Blurb:
A legend awakens…
A
monster hunts us. After hibernating for a decade, it’s ravenous. We
long to stop this nightmare, but the end of the road is far. There is no
waking up once a legend sets its sights on you.
Disappearances
every ten or so years make little impact on the small town of New Haven,
Virginia. Hikers get lost. Hunters lose the trail. Even when a body is
discovered, the inhabitants’ memories last about as long as the
newspaper articles.
No one connects the cases. No one notices the
disappearances go back beyond Civil War times. No one believes a
legendary monster roams the forests in Southwestern Virginia.
I
don’t either until the truck breaks down on an old mountain trail. Cell
phones won’t work in this neck of the woods. It’s amazing how much a
person can see by starlight alone. So what if we can’t feel our fingers
or toes as we hike toward the main road. How many more miles left to go?
Crrraaack!
Hear that noise?
My review:
Three chilling tales that will keep you awake on long winter nights.
We
begin with a short terrifying piece that gives the reader a peek into
how a monster is born. Nightmare at the Freak Show pulls at your
heartstrings and leaves you pale and horrified, sitting with your mouth
agape. Cherie Reich builds great tension in this opening tidbit. It'll
leave you hungry for more.
Once Upon A December Nightmare grips
you with its vivid detail and nail-biting suspense. It seemed like a
normal night for the young folk, but I fast on the edge of my seat, and I
couldn't relax even when I reached the end. The most unique part of
this story is that the reader is allowed to see through all the
characters' eyes. Each of the four characters have their own sections,
and it's like peeling back layers of an onion. More is revealed about
the dynamics of the group and each individual's inner most feelings.
Cherie does a marvelous job with characterization.
Nightmare Ever
After is my favorite of the stories. It takes place a decade after the
last tale, and lets the reader peek into the life of someone who
survived one horrible night. Cassie is a fascinating character that must
not only deal with living with the trauma of that night, but also with
the fact no one believes her. She struggles with her fears, but she's a
survivor. Tim is the perfect complement to her character. They're thrown
into the chaos of a case that's never been solved. The mystery haunts
the reader through the pages, slowly unveiling the horror. The tension
builds as the number of murders grow until you're on the edge of your
seat waiting to see what's going to happen. The story has a definite
X-Files feel. Though Tim is more Scully where as Cassie would be Mulder.
This
is an amazing collection of horror stories. An intriguing mystery,
masterful characterization, and heart pounding suspense. Oh, you'll see
your fair share of horrific things, but there's so much more to these
tales.
