The first thing I have to say is that I don't think the brief synopsis on the back cover does this book justice. Because of it, I will admit to being a bit confused when I first started reading. I was not sure what was going on with Charlie, and I didn't like him much. I didn't know if he was haunted by real spirits or whether he was insane. I didn't know whether he was at home, or in jail or in a mental institution. I knew he was an alcoholic but not whether he was hallucinating.
It took me a couple of chapters to understand that this is sort of a coming of age tale in reverse. But not the happy kind. Charlie is suffering from PTSD and schizophrenia. He is a shell of a man. He is not the man he would have been, had he not suffered unspeakable events in his past. Gradually we work our way backwards from middle aged Charlie to young man, to teenaged years and boyhood, in what was one of the most original and unique story lines I have ever read. This is not a typical horror, but it is horrifying, shocking, and deeply disturbing. It was also heartbreaking, as the closer we get to Charlie's childhood, the more endearing he becomes and the more I wanted him to be ok. Since the book started with middle aged Charlie I knew there was to be no happy ending for him.
I am not sure when this book is being published but I will be rating it 5 stars everywhere.
I received an advance copy for review.
About the author
Matthew Cash, or Matty-Bob Cash as he is known to most, was born and raised in Suffolk; which is the setting for his debut novel Pinprick. He is compiler and editor of Death By Chocolate, a chocoholic horror Anthology and the 12Days: STOCKING FILLERS Anthology. In 2016 he launched his own publishing house Burdizzo Books and took shit-hot editor and author Em Dehaney on board to keep him in shape and together they brought into existence SPARKS: an electrical horror anthology, The Reverend Burdizzo’s Hymn Book, Under The Weather* Visions From the Void ** and The Burdizzo Mix Tape Vol. 1.
He has numerous solo releases on Kindle and several collections in paperback.
Originally with Burdizzo Books, the intention was to compile charity anthologies a few times a year but his creation has grown into something so much more powerful *insert mad laughter here*. He is currently working on numerous projects, his third novel FUR was launched in 2018.
*With Back Road Books
** With Jonathan Butcher
He has always written stories since he first learnt to write and most, although not all, tend to slip into the many layered murky depths of the Horror genre.
His influences ranged from when he first started reading to Present day are, to name but a small select few; Roald Dahl, James Herbert, Clive Barker, Stephen King, Stephen Laws, and more recently he enjoys Adam Nevill, F.R Tallis, Michael Bray, Gary Fry, William Meikle and Iain Rob Wright (who featured Matty-Bob in his famous A-Z of Horror title M is For Matty-Bob, plus Matthew wrote his own version of events which was included as a bonus).
He is a father of two, a husband of one and a zoo keeper of numerous fur babies.
You can find him here:
www.facebook.com/pinprickbymatthewcash
https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B010MQTWKK
Www.burdizzobooks.com
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