KNOCK AND YOU WILL SEE ME by Andrew Cull

Knock and You Will See Me by Andrew Cull

Published in Dec. 2017 as an ebook.

(from the book description)
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“We buried Dad in the winter. It wasn’t until the spring that we heard from him again.”

Knock and You Will See Me is a new ghost story by award winning writer-director Andrew Cull.

When grieving Ellie Ray finds a crumpled, handwritten note from her recently deceased father, hidden behind the couch, she assumes that her middle boy, Max, left it there. It has a single word written on it: WHY. But, as more and more letters begin to appear throughout the house, Ellie and her three boys will find themselves dragged into a deeply sinister mystery surrounding her father’s death.

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I have always loved a good Ghost Story. From Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box, to probably one of the best stories ever, Ghost Story from Peter Straub. 

What Andrew Cull has given us is a moody slow-burning gem about ghosts and a dark underlying evil.

 Knock and You Can Hear Me is a 77 page novella. 77 pages does not seem like enough space to craft a truly scary ghost story, but Andrew has done just that. The story moves along slowly at first, giving us background and moving forward with Ellie as she deals with the death of her father. The tale unfolds at a pace that helps build the feelings of a growing saddness and dread. As the story progresses the pace starts to quicken as more and more strange happenings effect the the family. By the final pages everything comes together in a encounter that you will not see coming. 

This is a very well crafted little story that will keep you engaged till the end. The scares may come slowly at first for some, but you will not be disappointed when you turn the last page. 

Andrew Cull is an accomplisshed writer and Director. His other books include Hope and Walker, Did You Forget About Me? and The Trade. He also wrote for the TV series Urban Gothic and wrote and directed the film The Possession of David O'Reilly. 

Knock and You Can See Me can be purchased HERE. 

You can learn more about Andrew Cull on FACEBOOK and at his WEBSITE. 

                                                                                                                       Jim Coniglio 

                                                                                                                       2-23-2018

THE WICKED ONES by J.Z. Foster

THE WICKED ONES  by J.Z. Foster

Publish date February 13th 2018

(From the book description)

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You know, the best thing about nightmares is that they're not real. It's all just in your head, and as soon as you wake up, pop!

It's all gone. You're safe.

It's not like they could crawl out, creeping from your mind with long, slender fingers and milky yellow eyes sunken into heads with pointed horns bursting out.

That'd just be insane.

Daniel Tanner's life is insane. A mysterious disease came to claim his son, seemingly pulling him into the grave with cold fingers named misery and hopelessness.
Now a stranger has come calling with an even stranger tale of monsters--horrible things that take children in the middle of the night and leave their own, things that crawled out of the fairy tales our barbarous ancestors used to tell, things that they tried to warn us about.

We didn't listen.

Because monsters aren't real, are they? There's no reason to fear the dark, no reason at all to believe the old tales about creatures with a taste for human meat.

That would be insane... wouldn't it?

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 J.Z. Foster is a fairly new author. His first book, WITCH HUNTER was released just last month on January 9th. This book, THE WICKED ONES releases on February 13th, and his next book MIND WRECK has a release date of March 13th. That's 3 books released in 3 months. These are not novellas, but full length novels. Not many authors can pull that off. 

THE WICKED ONES does not suffer from the dreaded sophomore slump. This is a deep story that deals with love, loss and oh, so much horror. 

The main character Daniel could be the normal everyman, thrust into extraordinary situations after the sudden death of his son and the strange new world that the chain of events bring him into.

J.Z. Foster knows how to build characters. Every person is fleshed out and belongs to the story. Just enough back story is given, without being overwhelming. You become vested in these characters and what they are going through.

The tension builds from page one. This is one of those stories that does not let you put it down. I would find myself at the end of a chapter, saying to myself, it's time to stop, but then I would keep  reading. I would get that gut-punch from a horrific event and just keep reading. Basically 370 pages in 2 days. And when I reached that last page, the ending was satisfying, I didn't feel cheated. But I wanted more. I just didn't want the story to end. 

There is so much I would love to discuss about THE WICKED ONES, but then there is the chance of spoiling the story for someone else. This is a fast-paced, visceral novel that shows us the power of a fathers love and the horrors that exist just outside corners of our vision.

 J.Z. Foster writes like a mixture of Brian Keene and Raymond E. Feist. With this just being his second book, I see the author becoming a mainstay in the world of Horror.

You can order THE WICKED ONES on AMAZON. 

And you can order his first novel WITCH HUNTER HERE.

For more about J.Z. FOSTER you can visit his website HERE.

                                                                                        Jim Coniglio

                                                                                     2-12-2018

THE RITUAL 02/09/2018 Netflix Premier

Four friends with a long-standing -- but strained -- connection take a hiking trip into the Swedish wilderness, from which they may never return.

Spoiler Free for those who have not had a chance to watch it yet.

I have always been leery when a movie comes out that is based on a book that I really enjoyed. Yes sometimes they are surprisingly well done, and other times you just sit there scratching your head and saying to yourself, "how could they have messed it up that bad". (Yes I'm talking about you Dark Tower)

 Luckily this movie has been done right

Based on the 2011 novel by Adam Nevill. The screenplay was written by Joe Barton (iBoy/Humans tv series) and Directed by David Bruckner (The Signal/VHS/Southbound).

 

Bruckner has delivered a strikingly visual movie that captures all the tension of the original book. Yes some ideas have been streamlined to fit into a movie setting, but the important stuff is here. The forest settings are beautiful, even in the dark. It gives that feeling of being in such a huge place, yet still giving the feeling of claustrophobic closeness amongst the trees. Though character setup is not as complete as in the text, we still learn enough about the character to connect, especially the main character Luke played by Rafe Spall.

 

The true main character of this movie though is the forest itself. Bruckner uses the surrounding brilliantly. This forest is alive, in more ways than you think. I found myself trying to study every tree when there would be a long shot on screen. You could never know what was just around the bend. Our characters enter this setting freely and soon learn the error of their ways. The pacing is perfect. You are kept on the edge of your seat waiting for something else to happen. There is a slight change in the final act of the film, as we are finally treated to a little more back story and the emergence of the creature that has chased the men from the beginning. The special effects are handled well. The use of practical effects paired with CGI make the creature feel real and at place in the forest.

Since the movie came out last year. (more on that later). There have been many comparisons made between it and The Blair Witch Project. Yes we can see some bits and pieces here and there in the movie. The use of symbols and the "stickmen" have been done before, but this is a far superior movie. The tension is higher, the story is more fleshed out and the characters you actually care about.

The Ritual is listed as a NETFLIX Film. The film was first released at Toronto International Film Festival in Sept. 2017 and saw some limited release overseas in October. NETFLIX picked u the US distribution rites for its release here. 

 

There is so much that can be talked about after watching this movie, but to say more could spoil the viewing experience for those who have not watched it yet. So let me know what you think after your viewing.

This is one you do not want to miss. Fans of the book will not be disappointed.

 

 

OLD ORDER by Jonathan Janz

OLD ORDER by Jonathan Janz

Originally published in 2010 by Untreed Reads Publishing

 

Reissued 2018 with new afterward by author

 

(From the book description)

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Horace Yoder thinks he's got the perfect scam. All he has to do is pretend to have been kicked out of an Amish order, get a job on a local farm and when the family is asleep steal their valuables and resell them for a tidy profit. Unfortunately for Horace, the family has other ideas...and their plans are MUCH more sinister.

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I first read this story about 5 years ago. A friend of mine had read it and then called me saying..(in these exact words.."Dude, ya gotta read this short story. It's like a gruesome Amish nightmare".) If I remember correctly the original ebook cover had a old barn on it. I just happen to live in Amish country. The local store has racks of what is referred to as Amish Romance titles. If this book had been on the rack with it's title and a barn cover, it would have been purchased by some poor unsuspecting little old lady looking for her strange Amish love story fix.  And that would have been a total shock to the poor reader. 

This is as far from that as you can get. The main character Horace Yoder (a very common name around here) is a con man disguised as a shunned Amish man, in hopes of fleecing unsuspecting country folk of their valuables. But in the case of his latest target, he has bitten off more than he can chew.

Written at a breakneck pace, Janz keeps us moving along from encounter to encounter. You keep wondering what will happen next, and most of the time it's not what you suspect. Janz gives us a stunning story with as much sex, tension, scares and surprises as you could ask for. 

This reissued version has a new afterward by the author where he talks about the original publication of the novel and the problems that arose from the a fore mentioned Amish Love Story community.

If you are a fan on the late Jack Ketchum or of Edward Lee, this is a story you will want to read.

And to think this was one of Jonathan Janz first published works. 

I just need to add on a personal note. I have had the pleasure of meeting Jonathan Janz on several occasions. In my opinion he is one of the nicest guys in the writing business. He takes time to talk with his fans, and even those who were not. One year at Horrorhound he even spent about 30 minutes just talking with me about old houses and building a at home library.  Truly a class act.

OLD ORDER can be purchased for only 99 cents HERE

To learn more about Jonathan Janz and his works make sure to visit his website HERE and sign up for his newsletter. 

                                                                                                                      Jim Coniglio

                                                                                                                      02-05-2018

LOST AND LONELY by Brian James Freeman

LOST AND LONELY by Brian James Freeman

Interior art by Glenn Chadbourne

Releasing Spring 2018 

Published by Cemetery Dance Publications

(from the book description)

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This new collection by Brian James Freeman features characters who are haunted by horrors they think are out of their control, but perhaps the source of their greatest terrors is closer to home than they ever feared possible.

In “Losing Everything Defines You,” a bestselling author’s family mysteriously vanished three months ago, yet if they’re really missing, why is he hearing footsteps in the hallway outside his bedroom door every night?

Patty knows that everyone makes mistakes in life and when it comes to “Loving Roger,” she wants to fix the errors of her ways and make everything right again.

William Carver and his family fled the colonies to escape a monster stalking their community, but the western plains might not be the safe haven they had hoped for once they hear “How the Wind Lies.”

When Melissa was a little girl, her father told her that all children were like “Perfect Little Snowflakes,” each was different and unique in conception, but you never knew where they would land once they hit the ground.

And finally, a mother doesn’t remember when the coldness began to fester inside her and now she’s terrified for her baby as she suffers from “The Plague of Sadness.”

These five thought-provoking stories show why Stewart O’Nan has said Freeman’s writing has “great velocity and impact” and why Publishers Weekly has called his work “highly readable.”

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Lost and Lonely is a new collection of short stories written by Brian James Freeman. Most are reprints from previous releases with one new story (Perfect Little Snowflakes) added to round off the book. This is the first time they have been collected together.

If you have read any of Brian's work you will know that he has the uncanny ability to bring about a feeling of dread, like someone is just waiting around the corner and you are afraid to take that last step and look. These stories just cement Brian's place as a master of the art. 

A short story can be a small but complex animal. Sometimes the size leaves the reader wanting more or too much can be crammed into the few pages to make a story that ends too abruptly and the narrative can just be lost.

That does not occur here. The author has crafted stories, that in only a few pages, leave the reader frightened, uneasy, maybe saddened and most importantly, satisfied.

There could not be a better title for this collection. Each story will touch a cord with the reader. For what do we all fear the most but the loss of what we hold dear and the ever crushing feeling that loneliness brings into our lives.

If you are a fan of Brian James Freeman's past works or a first time reader, this is one release you will not want to pass up.

LOST AND LONELY can be pre-ordered from Cemetery Dance Publications.

To learn more about Brian James Freeman and his work, visit his website HERE.

                                                                                                                           Jim Coniglio

                                                                                                                           1/26/2018 

BROKEN SHELLS by Michael Patrick Hicks

BROKEN SHELLS by Michael Patrick Hicks

Releasing Feb. 6th 2018 

Published by High Fever Books

(from the back cover...)

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Antoine DeWitt is a man down on his luck. Broke and recently fired, he knows the winning Money Carlo ticket that has landed in his mailbox from a car dealership is nothing more than a scam. The promise of five thousand dollars, though, is too tantalizing to ignore.

Jon Dangle is a keeper of secrets, many of which are buried deep beneath his dealership. He works hard to keep them hidden, but occasionally sacrifices are required, sacrifices who are penniless, desperate, and who will not be missed. Sacrifices exactly like DeWitt.

When Antoine steps foot on Dangle's car lot, it is with the hope of easy money. Instead, he finds himself trapped in a deep, dark hole, buried alive. If he is going to survive the nightmare ahead of him, if he has any chance of seeing his wife and child again, Antoine will have to do more than merely hope. He will have to fight his way back to the surface, and pray that Jon Dangle's secrets do not kill him first.
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   Let me start off with a warning. If you are looking for a story with a few scares and an ending to make you feel all warm and fuzzy, this is not the book for you. In fact just set it down slowly and run away.  

Michael Patrick Hicks has managed, in only 120 pages, to craft a terrifying, steamroller of a story.

There is no stop in the action as you advance page to page. The author makes you immediately connect with the main character Antoine, who is down on his luck and just looking for a possible break. When Antoine is thrust into the dark, you are along for the ride, whether you like it or not.

And in the dark is where this story shines. Hicks makes you feel dread, like the walls are closing in as you read. And in the dark there are monsters. The author's take on an existing myth is a thing of dark horrifying beauty. I don't want to give away the creatures, but they will stay with you long after reading.

I can't wait to see if Michael Patrick Hicks will expand on this great new mythos that he has created.

{And I will never be able to look at those annoying Car Dealership mailing adds the same way again.}

BROKEN SHELLS will be released on Feb. 6th and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.

For more info on Michael Patrick Hicks and his works, visit his website HERE.

THE WICKED by James Newman

The Wicked by James Newman

Originally published in HC by Necessary Evil Press 2007

Original paperback published by Shock Totem 2012

Revised and Expanded Edition by Apex Books 2017

(from the back cover...)

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After a fire consumes the Heller Home for Children, the residents of Morganville, North Carolina, thought they knew evil...

They were wrong

Unaware of the turmoil in their new hometown, the Littles - David, Kate and seven-year-old Becca - are moving from New York City to Morganville in hopes of repairing their own lives, which were recently shattered by an act of sexual violence.

Before long, David realizes that his family's troubles are worse than he could ever have imagined.

An ancient demon lurks beneath the town of Morganville, an unholy creature conjured into existence by the Heller Home tragedy.

Its name is Moloch.

It is hungry for the souls of the townspeople.

But worst of all, Moloch wants the children. It will not rest until it has them.

All of them.

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That is some build up. The first thing that caught me as I read the description was the use of the name Moloch. He or shall we say it, has been a character/deity used in many a novel and movie. He even showed up in the Sleepy Hallow tv series. So another Moloch tale. Lets give it a try.

James Newman does not disappoint. This is as close to a classic 80s horror paperback as you can get. In fact he states in his afterward that he was shooting just for that feel. Being a fan of the 80s horror boom, this was a awesome change compared to some stories today. 

I do not want to give any spoilers, I want everyone to be surprised on this roller coaster ride of a narrative.  The characters are all well fleshed out, with just enough background for us to care about them, but not so much as to feel overburdened. The tension and feel of oncoming doom makes you turn page after page without wanting to stop. I often sit and tell myself that I will stop after I get to a slow spot and pick up later, well during the 2nd sitting with this book i couldn't stop. As I turned the last page, let out a silent "wow" and looked at the clock, which somehow had advanced to 3am. 

The wicked contains all the scares, blood and sex we could ask for and presents it in a way we don't see to often anymore. 

I received this copy from The Nocturnal Readers box and is stated as Revised and Expanded. It makes me want to search out a copy of the original and compare the differences. There are also some very cool illustrations scattered throughout and a bonus story at the end.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It is available on Amazon and other booksellers.

So get cozy, read it in a dark room with just your reading light on and try not to flinch at any strange noises in the night.