Ronald Malfi's Come With Me - Review

The first time I read a Malfi book was 2015. Six years later, I can safely say that he has become one of my favorite authors. Horror has always been one of my favorite genres, but in the past so many years, it has moved to the forefront of my favorites. That's largely due to authors like Malfi. They know what scares us and they leave us wanting more. 

I never go into a plot rehash (I HATE spoilers), so let me just say there's a sudden death, some buried secrets, ghostly happenings, and a serial killer. Not only do we get scares from this book, we get a good old-fashioned mystery to boot. That's part of the thrill here. Trying to figure it out as we follow Aaron on his journey through the evidence, and to the past. As always, there's creepiness. It wouldn't be Malfi without it. I can only describe it as the willies. Every one of his books has affected me in such a way...in a good way. Anyone who loves horror will get it.

Honestly, I can't wait for his next one. I'm also working on reading his backlist (just a few to go), and planning a reread (listen) of Bone White, which is my favorite. Seriously, people. If you have not read his books, you are doing yourself a disservice. 

About the book

A masterful, heart-palpitating novel of small-town horror and psychological dread from a Bram Stoker nominee.

Aaron Decker's life changes one December morning when his wife Allison is killed. Haunted by her absence--and her ghost--Aaron goes through her belongings, where he finds a receipt for a motel room in another part of the country. Piloted by grief and an increasing sense of curiosity, Aaron embarks on a journey to discover what Allison had been doing in the weeks prior to her death.

Yet Aaron is unprepared to discover the dark secrets Allison kept, the death and horror that make up the tapestry of her hidden life. And with each dark secret revealed, Aaron becomes more and more consumed by his obsession to learn the terrifying truth about the woman who had been his wife, even if it puts his own life at risk.

You will find Ronald Malfi on Goodreads and check out his website here. 

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Glenn Rolfe's August's Eyes - Review

Childhood trauma is one of the worst things a person could ever experience. So, what if that trauma started manifesting in adulthood, in your nightmares? 

First, I just want to warn. This book contains sensitive subject matter so be warned. Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to brass tacks. Rolfe knows horror. 

This isn't my first foray into a Rolfe book. Blood and Rain and Chasing Ghosts were standouts for me. This book joins them. Yes, it is a coming of age tale, but it's much more than that. Beyond the horrific moments, there is a story here of human nature and relationships. It gets to the heart of what's at stake when horror enters a life. 

I never go into much detail about the story because I really hate spoilers. I'm sure others do as well so you're welcome. I just have to say that this was a book I did not want to put down. For every parent who has ever feared that lurking stranger, the exact one we warn our children about, this book will chill you to the bone. Be warned. 

I have more of Rolfe's backlist which I plan to read, but if he keeps writing books like this, it's going to be difficult to find the time to get back to them. 

About the book

When dreams start bleeding into reality, a social worker is forced to face the mistakes of his past.

A serial killer has found a way to make his land of graveyards a sinister playground to be bent at his sadistic will.

The secrets behind August's eyes will bring two worlds together, and end in a cataclysm of pain and ruin.

Releases on August 17, 2021

About the author

Glenn Rolfe is an author/singer/songwriter from the haunted woods of New England. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University, and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the novels of Stephen King, Ronald Malfi, Jack Ketchum, and many others. He and his wife, Meghan, have three children, Ruby, Ramona, and Axl. He is grateful to be loved despite his weirdness.

He is a Splatterpunk Award nominee and the author of The Window, Becoming, Blood and Rain, The Haunted Halls, Chasing Ghosts, Abram's Bridge, Things We Fear, Boom Town, and the collections, Slush. and Land of Bones.

He is hard at work on many more. Stay tuned!

Thank you to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for the opportunity to read this book.

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Release Day - Clare at Sixteen by Don Roff

Clare at Sixteen s a thrilling read for fans of Bret Easton Ellis’ Patrick Bateman (American Psycho), Jeff Linsday’s Dexter Morgan (Dexter series), and Jim Thompson’s Lou Ford (The Killer Inside Me). Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale) is set to play Clare in an adaptation directed by Anna Margarita Albelo.

The small town of Pickman Flats offers a bright sunny place filled with quaint shopping and wine tasting. 

But underneath the town's inviting exterior lies a dark underbelly, a sinister element that lurks in the shadows.

Clare is a devoted vegan who goes to Catholic high school, is fastidious in her manner, and also, well, a killer. The Other Clare takes over at the most inopportune of times. She tries to keep her inner beast at bay, but it's hard when there are so many creeps around who help to unleash it.

What secret lies hidden beneath Pickman Flats? And who is Clare really?

If you want answers, well…there’s only one way to find out—even if it kills you.

Slay Responsibly,
XOXO Clare

Cover Reveal - Usher House Rising by Don Roff

The first of a brand new trilogy and a modern retelling of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher." This trilogy will entice fans of American Horror Story, Bates Motel, and American Psycho.

Life after her high school graduation sucks for Mads Bland—her foster mother has died, her boyfriend has broken up with her, she can't afford community college, and it seems that she'll work in a grocery store forever.

When a mysterious invitation to Usher House arrives at her door, however, everything changes. Mads soon learns that her real name is Madeline Usher and that she has inherited the crumbling mansion in a remote part of Georgia. What's more, she discovers that she has a twin brother, the quick-witted and devil-may-care Roderick Usher. At first, things seem excellent—Mads meets a beautiful guy, Liam Delaney, who operates his father's farm down the road, she has inherited the remainder of the Usher fortune, and she now has a sprawling home, a place of her own.

However, Mads finds out that she's a pawn in a deadly game—her narcissistic brother is jealous of her romantic relationship with Liam, so he gaslights and imprisons his new-found sister within the haunted confines of the manor. Mads must battle against the inherited insanity that every Usher family member has succumbed to and embrace her hidden strengths that she didn't know she had to survive the madness of Usher House. (Goodreads)

About the author

Don Roff is no stranger to scary and suspenseful fiction. Over the past 12 years, his terrifying yarns have been published under the Scholastic banner with titles like Scary Stories, Werewolf Tales, Dragon Adventures, and Terrifying Tales. In adult fiction, he has written two bestselling works—Zombies: A Record of the Year of Infection, published by Chronicle Books/Simon & Schuster UK, as well as the supernatural thriller, Snowblind, published by Brambleberry Books. Snowblind a chilling story about four Army Rangers snowbound in a haunted lodge, is currently in development as a major motion picture starring Karl Urban (Thor: Ragnarok, Star Trek), Ashley Greene (Twilight), and Forrest Goodluck (The Revenant). In addition, his darkly humorous YA novel, CLARE AT 16, will be published in 2019, as well as a major film. His suspense radio series Darkside Drive, on CJSW 90.9 FM radio (now available on iTunes), has completed its second season. He also writes a popular monthly "Monster in the House" screenwriting blog for the Save the Cat website based on Blake Snyder's ubiquitous, blockbuster book. A former US Army Ranger, Don resides in the Pacific Northwest. (Website)