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Ghost Road Blues (Pine Deep #1)

by Jonathan Maberry (Goodreads Author)

3.75 of 5 stars 3.75 · rating details · 2,128 ratings · 204 reviews

Winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel

From a new master of horror comes an apocalyptic showdown between the residents of a secluded, rural town and the deadly evil that confronts them wherever they turn . . .

Evil Doesn't Die

The cozy little town of Pine Deep buried the horrors of its past a long time ago. Thirty years have gone by since the darkness descen

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Paperback, 472 pages

Published June 1st 2006 by Pinnacle

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Mar 13, 2013 Lou rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: other-beings, january-list-next, bram-stoker-winner

Three criminals arrive to Pine Deep, one of them is more sinister than the rest, a wanted Killer! Is that all the evil that lurks in Pine Deep? No!
This is a dark atmospheric supernatural thriller. I can see why Maberry was awarded the Bram Stoker award for this, he's a great writer really immerses you in the blood pulsing thrill, a real page-turner. The story plays out like an episode of Supernatural. I am hooked, line and sinker!
He's developed a really good protagonist and characters like The...more

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May 19, 2013 Dirk Grobbelaar rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, books-i-own, horror

The last thing Billy said was, “Oh, come on…there’s nothing out there.”
And then two sets of bone-white hands arched over the slat rails on the wagon and seized him by the shoulders and the collar and dragged him screaming into the darkness.

These, the opening lines of Ghost Road Blues, more or less set the tone for the rest of the novel. It’s a bit of a doozy, actually. Maberry juggles a number of different horror conventions here, both supernatural and natural. All of these converge on a single...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Bill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror

This is the first Jonathan Maberry novel I've read, and judging from the ratings of his later novels, he gets better as he goes.
That's a really good thing, because Ghost Road Blues was pretty good.
In fact, through most of this novel, I was very jacked about this guy.

I had been looking over my to-read list in the hopes of finding something to satisfy my October horror cravings. Not only did it deliver, but it was also set around Halloween. Perfect!

For most of this novel, Maberry drives forth with...more

7 likes · like · see review

Oct 18, 2011 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, part-of-a-series, owned-copy, october-scare-fest-2011, human-monsters, ghost, small-town-slice-of-life, not-romance-but-has-love-story, what-just-happened-here, all-things-autumn-challenge

Ghost Road Blues was a great book to read during the month of October, as part of my 4th Annual October Scare fest. I love that spooky mood that comes along with the fall, when the days get shorter, the nights longer, and the weather cooler (hopefully).

Although this novel was very good, and well-written, I have to put in in the 'liked fairly well' as opposed to 'loved or really liked' category.

Let's talk about the stuff that didn't quite work for me:
*I think that this story depends a bit too...more

14 likes · like · see review

Sep 13, 2008 El Galan rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who likes Horror and The Supernatural along with Action/Adventure

Recommended to El Galan by: No one, I found this book all by myself.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 29, 2013 Nicholas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Here we have Jonathan Maberry's Ghost Road Blues. It's a first novel, and a first horror novel at that. In itself it's an ambitious work, the first in an epic three-part series, and has received wide critical acclaim. At its core we find thematic variations of tales often told ---small town with a notoriously dark reputation (especially come Halloween), a cavalcade of well-conceived characters that are processed through a sifter of narrative to fall into their proper places on either sides of th...more Here we have Jonathan Maberry's Ghost Road Blues. It's a first novel, and a first horror novel at that. In itself it's an ambitious work, the first in an epic three-part series, and has received wide critical acclaim. At its core we find thematic variations of tales often told ---small town with a notoriously dark reputation (especially come Halloween), a cavalcade of well-conceived characters that are processed through a sifter of narrative to fall into their proper places on either sides of the lines clearly drawn between good and evil, and a story canvass dominated by the notion that evil never dies despite the inevitably prevailing good whenever evil comes back around.
Pine Deep is the particular small Pennsylvanian town under our microscope. It begins where the last onslaught of terror ends thirty years prior to present times, when a guitar-wielding blues man becomes the ultimate unsung savior by vanquishing the supernatural bastard responsible, and right afterwards taking the rap for its crimes at the hands of vigilante townsfolk who beat him to death something terrible. And then here we are in present times, with an ex-cop who runs a popular Halloween hayride and horror store to profit off the town's almost Haddonfield-like reputation, suddenly facing his destiny.........against an infamous career homicidal maniac at-large, a man with a violent hatred of his stepson, a delusional servant of the Lord, and the dark forces which swell out of the murky swamps of Dark Hallow nearby. Evil returns to Pine Deep, and so has the now-ghostly blues guitar Bone Man.
Maberry is successful in combining all the elements that we'd expect from a work of this nature, in the tradition of King and McCammon, and he writes like a pro, like he's been doing this sort of thing with novel after novel over the years and this isn't a first try at epic fiction at all. Looking at Maberry himself we see someone with a rich life history of accomplishments in many fields, and I don't mean that lightly, but I'm talking about accomplishments as comparatively grandiose as, dare I say, Rocky Balboa's, at least in many ways. You know......chasing dreams, obtaining enough vision and discipline to achieve them, and I believe Jonathan has even seen himself in a ring surrounded by challenge and praise at one time or another, quite literally. But when he goes for something, he has an outstanding record of ultimately ending up recognized as one of the best at what he goes for. Ghost Road Blues is no exception, and what truly makes it all work and far exceed the expectations I mentioned is because it was written by just such a man as he, who makes the story glow with originality and terror and the right chemistry to entertain us and hold us tight with suspense. It's as ambitious as Maberry is.
Now......
It took me two months, give or take a week, to digest my approach to this review from the time I'd finished reading the book until the time of this writing, when the right words at long last started sweating out of my cerebral pores. (less)

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Sep 18, 2012 Chibineko rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

I could kick my library right now. Seriously. Kick it. Or at least metaphorically speaking. Why am I debating the not so fine merits of frustration violence against my beloved local library? Because until the audio copy of the second book in this series comes out, I'll be jonesing for my Pine Deep fix.

The audio narration for this is incredibly fun and a very quick listen. Occasionally I'd have a few voices that sounded a little strange in a "not on purpose" way, but overall I loved the various...more

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Mar 07, 2011 S.D. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

I can’t mention GHOST ROAD BLUES without mentioning DEAD MAN’S SONG and BAD MOON RISING, because this is a trilogy. About 600 pages in each of the books but unbelievably fast reads. Pine Deep is known for being the most haunted town in the country because of their month long Halloween celebration which brings in tourists from all over. Malcolm Crow is an ex-cop who now owns a comic book/trivia/costume and everything Halloween store. His girlfriend, Val Guthrie, and a number of their friends had...more I can’t mention GHOST ROAD BLUES without mentioning DEAD MAN’S SONG and BAD MOON RISING, because this is a trilogy. About 600 pages in each of the books but unbelievably fast reads. Pine Deep is known for being the most haunted town in the country because of their month long Halloween celebration which brings in tourists from all over. Malcolm Crow is an ex-cop who now owns a comic book/trivia/costume and everything Halloween store. His girlfriend, Val Guthrie, and a number of their friends had survived a massacre thirty years ago where a number of their friends and relatives were mutilated. Val, her father, Crow, and their friends had befriended a black farm worker who had been accused of the killings. The “Bone Man,” as he was called, knew Ubel Griswold was the real killer, a monster who still haunts the dreams of Crow and his friends. The “Bone Man” killed Griswold and buried him in a swamp. But the monster had recruited followers and they killed the Bone Man. The body in the swamp has been waiting, silently speaking to those with an evil heart, silently planning his revenge, waiting until he got stronger. Now the ghost of the Bone Man knows something terrible is about to happen in Pine Deep and he watches and waits, trying to communicate with the friends who believed in his innocence. Ruger enters the town, a murderer on the run. He takes Val and her family hostage but Crow gets the best of him. Unfortunately, Ruger won’t stay dead. His partner, Boyd, not only won’t die but with each death seems to grow stronger. Griswold’s army is growing but he needs an “Igor” of sorts, a human to do his bidding. Enter Vic Wingate, an abuser husband/step-father who has been helping plan Griswold’s revenge for thirty years. He was the one who helped kill the Bone Man. He also likes to beat his stepson, Mike Sweeney. But Griswold knows there is something special about Mike. There are a lot of characters, vampires, werewolves, and Halloween is the target date for all hell to break loose. Crow is a likeable hero but for me it is the Bone Man who saves the day. He’s not sure why he is a ghost but figures there is a purpose. He knows people who are about to die can see him, but not those who are alive. But there are a few who can hear his music, a blues guitar, familiar tunes that Crow remembers from his childhood. Things look hopeless as Griswald’s army always appears one step ahead of Crow and his friends. The swamp and Griswald’s former house are dark, dismal, and frightening places and Maberry brings it all out in 3D. GHOST ROAD BLUES won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Horror. This is edge-of-the-seat horror at its best.(less)

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Nov 18, 2010 Artur Coelho rated it 1 of 5 stars

Este livro daria um filme simpático, thriller a puxar para o terror para se ver numa daquelas tardes em que só apetece vegetar. E pouco mais.

Passado numa cidadezinha rural com fama de assombrada, Ghost Road Blues é uma obra confusa, onde ao longo da leitura nunca se percebe muito bem onde o autor quer chegar. Temos um criminoso perigoso à solta, um bluesman morto por engano que parece ser um espírito protector, um acontecimento tenebroso do passado que dá frutos no decorrer desta história, e pe...more

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Jun 27, 2010 Bastett rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm picky with my horror that I read. I enjoy a good horror novel that establishes a place as a character or the leading character. Jonathan Maberry has this unique gift for picking a place and taking you through it's history and allowing you to get stuck in that place for 300+ pages. The opening is a little alarming and kind of hard to follow but if you have an imagination the world will seem so real to you. The bus massacre in the introduction is important to read. I would recommend everyone t...more

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May 15, 2013 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror

I started this book and some of my friends like it. When I was asked early on how I liked it I said it was okay so far but not great. When I said this other readers chimed in and said, "I loved this book, couldn't put down the series".

Well I can...sorry folks. If you like this I'm as always happy you found a book or books you like. For me this hit several of my hot buttons for dislike and finally pushed me completely away.

First this is for the majority of the book more a crime story with superna...more I started this book and some of my friends like it. When I was asked early on how I liked it I said it was okay so far but not great. When I said this other readers chimed in and said, "I loved this book, couldn't put down the series".

Well I can...sorry folks. If you like this I'm as always happy you found a book or books you like. For me this hit several of my hot buttons for dislike and finally pushed me completely away.

First this is for the majority of the book more a crime story with supernatural window dressing than it is a purely supernatural horror story. Also we spend a great deal of time inside the minds...that's plural "minds" of sadistic, homicidal, delusional, maniacs. I know that in many books that's a popular story telling device now, but I don't like it. It causes me to skip over whole sections of some books (I think I may have missed half of some of "Jack Daniels" books). Still it wasn't that which drove me to jump sections here. We also used the (view spoiler). Even that is not what pushed me to jumping forward. It was the scenes of Mike (14 year old Mike)being beaten...brutally beaten. I don't think that's a spoiler as it doesn't tell you anything you won't find out early on and it goes on and on and on....and on. The scene when the step dad hit Mike with his fist for the first time and then carried on with the beating is a long and lovingly detailed one.

Frankly I hate it and don't plan to follow this series. (At least not till I heal a bit from this one.)

Why does it get 2 stars instead of one? Because the writer did make me hate Vic the step dad...and frankly (that word again) I had no use for "mom" as she got drunk while her son was beaten into a pulp.

The story does go on and set up it's supernatural story and I am sure what really pushed my buttons won't others. The story ties up but leaves questions which will apparently be dealt with later.

But not by me. I don't care enough to follow this one up. If I ever do it will be because there are moments that are pretty good. For the moment I don't want anymore of the emotional abuse and cruelty that is so much a part of this story.

Enjoy if it's for you.(less)

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Jul 06, 2011 Jo Anne B rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a terrific, scary novel with a great cast of characters that might just give you nightmares.

The past has come back to haunt the people in Pine Deep, literally. Someone is out for revenge for something that happened 30 years ago and it pits good vs.evil.

The names of the characters are so perfect for this novel in which you don't know whether or not people are human, ghosts, animals, beasts, or monsters.

The main character Malcom Crow is just about as humble and down to earth as one could...more

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Jun 28, 2011 William M. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

This first novel by Jonathan Maberry feels like most author's tenth. Granted, he has written a great amount of work in the non-fiction world, but I'm still blown away by his ambitious explosion onto the horror scene. This is only the first of a trilogy Mr. Maberry is planning, and after reading Ghost Road Blues, I'm definitely in for the long ride. He has a great balance of story/plot and characters, creating a deliciously creepy tale where for once, the villains actually seem to have the upper...more

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Oct 20, 2010 William Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, crime

Jonathan Maberry, prior to the writing of this novel, had produced quite a few non-fiction books on cage-fighting and martial arts. This may be how he sharpened his skills in writing very fluid and believable action sequences. However, I wasn't expecting a multitude of fight scenes, hand-to-hand combat prose, or this many shoot-outs. I think Maberry got carried away with himself, forgot he was writing a horror novel, and instead channeled Richard Stark into the book, writing a Parker novel inste...more Jonathan Maberry, prior to the writing of this novel, had produced quite a few non-fiction books on cage-fighting and martial arts. This may be how he sharpened his skills in writing very fluid and believable action sequences. However, I wasn't expecting a multitude of fight scenes, hand-to-hand combat prose, or this many shoot-outs. I think Maberry got carried away with himself, forgot he was writing a horror novel, and instead channeled Richard Stark into the book, writing a Parker novel instead of what I would consider an award-winning horror book.

It begins strong, heavy on characterization through action instead of through telling- he speaks to the reader with the prose instead of at the reader like so many current writers. It comes with a few quick scares, an interlude of back-story written in a fairly poetic form of prose that stands out in the book and makes it seem as if it belongs in a short-story collection instead of as the precursor to events transpiring in Ghost Road Blues. What begins darkly turns almost into silliness as we can see it quickly become something like a police procedural with all the hallmarks of current crime novels. There is little to do with the horror genre for 100 pages at a time when it seems he realizes this and inserts something ghostly as an afterthought. You can almost see him writing this as a screenplay first and adapting it from there, directed by Tony Scott or some other equally "brutal visionary". It takes away from the prose, from a strong and literary opening and all the promise of the book withers dramatically around page 225.

My largest problems being the 'horror as an afterthought' I still have to say I did not dislike the novel. I feel there could have been at least 100 pages chopped out of this thing with a chainsaw, preferably right in the middle of the book, and the ragged ends of it would have made a better book when you taped them together. But it is worth the reading in that it is highly entertaining, and that Maberry avoids all forms of cheesy, television transcript styled dialogue and action. All of the action is fluid, all of the omniscient narrative is driving. It is masterful in one sense, and completely silly in another. I'm not sure that I will be finishing the trilogy, but I will be reading Patient Zero to see what exactly he does with another series and perhaps a more concise and mature novel.(less)

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Oct 04, 2009 Meagan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, series

It's hard to express why it was that I was let down by Ghost Road Blues. It starts off strong, with a legitimately terrifying scene with a twist. It builds the suspense through the beginning, leaving you in fear of what may happen. It's got a handful of characters that you grow to truly care about, and is filled with characters that are truly reprehensible and frightening. The peril feels real, and you become genuinely interested in how, or if, the heroes will triumph. It sounds like the recipe...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Trev Twinem rated it 5 of 5 stars

It is always a pleasant surprise to discover a horror story that really gives good meaning to what horror writing is all about. Ghost Road Blues at it's heart is the struggle of good and evil in the quaint little setting of Pine Deep, a quiet little Pennsylvania town now enjoying the good times but hiding a secret long past but not long dead. Into this idyllic setting roars the psychopathic Karl Ruger and his accomplish Boyd set on destruction and heading for a showdown with reformed alcoholic a...more

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Apr 15, 2009 Caitlin rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

I really like horror, but only when it's well done. Sadly it isn't often & this book is no exception. It's my understanding that this is part one of a trilogy. I suspect that if Mr. Maberry had done a lot more editing he might've gotten one good horror book. As it stands, he's got three pretty mediocre ones.

The book has a nice setting - a small Pennsylvania town where something evil once happened that has cashed in on its haunted history. I like rural horror & this one was setting up to...more

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Feb 19, 2007 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, fiction

First of a new trilogy and recommended by shocklines.com as a guaranteed good read.

Thirty years after the citizens of Pine Deep believed they killed the serial killer known as the Reaper, the town enjoys a quiet idyll and a tourist-friendly reputation as "the most haunted town in America." But gearing up for its annual Halloween celebration, the town is unprepared for the ghosts stirring in its corn fields, seeking to finish what the Reaper started.

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Feb 03, 2012 Al rated it 1 of 5 stars

Ghost Road Blues was a really bad book. It was cheesy, sexist, cliche, boring and didn't even start until it set up a sequel a few chapters from the end. You could read any one sentence and immediately know this book was written by a man, making the author much too visible throughout the story.

The women like to faint and scream, and the men like to either beat the women or be the prince charming protector (Depending on whether they're a good guy or not, and trust me, it's easy to tell--because e...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Jason rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, read-2011

4.5 Stars

This is my second Maberry novel, Patient Zero being the first that I read. I really enjoyed this one, and felt like I was there bearing witness to the horror and the killings. This is a first rate atmospheric horror.

This is a supernatural thriller that is twisted with a serial killer on the run, a former Police Officer Good Guy, mixed up in a scary backwoods town, and then scored entirely with guitar strumming old time blues music. Put all those things together and then you get the feel...more 4.5 Stars

This is my second Maberry novel, Patient Zero being the first that I read. I really enjoyed this one, and felt like I was there bearing witness to the horror and the killings. This is a first rate atmospheric horror.

This is a supernatural thriller that is twisted with a serial killer on the run, a former Police Officer Good Guy, mixed up in a scary backwoods town, and then scored entirely with guitar strumming old time blues music. Put all those things together and then you get the feeling of what Ghost Road Blues is like.

The main star of this novel is the town of Pine Deep. Home of the worlds largest Halloween celebrations, haunted hayride, and spookiest town. It is filled with all the small town traditions, colorful characters, and dark mysterious past. We are given the great backstory about our main baddie Ubel Griswold, his reign of terror, and ultimately his demise via our shadowy protagonist The Bone Man.

We have multiple evil antagonists that all end up in the employ of Griswold. Many of the towns respected citizens actually have some awful dark secrets and evil ways. Tow-truck Eddie, the DarkMan, serial killers Ruger and Boyd, and the greatest step dad Vic Wingate.

Our cast of protagonists is led by a great good guy named Malcolm Crow. He is a well defined, likable former Police Officer, and a leader among the townies of Pine Deep.

"Iron" Mike Sweeney is a very colorful young boy that has a huge imagination (He is going to rid the world of evil), and a huge douche for a step father. Iron Mike idolizes Crow.

Val, Malcolm Crow's girlfriend, plus her father sister and her husband, all make up a cast of good people that are easy to like. They add depth to the story and make Crow a truly great protagonist.

The whole novel is told through the atmosphere of the town. The addition to serial killers on the lamb really works. The supernatural element ended up making this a real horror classic, and a remarkably good first novel. I am already a fan of Jonathan Maberry, but after reading this, I think that you too should become a fan of his. Horror readers should not miss this one, and oh yeah there are two more books that complete this one as a trilogy.

.(less)

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Sep 09, 2012 Lee Kyle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic little beginning to what is known as The Pine Deep trilogy! When i first read this the edition i had had no reference to any more books being continued and i was like boy Maberry left us with a cliffhanger of sorts so i hope Maberry writes another one. well a few years went by and i had had almost completly forgotten about this gem of a novel, even donating my copy of the book to a xmas book drive at my wife's place of business, when the storyline happened to just appear in my mind and...more Fantastic little beginning to what is known as The Pine Deep trilogy! When i first read this the edition i had had no reference to any more books being continued and i was like boy Maberry left us with a cliffhanger of sorts so i hope Maberry writes another one. well a few years went by and i had had almost completly forgotten about this gem of a novel, even donating my copy of the book to a xmas book drive at my wife's place of business, when the storyline happened to just appear in my mind and i was like damn! I want to re read that again. Low and behold after searching around i found out it had spawned two more sequels whilst being out of my mind. Needless to say i now have all 3 downloaded into my Kobo and of coarse i had to re-read Ghost Road Blues again!

Wow it took me little and no time to fall back into this gripping little page turner that is written similarily to Stephen King's way of writing so if you are a fan of his stuff, you should have no problem with Maberry's works. The storyline is very suspenseful, the town of Pine Deep is known by one thing majorally and that is its fantastic Halloween spirit also looking the part with it's spooky forest areas and farmer's fields. Years ago an evil spirit took hold of one of it's citizens Uber Griswold and possessed him to begin a murdering spree eliminating alot of Pine Deep's citizens, mostly children. Enter The Bone Man a young african american who seeks forth the evil in Griswold and eliminates him, only to be blamed later by the racist townspeople who believed him to be the murderer only to be lynched by them himself succombing also to death.

Many years later.. it seems that the evil spirit that once inhabited Uber Griswold is back and comandeering through thougts and dreams a whole new host of nasty men to do his evil bidding. Malcolm Crow a favorite of then Pine Deep townspeople, who also runs a Halloween seasonal hayride that apprently is the best in the nation. Crow is the warrior chosen to face the evil of days gone by, although un beknownst to him, He fights the baddies to save his girl and hopefully save Pine Deep from succumbing to evil!(less)

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Feb 20, 2013 John Popa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mostly known for zombie fiction, Maberry's first novel was more of a midwestern Halloween spook story. While it may not be able to escape the long shadows of so many of its peers and influences, "Ghost Road Blues" sets the stage for an enjoyable run through a cursed town nonetheless. The protagonists are likable and Maberry continually introduces a handful of quirky side characters, each with darker secrets and some sort of role in a story that barely begins at the end of this first work.

If ther...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Alondra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

4 Stars!!

Well, wwell, well... murder in a small town. Kinda cliche' isn't it? I mean everyone writes about it, and it gives a good story. I think Mr. Maberry writing it, makes it a great story. A nice twist on small town murder and mayhem. It is about the darkness. The evil that resides there. The devil down the street that everyone pretends is not there. People willing to live in a cocoon and pretend everything is all right. We will cover it up, ignore it and .... it will go away? No, no; evil...more

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Aug 20, 2008 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this one -- it reminded me of a cross between something like 'The Stand' by King and 'Summer of Night' by Simmons. Strong characters, a great sense of time and place; this novel had me spellbound and delightedly lost in the story. I'm VERY eager to return to Pine Deep in DEAD MAN'S SONG.

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Feb 19, 2013 James Ogle added it

Shelves: horror

Possibly the greatest work of horror fiction I have ever read, when taken as the whole three part Pine Deep series. Even by itself it was very good, but I just couldn't get over wanting to continue the story. Maberry takes us through a tale of vampires the way they were intended: vicious, nocturnal and highly effective predators of humanity. He addresses the differences in vampire legend across cultures, and wraps the whole thing up in a very entertaining story, with characters that are not only...more

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Aug 16, 2010 John rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, I finished it. And, despite the great characterizations and some wonderfully descriptive prose it ended up disappointing me.

Apparently this is the opening act for a longer story, but there is no indication of this anywhere on the cover or interior. So, I stuck with the story through a meandering, unfocused over-long setup with too many characters and not enough plot. When, in the last fifty pages, the author runs through what amounts to a hurried info dump, I began looking forward to fini...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Brian Wilson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Wow, what can I say? I just finished up this book and already had to order the next as I cannot wait to continue to see what goes on in good ol' Pine Deep! I became closely attached to several of the characters and at the end found myself reacting to every move that would occur, hoping it would not take one of them away just yet as I feel like I am really getting to know them. I love how the chapters would end, leaving you guessing as it moves on to another subplot, only to eventually come back...more

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Oct 29, 2011 Nancy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I am not sure why I sometimes read horror books, because unless it is just a couple of authors I really don't like them. I like books that at least end happily and the good guy comes out on top. Often in horror novels that doesn't happen. This is probably a pretty good story, it felt a little long to me and sometimes I felt like the "bad" stuff can only go on so long, but it continues in this book. Is the first in a trilogy (which I didn't know when I started reading it) so it does not have real...more

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Jul 08, 2010 Yodamom rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was instantly addicted from the first chapter when the character called “The Bone Man” kills his demon, using his blues guitar. epic good vs. evil battles;Thirty years earlier the small town of Pine Deep is tortured with murders. When “The Bone Man” is blamed, after killing the murder, he is himself the victim of vigilantly justice. The evil deed will not go unpunished thirty years into the future the horror starts again. It is a visually written dream, that is done perfectly It is not overly...more

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Nov 11, 2011 T.L. Barrett rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book I've read of Mr. Maberry's, but it will not be the last. I loved Ghost Road Blues. It had noble characters, despicable, and some pretty intense and awful predicaments between them. I hope the rest of the series can match up to this gem, which really explores demons, ghosts, vampires, werewolves and zombies (even pumpkinheads) and their motivations without losing one shred of terror. It has been a while since I've read a book and wanted to go out and read every one of the a...more

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About Jonathan Maberry

JONATHAN MABERRY is a New York Times best-selling and multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning horror and thriller author, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer. His books have been sold to more than a dozen countries.

His novels include the Pine Deep Trilogy: GHOST ROAD BLUES (Pinnacle books; winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel in 2006), DEAD...more JONATHAN MABERRY is a New York Times best-selling and multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning horror and thriller author, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer. His books have been sold to more than a dozen countries.

His novels include the Pine Deep Trilogy: GHOST ROAD BLUES (Pinnacle books; winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel in 2006), DEAD MAN’S SONG (2007) and BAD MOON RISING (2008); the Joe Ledger series of action thrillers from St. Martin’s Griffin: PATIENT ZERO (2009, winner of the Black Quill and a Bram Stoker Award finalist for Best Novel), THE DRAGON FACTORY (2010; now available), THE KING OF PLAGUES (March 2011), ASSASSIN’S CODE (March 2012), EXTINCTION MACHINE (2013); THE WOLFMAN (NY Times bestseller from Tor, based on the Universal Pictures film starring Benecio Del Toro, Emily Blunt and Sir Anthony Hopkins; winner of the Scribe Award for Best Adaptation); the forthcoming standalone zombie thriller DEAD OF NIGHT (Oct 25 2011); and the Benny Imura series of Young Adult dystopian zombie thrillers from Simon & Schuster: ROT & RUIN (2011; named in Booklist’s Ten Best Horror Novels for Young Adults, a Bram Stoker and Pennsylvania Young Readers’ Choice Award finalist; winner of the Cybils Award, the Eva Perry Mock Printz medal, Dead Letter Best Novel Award, and four Melinda Awards), DUST & DECAY (Aug 30 2011), FLESH & BONE (2012) and FIRE & ASH (21013).

Jonathan was an expert on the History Channel documentary on zombies scheduled to air October 26.

His nonfiction works include: VAMPIRE UNIVERSE (Citadel Press, 2006), THE CRYPTOPEDIA (Citadel, 2007 –winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction; co-authored by David F. Kramer), ZOMBIE CSU: The Forensics of the Living Dead (Winner of the Hinzman and Black Quill Awards and nominated for a Stoker Award; 2008), THEY BITE! (2009 co-authored by David F. Kramer), WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE (2010; Bram Stoker nominee; co-authored by Janice Gable Bashman), and THE VAMPIRE SLAYERS FIELD GUIDE TO THE UNDEAD (2001, written under the pen name of Shane MacDougall).

He writes a variety of projects for Marvel Comics involving CAPTAIN AMERICA, BLACK PANTHER, DOOMWAR, WOLVERINE, DEADPOOL, THE X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, the NY Times bestselling MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN, MARVEL UNIVERSE vs THE PUNISHER and MARVEL UNIVERSE vs WOLVERINE. All of Jonathan’s comic book collections are released as Graphic Novel collections within a month or two of individual comic publication.

Recent short stories include “Pegleg and Paddy Save the World” (HISTORY IS DEAD, Permuted Press 2007), “Doctor Nine” (KILLERS, Swimming Kangaroo Press, 2008; and reprinted in THE STORIES (in) BETWEEN Edited by Greg Schauer, Jeanne B. Benzel, and W.H. Horner. Fantasist Enterprises, 2009), “Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Greenbrier Ghost” (LEGENDS OF THE MOUNTAIN STATE 2, Bloodletting Books, 2008), “Clean Sweeps” (AND SO IT BEGINS, Dark Quest Books, 2008), “Family Business” (THE NEW DEAD, St. Martin’s Press, 2010), “Like Part of the Family” (NEW BLOOD edited by Patrick Thomas and Diane Raetz, Padwolf Press, 2010), “Zero Tolerance” (THE LIVING DEAD 2, Night Shade Books), “Flint and Steel” (GI JOE: COBRA WARS, 2011), “Saint John”(THE MONSTER’S CORNER, 2011, St. Martin’s), “The Death Song of Dwar Guntha” (Under the Moons of Mars: New Adventures on Barsoom, 2012, Simon & Schuster), and “The Wind Through the Fence” (an original e-story available for all e-readers). His essay, “Take Me To Your Leader” will be included in the nonfiction book, TRIUMPH OF THE LIVING DEAD: Robert Kirkman's Zombie Epic on Page and Screen edited by James Lowder (BenBella Books/Smart Pop, 2011).

All of Jonathan’s novels are available on audio, including the audio-only collection, JOE LEDGER: THE MISSING FILES (Blackstone), which includes the short stories “Countdown”, “Ze(less)

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Quotes from Ghost Road Blues

“Hell's a-coming and we all gotta learn to play the blues. (347)” — 2 people liked it

“When Tony lost it, it would be up to Ruger to take Lady Death by the tits and giver a good tweak. That's how he saw it. Give Lady Death's tits a good tweak.” — 1 person liked it

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Ghost Road Blues (Pine Deep #1)

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