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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
4.5 stars
The story is set in a small quiet town caled Newport with a mystery surrounding a killing that took place 20 years before. We follow a group of friends, who after filming a movie, sets free a creature. Will they be able to stop this creature? Will they destroy it? Or will they perished?
This author keeps surprising me with his writing style. This story is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged with just enough gore, twists and turns. Definitely great book to read for all horror fans but also for someone who wants to try the horror genre.
The story is set in a small quiet town caled Newport with a mystery surrounding a killing that took place 20 years before. We follow a group of friends, who after filming a movie, sets free a creature. Will they be able to stop this creature? Will they destroy it? Or will they perished?
This author keeps surprising me with his writing style. This story is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged with just enough gore, twists and turns. Definitely great book to read for all horror fans but also for someone who wants to try the horror genre.
I absolutely loved this book! Such a fun old school style horror. It grabs you from the start and just keeps going. No overdone spookiness, just good building horror that plays out in your head like a movie. Highly recommend!
I got this book for a buddy read and I haven’t discussed it yet with my friend, so I will be updating this review later with more thoughts! But, right now, I have to say I was largely unimpressed - especially considering all the raving reviews. Did I read a different book from y’all?? The story and plot were good, and there were a few twists that I really enjoyed. And it wasn’t so bad that I would DNF it - it kept me coming back, so that’s why I’m giving it a generous three stars.
BUT - my big beef was with the writing style. It just felt very… Well, it was clear that this was the author’s first book. Also, so many cringy and forced moments. There were so many times where I was like… who talks like this?? This wouldn’t happen?? Ugh lol. But anyway, I’ll be back with more thoughts!
BUT - my big beef was with the writing style. It just felt very… Well, it was clear that this was the author’s first book. Also, so many cringy and forced moments. There were so many times where I was like… who talks like this?? This wouldn’t happen?? Ugh lol. But anyway, I’ll be back with more thoughts!
A horror thriller that you won't be able to start and not finish. John's debut provides all the 90s nostalgia you need in the from of a heart-raising action packed little books. The dynamic is very similar to that of Stephen King's "It," and all of the comparisons to Stranger Things are very valid as well. I came across this on the "Books of Horror," Facebook group's indie book brawl which I'm going to start reading my way through.
The year is 1999, and Howie Burke and his friends are in the woods attempting to film a horror movie. Whilst doing so, they come across a mysterious grave, thus unleashing an evil beyond their comprehension, and uncovering the secrets of the notorious Black Heart killer.
The friendship is the stand-out of this coming of age story. Whilst I enjoyed the interactions the boys had, there's definitely some clear stereotypical characters within the group. Whilst I understand this is to play to the 90s small-town horror trope, I would've preferred something a little fresher and more original.
Don't get me wrong, this is suspenseful and gripping and nostalgic goodness. The final moments of the victims are brutal, well-written and kind of entertaining. The tension and mystery builds and builds and EXPLODES at the home-coming dance. Very fun.
Now for god sake, this is a prime example of why you should ALWAYS read the epilogue. Because wow.
The year is 1999, and Howie Burke and his friends are in the woods attempting to film a horror movie. Whilst doing so, they come across a mysterious grave, thus unleashing an evil beyond their comprehension, and uncovering the secrets of the notorious Black Heart killer.
The friendship is the stand-out of this coming of age story. Whilst I enjoyed the interactions the boys had, there's definitely some clear stereotypical characters within the group. Whilst I understand this is to play to the 90s small-town horror trope, I would've preferred something a little fresher and more original.
Don't get me wrong, this is suspenseful and gripping and nostalgic goodness. The final moments of the victims are brutal, well-written and kind of entertaining. The tension and mystery builds and builds and EXPLODES at the home-coming dance. Very fun.
Now for god sake, this is a prime example of why you should ALWAYS read the epilogue. Because wow.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
When you hear "coming of age horror," you may think some PG rated cheesy read. This is not the case. John Durgin manages to easily weave together a supernatural thriller with a coming of age horror. One of the best thriller/horror novels I've read this year. If you haven't added this to your collection, you're missing out. I seriously cannot recommend this enough.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
John Durgin opens the novel with a bang! Readers watch in horror as a man buries his dead wife. Who is he? Why is he doing this? How many times has he done this before? Then, like a movie reel, cut to twenty years later in the same quiet small town where this coming-of-age tale takes place. Fans of Stephen King’s IT and The Body (Stand By Me) will find this modernization of those novels enjoyable. Durgin even manages to fold in elements of Stranger Things!
Twenty years after The Black Heart Killer terrorized the town of Newport in 1979, life has mostly returned to normal. All the townspeople have to do is stay out of the woods where the bodies were abandoned-their chests ripped open, and their hearts torn out...
Howie Burke and his friends decide rules are meant to be broken. That's what fifteen-year-old kids do. On a beautiful fall day, they decide to go out in the woods to film a horror movie when they stumble across a mysterious grave.
What they don't know is that they are about to release an evil on the town unlike anything in their home-made movies. They will soon uncover the secrets of the Black Heart Killer, and what it truly means to be cursed.
The year is 1999. The author does a fine job of placing readers in the time period. The masterful use of themes from that decade include references to pop culture, electronics found in middle class homes, and movies popular at the time.
Howie Burke, the main character, is well-developed and Durgin uses good point of view throughout the story. There is also a strong narrator omniscient voice utilizing exposition that feels active without getting boring. There is never too much telling, and plenty of Durgin showing them what’s happening, which readers will enjoy.
The novel parades a series of murders past readers to demonstrate the main antagonist’s powers. In true horror film style the setups are traditional tropes, the suspense is palpable, and the final moments of the victim are - well - entertaining. There’s Tommy the town drunk stumbling along the train tracks; Lucas the video clerk on a drive in his car; and Ray the school janitor who is brutally attacked. Among others, the encounters provide good tension which builds with moments of the person being alone, scared, threatened, and then attacked - good scenes overall.
As the story progresses, the parent’s old friendships clash and long-buried issues resurface as the evil threat rises from the forest floor to take revenge on the entire town. Everything leads up to the big High School Homecoming event.
Readers will be captivated by John Durgin’s storytelling mastery through the epilogue which contains an exceptional twist ending!
Growing up in New Hampshire, he discovered Stephen King much younger than most probably should have, reading IT before he reached high school—and knew from that moment on he wanted to write horror.
He co-founded Livid Comics in late 2020, and also launched a podcast with fellow Livid founder Joel Vanpatten called The Livid Comics Lair. They talk with many of today’s best horror authors, comic creators, and all things that go bump in the night like UFO and paranormal investigators.
His true passion was always to write horror novels, and in 2021 he started submitting short stories in hopes of getting noticed in the horror community and launching a career. He had his first story accepted in the summer of 2021 in the Books of Horror anthology.
John has multiple stories to be released in the prose and comic world, including a story in the horror anthology Beach Bodies from DarkLit Press. His debut novel, titled The Cursed Among Us, released in the summer of 2022.
Twenty years after The Black Heart Killer terrorized the town of Newport in 1979, life has mostly returned to normal. All the townspeople have to do is stay out of the woods where the bodies were abandoned-their chests ripped open, and their hearts torn out...
Howie Burke and his friends decide rules are meant to be broken. That's what fifteen-year-old kids do. On a beautiful fall day, they decide to go out in the woods to film a horror movie when they stumble across a mysterious grave.
What they don't know is that they are about to release an evil on the town unlike anything in their home-made movies. They will soon uncover the secrets of the Black Heart Killer, and what it truly means to be cursed.
The year is 1999. The author does a fine job of placing readers in the time period. The masterful use of themes from that decade include references to pop culture, electronics found in middle class homes, and movies popular at the time.
Howie Burke, the main character, is well-developed and Durgin uses good point of view throughout the story. There is also a strong narrator omniscient voice utilizing exposition that feels active without getting boring. There is never too much telling, and plenty of Durgin showing them what’s happening, which readers will enjoy.
The novel parades a series of murders past readers to demonstrate the main antagonist’s powers. In true horror film style the setups are traditional tropes, the suspense is palpable, and the final moments of the victim are - well - entertaining. There’s Tommy the town drunk stumbling along the train tracks; Lucas the video clerk on a drive in his car; and Ray the school janitor who is brutally attacked. Among others, the encounters provide good tension which builds with moments of the person being alone, scared, threatened, and then attacked - good scenes overall.
As the story progresses, the parent’s old friendships clash and long-buried issues resurface as the evil threat rises from the forest floor to take revenge on the entire town. Everything leads up to the big High School Homecoming event.
Readers will be captivated by John Durgin’s storytelling mastery through the epilogue which contains an exceptional twist ending!
Growing up in New Hampshire, he discovered Stephen King much younger than most probably should have, reading IT before he reached high school—and knew from that moment on he wanted to write horror.
He co-founded Livid Comics in late 2020, and also launched a podcast with fellow Livid founder Joel Vanpatten called The Livid Comics Lair. They talk with many of today’s best horror authors, comic creators, and all things that go bump in the night like UFO and paranormal investigators.
His true passion was always to write horror novels, and in 2021 he started submitting short stories in hopes of getting noticed in the horror community and launching a career. He had his first story accepted in the summer of 2021 in the Books of Horror anthology.
John has multiple stories to be released in the prose and comic world, including a story in the horror anthology Beach Bodies from DarkLit Press. His debut novel, titled The Cursed Among Us, released in the summer of 2022.