one stagger out of the house getting sick and finally he runs back into the house to find his father dead, shot by the cops, and his mom skinned alive by his father's hand. He climbs over to his mom and starts giving her mouth-to-mouth. Slowly she starts to breathe again and then her skin starts to rejuvenate. The cops come back in then and can't believe their eyes. The woman sitting with him can't possibly be the woman that was just lying there skinned alive, can it? But he claims it's his mommy. What special powers is it this boy holds and what else could he possibly use those powers for in the future?
The Resurrectionist delves deep into the life of one very demented and warped individual. The main character, Dale, has so many "issues" that as a reader it's hard to decide whether to sympathize with him or hate him for what he is doing to the victims in the book. I was honestly torn throughout on my opinion of him, yet leaned more to the negative side because it was just hard to fathom any person could do the things he was doing to other beings. White has written a novel so graphically depicted and so intense that you actually feel like you're "living" the nightmare that is taking place within the pages. I would recommend those with a queasy stomach to pass this book by and move on to a more "user-friendly" horror book as White does describe extremely graphic scenes of mutilation, torture, and rape, which might offend some readers. To those that can handle it, however, this is a must read! I was unable to put the book down once I opened it up and I think any lovers of extreme horror will feel the same. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Contains: Gore, Rape, Sex, Mutilation, Torture, Adult Language, Adult Situations
Review by Rhonda Wilson

In this follow-up to The Hollower, Dave, Erik, and Sally are confronted once again with a Hollower, a faceless monster that feeds on fear, hate, and despair. This time it has targeted new victims. Can they kill this one the way they killed the first?

Although Found You is a sequel, you don’t have to read The Hollower to understand what’s going on, or the connection to the first novel. I liked the characters, for the most part. They are all flawed in some way, but trying to overcome those flaws and become better people. Erik, an alcoholic, is trying to maintain his sobriety, while sponsoring Jake through his rehabilitation. Dorrie is trying to lose weight while trying not to hate the skinny girls who tormented her all through school. Dave is trying to help his sister with her mental health, even though he blames himself for her condition. Detective Steve Corimer is trying to be the best cop he can be, while hiding his sexuality for fear of hate and ‘retribution’ from his co-workers.

Found You was well written- Ms. SanGiovanni’s descriptiveness conjures up some scary visual images.

I enjoyed the story, but I would have liked to have seen more of what this Hollower was capable of. It’s mentioned by the characters several times that this one is more powerful than the first; what power did it have? I expected more in the way of confrontation. I also expected to see more of these Hollowers, as we are told there is more than one. I’d like to know more about this other dimension that they come from.

Overall, I thought it was a good book and a quick read. I would recommend it, but it does contain some adult material. Mary SanGiovanni is a really good writer, I just expected a little more out of this book than I got.

Conrad is an elderly man who stands on the brink of something extraordinary - a gateway between life and death. The gateway is a construct of his friend Gwillam’s genius, a theory that has obsessed him, forcing him to give up his family and life. The payoff is seeing what is on the other side of life. Unfortunately, Gwillam didn’t completely understand everything and the gateway winds up consuming him. As a strange fog thickens in the streets, it threatens to bury everything in Conrad’s little town if something isn’t done about it.

R.I.P. is an intriguing novella that is hard to put down once it is started. Mr. Lamsley draws the reader in with tidbits of information, almost like a mystery novel, until the story is unfolded before him near the end. R.I.P. is a unique ghost story that combines technology with mysticism for a satisfying result. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a short ghost story that will keep them glued to the pages.

Kit is a camera man for an English lord who is on a mission - a quest to prove that ghosts exist. With him is an African immigrant named Ashara, a con artist named Fletcher, and a monkey with the unlikely title of Polidori. The story starts with a bit of grave robbing when Fletcher claims that he is picking up ghostly signals from his home-made contraption. The only problem is that the instrument is a fake and the only person on the team that might half-way believe in ghosts is the English lord, Byron. Everyone else is just earning a paycheck and giving a good show to keep that paycheck coming. The grave robbing ends almost as soon as the casket is opened, and is followed by a disastrous series of events that almost kills Kit. As they move on to their actual destination, Kit is ready to quit. When the group stops at a small town, a woman invites them to her house on the beach for an actual ghostly experience - a place where the dead take on the semblance of life in an invisible tide that shakes them to the core. It isn’t long before they discover that ghosts are real and not a thing to be trifled with lightly.

The Ghosting Tide is a novella that the reader will be hard pressed to put down. The characters come to life on the pages with personalities that are uniquely their own. The grave-robbing scene was almost as comical as it was horrifying, as Kit gripes about the illegality of what they are doing and Fletcher puts on a theatrical ‘ghost hunting’ scene for their employer. Simon Clark has a way of bringing readers into the middle of chaos as everything in the graveyard falls apart, engulfing them in grave dirt and freshly dug up corpses. The main story is no different- as the wave of undead energy buffets the characters the reader can almost feel their skin tingle with it, and Clark’s horrifying description of the results of that tide is something the reader won’t soon forget. The Ghosting Tide is a story that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a good scary ghost story.

Necropolis, not to be mistaken for the Tim Waggoner novel Nekropolis, is set in a massive graveyard in New Orleans. The novella follows three tracks. The first track introduces Kelli, a photographer who follows a mysterious tune. A second track is the story of Kevin and Jill, a married couple who look to make a wish in the wishing well that is located within the cemetery. The third track tells of Anna, who brings her friend Darren to the cemetery in search of a new experience. Urbancik does an amazing job of setting the scene, creating an eerie, creepy, surreal atmosphere. His characters are well-developed in a mere 82 pages. Urbancik delivers a solid, haunting story that is worth reading. Highly recommended

After a traumatic end to a relationship, Laurel MacDonald accepts a job as a psychology professor at Duke University and makes the move from sunny California to North Carolina. Upon her arrival, she learns that in order to maintain her tenure at the University, she needs to get published. She uncovers a fifty year old study done by the Rhine psychology lab, a study on extrasensory perception that mysteriously went dormant. This study took place at the Folger House, a century-old home known for its supernatural activity. Participants in this survey either disappeared, went insane, or suffered other emotional/mental effects. Laurel learns that her uncle, once bright and outgoing, with a great future ahead of him, was a participant in this study. He's now a shell of a man with apparent mental deficiencies. Laurel and her fellow psychology professor Brendan Cody, find the Folger House, and begin to recreate the study with a new set of student participants. After they arrive at the house, they start to experience supernatural activity. Mysterious noises and odd feelings are just the beginnings of what the team will experience.

Sokoloff once again does a stellar job! The reader becomes entranced within the first few pages. Throughout the entire book, my spine tingled with anticipation. Laurel's character is extremely well developed. The reader uncovers more about her with every turned page. The secondary characters, while not developed in detail, do add a great deal to the story. They are both seriously flawed and unsympathetic, but those qualities add to the overall atmosphere of the book. Highly, highly recommended for public library collections and to any fan of ghost stories, tales of extrasensory perception or the like.

Restore from Backup is breathtakingly brilliant. There, I said it. Looking for something fresh and original? Really, you need look no further than this. Two established authors, each with their own unique styles, blend seamlessly together to create a work that, despite its diminutive page count, delivers a real mind-blowing experience. Make no mistake, this is an occult thriller, punctuated by intricate conspiracies and reality bending twists, that delivers in every possible way. Behind the façade of the world of computer programming we are given a glimpse into the machinations of reality itself. Limited to only 300 copies, it is criminal that this novella is not in larger circulation. Restore from Backup is sure to please even the most jaded horror fan. For public or private collections,

Jake McAllister’s mother is worried because his younger brother, Trey, has been acting weird since he started hanging out with his new girlfriend, Myra. Although Jake can't believe that one girl could really make that drastic of a difference in Trey, he returns home to check things out anyway. What Jake doesn't realize upon his arrival is that most of the females in town consider Myra a leader, and that they are starting to overpower the men in town. Jake meets up with a love interest, Kristen, and together they try to save Trey from Myra's clutches, and stop the harvesting of souls that they have discovered is Myra's ultimate goal.
Soultaker has many strong points. Character development is particularly strong. There are several key characters in this book and Smith detailed each of them and their growth throughout the book beautifully. I truly felt that I got to know the characters as the story progressed. A lot of authors tend to focus on one or maybe two characters, but Smith continued a detailed progression of change of at least six people. Fair warning to those who don't like sex, this novel is a bit heavy on sexual content, but Smith writes it well and for this story it's fitting. Highly Recommended.
Contains: Sex, Violence, Profanity
Review by Rhonda Wilson

There are two intermingled stories in The Golem. The first is a tale from the1800's of settlers battling amongst each other and reaching to the darker forces for help. This is an entertaining and engaging tale filled with creepy vibes, nasty curses and horrible monsters. Then we flip to the modern day, where a young couple is moving into their dream house, located squarely between the two ancient camps of settlers. Both members of the couple have recently battled with personal addictions and survived. Leaning on each other for support, they conquered their habits, and have now set up a nice life together. With the sale of their new videogame, they are now rolling in wealth that they are unaccustomed to.
We know that their new house is located in a place that holds danger they could not possibly be aware of, or even believe in. The descendents of the original settlers still have a strong hold on the dark arts, and aren't above a little rape, murder, and drug dealing to gain back what they feel they have lost. But how can the new owners even begin to battle back against a force as unstoppable as the Golem?
Contains: Violence, Sex and Rape Scenes.

Sacrifice is the sequel to Covenant, but unlike Covenant, it starts off at a VERY fast pace and takes you on a roller coaster ride. In this book, Joe Kieran is chasing down a sexy serial killer, Ariana, who is attempting to bring a race of demons known as the Cuburide into this world. Ariana is in the middle of a series of ritualistic sacrifices, and Joe must stop her before she can complete them. Joe teams up with Alex, a hitchhiker who talks to ghosts, and together they must stop Ariana before the final sacrifice is completed and the world is taken over by the Cuburide, who would love nothing more than to be free to spread their perversions across the world. Although Sacrifice is a sequel, it can be read as a stand alone book, as it has everything you need to know from Covenant within it. However, I highly recommend reading Covenant first!
I usually don’t find sequels in a series to be as enjoyable as the original, but let me just say... this is my all-time favorite book! Everson packs a major punch here. Sacrifice is definitely not for the faint of heart. It is extremely gory in parts and has a few other touchy subjects spread throughout. However, readers who can deal with the gore and so on will find that it is well worth it to set aside an afternoon to read Sacrifice… and then the next afternoon to read it again! A few characters from Covenant have carried over, but there are several new characters and they are amazing! I really felt a connection with them while reading. I'm not sure what else Everson has in store for the future, but I hope he comes out with another book in this series. Highly recommended.
Contains: Violence, Sexual Situation, Gore, Rape, Incest, Adult Language
Review by: Rhonda Wilson

Covenant is John Everson's first mass market release. Reporter Joe Kieran hears about a suicide taking place off of a cliff, but his boss tells him not to bother writing up a big report. Joe finds this to be strange, because it is the first “big” story he has encountered since moving to the small town of Terrel. Joe decides to dig into things on his own, without authorization, and discovers that suicides have been happening on this same cliff year after year, on the same day, for hundreds of years. Joe realizes that he must be facing something much more surreal than just a mere suicide.
Covenant starts off like a mystery, transitions to a thriller, and then to an all out horror novel! Everson has a wonderful way of depicting scenes. Throughout this book you really can visualize all the scenes as you read them. Many times I felt like I was right there in the room (or cave) with the characters, watching the scenes taking place in front of me. This was actually my second time reading this book and I must say I think I actually enjoyed it even more this time around. This is a great read for all horror fans, though unsuspecting readers may want to be aware that there is a rape scene in the latter part of the book. Highly Recommended.
Contains: Violence, Sexual Situation, Rape, Adult Language
Review by: Rhonda Wilson

In reviewing or discussing this novella it's important to get out of the way what it is. This short book is a treat for Clive Barker fans. Written when he was a teenager and only slightly edited this little book shows that the young unknown brit had fantasy chops at a young age. It is far from a master work but it is important piece for those interested in learning from the development of this master.

This is not for casual Barker fans at the same time his old school horror fans will find little appeal in this book. commercially this book is for collectors. Librarians should take not because this is the kind of book that librarians need to put in their collections. The casual fan might not want to invest in the book but might love to read it.

The tale is short but sweet told in four stories that are separately titled but interconnected. There is a point A and point Z and the novella travels with a fast pace. The title character is the organizer of magical traveling circus that is traveling to the far away city of Xanadu in mid-Asia. Along the way we encounter a bird woman's wedding, the theater of tears and a tumble off the edge of the world. It is clear a rich imagination was flexing it's new muscles.

It has more in common with Barker's recent Abarat novels than any of the early hardcore horror works that made him famous. Which is funny since many of his fans have been begging Barker to return to his roots, the reality is he is closer than ever to his roots when he is writing fantasy.

Pete Haskins is a man at the end of his rope. Gambling debt has cost him everything and he wants to start over - get a job and do things right. When he sees a cushy little spot as a security guard for an old hotel he jumps at the chance, but what should have been a walk in the park quickly became a nightmare that he can’t escape from.

You In? is a thirty-seven page ghost story that reads quickly. Ghost-wise it is fairly predictable. The character development is good and the reader will quickly sympathize with Pete Haskins as he tries to redeem his life in the face of his fear. You In? is a good choice for anyone looking for something to read quickly and for those who like ghost stories.

In The Mysterious Flame, the undead necromancer Narthos is hunting a golem, Barnabus, in an attempt to determine the secret of his existence and his soul. The plot summary suggests that the story is high fantasy, but it is actually set in the present day, and has a very elegant gothic feel. Grey does a great job of balancing storytelling, action, and character development in 44 pages. The Mysterious Flame is a chapbook, with a quality in writing and production similar to that of the high-quality chapbooks produced by White Noise Press. The cover art is by renowned horror artist Allen Koszowski, and is an excellent complement to the story. This title is limited to 100 copies being produced and costs $20 at the publisher’s site which is a consideration for library collection development. Recommended for fans of horror and gothic tales.

Joe is a young man saddled with guilt. His mother died in a car wreck when he was the driver. Bobby, his younger brother is also plagued by guilt. His close friend killed himself and Bobby did nothing to help prevent it. Their father, Richard doesn’t escape guilt either. Before her death, his wife became another person to him, soulless and blank - absent. He claimed that it drove him to drinking and an affair. This dysfunctional family, full of guilt and blame, is ripe for the picking when they inherit a flour mill where a young girl was brutally murdered by her older sister. As Joe and his father work to restore the mill, Bobby struggles with the ghost of his friend and the entity of a little girl who drives him to self-mutilation for the sake of art and redemption. Little does the family know that the girl is far more than what she seems – she is the harbinger of the absence.

The Absence isn’t quite a ghost story nor is it a monster story - it is something in between and wonderfully done. Every chapter contains something horrifying, something to make the hair on the reader’s neck stand on end. Mr. Hussey keeps the readers enthralled while slowly revealing the mystery surrounding the absence once piece at a time until the truth is revealed in the climactic conclusion. The characters come to life with their strengths and weaknesses as they deal with their personal demons and the mysteries that surround them. The Absence is a must have for anyone who likes horror stories.

Will Sullivan is losing his family. His daughter Sydney is dying of cancer, and his wife is desperate to save her at any cost. As Will navigates the complex and twisted corridors of Briarwood Medical Center, where Sydney is a patient, he encounters the mysterious Salk, who suggests to him that miracles can happen for those with the faith and will to change their reality. Will begins to notice the incredible recoveries and bizarre and tragic occurrences happening within Briarwood’s walls, and it becomes clear that he isn’t the only one Salk has approached. What would you be willing to do for the one you love? That’s Salk’s question for the desperate. The answers to that question are unspeakable in the book, literally, and uncomfortable to even think about once you’ve turned the last page. Will and his family aren’t particularly convincing or sympathetic as characters, but the hospital is a disturbing place, Salk is a dark and terrifying enigma, and the people and events happening around them create compelling, troubling, and even horrifying variations that illuminate the cost of Salk’s miracles. The Price is suspenseful and will hook readers, keeping them up late into the night. Sokoloff’s vivid portrayal of the consequences of dealing with Salk may stick with readers long after they close the book.
Highly recommended for public libraries. Contains: mentions of suicide, animal sacrifice, violent death.
Review by Kirsten Kowalewski

The Pines takes the legend of the Jersey Devil who haunts the Pine Barrens and gives it a new spin. The concept is interesting, engaging and filled with quite a few victims who end up all but inside out.

We follow the members of a small town as people start dying in the woods. The main characters are the operators of the beat up ambulance and the police. Of course there are quite a few other locals... they bicker, fight, and eventually try to figure out what is killing all of these people in such violent ways.

So there are woods, a monster, inbred people, and plenty for the monster to eat. The setup for the story is great. Unfortunately, the presentation spoils it. Much of this book is written in dialogue, so we only meet characters when they start speaking. They are very rarely introduced or described. Often, many people will be talking for quite some time before they are named, forcing the reader to go back and re-read the conversation to put it into context. The characters all have very similar speech patterns, opinions, and attitudes, making it even harder to pick out who is talking. The characters react in their speaking to things we aren’t told are going on, and apart from what is said in the conversations and the characters' internal dialogue, very little of the story is explained. It felt very much like I was back in theater class and reading a play with all of the blocking left out.

In the end, I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters, Frustration with trying to figure out who in a large cast of people (many of whom added nothing to the forward progression of the story) was saying what and the constant switching back and forth from scene to scene made it difficult to convince myself to read this one through to the end.

The ending of this book was touted as brilliant and "shocking", but to be honest, I wasn't all that shocked. I pretty much knew what was going on before the book was half way over. I know that there is a lack of horror material on the Jersey Devil, but as a horror book, this really doesn’t stand up to some of the other options that are out there.

Crimson by Gord Rollo
Leisure, 2009
ISBN: 9780843961959
Available: New

    Gord Rollo's second mass market release is about a small town in Ontario, Canada where an evil has been lurking for years. Four young boys trying to unearth the truth behind a “scary story” they have heard about a man’s brutal murder of his family 20 years ago.discover more than they bargained for, and soon start to realize that maybe the "evil" hadn't really left their small little town after all.
    This book would be a great addition to any library's horror section as it has quite the "creep" factor going on. The book had lots of twists and turns in it that kept me wondering how things were going to end up. Towards the end of the book I was so nervous about how it was going to end that I think I chewed both of my thumb nails off. Rollo's work is definitely a nail-biter and very fast-paced! He's a great new & rising author in the horror genre. Highly recommended for public library collections.
    Contains: violence, gore, adult language

    Crimson, Gord Rollo's second novel is in my humble opinion, far superior to his first. Rollo frames Crimson in the tradition of "small band of kids take on monster living in their small town" tale. Notable examples of this kind of story include Stephen King's IT, Dan Simmons’ Summer of Night and Brian Keene’s Ghoul.
    Crimson starts out in a similar vein, but it quickly takes a different turn. The opening scene of this book is a real kick in the gut that will thrill the most avid of gore hounds. We travel forward in time to about 20 years later. The small farmhouse where the opening scene took place has sat abandoned for all of those years, quietly waiting for new blood. When a single mother and her young son move into the house, there is a stirring in the well out back. Four young friends playing at the house discover and free an ancient evil, and must fight for their lives as their worst nightmares come to pass. Crimson follows these kids from the time they unleash the monster through their lives as it revisits them, bringing new terrors with each time it returns.
    The writing in this book is very strong and the book is extremely interesting. I only had three minor annoyances. The first was that there were too many characters whose names started with the same letter. The second was that although the characters grow older during the book, they never seem to grow mentally as they age. Finally, there was a considerable amount of exposition towards the end of the book that explained everything that had been going on. I would have preferred that the information be introduced as needed during the story rather than having the flow of the story interrupted with a chunk of information, and that some things be left to the imagination. None of that was enough to keep me from really enjoying this read, though. Recommended for public libraries and to anyone looking for a good fun scare.
Contains: language, gore, adult situations, and sexual scenarios

Note: This is a double take review with two of our reviewers taking a separate look at the same title.

On June 9, 1865, Charles Dickens, one of the most famous authors in the world, survives a train wreck that changes his life. At the crash scene, he meets a horrid beast, "cadaverously thin, almost shockingly pale,” with “eyes set deep under a pale, high brow that melded into a pale, bald scalp.” His nose was “mere black slits” and he had “small, sharp, irregular teeth, spaced too far apart.” Upon returning to his home, Dickens becomes obsessed with finding Drood, and pulls his good friend, Willkie Collins, into the hunt. This "hunt" forever alters the lives of both Dickens and Collins. Drood is an amazing piece of literary fiction. Fans of classic fiction, including the work of Dickens and Collins, will be absorbed by the flavorful language. Fans of thriller and horror will be drawn in by the dark, dangerous and deadly Drood character. Simmons is spot on with the historical details, the images of London, the characters of Charles Dickens and Willkie Collins. I can't say enough about this amazing piece of writing. Don't let the length of this book stop you from picking it up. I guarantee that Drood is a piece of work that you won't forget for some time. Recommended for public library collections.

Julie is a mom, a nurse, the wife of a doctor. Her life turns upside down when her husband is brutally murdered and the police misplace his corpse. She feels like she is falling apart, and in the meantime, she tries to deal with a stepson with emotional issues, a daughter who is being visited by a ghost at night, and erotic dreams of her making love to her undead husband. When she skeptically seeks the help of a psychic, everything she thought she knew goes up like smoke.

Afterlife is a well-written story that proposes an alternative to existence beyond death. It is intriguing and the storyline keeps the reader hooked, and wondering what will happen next in Julie’s life, whom she can trust and whom she cannot. Afterlife almost feels like a ghost story, but by the end of the book it breaks that mold, expanding into something more. The only complaint I have is that the ending almost leaves the reader hanging, as though there should be more. I would recommend this novel for those who like ghost stories with a twist or anyone who just likes a good book.

This is my first venture into the world of Maynard and Sims. The little blurb under the title, "A Department 18 Novel", implies to me that there are more novels (or intended novels) about the group from Department 18. Department 18 is a government group of psychics, telekinetics, and ghost busters- not that we get to see them bust any ghosts. In this book, when they aren't bickering amongst themselves and puffing up their petty egos, they are investigating why a bunch of people have disappeared on a Scottish island without a trace.

The book opens well. The first scene with Robert in the house is almost wonderful. The bugs are a chilling touch, and, although the way the scene wraps up is disappointing, it is still a fun scene. Then we get into the real meat of the tale... disappearing people on an island! This book seems like it is really going somewhere, but, unfortunately, it bogs down quickly, with about half the book devoted to researching the incident, and pages and pages of back story, personal feelings, previous relationships, and so on. By the time they got to the island, I was thrilled to see how these annoying folks were going to meet their end... and even that turned out to be a letdown.

This book suffers from what I like to think of as "too much magic." The psychics have to be explained, as well as their powers, and how their powers affect them. Then we have to have to have ley lines explained to us... then we have to look into the malevolent evil on the island and that takes pages and pages of exposition and explanation. There was so much explaining going on, that I really didn't care about what happened anymore. By the time we are done, everyone seems to have some sort of super power, the baddie is a superbaddie, and people disappearing isn't all that scary to begin with... mainly because there is always the chance they could reappear.

I was also a bit disappointed in the ending. It was rather over the top without the heart. The writing style was good enough, but the authors never managed to pull me in. Instead, it seemed like they were intent on pushing the reader out and reminding them "it's just a story".

Many have likened this novel to Stephen King's novel Firestarter, and it is very easy to see why. There is a little girl with unimaginable power, an evil institution trying to bend and wield the power, and an unlikely hero trying to save her. The author even named a secondary character "Charlie" as if to acknowledge the similarities and give homage to King. Although it has many similarities, though, The Reach reads as an entirely different story.

Jess Chambers is a star student in psychiatry who has come to the attention of her professor, Dr. Jean Shelley. Dr. Shelley asks Jess to befriend a very special patient. Sarah is a little girl, diagnosed as schizophrenic, who has spent her entire life in an institution, and who has not spoken in months. The door Dr. Shelley opens by inviting Jess into Sarah's life leads to unexpected twists and turns, and finally to an explosive ending that would make a great film.

From the opening scene I loved this book. It was fun and exciting, and many of the characters elicited concern. Who is good, who is bad, who is lying, who is truly in need, who can be trusted... the tables turn over and over as Jess pieces together Sarah’s life. Men in dark suits with guns and scientists with nasty ambitions soon come into the picture and Jess finds that no one can be trusted. Is Sarah evil? Is she truly the antichrist as her family believes? Or is she just a scared little girl with an unholy power?

The book moves quickly. Readers will find themselves whipping through the pages until they explode into the ending. The author has said that this is the first in a series of possibly three books, but don't let that stop you. Kenyon wraps things up nicely - no cliff hangers to leave readers angry or frustrated. To be honest, I did not find this book to be scary - I found it to be more entertaining than anything else. Kenyon was good when he wrote Bloodstone and he is even better with The Reach. Highly recommended for public library collections.

You wake up in a diner in the middle of nowhere with no recollection of how you arrived. Your vehicle isn't outside and you feel a strange complacency and willingness to just sit there and zone out... when you suddenly notice that everyone else in the diner is doing exactly the same thing. Your waitress is beyond creepy and suddenly as you all wake up you realize that you may just be in a pit stop on your way to hell.

Pit Stop is an interesting look at the afterlife, and it certainly isn't pretty. A group of individuals find themselves in a hideous way station on their way to the land of fire and brimstone. An evil looking tour bus with an even more demonic bus driver arrives to take them on to whatever horrid future awaits them, but this group has woken from their trance, and they are prepared to fight back. Can they fight the grim reaper? Can a handful of backsliding sinners fight off the devil? And what would happen if they DO get on the bus? Is it too late for redemption?

Not surprisingly, since the characters are all sinners, some of them are the most horrifying kind. Still, as a reader, I found that I didn’t want them to end up burning in eternal torment. The author does an excellent job of putting readers in the position of rooting for undesirable people because deep down, people want to believe that redemption is possible, even at this point. Readers will want these people to come to terms with what they have done and find a way to make up for it. Somehow, the author manages to write about the afterlife, sin, and hell this without ever truly touching on the issue of religion. Though the story is based on the Catholic theory of Limbo and Purgatory, there is almost no mention of religion at all.

It is fairly easy to get to know the characters, because they have a form of telepathy which allows us to watch their memories through another character's eyes. I did have some problems with the whole concept of the book in that since there were no explanations or religious background to draw from, there were two characters that I could not for the life of me figure out why they were there. I know Larkin’s story needed a shining knight, but I question why they would be on a one way track to hell. That question was never answered for me and left me a bit perplexed. Other than that this was a very enjoyable book. Recommended.

Contains: profanity, violence, gore, illegal drugs, prostitution, murder, incest, rape, and vivid depictions of a hell like environment.

The small town of Barlow has a hideous pact with the creatures that live in the nearby forest. In return for the town‘s offering its visitors to the creatures, they leave Barlow in relative peace. The Dills family, on vacation, and Neala and Sherri on their way to a camping trip, all stop in Barlow and fall prey to the townspeople. Soon they all find themselves in a fight for their lives as they try to deal with the creatures in the woods. The Woods Are Dark uses Laymon’s typical storytelling style, with plenty of violence and sex; however he does a stronger job in creating atmosphere in this book than in many of his later titles. The Woods Are Dark was initially published in heavily edited form by Warner. This limited edition by Cemetery Dance contains the story as originally envisioned by Laymon. Recommended for Laymon fans as well as readers who enjoyed Jack Ketchum’s Off Season or Edward Lee’s titles.

When Beth’s boyfriend Wade disappears after killing his parents, she tries to move on with life, dealing with her abusive father and distant mother the best she can. When Wade returns in a less than human form, he wants to take her away with him, but first he wants her to kill her father. Into The Cruel Sea is an effective tale of horror that has a Lovecraftian feel to it. Beth seems like a real person and the situation Ristow has created is very believable. Photographs and notes create realism in the setting, and there is plenty of fast-paced action. It’s easy to see this novella being expanded into a longer story, but just as it is, Into the Cruel Sea makes for a delicious little nugget of horror that is worth picking up.

Leisure Books, 2008
ISBN-13: 978-0843956450
Available: New
In this loose sequel to Dark Hallow, an evil malignant force is unleashed when a hunter unwittingly removes one of the protective stones holding it back from our world. It’s Halloween, and Ken Ripple’s “ghost walk”, an outdoor haunted house, takes place in the same area. Freelance reporter Maria Nasr, Levi Stoltzfus a formerly Amish mage, and author Adam Senft (who also appeared in Dark Hollow)to stop the entity before it destroys everything in LeHorn's Hollow and beyond. Ghost Walk is a well-written book with interesting characters and good plot pacing. Levi, in particular, is a character this reader would enjoy meeting up with again in Keene’s future work. Since the book is a sequel it does need to provide a little background, but Keene gives just enough backstory to bring new readers up to date without disrupting the story’s flow. Although it is a sequel, Ghost Walk does fine as a stand alone novel. Readers may find it useful to do so to get a better appreciation of Adam Senft’s character, though. Keene also ties Ghost Walk in with many of his other horror novels, setting up a new mythos that can serve as a framework for future work. Ghost Walk is a well-written book with original ideas that will make an enjoyable Halloween read. Recommended.

Contains: Violence

Reviewed as part of the Halloween Horror Review Project, click here to see other Halloween themed horror book reviews.

Neil is a soul whose troubles started from the moment of his birth as a winged infant, half human half angel. Moments after his birth he is dropped off at a charity hospital where his wings are removed, leaving scars that stay with him for the rest of his life. Fast forward to his teenage years and Neil is living in a New Orleans orphanage where he is terribly unhappy and doesn’t fit in with the rest of the boys. He runs away, hoping to create a better life for himself, knowing that he is meant for more than what the orphanage has to offer. His experience on the run ends in tragedy, and he is returned to the orphanage, then transferred to a different orphanage where he can attend public school. He remains an outsider to all the students except for Deanna, a girl who becomes his lifelong friend. A decade later, Neil and Deanna have started a band, but are struggling to get by. A mysterious man offers Neil a recording contract if he will add a few songs to the album, songs in an otherworldly language. Neil reluctantly agrees and soon the world seems to be in the palm of his hand. The only problem is that the strange man is an Angel with plans to unseat God and subjugate all of mankind by breeding a race of half-man half-angels. If that isn’t enough to dampen Neil’s success, there is also an insane, shadowy serial killer who has decided that Neil must die.

Mutiny in Heaven is an entertaining and effective read about Angels, demons, and ghosts. It is also a story of sin and acceptance set in a rich and dynamic New Orleans that leaves the reader feeling as though they have actually visited the wild city. Whitney Lakin brings New Orleans to life in the imagination of her reader as only someone who is intimately familiar with the city could, showing not only its glamour, but also its ugly side. Mutiny in Heaven is a unique story that shows the good and the bad in its characters, accepting both sides as human nature. It would make an excellent addition to any library.

Deus ex Machina Logos by Charles Matthew Sauer
Xlibris, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4363-1497-8
Available: New and Used
Deus ex Machina Logos was the hardest book I have ever had to read in this lifetime. The story was supposed to be about a haunted book but the only thing that left me haunted was that it took me a few months to get through the book. I like a story that unfolds naturally and makes sense, but this one rambled on about things in a philosophical manner. The story follows Cecilia and Justin, who travel to the Rocky Mountains to search for a secret book. They stay with Matthew who turns out to be quite the character. The thing I didn't like about this book was that it was difficult to decipher and very hard to understand. I thought maybe it was just me but my mother, who is a huge reader, also read the book, and she didn't get it either. I think the majority of the readers will have the same confused experience I did. Not recommended.

Detective Jack Trent avoids human contact. His mind is tightly bound by logic, but this case tests his limits. Children are being brutally murdered and possibly cannibalized, and Trent discovers that his ex-lover’s son is the killer’s next target. The plot thickens as mysticism, ghosts, a strange cursed community and Jack’s own past draw the threads of the story together, leading to an exciting head. Through A Glass, Darkly has a flavor of evil for every reader. Bill Hussey does an excellent job of making a fantastic story believable. He pulls the reader into accepting that possession is possible, and brings elderly spirits to life. Initially, Hussey presents Jack as an oddity, but a sympathetic character. As the story progresses Hussey reveals Jack’s sinister aspect, keeping the reader in suspense as to whether the evil within the detective will help the villain succeed. I would certainly recommend Through A Glass, Darkly to anyone who loves a good horror novel.

Published as the third part of Earthling’s Halloween series, The Haunted Forest Tour is a creative Halloween tale that revels in fun. It's an extremely well written collaboration that balances horror and comedy perfectly. Earthling outdid them themselves on the look of the book. Glen Chadbourne's paintings on the front and back are worth the price alone, not to mention his artwork throughout.

The story is about a forest that pops out of the New Mexico desert and is populated by monsters of every kind. Its America, so it is not long before capitalism turns it into a theme park. When the train going through the forest breaks down the most effective frights happen, Jurassic Park-style..

This novel is a true Halloween funhouse, set to the page, and is a perfect library book. In fact, I checked this book out at the Portland, Oregon public library. It's a beautiful limited edition from Earthling Publications- collectors and Halloween story fans should not miss this one. If your library has the budget and Earthing is not sold out, seek it out for your patrons now! Highly recommended for public libraries.

Nate Kenyon makes a great debut with this tale of two total strangers thrown together on a cross-country trip, who find that their nightmares are connected with the evil seeping into a small Maine town. Billy and Angel seek to unravel the mystery that began with the town’s founder in 1720, and must close a window through which the dead return to torment their killers. Kenyon also inserts several interesting twists to keep the story fresh.

The tale of a snake demon who preys on the brightest and most creative that humanity has to offer, Serpentine at its heart is a study of our attraction to our own destruction. Sophia, a snake demon, is loosed after a centuries-long imprisonment in an Italian church altar. She romps across Europe before heading to America on a quest to become a media star, leaving a trail of strange deaths behind her. In America, Sophia finally runs into a man who, unlike every other, is not madly attracted to her. His raw creativity calls to her, as does his mysterious immunity to her perfect sex-driven aura.

Unfortunately, Monteleone’s portrayal of Sophia's powers and her natural predation on the human artist falls flat. The reader is kept so far removed from all of the characters that there is no real emotional connection. The depth of the plot isn’t completely revealed until over a hundred pages in, by which point the repetition of “Sophia meets a man- man is overwhelmingly attracted to Sophia- Sophie drains him of his energy and life force” is old. Even the eventual battle between good and evil is rather dispassionate, giving the feeling that's there nothing truly at stake.

Ramsey Campbell is brilliant. No one invokes the atmosphere and sense of impending dread like he does. There are so many layers to the author’s latest masterpiece, The Grin of the Dark. The book’s protagonist, Simon Lester, is a film critic who, in an attempt to provide greater security for his wife and stepson, embarks on a quest to write a biography about an obscure silent film star. What we, the readers, are delivered is a deftly crafted, spiraling tale of madness that escalates throughout the prose. Chillingly wrought, The Grin of the Dark, will surprise and amaze readers as the story unfolds and the layers peel away. Campbell grabs you by the scruff of the neck and drags you slowly through this dark obsession, leaving you with the quiet desperation of a man unraveling before your eyes. In a final masterstroke, you are forced back as an unsettling revelation descends upon you. Truly wonderful and frightening in every sense of the word, The Grin of the Dark is deliciously disturbing. Reader’s advisory note: This book may be enjoyed by fans of thrillers. Highly recommended for public library collections.

Johnny Dove is a writer who has developed a severe case of writer’s block. His publisher is nagging him, but he is just plain stuck until he walks into a little antique store to have a look around. Johnny’s problem is revealed during a casual chat with the shop’s eccentric keeper, who sells him a one of a kind pen, rumored to be haunted. As award winning stories flow from his pen, the spirit haunting the pen consumes him and Johnny gradually begins losing his sanity and well being. As the malevolent spirit takes over Johnny, he relives all of his vicious previous accounts of murder and Satanism. Soon everything Johnny writes begins to happen around him, and he is possessed by a high priest of Satan, who has no qualms about murdering or bringing the dead back to life to do his bidding. This story kept me involved. I didn't want to put it down- I wanted to find out what happened next. Because of its explicit nature, this book may not be appropriate for all libraries or readers, but public libraries building large collections of horror fiction with patrons who enjoy this genre may want to take a look.

Contains: murder, Satanism, religion, sex, violence, sacrifice, and cannibalism
Review by: The Angry Princess

A Wager of Blood is a modern ghost story that takes place in a familiar setting. The New Hampshire Inn was stolen in a fixed game of chance 300 years ago, and since then, the original owners have been trying to reclaim it, reaching out to strangers and family alike with the truth. The story clips along at a nice pace, setting the stage with two couples with strong connections to two other couples killed at the inn's darkest moment. Now the new forms of the couples who died have converged, not quite by chance, at the inn, and the battle between ghost, demon and the living is about to come to a head. A Wager of Blood evokes much the same feel as the movie version of The Haunting, and would draw readers who want a classic ghost story with everyday characters. Recommended for libraries that want a representative selection of horror fiction, without excessively explicit descriptions or "edginess."

Sexually charged and riveting, Brian Keene’s Dark Hollow (originally released as The Rutting Season) is an exciting page-turner. Provocative and lightning paced, the reader is taken on a thrilling ride into LeHorn’s Hollow, where a supernatural entity enflames the passions of the men there and the women begin to mysteriously disappear. With rich characterization (especially in our heroic lead, Adam Senft) and an almost palpable sense of dread that is brought to life by the author’s skillful escalation of the supernatural events that unfold, Dark Hollow does not disappoint. Readers advisory note: this is a good title to recommend to fans of traditional or mainstream horror and mythology.

With crisp, lyrical prose, Richard Dansky has delivered a Southern Gothic ghost story that is, quite frankly, near brilliant. It has everything you could hope for, from evocative atmosphere to a palpable creepiness that keeps the reader on edge from cover to cover. This being Dansky’s first novel, one would expect some growing pains, but you’ll find none of them here. Firefly Rain plays with the reader’s emotions and its pace completely manipulates you, filling you with chills and an impending sense of dread that doesn’t release you till the final page. Richard Dansky has hit a home run. Here’s to hoping that he’ll have many more journeys into the batter’s box. Readers advisory note: Readers who enjoy mysteries tinged with the supernatural may enjoy this book. MonsterLibrarian recommended for public library collections.

Contains: Thrills, chills, and enough edge of your seat angst to satisfy the most jaded of readers. Minor adult language and situations.

Sandra Rixx lost her husband in a terrorist bombing. She hides her heartache by throwing herself into her work. But things have a way of creeping out, and Sandra starts to find signs that Richard has kept his promise to come back to her. Monkey Love is a very subtle, sneaky horror tale. In a genre that loves blood and guts and unrelenting terrors this book has no gore, no violence, just a clenching end that turns what appears to be a straightforward tale into a very clear lesson in horror. Highly recommended for horror collections. Monkey Love is not appropriate for immature readers, but is a stunning example of what a true horror tale can be.

Mister B Gone is the story of the demon Jakabok Botch (or Mister B to his friends) and his life as he and a fellow demon go through Europe in search of world-changing technology. Barker has chosen an interesting way to tell his tale, in that the book itself is the main character. The story begins with the demon asking the reader to burn the book, and end his wretched existence. Within a page or so the book/demon realizes that it won’t be burned without coercing the reader into performing the act and Mister B begins telling the reader the story of his life, how he killed his father, joined another demon in search of world-changing technology, as well as the celestial events that led to his being trapped within the covers of the book. The book/demon continues to ask to be burned throughout the story, and over time “please” changes to promises, and finally to threats. This device, initially interesting, wears thin pretty quickly. Mister B was a study in contrasts, changing often from a vicious, vile creature to a sensitive being and back again. The same contrast is reflected in the storytelling, which ranges from borderline comical to gross and scary. The book is a delight to behold, with pages that appear rustic and worn, and a medieval feel. However, while there are plenty of horror elements, the tone was almost light-hearted, and the contents fell somewhat short on the horror side of things. I would recommend Mister B Gone to anyone looking for a different approach to storytelling. However, those looking for a solid horror novel may want to look elsewhere.

The Shining on the cultural imagination. At its core, Kubrick’s film shows a family in the grips of a haunted hotel, but the book examines a haunted family already suffering from the pain of alcoholism and child abuse even prior to moving in as caretakers of the Overlook Hotel. Originally published in 1977, King’s third novel gives a context to the story of the Torrance family that is absent in the movie. The details about the father, Jack Torrance, that surface in the book, show him as a multidimensional villain rather than a cardboard monster. Should the monster have a back story? Should he have a real life? King, who acknowledges that his creation of Torrance had an important part to play in his development as a writer of horror, answers these questions for himself in The Shining. Readers advisory note: this novel about a haunted hotel and a haunted family is a must-read for King fans and for readers of supernatural and human horror. Highly recommended for public library collections.

The town of Beldam Woods has quite a history. An evil witch, Alvina Bathory, was once hunted down and killed there, and now the witch’s three monstrous sons, Old Bones, Patches, and Mr. Sticks have returned. They intend to bring their mother back from the dead and seek revenge on the ancestors of those who caused her demise. The “good guys” are represented by Beldam’s chief of police, Craig Gallagher, and by three kids named Josh, Jeremy and Melissa. However, they aren’t developed enough for the reader to care what happens to them. It is Alvina Bathory’s sons who really steal the book. Each one has a unique power and point of view, and how the very different brothers interact with each other makes for fascinating reading. One feels that the author could do more with these characters in the future, which seems to be a possibility, as there are some plot threads that are never tied up satisfactorily. In fact, the book begs for a sequel. Moore has written a fast-paced, engaging, and original story. Contains: violence, gore, sexual situations

Mark Conner is a new student at a small college in Louisiana. He is majoring in music where he specializes in piano. There is only one problem- Mark doesn’t have much talent on the piano. When an instructor tells him that he should change his major back to engineering, his hopes for a future as a piano player are crushed. In a desperate act of faith, Mark goes to a graveyard with an occult book and performs a ritual of magic, binding his soul to that off the classical composer and pianist Rachmaninoff. Suddenly Mark can play the piano like a master, learning the most complex of compositions almost on sight. His peers and instructors are amazed. However, being a better piano player isn’t the only change that Mark undergoes. He begins to dress differently, crops his hair, and changes the furniture in his dorm room. His arrogance knows no bounds. In addition, he starts seeing the world through Rachmaninoff’s eyes, as it was years ago. Finally, the ghost itself begins to appear to him, threatening his life. At the brink of success at the Julliard School of Music, Mark loses his tenuous grip on reality and is committed to a mental institution back in Louisiana. Rachmaninoff’s Ghost has a great premise, but the story falls flat, and most characters didn’t feel real or interesting enough to make me care what happened to them. Contains: Gore, Violence, Sex. Review by Bret Jordan.

As the name suggests, Swamp Witch Piquante & Scream Queen Bisque is a book containing two stories. The first is entitled "The White Trash Witches Coven" and the title says it all. The story contains the trashiest, junk food eating, soap opera watching and wild children raising women that I have ever read about. It is a scary and sometimes comical tale of Kieth Ogden’s meeting with an odd witches coven, where spells are cast, incantations are said, and coincidental events occur that are believed to be magic by this motley crew of witches. The second story entitled "Pavane for a Scream Queen" is the tale of freelance writer Jeff Vincent and his quest to get an interview Aurora Sterling, scream queen of the 1950’s classic B-movies. The actress herself is shrouded in mystery, and with good reason. I enjoyed "The White Trash Witches Coven" for the variety of characters in the story. The main character wasn’t particularly appealing, but the witches were great; with their strange and self centered internal politics, their odd views on life and those around them, and their often-loathsome habits I couldn’t help but take an interest in their lives. The second story, "Pavane for a Scream Queen: kept me captivated with its air of mystery. The story almost had a ʽwho done itʼ feel to it that kept me reading to find out what was going on. Both stories also have an essence of Louisiana and New Orleans that gives the book a flavor all of it’s own. I would recommend these two intriguing and entertaining tales to any library.

Jason Brannon presents us with a trio of short stories in Winds of Change . In the title story, a group of everyday people are trapped in a hardware store by a wind that turns those who venture forth into a pile of salt. It is up to Matt the store manager to find out who or what is the cause of the wind and keep his customers alive. In the next story, "Quartet," four musicians who have survived the attack of a seaside conservatory by sea creatures discover that the only thing keeping the monsters at bay is their music. The quartet of musicians must find a way to escape before they collapse from exhaustion. Finally, in "Graffiti," a homeless man wandering the streets meets a young man with vengeance on his mind who has the ability to bring forth voodoo spirits with his graffiti. The two men quickly learn that there is danger in using the occult for revenge when one of the spirits breaks free and starts to kill innocents. Winds of Change is a refreshing series of original stories written with obvious talent. The stories are interesting and engaging and will keep the reader turning pages to see what happens next. I look forward to Brannon's next work. Recommended for public libraries. Contains: Violence, a little gore.

Dead Sea by Tim Curran
Elder Signs Press, 2007
ISBN: 0977987655
Available: New
When George boarded the Mara Corday as part of a construction crew building an airstrip in French New Guinea he never knew the terror that would await him. As the ship enters a mysterious fog bank on the edge of the Sargasso Sea, it is damaged in a freak accident, and the survivors discover that the fog has transported them to a world filled with predatory monsters straight from a madman's nightmares. Dead Sea is a very dense book, with the bulk of it following two different groups of survivors who must deal not only with otherworldly monstrosities but also with each other as they descend slowly into madness. Curran creates a number of new and deadly creatures in his book, which at times has the feel of Stephen King’s short story "The Mist," fleshed out more fully. Curran also does a fantastic job of creating an atmosphere filled with fog, gloom, and decay. The main flaw to the story is the interaction between the construction crew foreman, Saks, and his band of survivors, Saks is constantly trading insults and making obnoxious sexual comments. The constant never ending stream of offensive language can be tiring and distracting. Regardless, Dead Sea is one of the best horror titles released so far in 2007 and is definitely worth being added to a public library collection. Recommended. Contains: Language, Gore, Violence, Murder

After Murray Macabe's mother is murdered, he is torn away from his hometown and best friend, and sent to live with his grandmother in the small town of Miniver, Minnesota. There are no other children in Miniver, and his grandmother's neighbors seem to be creepy and sinister geriatrics. Murray is swept up in mystery and magic, with sinister implications. Hintz is skilled at creating creepy and horrific scenes, especially at the beginning of the book, when Murray has visions of being stalked by his mother's murderer. However, the story as a whole seems disjointed. The first 85 pages of the book concern the murder of Murray's mother and the visions he has of her murderer. Once Murray arrives in Miniver, this story thread is abandoned for the events that take place there, without any explanation. This lengthy build up to the events in the second two thirds of the story left this reader scratching his head. Since the first third of the book doesn't concern Miniver at all, the events there seem rushed, and the characters and setting aren't fully developed. This makes understanding the events and motivations of characters in the story's climax extremely challenging. S.D. Hintz is clearly a talented writer, with the ability to draw the reader in and capture a scene in vivid detail, and I look forward to seeing him hone his storytelling and his craft. Contains: violence, human sacrifice, arson.

Amber is a newlywed who is starting to have horrifying visions of young women murdered in bloody and disturbing ways. As the visions get worse, they take their toll on her, and she contacts her friend Natalie to help her uncover their meaning. The story at its heart is a good creepy little story that needs some work. One of the challenges of a book this brief, is that every word and every character must count and contribute meaningfully to the story. However, Natalie's addition, and the time and space devoted to developing her character, does not contribute significantly enough to the story to justify the time and space allotted to her. Ultimately, Natalie does not do anything in the story that Amber can't do herself. Natalie also introduces a storyline that does not appear to be related directly to Amber's problem. She is trying to solve the ten year old gruesome murder of a former high school classmate. Her motivation to do this seems pretty thin, and the plot thread is left unresolved for her. Wedding Bells, Tortured Souls would have benefited from using the time and space devoted to developing Natalie to flesh out Amber's character. Still, this is a chilling little story, and readers looking for a quick fix will feel enjoyable shivers. Contains: Murder, a scene of torture

Sole Survivor by Dean R. Koontz

Alfred A. Knopf, 1997

ISBN: 0679425268

Available: New and Used

Joe Carpenter has been a broken man since his wife and two girls died in a catastrophic plane crash. Rose Tucker, a survivor of the plane crash, changes his outlook. However, Joe isn’t the only one interested in her. A company called Teknologik wants her dead, and for some reason they now want Joe dead as well. Joe’s curiosity leads him to find other people who have lost relatives in the plane crash. As he finds them he realizes that Rose has already talked to them, and given them a comfort about the crash that is almost supernatural. Adding to the mystery, these people begin to commit suicide in the most brutal of fashions. A corporate cover up that, once known to the public, will change humanity, is also thrown into the mix. Full of action, mystery, and horror, Sole Survivor is a roller coaster ride almost from the very start. Full of action, Joe is well-presented as a man without hope or faith, who just wants it all to be over, until Rose gives him hope and a belief in something greater. The only thing about the book that I didn’t care for was the way clues seemed to be almost deliberately withheld. Sole Survivor is a great read, recommended as a fine addition to any public or private library.

Contains: Gore, Violence, Suicide

The Commandments is a unique collection of ten loosely connected short stories. The main story arc concerns Reverend Conway’s recent purchase from the holy land, an ancient copy of the Ten Commandments. The only problem is that this particular copy has a curse attached to it, causing the members of his congregation to become involved in mayhem, the supernatural, and murder. Each story concerns one of the Ten Commandments and the consequences of breaking it. In “No Other Gods,” the defacing of the Madonna has results the vandal could not have foreseen. In the story “Graven Image,” a wife’s statue of the Indian deity Kali turns out to be more than it seems. In “The Name,” a boy’s insistence on using God’s name in vain has an ironic outcome. In “Them Dry Bones,” a gravedigger who has decided to work on the Sabbath digs up more than he bargained for. “The Void” is about a girl who doesn’t honor her father or her mother, resulting in a dreadful outcome. In “Hogwash,” a farmer accidentally kills a man and decides to cover his tracks, only to suffer a similar fate. “The Parting Gift” is about a man who is unfaithful to his wife with a prostitute only to find out that the prostitute is no longer satisfied with just money. “Handy’s Pawn & Gold” is about a thief who gets his hand caught in the cookie jar. In “Retriever,” two old men, who have been like brothers since childhood have an argument that results in a disappearance. Finally, “Keeping Up With the Joneses” is the story of a man who covets another man’s possessions, but when he actually gets those possessions wishes that he hadn’t. Although the stories are loosely connected by the main story arc and the collection’s theme, each story can also stand on its own. Recommended for personal and public libraries. Review by Bret Jordan

In Darkness Wakes, family man Aaron Rittinger gives in to his desires and joins his neighbor Caroline, who he has been secretly lusting after for years, at a sex club called Penumbra. Once in Penumbra, Aaron learns that the club centers around a Cthulhu-esque entity called the Overshadow, which gives the members of Penumbra physical pleasure in return for human sacrifice. Aaron is immersed in a world of intense pleasure and human sacrifice, and must find a way to escape before it costs him and his family their lives. Waggoner has offered up a tale filled with sex and gore that would make any splatterpunk fan happy. The story is a strong one, but most of the characters, with the exception of Aaron’s wife and children, are unsympathetic. Still, readers will find it easy to relate to Aaron’s weakness and will feel for him as he deals with the horrific unintended consequences of his actions. An interesting aspect of Darkness Wakes is the inclusion of Aaron’s dead father, as it is unclear whether his appearance is real or a hallucination caused by the Overmind. Fans of Edward Lee, Richard Laymon, and John Skipp will enjoy Darkness Wakes. Contains: many strong sexual passages, gore, violence

The Harrowing by Alexandra Sokoloff
St. Martin’s Press, 2006
ISBN: 0312357486
Available: New and Used
Alexandra Sokoloff presents the reader with a good old fashioned ghost story. A group of five Baird College students have decided to stay at school over Thanksgiving Break. Robin Stone, the protagonist, is a shy student who is seeking to avoid the pains of going home by staying on campus. The other four students have a familiar feel- the jock, the musician, the flirtatious tease, the scholar- but the characters are engaging and have been crafted to transcend these stereotypes. The five students release something unexpected after experimenting with a Ouija board, and must then determine whether the strange events that they experience are in their minds or something more ominous and supernatural. Sokoloff has a talent for successfully creating mood and atmosphere that will draw the reader in and leave you with goosebumps. The pacing of the story is brisk and will keep the reader breathless. Recommended as a core supernatural title in a public library’s horror fiction collection. Contains: violence, murder, a scene of supernatural rape.

Mind’s Eye is an effective tale of high school horror, successfully recreating the high school atmosphere of the 1980s. High school student Steve Norton finds himself thrust into a nightmare after an encounter with a creature who can take illusionary form. The creature goes on a rampage, killing several students in the town. Steve and two other students who have survived the monster try to solve its mystery and stop it before it kills again. Reading the story is like watching a train wreck in slow motion as Steve goes from being a generally liked good student with a girlfriend to that of a social pariah. The female characters have this habit for being used or abused by men in the book, which can be frustrating to witness in the book. An overall good read, with an original plot, Mind’s Eye is a good choice for an afternoon’s reading. There is a minor plot point that could use further elaboration, yet overall Philip Henry does a fine job developing his characters and one truly feels bad for Steve as his life goes from bad to worse. Mind’s Eye is written for an adult audience, but young adults might find it interesting as well. Recommended Contains: violence, minor sexual situations.

When women who take to following the local professional wrestling shows start ending up dead and raped in that order, it is up to a police officer, Straker and a reporter, Melinda, to track down the serial killer. The prime suspect is the mysterious Goon, a professional bad guy wrestler to seems to enjoy receiving vast amounts of pain and punishment during his matches, as he is able to take blows that would normally break bones and kill men. Lee and Pelan have written a book that has a very interesting story line at its core, and the combination of wrestling and horror is a creative combination, but the vast number of sexually explicit scenes through out the book really detract from the core story. Many of these passages are not erotic or enticing but would fall under the heading of repulsive and vulgar. It would be great to see a cleaned up version of Goon. There is a good and creative story presented, it just is mired in over the top sex that adds nothing to the story but will certainly limit its audience. The book is not appropriate for young adults or children and many adults. Contains: violence, gore, many sexually explicit passages.

In The Long Last Call, John Skipp sends his reader to an isolated strip joint where the usual routine between the dancers and regular patrons is turned upside down. A mysterious stranger arrives with lots of cash and a touch that brings out a person's "true self," which, when it comes to the employees and patrons of the strip club, can be pretty ugly. It is up to Mom, the sister of the owner, who takes care of the strippers, to try to survive the night, which results in an ultimate battle between good and evil. Skipp has provided us with a story that moves at an incredibly fast pace once the setting and characters have been established, and includes a healthy (or unhealthy, depending on your point of view) dose of sex and violence. The story works very well and is a quick and entertaining read. Fans of Skipp's earlier work, Edward Lee, or Richard Laymon will enjoy The Long Last Call. Libraries and librarians will need to be aware, before recommending Skipp's book as part of readers advisory, that the quantity of graphic sex and violence in the book this book will not be to all horror readers' taste. Skipp is a solid and talented writer but his material is not for all audiences. Contains: violence, gore, sexual passages, sexual violence.

Every Halloween, a small Midwestern town locks away teenage boys for five days with nothing to eat just with a little water, to prime them for a hunt known as the Run. The October Boy, a supernatural creature with a pumpkin head, candy in his body, and a very large knife, is raised to be hunted. The boy who catches and kills the October Boy gets to leave the town with pockets full of money. Pete McCormick, a loner who seeks to flee his little town, soon finds out that the Run is not what he thought it was. Partridge has written a solid and entertaining Halloween tale. He has created a sympathetic character with Pete McCormick, with the reader rooting for him to survive the night and the Run. This tale is a well-paced and engrossing read, although it leaves the reader calling for more background on the town and for the origin of the Run and the October Boy. Dark Harvest has been named one of the "Best Books of the Year" by Publisher's Weekly. Recommended . May also be appropriate for older teens. Contains: violence and a little gore.

Available: New and Used
Renowned author Vida Winter has told many tales about her past, all of them contradictory. Close to death, she contacts Margaret Lea, who reluctantly agrees to be her biographer. Vida’s tale at first seems like another one of her fantastic stories, but her fairytale beginning has a sense of foreboding and as the layers peel away, the creepiness of the story draws Margaret, and the reader, in. Vida’s words slowly reveal a family destroyed by unhappy love, disturbing obsessions, psychosis, incest, insanity, and murder. Twin girls abandoned to their own devices, without any moral center, are tied together in an unhealthy relationship that cannot be severed even by the science of a new governess and the family doctor, and the unnerving appearance of ghosts leaves even the most rational person shaken. Vida’s story uses many conventions of the gothic novel, and the book has been described as a love letter to the genre. However, Vida’s story is not the entire story- Margaret’s story is the frame, so there is more going on than a simple homage. Setterfield has written an intelligent, mesmerizing novel that provides a fresh twist to conventions of literature that have started to seem a little tired. Entry by Francesca the Librarian.
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Set in Australia, Ek Chuah has three subplots, all surrounding an ancient Mayan goddess looking to create chaos. The first thread is that of Pete and Al, Pete sets his socially awkward friend Al up up on a blind date with Amber, an exotic and mysterious woman. The second thread follows Constable Ted Denebrae who is trying to track down a serial killer who has slain multiple police officers and is able to be shot without dying or stopping, and the third thread involves a gang that goes into a local nightclub looking for money and is thrust into confrontation with a vile monster. The author, James R. Cain, does a great job of developing his character and writes some engrossing action scenes that keep the reader riveted to the book. Where Ek Chuah falls flat is in tying these different story threads together. The connections of the three subplots are frustratingly unclear, leaving the reader with the desire for the titular Mayan goddess to go on a James Bond villianesque rant that explains how everything is interconnected clearly. At the finish, the reader may say "I think I know how this all fits together," but the lack of a clear tie in leave a lingering doubt in the back of the head. Contains: sexual passages, gore, passages of violence.

Scream Queen is a haunted house story. Jody and five other contestants are participating in a reality television show called Scream Queen. The show is the brainchild of the Gowan brothers, producers of grade B horror movies. The Gowans, looking to make the show as authentic as possible, have tracked down a real haunted house, where the tormented spirits have been waiting to unleash their fury on any who would disturb them. Scream Queen is a very capable bit of brain candy, and it's easy to see how this could be turned into a movie. It does take a little while for the action to start, but once it does, it is an enjoyable ride. I would recommend Scream Queen as part of a public library’s horror collection. Contains: violence and some gore.

Demon Theory is written as a film treatment for a trilogy of movies. The first film introduces Hale and his fellow med student friends, on their way to Hale's mother's secluded house. It is Halloween night and they are trapped by a winter storm. The body count rises as a nightmare from Hale's past returns. The next "movie" follows the demons as they infiltrate a local hospital, resulting in a great amount of blood. The third "movie" has us returning to Hale's secluded house in the country. The story is strong and well-paced, and the writing of the book as a film treatment guides readers' imaginations, so they can see the story played out as a movie in their minds. Jones' book is filled with entertaining and informative footnotes that identify film terms used throughout the book, and also the various pop culture and horror movie references scattered throughout the book. Where other books might inspire the reader's imagination Demon Theory guides the reader's vision. Demon Theory is a smart, unusual, and very enjoyable read. The book is a recommended addition to a horror collection. Contains: Violence and passages of gore.

Christopher Alan Broadstone's first horror novel is Puzzleman, a story about how an artist, her ex-husband, and their teacher/ mentor have come to the attention of the Puzzleman, also known as Conundrum. Puzzleman exists in a realm called Pipeworld, which Broadstone describes in horrific vivid detail. Puzzleman is not a quick read, while some of the other books I have reviewed have sped along carrying the reader with it, Puzzleman tends to slowly drag you through the gore as Broadstone describes the nightmare that he puts his characters through. Most telling is Broadstone's description of the unraveling of the life of Amanda , an artist, whose son had died of SIDS and her ex-husband leaves her leaving her prey to the Puzzleman. There is also an assortment of other characters including a PI and an art professor who find themselves in a quest to stop the Puzzleman. There has obviously been a great deal of time and thought put into Broadstone's titular creature with an in depth history of Conundrum's activity over the span of time. Puzzleman is strong first novel from Broadstone and I am anxious to see what he comes up with next. Contains: violence, passages of explicit gore and sex. Puzzleman is a Shockline's new voice guarantee, it can be bought here.

Leisure Books, May, 2005
ISBN: 0843954108
The Abandoned is the latest installment in Douglas Clegg's Harrow House series. The story takes place in the small town of Watch Point, which is by the haunted mansion called Harrow House. After a young boy is murdered in the graveyard next to Harrow House and a strange man who is known as the Nightwatchman comes to guard the houses' grounds, the deepest darkest desires of the residents of Watch Point are brought to life, leading to murder, torture, and general insanity. It is up to a small group of survivors to stop the madness that the house has unleashed against the town. Clegg does a fantastic and disturbing job of painting a town gone mad. Although the series of events that sets the story in motion seemed unclear and I am not sure exactly what has happened at the end, the middle is a heck of a ride. Other books in the Harrow House series are Mischief (2000) The Infinite (2001), Nightmare House (2004). Contains: Murder, scenes torture, gore, some scenes of strong sexual imagery.

Life is just a little too strange for Damara. She has the supernatural ability to make other people's dreams, fantasies, and thoughts turn into reality. The problem is she has no control over how her power manifests. When her old boyfriend comes to town, Damara loses the ability to block her power and the wishes of her neighbors on Pandora Drive start to come true with deadly results. Pandora Drive is a clever story . Its greatest strength is Waggoner's depiction of the residents of Pandora Drive. It is easy to imagine these people in your own neighborhood. Kenneth, an older man who has an unhealthy sex drive, adds a disturbing element to the story when his fantasies lead to rather nasty scenes of sexual violence. It is a vicious add in to a series of horrific events caused by the thoughts of the various neighbors. Reading this book will get you thinking about what really goes on inside the heads of your own neighbors. Contains: Scene of rape, violence, and gore.

Two enjoyable little stories in one book. The primary story is the titled The Attraction which is about a group of college kids taking a spring break drive to California only to get lost in the desert where they come upon a small gas station that has an attraction of an ancient small mummy. They end up stealing the mummy and accidentally reanimating it and it proceeds to attack the group. The story is well written old fashion monster story it is relatively short, but of the appropriate length to tell the tale. Clegg is an excellent writer and is able to flesh out his characters so that when the carnage starts you care about the victims. Clegg includes the novella Necromancer which tells of the introduction of one of the occult to the patriarch of the Gravesend family a solid entry to the Harrow House series. Contains: Violence and scene of rape.

Available: New and Used
Nothing like a good old haunted house story. The book is set in the 1920s. Ethan Gravesend inherits Harrow House, a mansion, from his great-grandfather. As soon as he arrives he finds that he is besieged by the supernatural. He dedicates himself to finding out the secret of Harrow House, which will change his life forever. This is my first exposure to Douglas Clegg's writing and I am very impressed, he has a talent for creating a creepy atmosphere and his use of imagry keeps you glued to the story. The book is a prequel to Mischief (2000) and The Infinite (2001), the other two books in the Harrow House series. A good fun read that goes by quickly. Contains: Violence.

Demons by John Shirley
Del Rey, February, 2002
ISBN: 034544647X
Demons tells the tale of a struggle between a group of rich corporate types who are causing industrial accidents with mass casualties in order to summon forth demons from another dimension and harness their powers to obtain immortality, and a group of mystics who seek the betterment of mankind and who are out to oppose them. This is a fascinating little apocalyptic type story that feels like it could have been made a little shorter. It is one of the more interesting end of the world stories that I read in a long time. Contains some gore, a little sex.

Darkfall by Stephen Laws
Leisure Books, May, 2003
ISBN: 0843952180
Stephen Laws presents an excellent tale of the horror that occurs when a special type of thunderstorm, known as Darkfall, strikes an office building where the occupants are having a Christmas party. When lightning strikes the building, the occupants disappear and it is up to local constable to find out what happened to the occupants and survive the Darkfall storm. Laws writes a very tight and well paced story that keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next. This is another recommended read. Contains violence.

Orangefield by Al Sarrantonio

In the little town of Orangefield, bloody and terrible events seem to occur every Halloween, inspired by Samhain, the Celtic Lord of Death. This Halloween, Samhain is once again looking to spread death in Orangefield, using some of the residents as his tools. Orangefield is a character driven book and Al Sarrantonio makes the characters come to life for the reader. It is the seduction and manipulation of these residents of Orangefield by Samhain that is so fascinating to read as he drives them to murder and suicide. Orangefield becomes a setting for other Sarrantonio's books and novellas such as The Hornets and Pumpkin Boy. I would recommend Orangefield and look forward to reading more of the Orangefield set books. Contains violence and suicide.

In Messenger, the fallen angel Aldezhor who is the messenger for the Devil has come to the post office in the little town of Danelleton, Florida. There Aldezhor drives the staff postal (oh I had to put the horrid pun in, I had to) inspiring them to go on killing sprees and commit suicide when their job is done. It is up to the head of the post office Jane Ryan to discover what is happening before she falls victim to the Messenger. Lee put together a very intense story that moves along very quickly. The story contains a number of scenes of sexual violence and gore. I would encourage librarians to be cautious when recommending this book, Lee while a talented writer tends to write his tales with graphic sex and violence. Readers who enjoy Richard Laymon probably enjoy Lee's books.


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