Welcome to the amazingly imaginative Teagan Riordain Geneviene with her Halloween books, A Peril in Ectoplasm and A Peril in the Bayou.

A Peril in Ectoplasm

What Amazon says

In 1920s Florida, Spiritualism enjoys renewed interest. Daphne Moultrie, the most powerful medium of her time, receives a warning from the other side, “Find her, and keep her with you. Or you will die.” All Daphne knows about this girl is what her crystal ball showed her — a four-leaf clover, and each leaf had a human eye.
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Meanwhile, Daphne’s fiancé has designs of his own. He pressures her to continue séances for a strange and very demanding woman. With each of those séances, Daphne becomes weaker and closer to death.
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This novella captures the Roaring Twenties, as only acclaimed author, Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene can. Settings, descriptions, and language all come to vibrant life. The ensemble cast has a number of characters, including one you will love to hate. It’s a genre mash-up, part mystery, part suspense, with a dash of light horror.

My review

Teagan Geneviene has created the perfect Halloween tale, full of rich descriptions, interesting characters, and with a fast paced plot involving a frightening demon.

Daphne Moultrie is a gifted medium with a lot of empathy and a kind nature. Daphne was born to wealth and lives in a beautiful mansion with her aging housekeeper, Maisy, who has cared for her since the death of her parents many years before.

Recently engaged to the outwardly charming Crespo Irigoyen, a Cuban Count, Daphne has everything to be joyous about, but she is not thriving. Fatigued and wan, she is finding giving seances overwhelming, especially those for the demanding and selfish Mrs Smith. Daphne senses something evil in this foreboding woman and does not want to see her. Her determined fiancé is, however, determined that the relationship with, and seances for Mrs Smith, should continue.

Maisie is concerned and does not trust Crespo. She doesn’t know what to do until the spirit of a dead soldier manifests and gives Daphne a warning.

Is the dead soldier good or evil? Can the outcome he warns of be avoided? Does Crespo really love Daphne or is he a charlatan? Read the book to find out!

A few samples of Ms. Geneviene’s vivid writing:

“A gust of wind caused the tall palm trees to sway. The vivid sunrise faded to clear blue and the sky was dotted with fluffy white clouds. Yet there was something to the air that hinted of a storm in the distance.”

“Regardless, there were dark circles under Daphne’s eyes, and her complexion was ashen. The roses were gone from her cheeks. There was no bounce in her step. That morning the poor thing looked so fragile that Maisy wanted to telephone the doctor.”

“Her murky black aura extends to make a huge sphere around her. I’ve never seen an aura so large or so … revolting. I can feel an oil texture just looking at it,’ Daphne whispered with a shudder, but collected herself quickly.”

A fabulous and entertaining Halloween read.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Peril-Ectoplasm-Just-Once-More-ebook/dp/B0BJ9N1GBX

Full Series link:  relinks.me/B0CG2SXX24

A Peril in Ectoplasm

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0BJ9N1GBX

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0BJBXGJ7L

A Peril in Bayou

What Amazon says

Rich with atmosphere of the Roaring Twenties and New Orleans, A Peril in the Bayou begins when Clover Flanagan, assistant to renowned psychic medium, Daphne Moultrie, travels with her to New Orleans to see a spiritualist leader. Mother Leafy agrees meet Daphne, but on one condition — Daphne must travel a haunted bayou so she will understand those spirits. However, Leafy has a rival who is a dangerous woman.
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Despite cryptic warnings from a spirit, they head to New Orleans. In the bayou, Clover’s gifts begin to awaken. So do Voodoo gods in want of a sacrifice, and powerful primeval entities of the swamp, which comes to vicious life.
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Also on hand from the first book, A Peril in Ectoplasm, are Albert and Phineas in important roles. Housekeeper, Maisy is not entirely left out either. Don’t miss this thrilling romp through 1920s New Orleans, by inimitable author, Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene.

My review

A Peril in the Bayou is a fabulous stand alone sequel to the first book in this series. I enjoyed meeting up with world-famous medium, Daphne Moultrie, and her friend and secretary, Clover, again, as well as supporting characters Phineas and Albert.

Following on from her encounter with dark forces in book 1, Daphne is still recovering and trying to regain her strength. She is taking it easy and planning on writing a book about the resurgence of spiritualism to keep herself occupied and entertained during her convalescence period. As part of her research, she has reached out to a well-know spiritualist in New Orleans called Mother Leafy, and has planned a trip to that city to meet and interview her. It is decided that Clover, Phineas and Albert will all accompany her and they set off, travelling by fast train. Before they have left the Moultrie mansion, strange things start to happen and Clover knows their trip will be mysterious and possibly dangerous.

This second story is fast paced and very exciting. The eerie creepiness of the setting, plotline and writing is wonderful and absorbing, and I enjoyed every minute of this read.

I liked that Clover really came into her own as a strong female character in this story, and was a pillar of strength for Daphne and Phineas. Her own intuitions and powers as a medium continue to grow and develop throughout this story.

The author’s attention to detail in respect of the era is always satisfying and I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of some of the clothing:

“She held up her newest dress. It was yellow cotton with daisies and tiny green leaves embroidered all over. A plain yoke at the top formed a bateau neckline and extended over the shoulders to make cap sleeves. In back, beginning at the edge of the yoke, an inverted box pleat of contrasting green tone went the length of the mid-calf dress.”

“All eyes turned to Daphne when she appeared at the top of the stairs wearing an ivory bucket hat decorated with a silk rose, and a tea dress of powder blue georgette. Split flutter sleeves revealed her arms. The dress had a top layer with a “shark bite” hem that curved upward in front. The second layer hit at mid-calf.”

I appreciate these descriptions as they really help me to imagine the clothing and settings of this era, and get into the mood of the book.

The spirits and mythical creatures are well drawn and unique, making this book unlike anything else I’ve read in the darker fiction genre.

A most entertaining read for any time of the year, but especially perfect for Halloween.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CKGRJS8F

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0CKGRJS8F

Paperback: Coming soon! 

A Medium’s Peril full series link: relinks.me/B0CG2SXX24

Sue Coletta horrifies with a true crime story about female serial killers, Pretty Evil New England.

What Amazon says

For four centuries, New England has been a cradle of crime and murder—from the Salem witch trials to the modern-day mafia. Nineteenth century New England was the hunting ground of five female serial killers: Jane Toppan, Lydia Sherman, Nellie Webb, Harriet E. Nason, and Sarah Jane Robinson.

Female killers are often portrayed as caricatures: Black Widows, Angels of Death, or Femme Fatales. But the real stories of these women are much more complex. In Pretty Evil New England, true crime author Sue Coletta tells the story of these five women, from broken childhoods, to first brushes with death, and she examines the overwhelming urges that propelled these women to take the lives of a combined total of more than one-hundred innocent victims. The murders, investigations, trials, and ultimate verdicts will stun and surprise readers as they live vicariously through the killers and the would-be victims that lived to tell their stories.

My review

I have always been interested in true stories about people behind ghost stories. Most myths and legends about ghostly sightings involve a person who has died badly at the hands of a third party, although a few are suicides. It seem that people who die as a result of murder are generally believed to become vengeful and become trapped in the spirit world due to a desire for revenge on their murderer.

Recently, I have turned my attention from the murdered to the murderer and I have been reading a few true story style books about serial killers and child murderers. I am particularly interestedin the psychology of people who kill.

When I saw this book, Pretty Evil New England, it fitted exactly into latest reading craze and I was most interested to read the histories of these five women who all murdered continuously and without any remorse.

All of the stories in this book were detailed and well researched and I thought there were a couple of very interesting revelations about the nature of female serial killers crimes. All of them murdered their nearest and dearest including husbands and children. The unmarried women and those without children killed relatives and close friends. I thought that was very intriguing. What kind of a woman kills her own child or son-in-law?

Another interesting fact was that they all used some sort of poison, mainly arsenic, which causes a painful and horrible death. Imagine watching your own daughter suffering from cramps, vomiting and dehydrations as they suffer a horrible death. It was also amazing that none of the attending doctors initially realised the deaths of the victims were due to poisoning. It does seems rather unobservant and surprising, even in those days. I wondered if men’s erroneous concept of all women as homemakers and caregivers was responsible for this lack of vision.

As I read the book, the similarities in the illnesses of the victims became very apparent. Many of the women killed a number of people living in the same house or within the same family, which increased their risk of being caught significantly. If your husband or husbands and your children all die, that is bound to raise suspicion. I can only assume that having got away with murder a few times, these women became over confident and this led to their down falls.

This book covered information that interested me greatly, but it is a non-fiction book and some of the content is a bit dry, especially the detail around the court scenes. The last story also jumped between two different cases which, although there were some similarities, were not connected in any way. Moving between the cases made following the two separate stories confusing for me and, as there was no connecting thread at the end, I didn’t understand why the author chose to write this section in that manner.

This book us a fascinating read and lovers of true crime and historical serial killers will enjoy it.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Evil-New-England-Matriarchs/dp/1493052330

Thank you to Sally Cronin from Smorgasbord Blog Magazine for sharing an extract from Through the Nethergate.

Smorgasbord Free Book Promotions 2023- Share an Excerpt from one of your published books – #YA #Paranormal #Horror Through the Nethergate by Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Thank you also to Professor Charles F. French who recently shared a lovely review of Through the Nethergate here: https://charlesfrenchonwordsreadingandwriting.wordpress.com/2023/10/02/the-halloween-tour-a-review-of-through-the-nethergate-by-roberta-eaton-cheadle/

Today, I welcome John F. Leonard with his novella, Night Service.

What Amazon says

It’s been a great night, but it’s getting late. You need to make tracks and cash isn’t king.
No worries …all aboard the Night Service. It could be the last bus you ever catch.

Every journey is a journey into the unknown, but this trip is an eye-opener, unlike anything that Luke and Jessica have ever experienced. They’re going to learn a few important lessons. Being young and in love doesn’t grant immunity from the everyday awful …or the less ordinary evil that lurks in the shadows.
There’s no inoculation from the horror of the world – it’s real and it’s waiting to touch you.

Public transport tends to divide opinion. Some folks think it’s fantastic. They love rubbing shoulders with strangers, seeing life anew through condensation-clad windows. Others consider buses as nothing short of easy-on-the-pocket cattle trucks that the enviro-friendlies promote and never use.
There are drawbacks, that’s for sure.
A nagging distrust, an under the radar sense of unpredictability.
You never know who’s going to be in the seat next to you. You never know, with absolute certainty, if you’ll arrive where you need to be.
Especially on those rare darktime buses that run when the sensible folk have done their business and gone home. The last dance, last ditch, leftover choice. The get on or get walking option. They’re the worst.

All the night owls out there need to take care, buses after midnight are decidedly dodgy affairs. Unreliable and loaded with the potential for unpleasant.
That said, life doesn’t always leave you with very much choice. Love them or loathe them, sometimes you just have to climb aboard and hope for the best. How bad can it be?
Just jump on and enjoy!
Time to shut up and let someone else drive. You’re not in control when you travel in lowlife style.
No standing, there’s room on top.
No smoking and don’t distract the driver.
Don’t scream and don’t cuss.
Just get on the bus.

Night service is a wild ride. One you’ll never forget. It’s going to take you to places you’ve never been before.
Oh, one thing. Don’t expect to get off alive. And don’t expect to see another sunrise if you do. Happy endings can be elusive little devils.

Definitely a horror story. Part of the Scaeth Mythos and one of a number of sinister tales from the Dead Boxes Archive. Some places, just like some objects, aren’t quite what they seem. Ordinary on the surface, but underneath crawling with incredible.
They’re scary. They hold miracle and mystery. Horror and salvation.

My review

I love the way this author writes. He uses short and sharp sentences and paragraphs which make you become part of the action and the horror. He also uses marvelously descriptive verbiage to bring his scenes alive and it definitely works for me. Some examples from the first page of what I mean in this regard are as follows:
“A few steps and everything changed.” – the first sentence. “They left the main drag and the night unfurled.” I love these short and punchy lines.
“The sort of place where getting hurt was to be expected, just an unavoidable consequence of being there.” and “There was nothing but a lonely field of darkness, fragranced wit the unsweet smell of desertion.” For me, I had the chills just from reading the first page and a clear expectation of what was coming.

Luke and Jessica have been on a date which he expects to progress to an overnighter, but they need to get to her place. They decide to take the night bus as neither want to waste money and, after all, public transport is reliable and easy to use, barring the trawl through the neighbourhood to get to the bus stop and the wait.

Luke finds himself having some misgivings about using the bus and nearly decides to call a taxi, but Jessica convinces him that the bus is fine for their purposes. He agrees and that turns out to be a very bad decision.

His feelings of unease increase as other travelers gather at the bus station. A strange young woman with a baby, who seems quite out of context in the circumstances, a heavy-weight who appears drunk and disorderly, three tough-looking members of a band and a most annoyingly chatty elderly gentleman, who, on reflection, is also out of context in the setting. Luke has misgivings, but the bus arrives and he gets on. His journey to hell begins.

This book is not long so the author has limited time to build his world and bring the plot to its culmination. I thought he did a great job of creating this alter and creepy world which exists in parallel to the human world and which is real, but somehow not real.

The descriptions and world building gave me the same creepy and eerie feeling as The Langoliers by Stephen King, a short story I read as a young teenager, but which I have never forgotten. The monsters reminded me of H.G. Well’s morlocks, with the horrible tainted feeling you get when you read about them in The Time Machine. They is a disgustingly slimy suggestion to their looks and behaviour which gave me the shivers.

I really enjoyed this book and its interesting and unusual, but highly appropriate style, and think lovers of clever horror will enjoy this book.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Night-Service-travel-terror-Scaeth-ebook/dp/B083HKPVHB

This is my entry for Reena’s Xploration Challenge #302. You can join in here: https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2023/10/12/reenas-xploration-challenge-302/

Eclipse

Consumed by all encompassing darkness

Lightness gasps its final death rattle

Velvety blackness reigns supreme

But resistant fireball burns

Inflects indigestion

Sizzles and simmers

Good must survive

Night succumbs

Vomits

Sun

The Hay Bale

What Amazon says

Professor Claire Davenport yearns to be a mother. After suffering four miscarriages, the university microbiologist tries and fails to qualify as an adoptive mother. Then Claire’s husband leaves.

Alone and emotionally wounded, Claire takes a summer sabbatical from her microbiology classes and escapes to rural Virginia to heal. There, she meets local farmers with strange agricultural practices.

Claire moves into the historic manor house she rented for the summer, and an abandoned child greets her. Is the child real, an answer to her prayers? Or is he a figment of her tormented emotions? Perhaps the tight-knit locals are playing a trick on the science lady from the city.

Whatever the boy’s origin, Claire is determined to find the truth, but the truth may be bloody.

My review

The Hay Bale is one of the best horror short stories I’ve read in along time. It is clever and creepily disturbing with a climax that will have you wondering about it for a long time after you’ve finished reading the last page. For me, it was a bit reminiscent of Children of the Corn by Stephen King with it’s remote rural setting and deviant cult-like community beliefs and behaviours. The author created and maintained the same breath-holding tension.

Claire is a successful career microbiologist who has had four miscarriages and had to face the realisation that she cannot control her own biology. An unsuccessful attempt at adoption due to her unstable mental condition has led to the complete breakdown of her relationship. In an effort to pull herself together and get back on her feet, Claire has rented an old farmhouse in a remote location. She plans to rest and come to terms with her losses and future path.

Soon after her arrival, Claire starts to hear strange scratching sounds. She also meets the peculiar minister of the local church who warns her to keep away from a seemingly diseased hay bale. Are the two tied together, and if so, how?

The story is well written and fast paced with good tension throughout. If you like good horror and are not feint hearted, you will enjoy this dark short tale.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Hay-Bale-Priscilla-Bettis-ebook/dp/B09P4PJQLT

Dog Meat

What Amazon says

Kalb Ward slaughters dogs for the Colony, a closed, dystopian society where resources are tight, free speech is nonexistent, and those in power have eyes and ears everywhere. Ward desperately wants to quit his grisly job, but he knows he’ll be arrested, or worse, if he tries.

In the Colony, a citizen’s future is determined by a placement exam. Score high, and you’re set for life. Score low, and you end up living a nightmare–like Ward.

My review

This book is not for the faint of heart. It delves deeply into the cruelty of the dog meat industry and some of the descriptions are very disturbing. If you have a strong stomach, this books is worth the read.

Kalb Ward lives in a post-revolutionary dystopian society where all citizens are assessed through an examination at the age of 11 and assigned their future path in society. Ward was ill when he took the test and didn’t perform well, as a result his assigned path was that of a manual labourer. Despite the best efforts of his parents, they are not able to change this outcome and Ward has gone on to become a dog slaughterer for a restaurant. His job is very distasteful and distressing to him and the only way he can get through the killing of the dogs, which must involve extreme torture in order to season the meat, is by dissociating from his body. His ability to dissociate give the reader the first indication of Ward’s strength of mind and determination. Ward is desperate to find a way out of his awful life, even if it means going to jail which is called re-education by the ruling party.

Ward was an interesting character who reminded me a bit of Winston in 1984. In fact, the dystopian world inhabited by Ward also has a slightly ‘1984’ feel in that it has a version of a Big Brother ensuring that all citizens toe the party line and no infractions or transgressions of the societal laws are tolerated.

As the story unfurls, the reader learns that Ward’s father was an intelligent and successful man who was murdered by revolutionaries and his mother is also a woman of superior intellect. The frustration felt by Ward in his job that is not only dead-end, but also very cruel, is understandable given his obvious inherited intellect, and kind heart. His rising up against the restrictions imposed on him is not at all surprising, but there are a few interesting aspects to Ward’s character that are exposed through revelations of his past and present behaviours over the course of this intense novella.

I am always fascinated by the attitude, determination, and fortitude that people can exhibit in the most adverse of circumstances. The author has tapped into the intriguing aspect of human behaviour with the creation of Ward.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Meat-Priscilla-Bettis-ebook/dp/B0B8QG79DK

Different Seasons by Stephen King is the scare of today.

What Amazon says

A “hypnotic” (The New York Times Book Review) collection of four novellas—including the inspirations behind the films Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption—from Stephen King, bound together by the changing of seasons, each taking on the theme of a journey with strikingly different tones and characters.

This gripping collection begins with “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption,” in which an unjustly imprisoned convict seeks a strange and startling revenge—the basis for the Best Picture Academy Award-nominee The Shawshank Redemption.

Next is “Apt Pupil,” the inspiration for the film of the same name about top high school student Todd Bowden and his obsession with the dark and deadly past of an older man in town.

In “The Body,” four rambunctious young boys plunge through the façade of a small town and come face-to-face with life, death, and intimations of their own mortality. This novella became the movie Stand By Me.

Finally, a disgraced woman is determined to triumph over death in “The Breathing Method.”

“The wondrous readability of his work, as well as the instant sense of communication with his characters, are what make Stephen King the consummate storyteller that he is,” hailed the Houston Chronicle about Different Seasons.

My review

This is a collection of four novella’s by Stephen King. Two of these stories I had already seen as movies prior to reading this collection, and two were entirely new to me.

Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption is the story of a prominent banker, Andy Dufrense, who is convicted of killing his wife and sentenced to life in a notorious prison. The story depicts in fairly graphic detail, the boredom and hardship of life in prison with hardened and malicious criminals, some who are also rapists and prey on any they deem to be weak. Andy befriends another “lifer” called Red and, during the course of his journey to finally becoming a prisoner whom the prison manager and wardens rely on for financial services, becomes firm friends with Red. Andy learns how to survive and makes some interesting decisions about his life. This story provides a lot of insight into the different types and characters of men and how they react and plan in different and adverse situations. A great story.

The Body is a story about four young boys, living in a deadbeat town where not much happens and who seem to have limited future prospects, who overhear some older teenagers saying that the body of one of their peers had been found some distance away near the railway line. The boys set off on a journey to find the body. The face some adversity and must overcome their fears, but they also learn the value of food, drink and shelter as well as friendship and standing together. Another story with interesting psychological angles.

The Breathing Method was my personal favourite of this collection and tells the story of an ordinary and unassuming man in a good job where he will never be selected for promotion due to his nature. His boss, while recognising his limitations, also sees his strengths, one of which is that he is a great reader, and invites him to attend a men’s evening out at his exclusive club. One of the past times of this club is to tell a story of their own experience or origination on Christmas Eve. Each year the story teller is chosen in advance. The breathing method is one of the stories told and it really creeped me out. Stephen King’s build up and descriptions are superb and really have you looking over your shoulder. An excellent story.

The Apt Pupil is the story I liked the least. It is about a twelve year old boy who identifies a Nazi war criminal who is living in a small American town under an assumed name. The boy, Todd, is fascinated by the detail of the concentration camps and confronts the aging man and compels him to tell him all the horrible details of his life in charge of a concentration camp. These stories have a big impact on both Todd, who loses weight, starts having nightmares and failing at school and the elderly gent also resurrects all these terrible memories and starts reverting back to his previous hardened and unfeeling persona. This story did not suspend disbelief for me. I could not believe that a boy from a good family, with a curiosity about the concentration camps which is not itself unbelievable, would degenerate into a serial killer. I also found it hard to believe that an elderly Nazi war criminal in hiding would start murdering people. I didn’t finish this story and it is the reason I gave this book a 4-star rating.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Different-Seasons-Stephen-King-ebook/dp/B018ER7L3Y

This excellent book, Weathering Old Souls, was co-written by James J. Cudney and Didi Oviatt.

What Amazon says

Abigail has always struggled with the voices. From the relentless tyranny a woman faces on an antebellum plantation to the unknown prison camps in America during World War II, our heroine discovers the past in a way that changes her future.

Moments from the past serve as guiding posts for the country’s growth, and also mark the transitions for Abigail’s own personal history. Her best friend, Margaret, partners with Abigail to discover the identity of the mysterious voices, while focusing on her passion and quest to become a United States senator.

Through it all, a serial killer torments the country, romance blossoms between people they meet during the journey, and long-buried secrets come to light in devastating ways. As elements twist, numbers align and spiritual powers connect, no one will be the same again.

My review

This book starts with the vicious murder of a man called Edward Smythe. The reader quickly learns that the victim has a young daughter and that he is an abusive husband. It is also clear that the murderer has committed the crime to appease an unnamed other person.

Abigail Perry is born during an electrical storm in an ill-equipped hospital in a small town called Concepción in South Carolina. The power fails intermittently, and Abigail’s mother dies moments after her birth, leaving her motherless.

On the same day, a family of three had moved into the twin house joined to Abigail’s parents’ home. This family take over raising Abigail and become her extended family.

It soon becomes evident that Abigail is not an ordinary child. She is haunted by disturbing memories of her past lives which are so powerful, they insert themselves physically into her daily life.

The only way Abigail can find her own spiritual peace is by unravelling the stories of her four past lives which seem to interlink with the activities of a serial killer, called the Fashionista.

Abigail is an interesting character, intelligent but very conflicted and confused by her terrible memories and poor health. Her father, Oliver, never recovers from the death of her mother and is not able to adjust to caring for a child until Abigail is much older. As a result, Abigail’s care falls to their kindly neighbours and their twelve-year old daughter, Margaret.

Oliver does not believe his daughter’s stories about her past lives and the ‘people’ who take over her mind and body. This attitude, together with his poor fathering, leave her feeling unloved and rejected. These feelings are compounded when the neighbours, who have cared for her all her life, have to move away.

She shows incredible strength and overcomes all the disbelief and dislike that come her way from her fellow students, teachers and eventually her father, learning to control her ‘difference’ in public and becoming an excellent student. Abigail’s determination and strength of character are demonstrated several times during the book.

Margaret is also a strong and determined female character with a quick mind and an excellent work ethic. She pursues a career in law and then politics. Margaret’s intelligence come to Abigail’s aid during her childhood as she researches ways of helping Abigail control her frightening and physically threatening memories. Margaret gives Abigail a quart’s necklace which keep these tormentors at bay while she is wearing it. Margaret is a devoted friend and is Abigail’s supporter, confidant, and protector.

This story is unique and clever, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are so many twists and turns you have to pay attention while reading this story. This is not a book you can semi snooze through. The ending is complex, and I found myself quite amazed at how neatly all the threads were tied up into a complete picture.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZHQPFKD

Charles F. French’s Gallows Hill, book 2 in the Investigative Paranormal Society is here to give you a Halloween fright today.

What Amazon says

History always makes an impact on the present. Retired homicide detective Sam Sadlowski faces his personal history and fears as well as living and dead enemies.

My review

Gallows Hill is the second book in The Investigative Paranormal Society series. I have read the first book, Maledicus, so I was engaged with the characters in this book before I started it. In Maledicus, I quickly became very attached to the main character, Roosevelt or Rosy to his friends, and also to Helena, the little girl who becomes the focus of Maledicus’ evil intentions.

In this second book, a different member of the society is central to the story and we get an opportunity to learn the backstory of Sam which, intriguingly, ties in with the central themes and story of Gallows Hill.

Sam is a retired detective who lost his only son, Josh, to suicide ten years earlier. His son’s death destroyed his marriage and Sam lives alone. He has never recovered from Josh’s suicide and carries a burden of guilt that is threatening to destroy him.

The author is exceptionally good at character building and his depiction of Sam and his emotions and motivations are captivating. I quickly grew to love Sam and was thoroughly invested in his life.

The story has a dual theme, the first being the chronic illness of his friend and colleague’s daughter, Maria, and the ultimate revelation of the circumstances surrounding Josh’s death and the second, is the investigation by the society of rumours of a ghostly presence at an abandoned steel mill on the outskirts of town. The two themes are cleverly woven together to create a satisfying and clever story.

The ghostly presence, Ebeneezer Schwarznacht, is horribly depraved and his portrayal was reminiscent for me of the men behind the Salem witch trials. I find the evil embodied in this type of personality, pious and self righteous, is far more frightening than the concept of a demon as it represents real people and real happens rather than fantasy. It is chilling to think of killers who are totally entrenched in their belief that they have a divine right to judge others and take away their lives.

The author does a great job of running the two themes in parallel with clever overlaps and then tying them both together with some great twists at the end.

This is an excellent and chilling story and I would recommend this book to lovers of horror and supernatural stories.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Gallows-Hill-Investigative-Paranormal-Society-ebook/dp/B078STYMS8

Sarah by Teri Polen has drawn the short horror straw today.

What Amazon says

“The writing style and general creepiness reminded me of Diary of a Haunting, which I would recommend to anyone who enjoyed this book.” –Barnes and Noble Booksellers

Seventeen-year-old horror fan Cain Shannon thought helping a ghost find her killers would be the supernatural adventure of a lifetime. Now, he just hopes to survive long enough to protect his family and friends from her.

A bet between friends goes horribly wrong, resulting in Sarah’s death. When she returns to seek justice against those responsible, Cain agrees to help her. But when he discovers Sarah has been hijacking his body, he realizes she wants retribution instead of justice.

Terrified of what could have happened when he wasn’t in control, Cain commands Sarah to leave his house – but exorcising her isn’t that easy. She retaliates against her murderers in bloody, horrific ways, each death making her stronger, then sets her sights on Cain. With the help of friends, Cain fights to save himself and his loved ones and searches for a way to stop Sarah before she kills again.

My review

I listened to the audio book of Sarah by Teri Polen. I thought the reader did a good job and narrated the story at a good pace and with sufficient expression and interest factor to keep the listener engaged.

I thought this book was really creepy. It is a YA book and the characters are all older teenagers which I think worked well for this plot as teenagers, particularly males, do not see risk and are likely to react to situations with a lot more bravado than an adult would in the same circumstances. The almost underhanded and devious way the ghost of Sarah, a murdered school girl, introduces herself to Cain, a jock with a kind heart, lets you know in a subtle way right up front that this is not a particularly friendly ghost and that there is more to her than initially meets the eye. 

Cain has assumed the role of man of the house after the death of his father and is protective of his Mother and much younger sister. His compassion, youth and naivety does not stand him good stead in identifying the potential threat posed by Sarah although, as he finds out more about her death, he gradually realises that she is after retribution against her killers and is not looking for help to move on from her current status.

The author’s descriptions of Sarah as she becomes more and more evil and travels further down the path of revenge are very vivid and disturbing. Sarah’s evil thoughts and deeds are reflected in her ghostly face and form. 

Fortunately for Cain, he has good friends on his side in the form of Finn, an intelligent and clear minded childhood friend, and Lindsey, a lovely young lady with an aunt who deals in the occult and is able to provide talismans and assistance in fighting Sarah as she becomes more deranged and angry. The clairvoyant aunt was a bit convenient but I did not detract from the story for me.

Amazon US purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Sarah-Teri-Polen/dp/1612967914