Tag: thriller

A Voice in the Silence by D.L. Finn #bookreview #scifi #thriller #paranormal

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews49 Comments

Drea Burr has experienced more than her share of loss when a stray dog, cat, and rat enter her life. Although the animals start to mend her broken heart, there is something very unusual about them. During a snowstorm, Drea discovers a chilling set of footprints leading to her front window. Both the police and a ghostly messenger warn her about a killer stalking widows. Help comes from her late husband’s best friend, Adam Hale. As the two try to discover answers, more questions arise— about a killer, ghosts, and animals experimented on in a lab.

Can Drea and Adam survive the threats coming from so many directions and save themselves and the animals they’ve grown to love? Or will more tragedy destroy her second chance at happiness? Find out in this thrilling, cozy paranormal adventure. 

As an animal lover, any book that includes pets just makes the story better in my opinion – and this one gets serious bonus points. The skillful blend of genres – mystery, paranormal, thriller, sci-fi – also thrilled me. So many of my favorites!

Drea is going through a rough time in her life after the loss of her husband and beloved pets. Her relationship with her son has also been distant and strained lately, and she misses him. She’s alone, grieving, and considering taking drastic measures. Until a stray dog, cat, and rat show up and change her life forever. They aren’t your normal pets – they talk (something I’ve always wished my pets could do!). Even better – they can communicate with spirits.

Besides adjusting to this shocking turn of events, Drea finds herself a target of a killer stalking widows. Footsteps leading to her front window are far too close for comfort. Her newfound family of pets are escapees of a lab where they were subjects of experiments – and someone is still looking for them. Saying Drea has a lot on her plate is an understatement. I loved how strong she is and how she refuses to let herself be a victim.

Just when I thought she and the pets were safe and I could breathe again, the story took another path. Unpredictable storylines make me a happy reader. There’s also a sweet romance brewing between Drea and her late husband’s best friend, Adam, that may be her second chance at love.

There are plenty of tense moments to keep you on the edge of your seat, but at its heart this story is primarily about family. One of my favorite themes is found family, and that’s certainly prevalent in this novel. I also appreciated the glimpse into the future of these characters at the end. It left me smiling.

The Drift by C.J. Tudor #bookreview #thriller #apocalyptic

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews24 Comments

Three ordinary people risk everything for a chance at redemption in this audacious, utterly gripping novel of catastrophe and survival at the end of the world, from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man

Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. During a hasty escape from a secluded boarding school, her coach careened over a hillside road during one of the year’s heaviest snowstorms, trapping her inside with a handful of survivors, a brewing virus, and no way to call for help. If she and the remaining few want to make it out alive, with their sanity–and secrets–intact, they’ll need to work together or they’ll be buried alive with the rest of the dead.

A former detective, Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She is in a cable car suspended far above a snowstorm and surrounded by strangers in the same uniform as her, with no memory of how they got there. They are heading to a mysterious place known to them only as “The Retreat,” but when they discover a dead man among their ranks and Meg spies a familiar face, she realizes that there is something far more insidious going on.

Carter is gazing out the window of the abandoned ski chalet that he and his ragtag compatriots call home. Together, they manage a precarious survival, manufacturing vaccines against a deadly virus in exchange for life’s essentials. But as their generator begins to waver, the threat of something lurking in the chalet’s depths looms larger, and their fragile bonds will be tested when the power finally fails–for good.

The imminent dangers faced by Hannah, Meg, and Carter are each one part of the puzzle. Lurking in their shadows is an even greater threat–one that threatens to consume all of humanity.

I became acquainted with this author last year after reading her collection of short stories. When I was offered the NetGalley widget for her newest release, I snatched it up immediately.

This is a blend of so many of my favorite genres – psychological thriller, horror, dystopian, apocalyptic, and mystery. What makes it even better is that it’s set during winter storms, and the three stories playing out are all locked room scenarios. Woohoo! The story immediately drew me in, and I wanted to read it in one sitting. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible. Each of the three main characters are in dangerous situations (especially Meg in a stranded cable car suspended hundreds of feet above the ground – it took my breath away), and their futures look bleak. With so many characters surrounding Hannah, Meg, and Carter, I didn’t know who to trust and constantly looked for clues. To say the cast of characters is whittled down over the course of the story isn’t giving anything away. Before long, I didn’t need to remember some of their names.

Gradual reveals let the reader know these characters are connected in some way, and I guessed how several pages before the explanation. But what a clever twist it is. Brilliant. Jaws will drop, trust me. Other reviewers mentioned this novel contains more blood and violence than they’d expected, so be prepared if that’s something you’d prefer to steer clear of.

Make sure to set aside some uninterrupted reading time if possible for this novel. You won’t want to put it down.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

All Hallows by Christopher Golden #bookreview #horror #thriller #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews30 Comments

With the 80’s nostalgia of Stranger Things, this horror drama from NYT bestselling author Christopher Golden follows neighborhood families and a mysterious, lurking evil on one Halloween day.

It’s Halloween night, 1984, in Coventry, Massachusetts, and two families are unraveling. Up and down the street, horrifying secrets are being revealed, and all the while, mixed in with the trick-or-treaters of all ages, four children who do not belong are walking door to door, merging with the kids of Parmenter Road. Children in vintage costumes with faded, eerie makeup. They seem terrified, and beg the neighborhood kids to hide them away, to keep them safe from The Cunning Man. There’s a small clearing in the woods now that was never there before, and a blackthorn tree that doesn’t belong at all. These odd children claim that The Cunning Man is coming for them…and they want the local kids to protect them. But with families falling apart and the neighborhood splintered by bitterness, who will save the children of Parmenter Road?

New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author Christopher Golden is best known for his supernatural thrillers set in deadly, distant locales…but in this suburban Halloween drama, Golden brings the horror home.

All Hallows. The one night when everything is a mask..

It’s been a while since I’ve read a Christopher Golden novel, and now I’m asking myself why.

One neighbor having a big Halloween Party, another hosting the last year of the Haunted Woods display, kids trick-or-treating – Parmenter Road is the place to be on Halloween. But those who survive the night will change their minds the next morning and count themselves lucky to be alive.

This is the type of neighborhood where everyone knows your business – or at least they think they do – and rumors abound. Most have some truth behind them. Many of these characters display some of the worst human traits – infidelity, alcoholism, pedophilia, bigotry, and homophobia to name a few And that’s in addition to The Cunning Man and the strange children combing the neighborhood that night. There’s certainly no shortage of horrors in this novel.

With multiple POVs (more than eight adults and teens), it was a little difficult to keep up at first. With each character dealing with their own perilous circumstances, it didn’t take long to distinguish between them. I love the setting – Halloween night in the mid 80s, a fairly small neighborhood surrounded by a forest, creepy children running around begging other kids to shelter them until midnight – it’s perfect. Honestly, I’m surprised this didn’t release in the fall instead of January. Several reviewers struggled with pacing, but I didn’t mind the slower pace in this case, and most of the story takes place in one night.

As a warning there are gory, disturbing, and heartbreaking scenes alike, so be prepared. Some aren’t for the faint of heart. This may be more of a slow-burn horror story, but I plowed through it in two sittings. So much time between Golden novels won’t happen again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Guest Post – The Last Drive by John W. Howell #newbook #timetravel #thriller #suspense

On By Teri PolenIn Promotions60 Comments

It’s Friday – woohoo! Everyone deserves a treat on Fridays, and today I’ve got one for you. John W. Howell, author, tour guide, and pet lover, is here with his new release, The Last Drive. I loved the blend of genres with the first book in this series, Eternal Road: the final stop, so I was thrilled when I learned he was writing a sequel. Now I’ll let John take it away!

I am so pleased to be with you today, Teri. I want to thank you for helping spread the word about The Last Drive. Each year you host the best Halloween feature, Bad Moon Rising. It always impresses me that you have all those talented authors visit throughout the month of October. It is also entertaining reading the answers to your questions and I always learn a little more about your guests. Most of your authors write in the horror genre and I’m sure they would appreciate the kind of horror that Lucifer can conjure  up in my book.

Here is the blurb and then we can get to a short excerpt from the book.

The Blurb

In the sequel to Eternal Road – The final stop, Sam and James are reunited to look for two souls, Ryan and Eddie. Ryan was killed in Afghanistan, trying to avoid a schoolyard with his crippled plane. Eddie Rickenbacker, Ryan’s hero, is to guide Ryan to his Eternal Home, and now both are missing.

The higher-ups believe that there has been some interference in Ryan and Eddie’s journey by Lucifer, so Sam and James have the task of finding Ryan and Eddie to get them back on the road despite the evil interference. Unfortunately, the machinations designed to prevent Ryan and Eddy from completing their journey takes the pair to horrifying testing grounds. The places visited represent the best work of the Devil. They are the trenches of World War I in France, gladiators at the Roman Coliseum, the sinking Titanic in 1912, Hiroshima 45 minutes before the bomb, and the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1943.

This book is for you if you like plenty of action, strong characters, time travel, and a touch of spiritual and historical fiction. So, join Sam and James as they try to find the missing souls while staying one step ahead of the Prince of Darkness, who is determined to destroy all that is good.

An Excerpt.

“We head down that tunnel there and see what’s going on. Before that, though, you better get us back on time, or we’ll be invisible.”

James stops. “Let’s think about this for a minute. If we’re invisible, we can come and go as we please.”

Sam nods. “Yes, but we won’t be able to interact with Eddie or Ryan.”

 “I guess so. Okay, take my hand again. I’ll get us back at the current time.”

“Hey, watch it.” Sam and James appear right in front of a guy carrying a few drinks.

“My gosh. Sorry. We weren’t watching where we were going.” The man looks at Sam and James and continues on his way.

Sam watches the guy go down the hallway. “That could have been embarrassing.”

“Tell me. It would have been worse if we’d spilled those drinks. We’d be having a way different conversation with that guy right now.”

Sam points. “Let’s get to some seats.” James follows Sam into the tunnel. Right away, they spot a couple of seats almost at ground level and claim them. “I hope these don’t belong to anyone.”

James shields his eyes as he scans the field of play. “Check the field. Green Bay has the ball. I wish we had some binoculars. We’re quite far from the action.”

Sam puts her hand on James’s shoulder. “Well, do they have the ball?”

“Yes. You can’t mistake that green G on the helmet. For definite, they have the ball.”

“Is Ryan playing quarterback?”

James shakes his head. “I can’t be sure. All they have are numbers on the jerseys. No names.”

“Well, that’s handy. Who’s the regular quarterback?”

“Bart Starr.”

“Do we know his number?”

“I don’t have a program. Maybe I can go out and buy one.”

“You have money?”

“Shoot. I forgot. In Heaven, we have no beer.”

“What?”

“It’s a song. What I mean is, we have no money.”

A guy behind Sam taps her on the shoulder. Sam turns around, and the man apologizes. “I couldn’t help but overhear. Bart Starr is number fifteen, and he’s not playing right now. Lombardi put in a guy named Bratkowski. I guess he’s giving Starr a rest.”

A Link to the Trailer

You Tube https://youtu.be/HEUninXiibI

Buy Links

The Last Drive is available in paper and Kindle editions on Amazon. Here are the universal links. The Kindle edition is on sale for 99¢ through mid-February.

Kindle https://mybook.to/FYmkKr

Paper https://mybook.to/BCsWV

Author Bio

John is an award-winning author who after an extensive business career began writing full time in 2012. His specialty is thriller fiction novels, but John also writes poetry and short stories. He has written Six other books that are on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.

John lives in Lakeway, Texas with his wife and their spoiled rescue pets.

Author links

Blog Fiction Favorites, http://johnwhowell.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/john.howell.98229241

Twitter –https://www.twitter.com/HowellWave

Goodreads –https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7751796.John_W_Howell

Amazon Author’s page –https://www.amazon.com/author/johnwhowell

BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/john-w-howell

Eternal Road Buy links

Kindle Universal link  mybook.to/EternalRoad

Paper universal link mybook.to/Eternalroadpaper

They’re Watching You by Chelsea Ichaso #bookreview #YA #suspense

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews18 Comments

When a secret society has you in their sights, it can lead to power, privilege… or death.

It’s been two weeks since Polly St. James went missing. The police, the headmistress of Torrey-Wells Academy, and even her parents have ruled her a runaway. But not Maren, her best friend and roommate. She knows Polly had a secret that she was about to share with Maren before she disappeared― something to do with the elite, ultra-rich crowd at Torrey-Wells.

Then Maren finds an envelope hidden among Polly’s things: an invitation to the Gamemaster’s Society. Do not tell anyone, it says. Maren is certain her classmates in the Society know the truth about what happened to Polly, though it’s no easy feat to join. Once Maren’s made it through the treacherous initiation, she discovers a world she never knew existed within her school, where Society members compete in high-stakes games for unheard-of rewards―Ivy League connections, privileges, favors.

But Maren’s been drawn into a different game: for every win, she’ll receive a clue about Polly. And as Maren keeps winning, she begins to see just how powerful the Society’s game is―bigger and deadlier than she ever imagined. They see, they know, they control. And they kill.

Maren’s roommate went missing two weeks ago and has been declared a runaway by the powers that be. But Maren doesn’t believe it. Sure Polly had been acting a little strangely, but Maren believes there’s more to her disappearance. After she finds an invitation to the Gamemaster’s Society among Polly’s things, Maren forms a plan to infiltrate the group and discover the truth about what happened to her friend.

The missing person angle and high-stakes games grabbed my attention, and I’ve enjoyed several other dark academia novels. It didn’t take long for the story to take off, and I liked that. It’s a pretty quick read that moves along briskly for the most part. To uncover the fate of her friend and play the games, Maren has to become a person she doesn’t like, but she has no other choice if she wants to receive clues about Polly. Her friendships with two other society members, Remington and Gavin, quickly turn into a weird kind of love triangle. Neither characters seem trustworthy, and she flip flops several times on who she can turn to. The identity of the Gamemaster also kept me guessing. It’s one of the people I suspected, but the author does a pretty good job of keeping it hidden.

The games, their consequences, and some of the acts these students perform are extreme at times, especially for high school students. Suspension of disbelief is a requirement for much of the story. If you can set that aside, it’s a twisty, enjoyable thriller I finished in a couple of sittings.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff #bookreview #crimefiction #darkhumor #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews29 Comments

Geeta’s no-good husband disappeared five years ago. She didn’t kill him, but everyone thinks she did–no matter how much she protests. But she soon discovers that being known as a “self-made” widow has some surprising perks. No one messes with her, no one threatens her, and no one tries to control (ahem, marry) her. It’s even been good for her business; no one wants to risk getting on her bad side by not buying her jewelry.

Freedom must look good on Geeta, because other women in the village have started asking for her help to get rid of their own no-good husbands…but not all of them are asking nicely.

Now that Geeta’s fearsome reputation has become a double-edged sword, she must decide how far to go to protect it, along with the life she’s built. Because even the best-laid plans of would-be widows tend to go awry. 

I was undecided about downloading this book when I received a NetGalley widget, but the description was so appealing and original I couldn’t resist.

If you’re a fan of dark humor (I’m a devoted one), The Bandit Queens will give you plenty to snicker about. The banter between these women and their comments to others are hilarious at times. That being said, also prepare yourself for the horrific parts of the story – the physical and emotional abuse of women and their treatment as second class citizens. I wanted to crawl through the pages and strangle some of the men myself.

Geeta’s abusive husband disappeared five years ago, and that’s just fine with her. She’s doing fine without him and enjoys the single life. The village gossip doesn’t really bother her, and since she doesn’t care for children all that much, their comments about her being a witch roll right off. She’s busy running her jewelry business, attending loan group meetings, and saving for a refrigerator. She even adopts Bandit, a dog who’s an astute judge of character. Maybe she’s occasionally lonely and is basically estranged from her childhood best friend, but she’s content with her life. And then everything is upended when she’s asked to help kill the husband of a woman in her loan group.

Blackmail, murder, animal rescue, threatened poisoning, plans gone awry, gourd gifting, lizard stalking – it’s all here. There’s also female empowerment, reclaimed friendships, and well-deserved doses of karma. Even though I didn’t understand all the references, I enjoyed learning more about the culture and small village life, and I’m so glad I read this book. You’ll find yourself cheering for these remarkable women throughout the novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar #bookreview #YA #historicalfiction #suspense

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews10 Comments

Adiba Jaigirdar, author of one of Time’s Best YA books of all time, gives Titanic an Ocean’s 8 makeover in a heist for a treasure aboard the infamous ship that sank in the Atlantic many years ago.

A thief. An artist. A acrobat. An actress. While Josefa, Emilie, Hinnah, and Violet seemingly don’t have anything in common, they’re united in one goal: stealing the Rubaiyat, a jewel-encrusted book aboard the RMS Titanic that just might be the golden ticket to solving their problems.

But careless mistakes, old grudges, and new romance threaten to jeopardize everything they’ve worked for and put them in incredible danger when tragedy strikes. While the odds of pulling off the heist are slim, the odds of survival are even slimmer . . .

Anything involving the Titanic has always been a source of fascination for me. Pair that with a team of female characters involved in a heist on board? That made this title irresistible.

I listened to an automated voice galley ARC of this book which isn’t my preference, but it’s what I was approved for. Not being a stranger to the synthesized ARCs, I knew it might be hard to distinguish between characters – and it was. But I loved the diversity of the main characters both in ethnicity and backgrounds and the sweet romance between two of them.

I didn’t realize until after finishing that the Rubaiyat is an actual rare book that went down with the Titanic. That fact lent an air of authenticity along with the countdown of the sinking noted at the beginning of each chapter. The characters’ plan to steal the Rubaiyat is dangerous and fraught with unexpected roadblocks, but it comes with a big payout and it’s a risk they’re willing to take. Knowing their time is limited creates even more tension for the reader. Which of them will survive, if any?

A couple of things did disappoint me. It takes several chapters to actually get to the heist, and while the romance is adorable, I didn’t expect it to be such a large portion of the plot. That’s something that probably isn’t an issue for many readers, and while I don’t mind romance being part of a story, it overshadows the heist, which is one of the things that drew me to this book. The Oceans movies are aptly used as comp titles, but I was surprised that some identical/nearly identical plot points are taken directly from one of those movies and the Titanic movie (not the historical details).

A heist aboard the Titanic is a compelling concept, and I believe I would have enjoyed this book more with a human narrated audiobook or an ebook ARC.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

She’s Gone by David Bell #bookreview #YA #thriller

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews24 Comments

When a girl disappears, who do you suspect?

When 17-year-old Hunter Gifford wakes in the hospital on the night of homecoming, he’s shocked to learn he and his girlfriend, Chloe Summers, have been in a terrible car accident. Hunter has no memory of the crash, and his shock turns to horror when he is told Chloe’s blood has been found in the car―but she has disappeared.

Back at school, his fellow students taunt him, and his former best friend starts making a true-crime documentary about the case―one that points the finger directly at Hunter. And just when things can’t get any worse, Chloe’s mother stands in front of the entire town at a candlelight vigil and accuses Hunter of murder.

Under mounting pressure from the police, Hunter takes matters into his own hands by questioning anyone who might know the truth and posting videos to prove his innocence. When Hunter learns he and Chloe were seen arguing loudly outside the dance, he faces a sickening possibility. Was he angry enough to kill the person he loved?

I’ve read several of Bell’s adult novels and was anxious to read his young adult debut. I’m hoping this won’t be his last novel in this genre.

My heart immediately went out to Hunter. After learning he and his girlfriend were in a horrible car accident, she’s now missing, most of the night is a blank, and there’s no shortage of people who blame him for her disappearance. I was so frustrated when the detective repeatedly told him to confess, tell the truth, and they’d go easier on him. Besides handling the grief and devastation over Chloe’s disappearance, he’s taunted at school by fellow students, and then called out by Chloe’s mother at a candlelight vigil. Fortunately, he has the support of a few friends, his father, and his powerhouse of a sister, Livvy. She’s willing to take on anyone who says a negative word about her brother – and even punches a lacrosse player in the face in defense of Hunter. Hunter makes some questionable decisions during the story, but rational thought goes out the window in his desperation to find his girlfriend.

I felt pretty confident I knew who was behind Chloe’s disappearance, and I was partly correct. But then there’s an added twist that caught me by surprise. The plot moves along at a brisk pace, and the short chapters made it easy for me to say “just one more” – and then a couple hours had passed.

If you’re a fan of thrillers, mystery, suspense, or true crime, She’s Gone will keep you turning the pages long after you should have been sleeping.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young #bookreview #magic #mystery #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews28 Comments

A deeply atmospheric story about ancestral magic, an unsolved murder, and a second chance at true love.

Emery Blackwood’s life changed forever the night her best friend was found dead and the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her. Years later, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence on the misty, remote shores of Saoirse Island and running the family’s business, Blackwood’s Tea Shoppe Herbal Tonics & Tea Leaf Readings.

But when the island, rooted in folklore and magic, begins to show signs of strange happenings, Emery knows that something is coming. The morning she wakes to find that every single tree on Saoirse has turned color in a single night, August returns for the first time in fourteen years and unearths the past that the town has tried desperately to forget.

August knows he is not welcome on Saiorse, not after the night everything changed. As a fire raged on at the Salt family orchard, Lily Morgan was found dead in the dark woods, shaking the bedrock of their tight-knit community and branding August a murderer. When he returns to bury his mother’s ashes, he must confront the people who turned their backs on him and face the one wound from his past that has never healed—Emery.

The town has more than one reason to want August gone, and the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises spanning generations threaten to reveal the truth behind Lily’s mysterious death once and for all. 

I’ve read Young’s young adult Fable series, and those books were among my favorite reads that year. I was excited to see if her adult novel would captivate me just as much. Spoiler alert – it absolutely did.

What a perfect atmospheric setting for a mystery. An island with residents that include families who’ve lived there for generations, a tight knit community where everyone knows your business (sometimes before you do), magic, and secrets upon secrets. Tourists are reluctantly greeted during the season for financial reasons, but islanders are glad to see them go when it’s over. Outsiders aren’t welcome on a permanent basis. When August Salt is blamed for the murder of a teenage girl who was his friend, he and his mother pack up and leave in the middle of the night. Their family roots may extend back for generations, but they’re now considered outsiders.

August’s disappearance devastated Emery, his childhood friend and longtime girlfriend. When he returns to the island fourteen years later to scatter his mother’s ashes and sell their house, she’s unsure of how to handle things – she’s never gotten over him. The residents immediately make it clear August isn’t welcome, and he’s expected to leave the second his business is wrapped up. During his week on the island, a tidal wave of long buried secrets come to light. Long a proponent of his innocence, Embry soon questions her loyalty. Did he really murder Lily? If he didn’t, who did? And why? This mystery enthralled me, and I formed several different theories, all of which were shot down as I turned the pages.

August and Emery are well-crafted protagonists, and the supporting cast are just as strong. The dual POVs (for most of the book) between the two of them keep the pace moving, while a few chapters from some of the residents sprinkle clues here and there about what happened that night.

Plenty of twists, spells and potions, and a little romance make this magical realism mystery a thrilling read. I’m now a confirmed fan of Young’s YA and adult titles.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#BadMoonRising The Doors of Chamberlain by Steve L. Clark #horror #thriller

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising48 Comments

It’s another BMR debut today! No haunted dolls for him, either – apparently there are a lot of homeless haunted dolls out there. But this author had a hair-raising experience with another haunted item. Welcome Steve L. Clark!

Do you believe in any ‘mythical’ monsters like chupacabras or shadow people?

I split the line on this one depending on which monsters are in question. As much as I’d like to believe in Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, I think they are both unlikely. That said, I believe the oceans are home to ‘monsters’ beyond what we imagine. I also absolutely believe in aliens and life on other planets. The truth is out there!

If you were stuck as the protagonist in any horror movie, which would you choose?

This is an easy one. Dawn of the Dead. George Romero’s 1978 classic is my favorite movie of all time. I got into horror at a young age, and I was completely enthralled by the fight for survival against zombie hordes in a shopping mall.

Would you buy a doll that you knew was haunted?

Absolutely not. I do believe in ghosts and hauntings, and I had a personal experience with a haunted item. My father built several grandfather clocks for the family when I was young. One of those clocks went to my aunt. After she passed away, I was given that clock to keep in the family, as well as having something built my dad, who unfortunately had also passed away. My aunt was never particularly fond of me, and within days of having her clock in my house, both my wife and I noticed odd occurrences. There was a strange energy in the house that we had never experienced. Then, my wife saw a shadow walk through the kitchen from our bedroom. I connected the dots and moved the clock out to the garage. I told my mom what happened, and she agreed to trade me that clock for another one she had at her house. The incidents stopped immediately once the clock was gone. I believe my aunt did not want me to have it, and I obliged. So, yeah, I’ll pass on haunted items.

What books did you grow up reading?

I’ve always loved to read. I was in 4th grade when Goosebumps first came out, and I ordered them from the Scholastic book fair order forms we got each month at school. I devoured those, getting each new book as soon as it came out. As I got older, I moved on from Goosebumps to Fear Street, and then read my first Stephen King novel in my early teens. The rest of my teenage years were spent mostly on what I considered the big three, Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Dean Koontz. I didn’t discover the independent horror scene until much later, so I still have a lot of catching up to do.

What is your kryptonite as a writer?

Consistency. I rarely have issues with writer’s block. When I sit down to write, things flow at a good rate. My problem has always been and continues to be maintaining any kind of routine. I do not do a good job of making time to write. I’m getting better, but I’m still not where I would like to be. It’s a work in progress. Always, looking to improve.

What are you working on now?

I am currently working on my next novel/novella. It is a supernatural horror story set in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. I am on track for a December 2022 release.

When Janie’s boyfriend Mark goes missing while filming a ghost hunting documentary, she spirals into a deep depression. Three months pass with no leads or answers.

With all hope fading and facing the reality of a future without him, Janie receives a package in the mail with no return address. It contains a flash drive and a simple note…

Mark is not dead. I need your help. Watch the videos.

The truth is more sinister than she imagined. She shares the videos with Mark’s sister Leslie, and together they are pulled into a mystery that changes everything.

Sometimes the missing should not be found.

Purchase Links

The Doors of Chamberlain: Clark, Steve L: 9798528507927: Amazon.com: Books

The Collapse of Ordinary: Clark, Steve L: 9798529126295: Amazon.com: Books

Author Bio and Social Media

Steve L Clark is an author of horror and dark fiction from Southwest Ohio where he lives with his beautiful wife and three wonderful children. He is the author of the cosmic horror novella The Doors of Chamberlain, the short story collection The Collapse of Ordinary, and a contributing author to the anthology Dark Words: Stories of Urban Legends and Folk Lore edited by Matt Wildasin, all of which are available on Amazon.

Twitter @stevelc8349