Castle Lake
Thomas A. Ryerson
Grey Swan Press, Jun 2008, $16.95
ISBN: 9780980037708

On Oct 13, 1821 near Castle Lake, James Murdoch goes duck hunting when a thick fog reduces visibility to near zero. His first shot hits a duck, but his second bullet goes wild and he thinks he may have hit a person. William Fick’s daughter Lorrie Anne and her beau enjoy a pre-birthday celebration on the lake when a bullet goes through her knocking her unconscious.

Sixteen days later she dies on her sixteenth birthday; her mother is in raging pain and strips before walking into the lake and drowning. Determined to get even, William visits the local witch doctor to sell his soul to the devil. The first female Murdoch to reach her sixteenth birthday will die. Sixty one years later Alicia Murdoch is about to turn sweet sixteen when William’s spirit returns from the grave to possess a human host for Alice must die.

CASTLE LAKE is a good old fashion ghost story that will remind readers of Stephen King’s early works. Thomas A. Ryerson writes a stirring story of revenge at any cost even one’s soul with the only acceptable reparation being the life of an innocent female to pay for the life of his innocent females. The characters are developed enough to matter while the gothic atmosphere enhances the effect of a creepy feeling that bad things are going to happen to a good person.

Harriet Klausner

The Dark Ones
Anthony Izzo
Pinnacle, Jun 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780786018765

An abandoned brewery in Buffalo is planned for demolition, but Charles Pennington goes to extraordinary lenghts to prevent that from happening. Charles is a Guardian battling the forces of darkness with his ability to shine light on those who can only live in the dark. Sixteen years ago Charles defeated Satan’s demon Engle and buried him in the brewery with the Everlight that keeps this evil from rising.

However, the machine operators dig up Engle separating him from the Everlight. Sara, who just learned that her mother Laura Pennington, Charles’ granddaughter, is alive is heading to Buffalo while the father of her heart follows her because he loves her; he fears Engel being on the loose will come after her. She is the most powerful Guardian walking the earth today and knows she is the only one who can stop Engel if she can recover the Everlight. Failure means hell on earth.

Initially no one believes demons exist except for the Guardians, but hideous clues pile up that prove the DARK ONES walk the earth continuing an eternal war as Engel sends his evil horde out to spread death. The story line is creepy yet an excitng horror thriller filled with plenty of gory action scenes that are critical to the characterization of how malevolent the Dark Ones are. Told from the viewpoint of multiple characters, the audience feels for those brave souls risking more than just their lives knowing some will die battling the Dark Ones.

Harriet Klausner

Coffin County
Gary A. Braunbeck
Leisure, May 2008, $7.99
ISBN 9780843960501

Cedar Hill, Ohio has seen more than its share of violence over the two centuries since its foundation. In fact the small town was built on the blood of mass murders. Several decades ago, a mob lynched a man. Recently, the casket factory exploded before burning down the surrounding neighborhood.

Violence is the periodic norm. The townsfolk believe the ancient tree contains demons locked away for eternity as long as no one slices a limb. When murder arrives, everyone knows the tree is not containing a demon. When murders begin that puts Cedar Hill on the national news beyond being known as the Coffin County, the police investigate. The Reverend who runs the Cedar Hill Open Shelter will tell you more than you want to know; he is even writing the events down. The police detectives are not as forthcoming with the truth as the clues of the homicides lead back to an abandoned cemetery besides which everyone especially Sheriff Jackson is watching Ben Littlejohn whose wife and son were killed.

With two Cedar Hill short stories on top of the full length novels, fans of small-town horror thrillers will appreciate the aptly named COFFIN COUNTY. The prime tale takes its time as Gary A. Braunbeck establishes the atmosphere with a unique strangely different style, a personalized account by people like the Reverend and Ben reacting to the serial murders that seem impossible to have occurred by a mortal. Fans must peruse deep into the novel before beginning to understand the cause, but most readers will enjoy the slow simmer leading to learning what is going on in Cedar Hill while wondering whether a grieving Ben will only watch from the sidelines.

Harriet Klausner

Pilate: A Brutal Bible Tale
Steven Rage
Outskirts Press, Apr 2008, $12.95
ISBN: 9781432717971

The Harbor is a crime filled, drug infested place. In that environs Pilate is a notorious drug dealer working for mob kingpin Herod. Over the past few months Pilate has failed to meet his assigned quota so his superior fires him and replaces him with an even more ruthless soul. He also has Mary Magdalene murdered. Pilate brings Mary to Immanuel, whose disciples insist she is the Christ. She raises Mary from the dead and kisses Pilate resulting in his remembering his past lives.

Except for his first life, Pilate was a vampire performing evil deeds during the Inquisition; during the California Gold Rush and he feasted while the plague devastated London. He kept on making the same errors and Immanuel knows her time has arrived to fulfill her mission on earth. Will Pilate betray her as he has done when she was Jesus or will he finally learn the eternal lessons?

This is not an inspirational work nor is it blasphemous (at least in my liberal mind). The story line uses biblical villains and places them reincarnated in the present where they repeat their evil deeds as they have done often in the past, but documented two millennia ago. Immanuel and the disciples with the exception of Judas, who finally remembers his first betrayal, are treated with respect and honor in this unique religious horror thriller. Steven Rage has written an enthralling tale that brings back the time Jesus walked Israel to his walking the present United States.

Harriet Klausner

The Year of Disappearances
Susan Hubbard
Simon & Schuster, May 2008, $22.95
ISBN: 9781416552710

Teenage Ariella “Ari” Montero is a half-breed vampire, who lives with her vampiric mother in Homosassa Springs, Florida which many vampires call home as they have their own shops, restaurants and other hangouts catering to the their needs. Ari is lonely as she has no friends so is elated to meet Autumn and Mysty. However, a van pulls up near where the three girls are walking together; Ari senses evil from the driver whose eyes contain no pupils. When Mysty disappears, the police and the XBC suspect Ari as the last known person to have been with her.

To escape from the suspicious townsfolk, Ari goes to Hillhouse College in southern Georgia. A bored Autumn comes to visit her. When Ari and her classmates go on a field trip; Autumn sneaks away to tour the campus. Ari and her classmates see a body in the swamp that turns out to be Autumn. She tells a powerful vampire leader that humans are taking pills that turn them into zombies like what happened to Mysty. Something must be done before vampire become the supreme species.

Even vampires are divided as to how they should relate to humans as some extremists believe mankind is cattle to their superior species using ruthless means to obtain easy sustenance. Politics and remorse are two lessons Ari receives at school, but she like her parents (her dad is a scientist) believes that peaceful co-existence between the species is possible and necessary. Although the heroine seems much more experienced than a young teen, vampire lovers will enjoy this cutting sequel to THE SOCIETY OF S.

Harriet Klausner

The Wolfman
Nicholas Pekearo
Tor, May 2008, $23.95
ISBN 9780765320261

Discharged by the Army after serving as a grunt in Nam, Marlowe Higgins lives in Evelyn near the Ivy River just a spider’s web outside of Tennessee. He earns a poor man’s living making hamburgers at Frank’s greasy spoon make that restaurant as he needs the below poverty level position. Once a month Marloew feels schizoid because he relishes yet fears the full moon when he, like his antecedents before him, turns into a werewolf. He also investigates malicious crimes as a form of sublimation to abate his guilt over killing innocent people during his blood disorder frenzy although Marlowe tries to target killers when he turns wolf albeit not always successfully.

A particularly vicious serial killer has begin horrifically murdering people; the media calls this psychopath the Rose Killer for potting flowers in eye sockets of victims. Higgins begins investigating this predator with plans to rip his throat out when he finally hunts him down.

This engaging paranormal serial killer thriller is an entertaining tale that werewolf fans and investigative vigilante readers will appreciate as the hero seems genuine especially when he agonizes over killing an innocent. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action, but it is Higgins who makes the horror crime thriller work as fans will empathize with his plight while wondering whether we sympathize with the devil. Sadly, Mr. Nicholas Pekearo was killed in 2007 while on duty as a NYPD auxiliary police officer.

Harriet Klausner

Avenging Fury
John Farris
Forge, May 2008, $25.95
ISBN 9780312877323

Although mortals see her as a freak even when she saves their lives and has the FBI psychopath assassins after her, Eden Waring proves time after time she is a caring Avatar; she uses her mental skills to keep people safe. Her recent efforts brought her into war against Mordaunt the evil one from another plane, who thought he could manipulate the twenty-something female as his pawn to bring chaos to this realm. He thought wrong as Eden defeated him and incarcerated his physical form inside molten glass (see THE FURY AND THE POWER).

However, Eden makes one key mistake caused by her inexperience as an avatar fighting non-human malevolencies. Part of Mordaunt’s soul escaped the imprisonment just prior to the glass melting. Thus his female persona Delilah is not just out there; she goes to 1926 Georgia waiting to possess Eden’s doppelganger Gwen when the latter arrives. Near Vegas just after the Mordant meltdown, in Eden’s present, Delilah inside Gwen confronts the kindhearted Avatar with both using Dark Energy that will change the Universe.

The final “Fury” tale may have taken three decades to arrive, but fans will fully appreciate this strong horror suspense thriller as the climatic good vs. evil showdown occurs. The story line is hyper fast-paced from the onset and never takes a breather even when Gwen goes back in time as John Farris accelerates the velocity of his plot. Fans of the saga will appreciate the invigorating finish to an exhilarating epic quartet.

Harriet Klausner

The Hollow
Nora Roberts
Jove, May 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780515144598

Twenty-one years ago three boys (Caleb, Fox and Gage) camped at the Pagan Stone, a place of great power in the woods of Hawkins Hollow, Illinois. They shared a blood rite that made them blood brothers, but when that serum hit the ground a black evil mass appeared followed by a blinding light that sent the demon back to its dimension. Three centuries ago, the guardian Trent after hundreds of years of battle with the demon Lazarus took an unprecedented step to stop the malevolent one.

In the present, the three blood brothers descendents of Trent have faced the demon who has influence over the townsfolk especially on the seventh day of the seventh month every seven years. Now they have three female allies (Layla, Cybil and Quinn) who are descended from the demon’s rape of Hestern three centuries ago. They must fight as one the evil; this time hoping to dispatch him to hell forever. While the sextet research what to do, Layla and Fox are attracted to one another; feelings that frighten both of them especially her as she fears she will lose her beloved in the next battle.

The demonic powers are stronger than they were in the first Sign of the Seven tale (see BLOOD BROTHERS) as he is able to influence many more people; however, his opponents have also grown. Though it has the Hollow feel of the middle book of an urban romantic fantasy trilogy, Nora Roberts affirms her talent as she has written an exciting and entertaining thriller starring the magnificent six who will earn reader admiration and respect for their courage. Well written, fans of Ms. Roberts will look forward to the final war THE PAGAN STONE.

Harriet Klausner

The Vampire Betrayal
Raven Hart
Ballantine, May 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780345498571

Connie Jones with the help of voodoo priest Melaphia went to the Underworld to see her daughter to insure her offspring is happy and to enact revenge on her former husband who killed their child before committing suicide. Vampire Jack follows her, but because he is damned he cannot go to her; he is permitted by Heaven to see her accept her destiny as a Slayer and receive a sword. When she finds the twin blade on earth, her transformation will be complete.

Jack’s sire William has returned from Europe with Melaphia’s daughter who was kidnapped by his wife Diane and his lover Eleanor who wanted her for her magical blood. Melaphia is waiting for Jack to get out of the Underworld, but she wants Connie to remain behind; if Connie comes topside she will kill the vampires she calls friends as she transforms into a Slayer. Jack gets out and brings Connie with him. After brainstorming with the group of vampires in the New World re this conundrum, they agree that Jack will have to kill Connie, the woman he loves before she eradicates him and his family.

Raven Hart writes horror thrillers with plenty of heart so that her audience will feel the issue facing the New World vampires who are pacifists differing from their human blood thirsty sires who want to rule the planet as befitting in their mind the top rung of the food chain. The children who escaped them want to live happy lives and are willing to deal with their creators to achieve their goal. William does his best to be a benevolent dictator but something ugly is coming to force him into making difficult choices as the undead lifestyle is about to be jeopardized with this new fanatical Slayer who was once a friend.

Harriet Klausner

Fires Rising
Michael Laimo
Leisure, Mar 2008, $7.99,
ISBN 9780843960648

Father Pilazzo oversees the renovation of the once abandoned church. He dreams of the flock returning and the ancient church regaining the respect it once had. As the workers tear up the floor, they find a pit underneath; inside this man-made excavation is a long forgotten buried wooden crate. The workers excited by their find open the box.

None knew what they have unleashed on humanity. The demon interred is free causing havoc as it leaves a trail of death with every person the monster touches. Father Pilazzo blames himself for liberating the demonic killer as his sin of pride led to his ignoring his nightmares that warned him to stop the repairs. He knows he must end the abomination even if it means he spends eternity in hell for releasing this evil on the innocent.

Although the releasing of an incarcerated buried demon has been done many times in movies and books, Michael Laimo provides an entertaining horror thriller. The demon never rests once liberated while Father Pilazzo is filled with guilt that he knows he will take to the afterlife with him, but also feels accountable as he plans to take the evil one with him even if it means being stuck in hell with this malevolence for eternity. Readers will enjoy this good and evil confrontation as the innocent become casualties.

Harriet Klausner