Lee Allen's Blog, page 14

Elizabeth J. Brown's The Laughing Policeman - Review

The Laughing Policeman by Elizabeth J. Brown

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A supernatural horror thriller which explores how the past may never truly be buried.

DC Stephen Anderson is celebrating with his colleagues on closure of a major case and the successful conviction of two members of criminal family, the Boswells. But his life soon descends into tragedy when the Boswells' revenge mission results in the brutal murders of his wife and daughter.

Intent on bringing retribution upon the Boswells by any means, Stephen pursues his own mission. His friend and colleague, Charlie Haynes, may be his only hope for salvation.

But in the midst this brutal battle, an ancient and relentless evil is unleashed, hell bent on havoc and destruction in its own bloodthirsty quest.

'The Laughing Policeman' is the debut novel by Elizabeth J. Brown, and the first in the Brimstone Chorus series. A tale of demonic possession, family secrets and mystery, wrapped in a concoction of dramatic action, slasher-style violence, folkloric history and superstition, climatic revelations and a dose of witchcraft, this is a thrilling horror novel that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

The build-up to the possession is impressively staged, with the vibe of a traditional police story mixed with personal dilemmas that explode into supernatural horror. The insights into the lives of the criminal family of Travellers were reminiscent of a Martina Cole thriller, setting the scene and developing the cast of characters. Meanwhile, the demon itself was in the vein of characters a certain Robert Englund might play, humorous moments of bickering and banter with its host juxtaposed with the horror and the ensuing violence.

I particularly enjoyed the time spent in the 80s, getting to know Stephen, Charlie, and the Boswells, while the return of younger generations of the family to the UK thirty-four years later, reigniting the bloodshed, brings the themes of family and friendship full circle, the legacy of the curse resurrected and the demon intent on its endgame. Ciara and Addy’s history adds a different component to the second half of the novel, bringing the emotion to the fore for both Stephen and Charlie as we race towards the finale.

‘The Laughing Policeman’ is gripping debut novel and I'm eager to see where the series will take us in the future. In the meantime, prequel novella 'The Foundling' is also available, which I must get my hands on!



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Afraid of the Shadows - Review

Afraid of the Shadows: An Anthology of Crime Stories by Victoria Selman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A charity anthology of spooky short stories from multiple crime writers.

‘Afraid of the Shadows’ in the third anthology in the ‘Afraid of the Light’ series, featuring nineteen stories from the group of creators plus some contributions from guest authors. Profits from each anthology are donated to frontline domestic abuse charities ESDAS and Rights for Women, with this third also sponsoring mental health charity Samaritans.

M.W. Craven opens the collection with ‘Strange Ink’, featuring Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw, probably the most traditionally crime fiction story with its police procedural elements. An eclectic mix of the fiendish, creepy, humorous and bizarre follows throughout the collection, with twists and psychological melodrama galore, culminating in T.M. Logan’s chilling ‘With the Others’.

My personal favourites were:
“Mirror Mirror” by Trevor Wood, for its tragic romance;
“When I Grow Up” by Robert Scragg, when trick-or-treating takes an unexpected turn;
“Hidden” by Victoria Selman, a revenge plot with a twist;
“The Jumper” by S.R. Masters, exploring the power of superstition;
“Indelible” by Elle Croft, a touch of dystopian sci-fi;
“With the Others” by T.M. Logan, a dark and emotive psychological thriller.

Overall, this is an enjoyable collection that captures the chills, magic and fun of the season and is a showcase of the work and talent of all its featured writers. As Peter James himself states in his foreword, short stories are the perfect medium for capturing a moment in time and accessible to many people in our modern world of a dizzying amount of choices of entertainment. I shall certainly be looking out for more from these authors, whose contributions here have helped support those in need through sales of this book.

Delectable slices of the horrifying and the criminal, ‘Afraid of the Shadows’ is a great collection to whet your appetite during the Hallowe’en season.



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Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts - Review

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A tale of demonic possession and the frenzy in its wake.

Author Rachel Neville interviews Merry Barrett about events that befell her family fifteen years earlier, when her older sister Marjorie began to display signs of schizophrenia, taking Merry back to the darkest chapter in her family's history.

The psychiatrists prove unable to help, while Marjorie’s symptoms grow increasingly severe and her behaviour more concerning. Turning to the Church for help, the family become convinced that Marjorie is the victim of demonic possession.

As cameras for reality TV show “The Possession” follow every development and broadcast their terror to the world, the family prepare for the exorcism, something from which none of them may ever be able to recover.

‘A Head Full of Ghosts’ is Paul Tremblay’s first horror novel, following two detective novels and several horror short stories. The multi-layered plot is narrated from the perspective of Merry, the younger sister of the possessed teenager, both in retrospect as an adult and through her memories as a child. Tremblay captures Merry's young voice incredibly well and through her eyes a portrait of her family evolves throughout. Moving backwards and forwards in time, the events surrounding Marjorie’s possession are unveiled, a suspenseful escalation towards the exorcism and its aftermath.

With some characters believing in Marjorie’s possession and others skeptical, the novel captures the dual approach from both the perspective of belief in demons and the traditional Catholic exorcism and a disbelief in there being any supernatural or preternatural influence, instead the human characters themselves perpetuating the events and becoming caught up in a frenzy, akin to the moral panics of history. This is as much a social and psychological drama as it is a possession story, combining to form a horror thriller as subtle as it is blatant in its themes, this duality proving highly effective.

There is a distinctly modern edge through the lens of both the reality TV show and the blog which retrospectively analyses the show. As we so often experience in the media and through social media, the scrutiny of others only seems to contribute to the chaos surrounding the turmoil and the feeling of inevitability over what is to come.

‘A Head Full of Ghosts’ spins a captivating, enjoyable and thought-provoking tale. The first book I’ve read by Paul Tremblay, it leaves me eager to delve into the horrors presented in more of his work.



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Harbinger - A Jack O'Lantern Tale

With the spookiest night of the year almost upon us, I'm very excited to reveal my second release for Hallowe'en.

My brand new short story is entitled "Harbinger - A Jack O'Lantern Tale".

Whereas last year's "Will o' the Wisp" was a prologue I didn't intend to explore, "Harbinger" serves as an epilogue to "The Jack O'Lantern Men" that delves into some unanswered questions in the novella that were always to be addressed at some point in the series.

Curious to hear more? Read on for the short story's synopsis:

Hear my words. I am waiting for you. For I am the harbinger of justice.

Letters sent to a local newspaper reveal the tortured mind behind a series of brutal murders.

What led this killer to claim their victims? Are there deeper motives and explanations or were they blinded by fury and bloodlust?

Examine an unexplored chapter in the tales that surround the Jack O'Lantern Men and venture into the mind of a murderer...

A psychological slasher short story, etched in gothic undercurrents.

Pre-order now on Amazon for Kindle.

Don't miss the previous two stories in the series, available now:
✒ Will o' the Wisp
✒ The Jack O'Lantern Men

Robert Galbraith's The Ink Black Heart - Review

The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An enthralling case for Strike and Robin’s detective agency.

Edie Ledwell, co-creator of cartoon internet sensation 'The Ink Black Heart', approaches the agency to track down a cyber troll who is making her life a living hell. With no experience in cyber investigation, Robin explains to Edie they're not best placed to help her.

But when Edie and her co-creator are attacked in High Gate Cemetery, resulting in Edie’s murder, Strike and Robin find themselves enlisted to track down the internet troll, who may have broken into the real world and be responsible for Edie's murder.

Navigating an investigation into the online community alongside its flesh and blood counterpart, the two detectives expose a murky online world that bleeds into the real one with devastating consequences.

'The Ink Black Heart' is the sixth novel in the 'Strike' series by J.K. Rowling, under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith; another complex, detailed and labyrinthine mystery of epic proportions that follows the two lead characters of Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott as they take on their next major investigation, while the agency still juggles multiple other clients.

Engrossing and suspenseful, the novel navigates multiple plot threads and twists; Rowling once again expertly blending the classic and the contemporary through gothic imagery and dogged detective work, developing a multitude of characters which present many suspects for Strike and Robin to investigate - leading to clues and red herrings, undercover operations, extensive interview sequences and splashes of violence; this book has all you could want and more from a mystery and crime thriller to keep you turning its thousand-plus pages.

We also delve some more into Strike's troubled past, each novel revealing another layer. Strike and Robin are both superb and endearing characters, the narrative shared between them, their thoughts and feelings as crucial to the plot as the events and accumulating evidence. The relationship between the two characters drives the narrative as much as the case, their feelings for each other always threatening to rise to the surface.

The novel explores how a fandom can become fanatical and toxic, how the online world of gaming and social media can be abused, and how perceptions can be manipulated for the purposes of trolling, cyber-bullying and even terrorism, and the impact this has on people’s lives and in the real, wider world. The mysterious and villainous Anomie is superbly developed, a chilling presence throughout the novel, their identity revealed in the final pages in a shocking and action-packed climax.

I fell in love with this series from the moment I began 'The Cuckoo's Calling' and I absolutely loved ‘The Ink Black Heart’, which may be my second favourite in the series (following 'Troubled Blood'). The growing proportions of each of the novels let us entirely lose ourselves in this world and I eagerly anticipate the next in the series.



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September Story Spotlight - Will o' the Wisp

"Tendrils of mist rose from the ebony blackness of the marshes, draping over the cloaked figure on the ground."

As Autumn prepares to wrap us in her arms, the spotlight turns to "Will o' the Wisp", a short story of gothic horror, tragic romance and demonic haunting.

Behind the Story

The origins of "Will o' the Wisp" came from two separate directions. The first was a gothic horror mystery, exploring the concept of unanswered questions in the aftermath of someone vanishing, leaving you to wonder if you ever knew them at all and what has become of them. I set this story in the late Victorian era, always a favourite period of mine in fiction, looking and feeling so different to our modern world. At the story's core is the main character's obsession with this disappearance, which has taken over his life.

The second approach was the return of the Jack O'Lantern Men. I always knew they would be back. While I was writing their eponymous novella, I was already thinking about where future stories may lead. When I decided to release my omnibus, I liked the idea of including a bonus short story, something new, and it seemed fitting the demons would make their return. As they pushed their way into my gothic horror tale, I found myself exploring a part of their mythology I'd never intended to. Thus, "Will o' the Wisp - A Jack O'Lantern Tale" was conceived.

As well as an additional story including themes explored throughout the overall collection and a prequel to "The Jack O'Lantern Men", "Will o' the Wisp" can be read as a standalone Hallowe'en chiller, a one-sitting read for a dark autumn evening.

As the night draws in, light your candle and wrap up against the cold, and turn the page to uncover if it may be safer for some questions to remain unanswered...
___

"You will come face to face with one who stole from you your love. But, beware. It will not be the face you expect."

It may be safer for some questions to remain unanswered...

Whilst running an errand late one Hallowe'en night, a young gentleman comes across a young lady in need of assistance. From whom or what she flees is unclear, but nevertheless he desires to help.

When she vanishes without trace, he determines to find the reason for her disappearance, a quest which may lead him into unknown peril.

For, amongst the shadows, there lurks something sinister...

Read the opening scene in three parts:
Part I
Part II
Part III

Want to continue reading? "Will o' the Wisp" is available as a standalone ebook or as part of "Whispers from the Dead of Night - The Deluxe Collection" in ebook, paperback and hardcover.

Order "Will o' the Wisp"
Order "Whispers from the Dead of Night - The Deluxe Collection"

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The Ghost Train

Book I in my brand new series of stories for children - 'The Ghost Legends' - will be...

The Ghost Train

A Gothic Fairy Tale of the horror of evil and the power of love…

The legend of the Ghost Train has been passed through the centuries, the mystery growing with the forest around its hiding place. No one really believes in it anymore. But every so often, the wheels begin to move again…

Chloe and Lewis are visiting their Great Grandpa for Halloween when they hear the story of the Ghost Train and how their Great Grandma disappeared many years ago…

Determined to track down the train and solve the mystery of her disappearance, the two children venture out into the forest at night…

But evil is waiting for them. Can they escape the danger that lurks in the dark, or will they be lost forever along with the secret of the Ghost Train?

Coming this Halloween... 🎃

You can pre-order the Kindle edition from Amazon now!

Check out the cover reveal on Instagram.

Here's a sneak preview of the paperback edition on Facebook.

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Lynda La Plante's Dark Rooms - Review

Dark Rooms by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A harrowing and complex investigation for Jane Tennison.

The body of a young woman is found chained in the basement of a property during demolition.

DI Jane Tennison is part of the team investigating the crime. On visiting the crime scene, Jane discovers the house has more horrors to reveal - in the form of a mummified baby who was buried alive.

Relentless in her pursuit of the truth, Jane finds herself ostracised, but remains determined to solve the mystery of the baby’s death.

'Dark Rooms' is the eighth book in the Jane Tennison series, prequel to the 'Prime Suspect' TV series (and the novelisations of the first three seasons). Lynda La Plante presents an intricate case for the recently promoted Jane Tennison, her first investigation as a Detective Inspector following her required time spent in uniform. It is now the mid-80s, and we meet up with Jane as she's moved into her new home and is having it renovated. Jane continues to be somewhat a lone wolf, something that continues to cause her problems amongst the team. Yet her clashes with her DCI set the scene for her determination to resolve this case, even if it means working alone.

Laced with gothic undertones in the centrepiece of the decaying Victorian mansion and the horrors hiding within, once home to an eccentric family with a long history of tragedy, this is a tightly plotted police procedural featuring realistic forensic science of the time period, and even a touch of romance for Jane, as well as trips to the coast and as far as Australia, exploring some dark and disturbing themes and complex characters through every navigation of the twisting plot. Throughout the series, discrimination - and specifically misogyny - within the police has been a running theme, once more explored in this novel alongside other abuses of power and the elusiveness of long-buried secrets.

I always devour books by Lynda La Plante and 'Dark Rooms' was no exception. As well as the core investigation per novel, this series is as much about Jane's life and career. Lynda has teased both ninth and tenth books, which may bring the series full circle as we approach 'Prime Suspect'. I love this series and always enjoy the evolution of Jane's character - it was very exciting to see her once again take a step forward in career with her promotion. I cannot wait to see what is next in store for DI Tennison.

Absorbing and fast-paced, 'Dark Rooms' presents a challenging investigation for a skilled and dedicated detective, working against the odds to achieve justice in yet another superb entry in the series.



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Stephen King's Billy Summers - Review

Billy Summers by Stephen King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A suspenseful crime thriller told on a broad canvas akin to one of King's epics.

Billy Summers, an assassin for hire, has made a career of killing only 'bad men'. He agrees to a lucrative final job before he intends to retire.

Under his cover as a novelist, Billy revisits his own life story, unprepared for the effect telling his own story will have.

With more at stake than ever before, Billy's final mission may become his undoing.

'Billy Summers' is a moving self-portrait of an assassin with a moral code, a man trained to kill for his country who has made a career from what he does best, but now wants to leave it behind. Not only an assassination thriller, this is a character history of a broken childhood and a story of war. A morality tale and redemption story, beginning with Billy’s hiring and an introduction to the persona he shows the world before we delve into his backstory, this is a multi-layered novel packed with emotion, action and suspense that explores the true horrors of which humanity is capable.

There are echoes of some of King's earlier work sewn throughout. Amongst his best stories are those that portray a true journey for the characters - ones of self-discovery in extraordinary circumstances - and this novel is another shining example of this, taking the reader on this journey with Billy and the people who enter his life. You can always feel the passage of time throughout Stephen King’s epics and you feel that acutely in this novel too, as it pulls you into Billy’s world and keeps you riveted throughout.

The initial scene-setting is superb, detailing Billy's preparations for his 'one last job' as he adopts the alias of David Lockridge, developing his cover and embedding himself in the community, building relationships with his neighbours - genuine connections that trouble him deeply due to his subterfuge. I especially loved the bond that develops between Billy and Alice later in the novel - one that is key to Billy's redemption story, if it truly is possible for him to be redeemed; a question that haunts him as much as his past.

Gripping and captivating, 'Billy Summers' is a fascinating novel and a chilling portrayal of the darker side of humanity.



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London Clarke's Whickering Place - Review

Whickering Place by London Clarke

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A traumatised young woman becomes an unwitting legatee of darkness in this gripping paranormal thriller.

Whickering Place presents a new chapter in Avery's life, following unexpectedly inheriting the estate. Having suffered with agoraphobia for years following an attack that killed her boyfriend, Avery struggles to adapt to her new environment.

As she learns more about her deceased father and his home, she begins to experience strange and unsettling incidents, which may be preternatural in origin.

As the darkness surrounding Whickering Place intensifies, Avery discovers its secrets, some of which may prove impossible to escape.

'Whickering Place' is the second volume in London Clarke's 'Legacy of Darkness' trilogy, following 'The Meadows'. Both a standalone supernatural horror thriller following Avery's experiences after inheriting the eponymous property and another chapter in the history of The Colony, the vampire cult with links to murder and corruption, it immediately immerses you in its atmosphere of classic gothic horror through a modern lens, a well-crafted chiller that will keep you hooked late into the night.

Avery is a brilliant gothic heroine - vulnerable, traumatised, struggling with her mental health - her own demons and past experiences haunting her, making for a perfect storm with the supernatural activity in the house she inherits from her father. Gothic and horror fiction surrounding hauntings is at its best when it crosses into psychological horror territory and no one can quite trust what they are experiencing to be true or if their own senses are betraying them.

Along with the house, Avery inherits two tenants, brothers, both of whom she finds herself attracted to - one kind and dependable, the other mysterious and hiding dark secrets. Having been a recluse for so many years, they are the first people with whom she develops emotional connections in a long time, through which she finds herself facing her past and battling her mental health issues, now with more to lose than ever before.

We also delve deeper into the history and practices of vampire cult The Colony, their rituals of murder and sacrifice and the evil at its core, as they gather around Whickering Place and wish to claim it for their own. With flourishes of romance, a creeping, haunting atmosphere, entwined with glimpses of an investigation into a series of brutal murders, London Clarke has combined multiple elements to create an absorbing supernatural thriller, dripping in suspense.

The novel concludes with a tantalising glimpse of how the story will continue, leaving us in anticipation of 'Nocturne House', which concludes the trilogy.



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