Born of hate, it preys on the miners, feeds off their superstitions. It gathers strength from the dead and drives the living insane. And it has survived for decades.
It's up to one man to put an end to the evil and lay the ghosts of Gannaway to rest, but can he allay his own fears and conquer his own demons long enough to get the job done?
Horror is and has always been my favorite genre, closely followed by historical fiction, particularly set in or around the Great Depression. Stuart R. West combines them both in Ghosts of Gannaway. Two great tastes that taste great together if you will.
Told on two timelines, this historical horror is set in a small mining town, where in the 1930s you could basically work in the mine or go hungry. Not that Gannaway paid well, greedy selfish man that he was. Tommy, the well respected boss of the mine wants safer working conditions for his crew, but there is more to fear than gas explosions or cave ins. There is the curse of the yellow eyed fever to contend with. Not all will believe in it but Tommy's wife Claire discovers the origin and hopes to put an end to it. The second timeline is in the late 60's when a scientist comes to test samples for pollution and contaminants. The mine is supposed to have been shut down by then, but something strange is still going on deep in the earth.
There are some genuine scares in this book, and I believe the dangers not only of mining but of attempting to start a union in those days was accurately portrayed. Another main attraction for me was the fierce love that Claire and Tommy share. Claire was portrayed as such a strong woman in a time when women's opinions did not count for much she was not afraid to speak up when she needed to.
I loved these characters so much.
The ending was beyond perfect, I wouldn't change a thing!
If you are looking for a great story, not just scares but horror with some heart and soul this is it.
5 out of 5 stars
My thanks to Grinning Skull Press.
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