A Time of Torment (A Charlie Parker Thriller) by John Connolly

Description

Dangerous and driven private investigator Charlie Parker returns in the latest gripping thriller of internationally bestselling author John Connolly’s series, in which ungodly fears haunt a strange and isolated community.

Jerome Burnel was once a hero. He intervened to prevent multiple killings, and in doing so destroyed himself. His life was torn apart. He was imprisoned, brutalized.

But in his final days, with the hunters circling, he tells his story to private detective Charlie Parker. He speaks of the girl who was marked for death, but was saved; of the ones who tormented him, and an entity that hides in a ruined stockade.

Parker is not like other men. He died, and was reborn. He is ready to wage war.

Now he will descend upon a strange, isolated community called the Cut, and face down a force of men who rule by terror, intimidation, and murder.

All in the name of the being they serve. All in the name of the Dead King.

 

 

I came into this series totally blind. I received an invitation from the publisher to read it, and the description sounded the type of book I enjoy. I am not sure my review can do it justice considering it is book # 14 in a series and I have not read the first 13. In a way the story stands on it's own. In book 14 Charlie Parker tracks down those who tormented Jerome Burnel, who has just been released from prison. This leads him to a group of seriously creepy people known as the Cut.

John Connelly is an incredible story teller. I loved the suspense and the supernatural aspects. I can just tell there are key points I may be missing out on that must have been addressed earlier in the series.

 I am sure fans of the series will enjoy it, and I plan to look into the earlier books 5 stars from me.

 

I received an advance copy for review

Mirror Image by Michael Scott and Melanie Ruth Rose

Description

"A mirror that feeds on human souls wreaks destruction on those around it in Mirror Image, the new novel from internationally bestselling author Michael Scott and Melanie Ruth Rose.
In an auction house in London, there is a mirror no one will buy. Standing seven feet tall and reaching four feet across, its size makes it unusual. Its horrific powers make it extraordinary. For centuries, the mirror has fed off of the lives of humans, giving them agonizing deaths and sucking their souls into its hellish world.
When Jonathan Frazer, the wealthy owner of a furniture and antiques shop in Los Angeles, buys the mirror at an auction, he believes he is getting the bargain of a lifetime. With its age and size, it is easily worth eight times what he paid for it. At this point, the mirror has sat dormant for years. But within days of Jonathan's purchase, the deaths begin again. One employee is crushed when the mirror falls on top of him. A few days later, the corpse of another is found in front of the mirror, brutally stabbed. A third is burned beyond all recognition. All the while, an enormous man with a scarred face is following Jonathan, demanding that he give him the mirror and killing any police officer that gets in his way.
The police are becoming desperate. As the death toll rises, Jonathan himself becomes a suspect. He knows there is something wrong with the mirror. He knows it's dangerous. But he cannot bring himself to get rid of it. Everyday he becomes more captivated by the mirror.
For the mirror is awakening, and its powers are resurfacing."

Mirrors have played a predominant role in horror movies, books, and nightmares. For as long as mirrors have existed, so have superstitions about them. From 7 years bad luck for breaking a mirror, to stealing your soul. From not reflecting vampires because they have no soul, to being a portal to otherworldly dimensions. I have always been fascinated by such stories and so I jumped at the chance to read Mirror Image. This is the story of an antique mirror and the ancient evil secrets it holds.
Johnathan Frazer, a family man, unhappy in his marriage, just knew he had to have this mirror as soon as he saw it. Perhaps the mirror also knew that it just had to have Johnathan! Oddly, he happens to be the only bidder on this mirror at auction and thinks he is getting a fantastic deal. He no sooner has it delivered when the gruesome and grisly deaths begin. Johnathan knows there is something evil about this mirror but as it begins to exert it's power over him his will to get rid of it grows ever weaker, and the danger to Johnathan and his family heightens as the mirror grows stronger. 5 out of 5 stars from me.

I received an advance copy for review

The Many by Nathan Field

Description

"Karl notices something odd about his sister the morning after a blind date. A coldness in her manner; nothing anyone else would notice. Suspicious, he confronts her about the date but she turns nasty, accusing him of taking a perverse interest in her sex life.

When he next sees her, months later, she seems back to normal, until a harmless comment provokes a sudden, violent response. As her mental state fluctuates, Karl seeks out the man she dated just before her personality began to change, convinced she is suppressing a painful memory from that night. But what he discovers is something far more sinister, and pervasive, than he'd ever imagined."

 

 

 

This was a fast paced, suspenseful story that straddled the line between psychological thriller, and horror. Fans of either genre should enjoy this book.

Karl is having difficulty finding work, and so is staying for the time being with his older sister Stacey. All is well between the siblings until Stacey goes out on a blind date with a man she met on the internet. At first the changes in her are just a bit odd, but that quickly escalates to outright inappropriate and then violent behavior.  Desperate to help his sister, Karl does everything in his power to find out what occurred on this date, and discovers that his sister is not the only one this has happened to. 4 out of 5 stars from me.

 

I received a complimentary copy for review

 

 

The Jersey Devil by Hunter Shea

Description

“Old school horror.” —Jonathan Maberry

THE LEGEND LIVES
Everyone knows the legend of the Jersey Devil. Some believe it is an abomination of nature, a hybrid winged beast from hell that stalks the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey searching for prey. Others believe it is a hoax, a campfire story designed to scare children. But one man knows the truth . . .

THE DEVIL AWAKES
Sixty years ago, Boompa Willet came face to face with the Devil—and lived to tell the tale. Now, the creature's stomping grounds are alive once again with strange sightings, disappearances, and worse. After all these years, Boompa must return to the Barrens, not to prove the legend is real but to wipe it off the face of the earth . . .

THE BEAST MUST DIE
It'll take more than just courage to defeat the Devil. It will take four generations of the Willet clan, a lifetime of survivalist training, and all the firepower they can carry. But timing is critical. A summer music festival has attracted crowds of teenagers. The woods are filled with tender young prey. But this time, the Devil is not alone. The evil has grown into an unholy horde of mutant monstrosities. And hell has come home to New Jersey . . .

Raves for The Montauk Monster

“A lot of splattery fun.”—Publishers Weekly

“Frightening, gripping.”—Night Owl Reviews

 

This was a great read that reminded me so much of the classic 80s horror I grew up with. There's toxic sludge, a cursed family, creepy woods, and of course blood and gore,  The action starts right away and almost never lets up. There is so much going on besides the  "unholy horde of mutant monstrosities." There's a multitude of complex characters with their own back stories going on.

4 out of 5 stars from me.

 

I received an advance copy for review.