“Scarecrow's scare, That's what they do.”
― The Nightmare Man
― The Nightmare Man
T. Kingfisher meets Cassandra Khaw in a chilling horror novel that illustrates the fine line between humanity and monstrosity.
Blackwood mansion looms, surrounded by nightmare pines, atop the hill over the small town of New Haven. Ben Bookman, bestselling novelist and heir to the Blackwood estate, spent a weekend at the ancestral home to finish writing his latest horror novel, The Scarecrow. Now, on the eve of the book’s release, the terrible story within begins to unfold in real life.
Detective Mills arrives at the scene of a gruesome murder: a family butchered and bundled inside cocoons stitched from corn husks, and hung from the rafters of a barn, eerily mirroring the opening of Bookman’s latest novel. When another family is killed in a similar manner, Mills, along with his daughter, rookie detective Samantha Blue, is determined to find the link to the book—and the killer—before the story reaches its chilling climax.
As the series of “Scarecrow crimes” continues to mirror the book, Ben quickly becomes the prime suspect. He can’t remember much from the night he finished writing the novel, but he knows he wrote it in The Atrium, his grandfather’s forbidden room full of numbered books. Thousands of books. Books without words.
As Ben digs deep into Blackwood’s history he learns he may have triggered a release of something trapped long ago—and it won’t stop with the horrors buried within the pages of his book.
My Thoughts
I have always been a fan of horror, Stephen King comes to mind, so when I saw this book being offered, I thought what the heck. I was not prepared for what came on the 336 pages. Not a page that did not catch my attention.
Ben Bookman, a horror author, has written numerous novels, all horror genre. He is currently working on his latest book called the Scarecrow. A bit of back story, Ben comes from a wealthy family, has a younger brother, and he is heir to Blackwood, an asylum. Ben has had nightmares for as long as he can remember, that is why he writes about them. At Blackwood, there is the Atrium that his grandfather has forbidden Ben and his brother to go in, but he does, he thinks that he wrote The Scarecrow. This room has many books, with no words. Now how could a room and its secrets be the cause of all the mayhem that is going on in the town?
Ben's brother disappeared when he was young and Ben has been doing what he can to locate him, is he dead or still alive. Ben is at a book signing when a man comes up to him, Ben thinking he wants a book signed, instead the man pulls a gun and blows his brains out.
A family is butchered, bound in corn husks and hung from the rafters of their barn. Similiar to what Ben has written in his book. As more murders happen, all mirroring Ben's book, the police are beginning to suspect Ben. He can't explain his absences, he is a sleepwalker.
Detective Mills along with his daughter Samantha Blue are tasked with solving the spate of murders that are happening in the small community. Detective Mills is another person who has nightmares, it turns out he is able to take on other people's nightmares.
Ben now is determined to find out the history of Blackwood, his parents' deaths in a car crash, and his brother's disappearance but this puts his wife and daughter's lives at risk. How is all this connected? Go get the book and find out, you will not be disappointed.
I read this book in a few sittings, riveted to the pages. Like I said I have always been a fan of horror, ever since I read the first Stephen King book Carrie. This book totally freaked me out. Scary from page to page, but I loved it and give it 5 stars for the scare factor!
I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.
No comments:
Post a Comment