horror

Night Shall Overtake by Michael R. Collins

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Michael R. Collins takes us in a new direction with this tenth-anniversary edition of his indie horror novel, Night Shall Overtake. A shape-shifting P.I. navigates a dark and treacherous city populated by living shadows, demonic entities, and cosmic creatures that drive men mad with only a glance. The author’s skillful world-building combines with excellent storytelling that ensures we seamlessly fall into the world he’s crafted as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. Thankfully, however, this is not our world.

Hired by a mysterious client, Twila’s boss sends her out to locate a missing woman with ties to the horror-filled section of the city only monsters call home, a place populated by nightmares and creatures so inhuman as to be incomprehensible. What Twila discovers is a web of deceit and death spreading in all directions from whatever her missing woman seems to have touched. And though the subject of her search appears to be dead, there are terrifying forces at work that now have Twila and everyone she knows in their sights. Her investigation has drawn attention that no one anticipated–and no one ever wants.

As the mystery deepens and the the intrigue grows increasingly hazardous, our cast of characters soon discover that whatever they’ve stumbled into, it could have implications that threaten all life–not just their own. The question is, can Twila get to the bottom of it all before the tensions escalate into a turf war between forces that will destroy the world in the process?

This book is a fantastic dark urban fantasy weaving elements from all sorts of horror into a classic noir-ish detective story, complete with sexual tension, witty dialogue, and exciting mystery.

This title, along with others by Michael R. Collins, will also be available through http://www.godless.com at the link below:

Night Shall Overtake by Michael R. Collins – June 27th

Demon Theory by Stephen Graham Jones, Narrated by Richard Ferrone

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Like much of what Jones has written, Demon Theory defies easy classification and mixes subgenres with fluidity and skill that borders on awe-inspiring. There’s a little bit of Watcher In the Woods, a touch of Jacob’s Ladder, a hint of Scream, and perhaps a taste of the first two Return of the Living Dead films serving as inspiration behind this book–that in turn serves as the novelization of three fictional films constituting the “Devil Inside” trilogy. Filled with pop culture references and nods to obscure horror flicks (for today’s audience), witty dialogue, meta-commentary, and as much dark humor as there is horror, this book is an excellent experience for fans of Stephen Graham Jones.

We begin on Halloween night as a group of medical students goes to Hale’s childhood home where his diabetic mother needs assistance. When they arrive, with Hale’s mother nowhere to be found, they soon discover they’re stuck in the secluded and rundown house as a snowstorm rages outside. As the story progresses, we discover the six med students aren’t alone, and it takes on a sort of slasher narrative as we learn more about Hale’s family, his childhood trauma, and the presumed identity of the killer. As the body count rises and the possible supernatural elements are introduced, we speed toward a conclusion that feels fitting, though slightly ambiguous.

The second installment of the trilogy begins with a familiar scenario that’s been touched on in the first, but things aren’t quite right. The deck has been shuffled and we’ve moved forward in time and simultaneously backward, it seems. Familiar faces appear but in different roles. The names may be the same, but the details are off…however, it isn’t long before we learn that recollection of the previous story’s events are clear to at least one of the returning characters–though Nona is treated as if these “false” memories are indicative of mental illness. It’s almost Christmas, and we ultimately find ourselves in a hospital where the staff prepares for a performance to entertain the patients. This installment skips the slasher element and dives right into the supernatural aspect we experienced in the earlier tale, amplifying the stakes and the danger. It’s no longer simply the cast of six facing the horrors that we witness arising in the hospital corridors–but how many people would believe that demonic entities are afoot before it’s too late?

The final piece of the trilogy comes as a direct sequel to the second installment, but following another time jump. We’re three years further along and many familiar faces have returned, this time taking the fight back to Hale’s childhood home, hoping to stop whatever nightmare they’ve been living in since they first stepped foot into that house. Nona has a plan, but can her judgment be trusted? Can anyone be trusted, as we delve deeper into the events that brought all of this about? Supernatural horror meets slasher meets brazen scientific experimentation as we learn the truth about Hale’s father, his sister, and the identities of the friends who accompanied Hale home in the first place. This one starts off with a splattery, violent bloodbath to up the ante as a group of punk criminals first arrive at the isolated house as a sort of initiation rite, setting the stage nicely for what awaits our returning cast of characters when they show up only a short while later.

Richard Ferrone’s narration is phenomenal, conveying a sort of homage to the voice of Ghostface from the Scream movies, which feels as perfect as could be with the self-awareness and referential nature of the characters contained within the narrative as well as the writing itself.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Demon-Theory-Audiobook/B002V19UD4?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

Infinite: Ghostland Trilogy Book 3 by Duncan Ralston, Narrated by Joe Hempel

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Duncan Ralston brings his Ghostland trilogy to a superbly fitting conclusion with Infinite. He takes us back and forth in time, as the mystery surrounding Rex Garrote’s plan is revealed, and the truth is more horrifying than anything Ben Laramie and his friends could have imagined. The stakes are higher, and the enemies are far more numerous than solely Garrote and the forces he’s aligned beside him, but Ben is not one to give up. As Ralston races us toward a final confrontation that threatens existence, we’re forced to wonder how Ben and his allies fight an enemy who seems to know what’s coming, and who seemingly orchestrated every step they’ve taken to reach this point?

It was a treat, getting this deeper glimpse into Garrote’s life and personal history, the relationship between Garrote and Hedgewood, and the previously unexpected nature of Garrote House. Similarly, getting a deeper investment in Ben and Lilian’s families was an excellent experience, as the horrors of the Dark Rift loom ahead of our heroes.

As with the previous two installments of the Ghostland trilogy, the cast of characters is fantastic and each one is well-drawn and believable in their motivations and attitudes. The action is fast-paced and exciting, even as Ralston succeeds in giving us numerous breathers as he unveils the history that set the stage for the events we’re bearing witness to.

Joe Hempel’s narration is–as always–spectacular. There seem to be few narrators as prolific or in such high demand, and for good reason.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Infinite-Audiobook/B0B2FHQGFM?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

All Hallows by Christopher Golden, Narrated by Ron Butler & January LaVoy

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Christopher Golden’s All Hallows transports us back to the simpler times of the mid-1980s, a time without cellphones and internet. I’m not a Luddite, by any stretch of the imagination, but something about the world back then triggers a healthy dose of nostalgia for me. It works especially well regarding horror because there’s no need to factor in the ever-connected nature of the modern world and its limitations on what makes sense. The bulk of Golden’s novel transpires on Halloween night, isolated to one suburban neighborhood. The setting definitely helps to make the story feel more intimate.

As the children of Coventry venture out to collect their toll of candy and treats, strange new children are making their way into the crowd, behaving strangely and unsettling some of the locals while going largely unnoticed by others. It’s not until they begin communicating with some of the neighborhood kids that we discover just how disturbing the situation is. Children and parents alike are forced to wonder what’s really going on in their otherwise tranquil neighborhood. Who are these peculiar kids? What do they want? And who is The Cunning Man?

All the while, family drama and infidelity threaten to upset the peace, creating distractions and turmoil that turn attention away from the genuine threat in their midst. Friendships are strained to their limits, families are falling apart, and a monstrous unearthly horror sweeps through the darkened streets and homes of unsuspecting victims.

Golden’s tale is a heartbreaking one. When all is said and done, no one will be the same, and the survivors might not be the lucky ones as they’re forced to face the dual traumas of loss and guilt no one is prepared for.

Narrations by Ron Butler and January LaVoy bring the story to life in a wholly authentic way that draws you into the tale as effectively as Golden’s masterful writing already would.

https://www.audible.com/pd/All-Hallows-Audiobook/B0BRYMMS4M?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

Beautiful You by Chuck Palahniuk

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I’m a long-time reader of Palahniuk’s work, and I’ve rarely found anything disappointing in his writing. Beautiful You, I’m happy to say, was no exception. As always, his unique literary voice and cadence shine through, while still managing to avoid seeming repetitive or tired.

This novel introduces us to Penny Harrigan, a woman whose life seems to be an unending series of disappointments, whether it’s her career or her love life. All of that changes when tech billionaire C. Linus Maxwell takes an interest in her. She’s as surprised as everyone else, as she lives out a Cinderella fantasy that most girls would only dream of. Unfortunately, the dream is quickly revealed to be more of a nightmare, as she begins to feel less like a romantic partner and more like a guinea pig. Maxwell is not the man the tabloids make him out to be, perhaps because he secretly owns them.

As this intensely sexual tryst continues, Penny silently watches the clock ticking down to the inevitable conclusion that awaits all of Maxwell’s romantic partners. And when that end arrives, it’s as jarring and disorienting as the beginning was.

It’s soon revealed that Maxwell has his eyes set on an objective with global repercussions, and Penny has been ignorantly complicit in the horrors that await the women of the world. By the time she realizes what’s going on, is it too late to get anyone to hear her?

As she struggles to put a stop to the plan already in motion, she’s hammered with revelations that force her to question her life, her identity, and the extreme limits of human sexuality.

As sexually explicit as Beautiful You happens to be, there’s nothing remotely erotic about it. That’s the magic of Palahniuk’s writing. He was able to approach a topic so steeped in sexual content without making it feel smutty or even remotely sexy. He takes us right to the verge and then turns away…like literary edging. There’s a perversity in the clinical detachment of it all, and the sense of impending awfulness that the reader or listener is impossible to dismiss. In a sense, it makes us feel superior to the characters, because we see the trap that awaits and convince ourselves we could escape it. It forces you to wonder if we’d succumb to the same terrible outcome if this sequence of events played out in the real world.

The moral of the story, I suppose, is that men need to focus more on the pleasure their partners are experiencing…otherwise, the Beautiful You line of products might just take our place.

Carol Monda’s narration definitely captures the initially neurotic and out-of-her-depth qualities of Penny’s character as well as who she becomes as the events of the story transform her.

This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances by Eric LaRocca, Narrated by Andre Santana, Natalie Naudus, Michael Crouch, & Steven Crossley

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It seems appropriate that the first title I’m reviewing in June of 2024 is a title by a recently prolific and extremely talented LGBTQ+ author. This Skin Was Once Mine: and Other Disturbances is a collection of four unconnected stories that nevertheless work well together because of the common themes of relationships, secrets, and revelations that emerge as the tales are told. The title, also the title of the first of the stories, is emblematic of Eric LaRocca’s work, substantially longer than one expects a title to be, but so thoroughly captivating that it’s impossible to ignore.

In the titular tale, we are introduced to Jillian Finch, who returns to her childhood home following her father’s death, only to discover that many of the things she thought she knew about her family and her former life are not quite how she recalls them. As hideous secrets are revealed to us, her traumatized psychology shifts her focus to things that are seemingly trivial by comparison. As she reflexively ignores the horrible things she endured and survived, we witness the residual effects of childhood trauma and the devastating ripples they have.

The next story in this collection, Seedling, also deals with grief and mourning, as a son returns home to an emotionally distant father when his mother passes away. He discovers the wounds we carry with us, passed down from generation to generation, as hurt is revisited. And even as he and his father come to understand one another better than they ever have, it seems that the seeds germinating early in life have grown into cancerous wounds that might be impossible to heal.

All the Parts of You That Won’t Easily Burn introduces Enoch Leadbetter as he attempts to find the perfect knife to satisfy his husband’s needs for an upcoming dinner party. Instead, he finds a secret and shameful obsession that consumes him, as he loses touch with who and what he was with startling consequences.

In the final story, Prickle, we meet two elderly gentlemen as they come together for the first time in a long while. Worried that time may be limited, they play a cruel, sadistic game they once enjoyed. But as the challenges grow increasingly perverse, we’re forced to witness a shocking loss of humanity and decency.

Each of these stories is spectacularly well-written and deeply immersive, which is truly the most insidious aspect of LaRocca’s storytelling. They remain with you long after you’ve stepped away, and you’re forced to move forward, knowing that there’s no sense in worrying about the innocence you lost along the way. Like the snake shedding its skin, there’s no reason to look back or to think, “This skin was once mine.”

The narrations provided by Natalie Naudus, Andre Santana Michael Crouch, and Steven Crossley were spot-on. The perfect narrator was selected for each story, in my opinion. They made the tales feel more authentic and poignant. I don’t know how long it took to choose who would narrate the individual stories, but if it was a drawn-out process, it was worth every second of deliberation.

https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/this-skin-was-once-mine-and-other-disturbances/755321

https://www.audible.com/pd/This-Skin-Was-Once-Mine-Audiobook/B0CVJDMZK9?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero, Narrated by Kyla Garcia

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One of my favorite things about Scooby-Doo was that the monsters, ghosts, and ghouls were never real. It was always just some creep in a costume, usually undertaking some ridiculously convoluted plot to fulfill their capitalist desires. When the more recent Scooby-Doo cartoons and movies came out, I was disappointed to see that there were real monsters involved. The creators seemed to lose track of the whole purpose behind the originals. That being said, if the monsters have to be real for the purpose of the story, Edgar Cantero gets it right.

Meddling Kids takes those teen mystery stories we loved as children–at least I did–and pays homage to them while also playing tongue-in-cheek with the tropes. The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and Scooby-Doo are blended together in this story, with a healthy dose of H. P. Lovecraft thrown into the mix.

Thirteen years after the Blyton Summer Detective Club solved their final mystery, the awful truth behind that caper rears its ugly head, forcing the surviving members to question whether they’d gotten it right after all. Sure, they’d apprehended a crazy old man in an absurd costume, and they’d gone on with their lives. But what if there was something more lurking beneath the surface? What if there was some unspeakable horror operating behind the scenes at Sleepy Lake? And did their proximity to something truly not-of-this-world leave a mark on the children that haunts them into adulthood?

This is where the story begins. From there it’s a humorous and heartfelt tribute to characters that bear a strong–and entirely intentional–resemblance to the ones Cantero created for the book. The mystery behind the mystery provides ample opportunity for (often calamitous) investigations, red herrings, and the emergence of a new bad guy who makes all their previously tackled foes seem like child’s play. It’s a good thing the young detectives are now young adults because what they’re forced to face is something no child is prepared to confront.

Kyla Garcia’s narration is excellent and conveys the humor and horror of the story as well as one could hope.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Meddling-Kids-Audiobook/B073C12LZ1?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher, Narrated by Hillary Huber

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Liminal spaces get under our skin in a way that’s difficult to explain–both captivating and unsettling. Those are perhaps the best ways to describe T. Kingfisher’s The Hollow Places as well…the book is both captivating and unsettling–but in the best ways.

Kara’s life didn’t turn out quite the way she expected. Freshly divorced from a husband who left more than a little bit to be desired, she finds herself moving into the apartment owned by her eccentric and doting uncle, in the same building as his museum of curiosities–mostly containing items of questionable authenticity and taxidermy specimens of equally questionable taste and quality. When she discovers a hole in the wall, Kara has no way of preparing for what she discovers on the other side.

With the assistance of her friend and trusty barista, Kara explores the concrete bunker that exists in a space that can’t exist within the walls of her building, only to find a whole new world awaiting her. But this new world is a dangerous place filled with threats–both seen and unseen. Navigating the treacherous–and seemingly endless–series of small islands rising from a shallow river, Kara and Simon soon fear they may be lost. Lost, but not alone.

Will they find their way home?

If they find their way home, will something else pass through into our world?

You’ll have to read it to find out.

The Hollow Places is a stirring adventure into the unknown, leaving us with so many questions for which there are sure to be no answers…but satisfying our curiosity just the same.

The narration from Hillary Huber is spot-on, capturing the exasperated and sarcastic nature of Kara’s character, the kindly qualities of her loving uncle, and the peculiarly out-of-his-depth Simon about as perfectly as one could hope.

Inside the Devil’s Nest by John Durgin, Narrated by Joe Hempel

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Anthony Graham is a successful real estate agent. That success is due–in no small part–to a deal he made with the devil, in the form of an agreement made with a mob boss who wants to use vacant properties for a variety of purposes, no questions asked. When Anthony stumbles upon one of his properties being used in an entirely predictable way–though one he never expected–it all comes crashing down around him in a barrage of sudden violence. On the run with his family, knowing he’s only postponing the inevitable, Anthony heads for a former campground he’s been unable to sell–hoping it’ll buy him some time to figure out what to do next. Unfortunately, for Anthony and his family, this campground holds dark secrets far worse–and more dangerous–than the men hunting them down.

John Durgin paints us a portrait of a family struggling to hold it together despite years of acrimony, strain, and secrets…and then he thrusts that family into a situation sure to unravel the worn threads that hold them together. Before they arrive at the campground the family is already falling apart, and it only gets worse from there. Good intentions spectacularly pave the way to Hell as two broken families with secrets buried deep come together, and Anthony learns first-hand why he’s never been able to sell the property.

We’re forced to witness as six people find themselves caught between two evils that mean nothing but harm, and we’re left wondering which of those two evils will exact their toll first as we descend toward a conclusion that can be nothing but violent and cruel. We may want to look away, but there’s some part of us that keeps us watching as everything approaches perhaps the only ending there could be.

Joe Hempel’s narration of the tale brings it to terrifying life and gives each character their own place in the listener’s imagination while we join them on their journey to the depths.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Inside-the-Devils-Nest-Audiobook/B0C4BK3D1T?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

Puzzle House by Duncan Ralston, Narrated by Joe Hempel

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One part Cube, one part Saw, one part The Ninth Gate, and a dash of House On Haunted Hill, Duncan Ralston’s Puzzle House is an excellent book for fans of those movies. If you’re the kind of person who enjoys escape rooms, puzzles, and character studies–you’re in for one hell of a treat. When a mysterious puzzle master dies, his will brings together an assortment of strangers (all but his ex-wife, unfamiliar with the deceased as well)…but that is only the beginning of the mystery.

These people find themselves called to a house that has become something far more sinister, a series of escape rooms with a hefty toll to be paid and life-or-death consequences riding on the solutions. As they struggle to survive the sadistic gauntlet from which the only way out is through, secrets are revealed that connect these apparent strangers in ways that can’t be a coincidence. Somewhere at the core of it all is a mysterious organization with occult origins, and the rats in this maze are battling not only the clock but their own preconceived notions of what is–or can be–real. But will they be able to solve the puzzles that await them, and who will survive the journey into the Puzzle House? And is everyone who they seem to be? You’ll have to dare entry on your own to find out.

This one has one hell of an ending, and it leaves you wishing that you could stay with the story just a little bit longer–to find out what happens next. Ralston does a great job of leaving you hanging but feeling satisfied just the same–forced to decide how you, as the reader, might proceed.

Joe Hempel’s narration of the audiobook is spectacular as always…which should go without saying. He successfully brings the characters to life and pulls the story from the page, leaving the listener immersed in the nightmare environment.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Puzzle-House-Audiobook/B0CGXWP9WN?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp