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December Park
In the fall of 1993, the quiet suburb of Harting Farms is shocked when children begin to vanish, and one is found dead near December Park—a great, sweeping expanse that is sunken below the streets and surrounded on three sides by vast woodlands—a place children believe is haunted. Newspapers call the abductor the Piper because he has come to lead children away, while kids whisper darker names for him in the school halls. Angelo Mazzone and his friends discover a link to the dead girl and take up the search for the killer, vowing to stop the Piper’s reign of terror. Their teenage pledge becomes a journey of self-discovery and an odyssey into the darkness of their own hometown.
756 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2014
317 people are currently reading
7214 people want to read
About the author
Ronald Malfi
78 books3,675 followersRonald Malfi is the bestselling, award-winning author of many novels and novellas in the horror, mystery, and thriller genres. In 2011, his novel, Floating Staircase, was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for best novel by the Horror Writers Association, and also won a gold IPPY award. Perhaps his most well-received novel, Come with Me (2021), about a man who learns a dark secret about his wife after she's killed, has received stellar reviews, including a starred review from BookPage, and Publishers Weekly has said, "Malfi impresses in this taut, supernaturally tinged mystery... and sticks the landing with a powerful denouement. There’s plenty here to enjoy."
In 2024, Malfi was awarded the William G. Wilson Maryland Author Award for adult fiction.
His most recent novels include Senseless (2025) and Small Town Horror (2024), both of which received favorable reviews and saw Malfi stretch his authorial voice.
Come with Me (2021) and Black Mouth (2022), tackle themes of grief and loss, and of the effects of childhood trauma and alcoholism, respectively. Both books have been critically praised, with Publishers Weekly calling Black Mouth a "standout" book of the year. These novels were followed by Ghostwritten (2022), a collection of four subtly-linked novellas about haunted books and the power of the written word. Ghostwritten received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called the book a "wonderfully meta collection...vibrantly imagined," and that "Malfi makes reading about the perils of reading a terrifying delight."
Among his most popular works is December Park, a coming-of-age thriller set in the '90s, wherein five teenage boys take up the hunt for a child murderer in their hometown of Harting Farms, Maryland. In interviews, Malfi has expressed that this is his most autobiographical book to date. In 2015, this novel was awarded the Beverly Hills International Book Award for best suspense novel. It has been optioned several times for film.
Bone White (2017), about a man searching for his lost twin brother in a haunted Alaskan mining town, was touted as "an elegant, twisted, gripping slow-burn of a novel that burrows under the skin and nestles deep," by RT Book Reviews, and has also been optioned for television by Fox21/Disney and Amazon Studios.
His novels Little Girls (2015) and The Night Parade (2016) explore broken families forced to endure horrific and extraordinary circumstances, which has become the hallmark for Malfi's brand of intimate, lyrical horror fiction.
His earlier works, such as Via Dolorosa (2007) and Passenger (2008) explored characters with lost or confused identities, wherein Malfi experimented with the ultimate unreliable narrators. He maintained this trend in his award-winning novel, Floating Staircase (2011), which the author has suggested contains "multiple endings for the astute reader."
His more "monstery" novels, such as Snow (2010) and The Narrows (2012) still resonate with his inimitable brand of literary cadence and focus on character and story over plot. Both books were highly regarded by fans and reviewers in the genre.
A bit of a departure, Malfi published the crime drama Shamrock Alley in 2009, based on the true exploits of his own father, a former Secret Service agent. The book was optioned several times for film.
Ronald Malfi was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, the eldest of four children, and eventually relocated to Maryland, where he currently resides along the Chesapeake Bay.
When he's not writing, he's performing with the rock band VEER, who can be found at veerband.net and on Twitter at @VeerBand
Visit with Ronald Malfi on Facebook, Twitter (@RonaldMalfi), or at http://www.ronaldmalfi.com.
In 2024, Malfi was awarded the William G. Wilson Maryland Author Award for adult fiction.
His most recent novels include Senseless (2025) and Small Town Horror (2024), both of which received favorable reviews and saw Malfi stretch his authorial voice.
Come with Me (2021) and Black Mouth (2022), tackle themes of grief and loss, and of the effects of childhood trauma and alcoholism, respectively. Both books have been critically praised, with Publishers Weekly calling Black Mouth a "standout" book of the year. These novels were followed by Ghostwritten (2022), a collection of four subtly-linked novellas about haunted books and the power of the written word. Ghostwritten received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called the book a "wonderfully meta collection...vibrantly imagined," and that "Malfi makes reading about the perils of reading a terrifying delight."
Among his most popular works is December Park, a coming-of-age thriller set in the '90s, wherein five teenage boys take up the hunt for a child murderer in their hometown of Harting Farms, Maryland. In interviews, Malfi has expressed that this is his most autobiographical book to date. In 2015, this novel was awarded the Beverly Hills International Book Award for best suspense novel. It has been optioned several times for film.
Bone White (2017), about a man searching for his lost twin brother in a haunted Alaskan mining town, was touted as "an elegant, twisted, gripping slow-burn of a novel that burrows under the skin and nestles deep," by RT Book Reviews, and has also been optioned for television by Fox21/Disney and Amazon Studios.
His novels Little Girls (2015) and The Night Parade (2016) explore broken families forced to endure horrific and extraordinary circumstances, which has become the hallmark for Malfi's brand of intimate, lyrical horror fiction.
His earlier works, such as Via Dolorosa (2007) and Passenger (2008) explored characters with lost or confused identities, wherein Malfi experimented with the ultimate unreliable narrators. He maintained this trend in his award-winning novel, Floating Staircase (2011), which the author has suggested contains "multiple endings for the astute reader."
His more "monstery" novels, such as Snow (2010) and The Narrows (2012) still resonate with his inimitable brand of literary cadence and focus on character and story over plot. Both books were highly regarded by fans and reviewers in the genre.
A bit of a departure, Malfi published the crime drama Shamrock Alley in 2009, based on the true exploits of his own father, a former Secret Service agent. The book was optioned several times for film.
Ronald Malfi was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, the eldest of four children, and eventually relocated to Maryland, where he currently resides along the Chesapeake Bay.
When he's not writing, he's performing with the rock band VEER, who can be found at veerband.net and on Twitter at @VeerBand
Visit with Ronald Malfi on Facebook, Twitter (@RonaldMalfi), or at http://www.ronaldmalfi.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 536 reviews
December 2, 2019
My heart has a special room in it set aside for coming of age stories set against the backdrop of something evil happening in a small town.
Some of my all time favorites include, IT by Stephen King, Boy’s Life and also his new book, The Listener by Robert McCammon, Children of the Dark by Jonathan Janz and Summer of Night by Dan Simmons.
Someone recommended December Park to me knowing my penchant for these kinds of tales. I read the synopsis about children disappearing under mysterious circumstances, the police are stumped but 5 friends set out to uncover the truth so they can catch a killer and I was sold.
The most enjoyable thing about Malfi’s book, December Park is that the mystery is very slow to unfold (just as I would assume real crime mysteries would be) but while we’re waiting for Malfi to reveal clues pointing to the killer and ultimately, the killer’s identity, we are altogether consumed with the lives of his protagonists: 5 very different boys around 15 years old who go to high school together.
We spend the most time with Angelo Mazzone. His dad is a police officer working on the case of the “Piper” and the disappearing kids. Angelo makes the case that while law enforcement have the duty to protect and serve--it’s the children of Harting Farms that know the underbelly and all the secrets of the town--the private lives of kids.
It was such a treat having these teens be in high school during the early 1990s because that’s my experience so I was instantly relating to the context on a personal level. The music references, slang words, literally everything about the setting was striking a chord. My favorite scenes were whenever all of the boys were together for pages of dialog--it’s like you’re right there as a fly on the wall witnessing real boys in the summer of their youth--all their struggles, joys, attitudes, emotions are expressed realistically by an author who clearly lived it and can pull from a deep well of knowledge and experience.
I always say that the best horror books are the ones where the reader falls in love with the characters because the risk becomes so high when our lovable characters are faced with danger. This book is no exception, by the end, I was wrecked and I loved every moment feeling those feelings.
This is a favorite read this year and I’m so thrilled to have found another favorite horror author. Check out Malfi’s collection of short stories called, We Should Have Left Well Enough Alone.
Some of my all time favorites include, IT by Stephen King, Boy’s Life and also his new book, The Listener by Robert McCammon, Children of the Dark by Jonathan Janz and Summer of Night by Dan Simmons.
Someone recommended December Park to me knowing my penchant for these kinds of tales. I read the synopsis about children disappearing under mysterious circumstances, the police are stumped but 5 friends set out to uncover the truth so they can catch a killer and I was sold.
The most enjoyable thing about Malfi’s book, December Park is that the mystery is very slow to unfold (just as I would assume real crime mysteries would be) but while we’re waiting for Malfi to reveal clues pointing to the killer and ultimately, the killer’s identity, we are altogether consumed with the lives of his protagonists: 5 very different boys around 15 years old who go to high school together.
We spend the most time with Angelo Mazzone. His dad is a police officer working on the case of the “Piper” and the disappearing kids. Angelo makes the case that while law enforcement have the duty to protect and serve--it’s the children of Harting Farms that know the underbelly and all the secrets of the town--the private lives of kids.
It was such a treat having these teens be in high school during the early 1990s because that’s my experience so I was instantly relating to the context on a personal level. The music references, slang words, literally everything about the setting was striking a chord. My favorite scenes were whenever all of the boys were together for pages of dialog--it’s like you’re right there as a fly on the wall witnessing real boys in the summer of their youth--all their struggles, joys, attitudes, emotions are expressed realistically by an author who clearly lived it and can pull from a deep well of knowledge and experience.
I always say that the best horror books are the ones where the reader falls in love with the characters because the risk becomes so high when our lovable characters are faced with danger. This book is no exception, by the end, I was wrecked and I loved every moment feeling those feelings.
This is a favorite read this year and I’m so thrilled to have found another favorite horror author. Check out Malfi’s collection of short stories called, We Should Have Left Well Enough Alone.
August 29, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Hands down one of the greatest books I’ve read. An amalgamation of coming-of-age nostalgia, subtly tenebrous horror, and divinely paced tension.
Malfi continually proves that he is second to none when it comes to creating horror masterpieces. This has taken the top spot in terms of the rankings of his work, and that is really saying something with such a powerhouse catalogue.
I can’t say enough about this story. It will forever be part of my subconscious like an indelible residue. The kids are drawn with such a tender stroke. They are believable. They are easy to root for. They are all of us in some way.
I was absolutely enraptured with this story as it developed, and the ending was entirely unexpected. I could live within this book’s world forever, and I feel sorry for the next book I read because there is very little chance it will stand on equal footing.
This is a book I will return to at least once or twice more in my life.
Hands down one of the greatest books I’ve read. An amalgamation of coming-of-age nostalgia, subtly tenebrous horror, and divinely paced tension.
Malfi continually proves that he is second to none when it comes to creating horror masterpieces. This has taken the top spot in terms of the rankings of his work, and that is really saying something with such a powerhouse catalogue.
I can’t say enough about this story. It will forever be part of my subconscious like an indelible residue. The kids are drawn with such a tender stroke. They are believable. They are easy to root for. They are all of us in some way.
I was absolutely enraptured with this story as it developed, and the ending was entirely unexpected. I could live within this book’s world forever, and I feel sorry for the next book I read because there is very little chance it will stand on equal footing.
This is a book I will return to at least once or twice more in my life.
December 8, 2019
In the fall of 1993, a dark shadow fell over Harting Farms. Newspapers called him the Piper, like the minstrel of Brothers Grimm lore who lured all the children away. There were other darker names, too - names kids whispered throughout the halls of Stanton School and carved in the wooden chairs of the library like dirty, fearful secrets. The Cafetaria rumbled with talk of escaped mental patients from Sheppard Pratt and lunatic mariners, lustful for child blood, who ported in Baltimore and found their way to our sleepy bayside hamlet...
Wow, amazing. This is a seriously good book. Seemingly slow, full of character, tension, atmosphere, horror, not to forget the close friendship between a couple of young guys, the storyteller Angie (Angelo in full), Scott, Peter, Michael and Adrian, who take it upon themselves to track a serial killer, soon called The Piper in the media. And that ending, wow.
Tears. Amazingly good. Did not see it coming. I had this on my reading shelf for most part of the year, only started it in the last weeks, unbelievable... 5 stars - Well Worth It.
Wow, amazing. This is a seriously good book. Seemingly slow, full of character, tension, atmosphere, horror, not to forget the close friendship between a couple of young guys, the storyteller Angie (Angelo in full), Scott, Peter, Michael and Adrian, who take it upon themselves to track a serial killer, soon called The Piper in the media. And that ending, wow.
Tears. Amazingly good. Did not see it coming. I had this on my reading shelf for most part of the year, only started it in the last weeks, unbelievable... 5 stars - Well Worth It.
November 10, 2019
“No retreat, baby, no surrender”
In the fall of 1993, in the quiet suburb of Harting Farms, children begin vanishing and one is found dead. Vowing to stop the Piper’s reign of terror, five boys take up the search.
There’s just something very special about coming-of-age tales, isn’t there? I think it’s because they invoke such overwhelming nostalgia and it’s a trope that most people can relate to. December Park fits nicely into the same category as Dan Simmons’ Summer of Night, Robert McCammon’s Boy’s Life, Stephen King’s IT and even his novella The Body as well.
I wouldn’t classify this one as a straight-up horror novel, it’s intention isn’t to scare or unsettle - it’s more about the relationships our main protagonist, Angelo, has formed with his father, grandfather, brother and the kids in his friendship circle. Malfi has included some really beautiful and touching scenes here, particularly between Angelo and his father. And I’m a goddamn sucker for those child-parent moments!
It’s a slow burn as the kids ride around on their bikes and try to carry out their own investigation into the serial killer in their small town - the one who has become known as The Piper. It’s not action-packed until the last quarter or so, when you simply can’t put the book down as everything comes to a head. And Malfi does actually throw in a few chilling moments in the final part as well!!
I cannot let this review pass without commenting on how fucking cool Angelo is and how much we need to be friends. He is CONSTANTLY listening to Bruce Springsteen and he loves reading horror and watching slashers, and I am trying not to be offended by sharing so much in common with a 15 year old boy. The Springsteen references just had me geeking out on another level!
I shed a few tears towards the end as well... This book really had it all for me. I can’t recommend it enough! One of my fave books of the year!
In the fall of 1993, in the quiet suburb of Harting Farms, children begin vanishing and one is found dead. Vowing to stop the Piper’s reign of terror, five boys take up the search.
There’s just something very special about coming-of-age tales, isn’t there? I think it’s because they invoke such overwhelming nostalgia and it’s a trope that most people can relate to. December Park fits nicely into the same category as Dan Simmons’ Summer of Night, Robert McCammon’s Boy’s Life, Stephen King’s IT and even his novella The Body as well.
I wouldn’t classify this one as a straight-up horror novel, it’s intention isn’t to scare or unsettle - it’s more about the relationships our main protagonist, Angelo, has formed with his father, grandfather, brother and the kids in his friendship circle. Malfi has included some really beautiful and touching scenes here, particularly between Angelo and his father. And I’m a goddamn sucker for those child-parent moments!
It’s a slow burn as the kids ride around on their bikes and try to carry out their own investigation into the serial killer in their small town - the one who has become known as The Piper. It’s not action-packed until the last quarter or so, when you simply can’t put the book down as everything comes to a head. And Malfi does actually throw in a few chilling moments in the final part as well!!
I cannot let this review pass without commenting on how fucking cool Angelo is and how much we need to be friends. He is CONSTANTLY listening to Bruce Springsteen and he loves reading horror and watching slashers, and I am trying not to be offended by sharing so much in common with a 15 year old boy. The Springsteen references just had me geeking out on another level!
I shed a few tears towards the end as well... This book really had it all for me. I can’t recommend it enough! One of my fave books of the year!
January 7, 2019
If Stephen King's It, The Body (Stand By Me) and The Hardy Boys had an orgy, this book would be the wet spot.
This 500+ page book could have easily been 200 pages less, although I suspect I still would have been bored.
Synopsis
A group of five obnoxious high school boys ride around on their bikes, smoking cigarettes and drinking Jolt while trying to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of several teens in their small town.
Nothing ever really happens. Allow me to rephrase that, nothing EVER happens.
The boys come across "clues" that ultimately are never explained why, where, what did they had to do with anything.
I felt like the story never went anywhere, no progression whatsoever until the final 10%. And then the mystery is solved and I'm like wtf?? Where did that come from? The explanation for the end result was so out of left field it was asinine.
This one was definitely not my cup of Jolt.
This 500+ page book could have easily been 200 pages less, although I suspect I still would have been bored.
Synopsis
A group of five obnoxious high school boys ride around on their bikes, smoking cigarettes and drinking Jolt while trying to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of several teens in their small town.
Nothing ever really happens. Allow me to rephrase that, nothing EVER happens.
The boys come across "clues" that ultimately are never explained why, where, what did they had to do with anything.
I felt like the story never went anywhere, no progression whatsoever until the final 10%. And then the mystery is solved and I'm like wtf?? Where did that come from? The explanation for the end result was so out of left field it was asinine.
This one was definitely not my cup of Jolt.
September 16, 2018
This time my five stars are doubled ...... To start with, many thanks to my GR friend Manuel whose review drew my attention to the author I had never heard of before. Now, Ronald Malfi masterfully creates the atmosphere of a total horror without actually showing you any monster. While reading I felt like something dark was looming over me and this is a feeling you do not get too often, only with a truly good piece of writing. The plot is perfectly paced and I should call this book a page-turner although don't turn the pages too quickly because every word counts, if I may say so. The most terrific read!!
October 27, 2024
1993
A coming-of-age story that centers around the mystery of children and teens vanishing in Harting Farms. Their bodies often being found near December Park. Everyone in town is on edge. The kids dub the killer the Piper and for one group of teenage friends, finding the piper and solving the mystery consumes their free time and shapes their summer and relationships.
I enjoyed the group of friends Angelo, Michael, Scott, Adrian and Peter and their quest to find the truth. Angelo's (Angie) family was wonderfully drawn and who would not want to come over and have some of his grandmother's cooking?
I agree with other reviewers who have mentioned that this book reminded them of Stephen King's The Body (i.e. Stand By Me in movie form). I enjoyed the sense of nostalgia that seeped from the pages of December Park. I also enjoyed the camaraderie between the group of friends. As they hunt down clues and come face to face with bullies, I found myself wanting to warn them, hug them, scold them, and cheer them on.
This book was a bit of a slow burn, and I struggle with slow burns. December Parkdid feel long at times. But I hung in there and I am glad that I did. I did not see the HUGE twist/reveal that came at the end. That was a shocker.
Overall, an enjoyable, nostalgic but long book that follows a group of teenage boys as they hunt down clues, face challenges, make friends, and face the harshness of life.
3.5 stars
*A Witches Words Buddy read
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
A coming-of-age story that centers around the mystery of children and teens vanishing in Harting Farms. Their bodies often being found near December Park. Everyone in town is on edge. The kids dub the killer the Piper and for one group of teenage friends, finding the piper and solving the mystery consumes their free time and shapes their summer and relationships.
I enjoyed the group of friends Angelo, Michael, Scott, Adrian and Peter and their quest to find the truth. Angelo's (Angie) family was wonderfully drawn and who would not want to come over and have some of his grandmother's cooking?
I agree with other reviewers who have mentioned that this book reminded them of Stephen King's The Body (i.e. Stand By Me in movie form). I enjoyed the sense of nostalgia that seeped from the pages of December Park. I also enjoyed the camaraderie between the group of friends. As they hunt down clues and come face to face with bullies, I found myself wanting to warn them, hug them, scold them, and cheer them on.
This book was a bit of a slow burn, and I struggle with slow burns. December Parkdid feel long at times. But I hung in there and I am glad that I did. I did not see the HUGE twist/reveal that came at the end. That was a shocker.
Overall, an enjoyable, nostalgic but long book that follows a group of teenage boys as they hunt down clues, face challenges, make friends, and face the harshness of life.
3.5 stars
*A Witches Words Buddy read
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
December 12, 2022
4.0 Stars
This was such a fantastic story of coming of age set during the 1990s. While this followed the narrative structure of a horror coming of age story, this was really more of a mystery without any supernatural elements. This was a slower paced story, spanning over a year, yet I was completely absorbed in the narrative the entire time. The character work was absolutely phenomenal, particularly the boys who truly felt like the teenagers of my childhood. The ending was not what I expected, but otherwise this story followed the beats of a classic coming of age story. It felt like such a comforting familiar narrative and I really loved it.
This was such a fantastic story of coming of age set during the 1990s. While this followed the narrative structure of a horror coming of age story, this was really more of a mystery without any supernatural elements. This was a slower paced story, spanning over a year, yet I was completely absorbed in the narrative the entire time. The character work was absolutely phenomenal, particularly the boys who truly felt like the teenagers of my childhood. The ending was not what I expected, but otherwise this story followed the beats of a classic coming of age story. It felt like such a comforting familiar narrative and I really loved it.
June 3, 2022
Brilliant, just as I expected it to be !
I've discovered Mr. Malfi through Come with Me and I was gobsmacked. Next thing I did was add all his previous book to my TBR, and lucky me, he is a prolific writer and I still can catch up on a lot of books. After Bone White, I continued with an older novel, December Park, and I was invested from start to finish. As others have pointed out before, the link with The Body, is very quickly made as we have some teenagers biking their way through summer with a heavy load on their young shoulders. But just as with the previous books, I prefer Malfi's version. There were small passages that irked me a bit with King and that Malfi seems to avoid. It is cleaner, less supernatural and it just tugs at my heartstrings a bit more.
I agree with the fact that the book is extremely long, but I had no problem whatsoever with that. When a story is engaging and the prose flows from page to page, I prefer it not to end too quickly, I thought the length was perfect. And talk about the ending! I didn't see that one coming but it made the whole story absolutely perfect, and every little piece of information clicked right in its place.
A future re-read for sure !
I've discovered Mr. Malfi through Come with Me and I was gobsmacked. Next thing I did was add all his previous book to my TBR, and lucky me, he is a prolific writer and I still can catch up on a lot of books. After Bone White, I continued with an older novel, December Park, and I was invested from start to finish. As others have pointed out before, the link with The Body, is very quickly made as we have some teenagers biking their way through summer with a heavy load on their young shoulders. But just as with the previous books, I prefer Malfi's version. There were small passages that irked me a bit with King and that Malfi seems to avoid. It is cleaner, less supernatural and it just tugs at my heartstrings a bit more.
I agree with the fact that the book is extremely long, but I had no problem whatsoever with that. When a story is engaging and the prose flows from page to page, I prefer it not to end too quickly, I thought the length was perfect. And talk about the ending! I didn't see that one coming but it made the whole story absolutely perfect, and every little piece of information clicked right in its place.
A future re-read for sure !
August 17, 2018
Young teens are disappearing from the small town of Harting Farms. It's the early 90's, and five friends decide to do some investigating of their own, soon becoming obsessed with the hunt for The Piper.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, even though it is a variation on the theme of other fine coming-of-age tales (Boy's Life, The Body). I will say the boys' maturity level seemed several years younger than their 15 years. I grudgingly accept the preoccupation with farts and mooning and flipping the bird, but I grew up with a brother and he had pretty much moved on to other interests by age 15.
Loved the dynamic of the Mazzone household with Angelo, his widowed cop dad, and his grandparents. It was easy to picture Grandma working the bubbling pots and pans on the stove as though she was conducting an orchestra. Same with Grandpa stomping around and stewing that he was too old to have to eat leftover meatloaf.
My thanks to Michelle, who recommended this to me after my reading of Bone White by the same author. I'm sold on Ronald Malfi.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, even though it is a variation on the theme of other fine coming-of-age tales (Boy's Life, The Body). I will say the boys' maturity level seemed several years younger than their 15 years. I grudgingly accept the preoccupation with farts and mooning and flipping the bird, but I grew up with a brother and he had pretty much moved on to other interests by age 15.
Loved the dynamic of the Mazzone household with Angelo, his widowed cop dad, and his grandparents. It was easy to picture Grandma working the bubbling pots and pans on the stove as though she was conducting an orchestra. Same with Grandpa stomping around and stewing that he was too old to have to eat leftover meatloaf.
My thanks to Michelle, who recommended this to me after my reading of Bone White by the same author. I'm sold on Ronald Malfi.
May 4, 2017
This book is simply brilliant. It's the kind of book that you don't want to end yet don't want to put down either. I honestly became so emotionally invested with these characters that I sobbed at the end. Oh, and the end. There is a twist. One I NEVER saw coming. This is only the second book I've read by this author and he has quickly become one of my favorites. Check out his work. I assure you he is as talented a writer as they come. You will not be disappointed.
April 9, 2015
An excellent novel that combines coming of age with thriller as a group of boys hunt for a serial killer.
Malfi remembers what it was like growing up, and his writing rings true.
Malfi remembers what it was like growing up, and his writing rings true.
October 23, 2024
It’s the 1990s and children are disappearing without trace from the small town of Harting Farms. The police are unable to find a suspect for the kidnapper and think the kids may have run away. However, when a body of a missing girl is found in the woods, they know they have a killer in town, one the media have nicknamed ‘The Piper’.
This is very much a coming of age story with similar vibes to the movie “Stand by Me”, as four teenage boys, close friends Angie (Angelo), Scott, Michael and Peter decide to hunt for their own clues to the Piper’s identity. The boys, their friendship and the time period are really well depicted as well as their exploits in the woods and abandoned buildings. They also show unusual compassion for boys that age, admitting a new kid in town, Angie’s neighbour Adrian, to their friendship group even though he is quiet and not at all streetwise due to his sheltered and troubled upbringing.
The novel has a long, slow build up to the final chapters which are truly horrifying but it’s a long wait if you’re expecting a horror novel, as this is a very long book, which I feel could have been quite a bit shorter. The big twist was very good and truly unexpected and Malfi’s writing, as always, is excellent, but you do need to be very patient and enjoy the coming of age story as well. 3.5★
.......................................................................................................
This was a buddy read with Mary Beth, Debra & Brenda from Witches Words.
This is very much a coming of age story with similar vibes to the movie “Stand by Me”, as four teenage boys, close friends Angie (Angelo), Scott, Michael and Peter decide to hunt for their own clues to the Piper’s identity. The boys, their friendship and the time period are really well depicted as well as their exploits in the woods and abandoned buildings. They also show unusual compassion for boys that age, admitting a new kid in town, Angie’s neighbour Adrian, to their friendship group even though he is quiet and not at all streetwise due to his sheltered and troubled upbringing.
The novel has a long, slow build up to the final chapters which are truly horrifying but it’s a long wait if you’re expecting a horror novel, as this is a very long book, which I feel could have been quite a bit shorter. The big twist was very good and truly unexpected and Malfi’s writing, as always, is excellent, but you do need to be very patient and enjoy the coming of age story as well. 3.5★
.......................................................................................................
This was a buddy read with Mary Beth, Debra & Brenda from Witches Words.
October 6, 2015
I love Ronald Malfi. There. I admitted it. Though it shouldn't come as a surprise if you follow my reviews. His Floating Staircase was haunting. The Narrows? Frightening. And The Mourning House is the single finest piece of modern horror fiction out there today. But here's the thing. Typically, when I read a book I really like, I don't read more by that author. I know, I know. That sounds strange. But I have this fear that the next book I read will be lacking, that it will somehow take away from what I've read before. Greatness, after all, is hard to maintain. So when I picked up December Park, I had concerns. What if it wasn't as good? What if I was disappointed? Oh but my friends, how foolish I was. I had nothing to fear. Well...almost nothing.
December Park is a part of a sub-genre I don't particularly like--the coming of age tale. I don't really enjoy stories about kids, especially teenagers. Not sure why. I know it's popular. But not for me. So I approached December Park with some trepidation. That was the first page. By the last one, I was tearing up. I had connected with the characters in a way I could not expect.
The story is one you are familiar with. A group of kids find their peaceful town under siege by a serial killer who is stalking their own numbers. They begin to realize they are the only ones who can defeat this evil, and they must face it, no matter what the cost. If it sounds like It, that's what I thought too. And the comparison isn't favorable...for It at least. That venerable Stephen King bestseller pales in comparison to December Park.
Put simply, Malfi has knocked it out of the proverbial park again with this one. You cannot go wrong with Malfi, no matter which of his books you decide to pick up. But you could do far worse than starting with December Park.
5 Stars
December Park is a part of a sub-genre I don't particularly like--the coming of age tale. I don't really enjoy stories about kids, especially teenagers. Not sure why. I know it's popular. But not for me. So I approached December Park with some trepidation. That was the first page. By the last one, I was tearing up. I had connected with the characters in a way I could not expect.
The story is one you are familiar with. A group of kids find their peaceful town under siege by a serial killer who is stalking their own numbers. They begin to realize they are the only ones who can defeat this evil, and they must face it, no matter what the cost. If it sounds like It, that's what I thought too. And the comparison isn't favorable...for It at least. That venerable Stephen King bestseller pales in comparison to December Park.
Put simply, Malfi has knocked it out of the proverbial park again with this one. You cannot go wrong with Malfi, no matter which of his books you decide to pick up. But you could do far worse than starting with December Park.
5 Stars
December 11, 2017
Welcome to Harting Farms. Home of The Piper. Oh wait, that’s not really a good thing.
Simply calling this one a “coming-of-age” tale really doesn’t do the story justice. It is more than that. It is a nostalgic tour of small town childhood in the early 1990’s, as five schoolyard friends are thrust into a hunt for the serial killer that has gripped their town in fear and paranoia. Everyone is suspect. Every one of their acquaintances is a potential victim. Including them.
I have really become a big of Ronald Malfi. Dude can write. Thrillers, horror, mystery, crime/drama. Whatever. Doesn’t matter. He’s good. Real good. Definitely earned a spot on my must read author list. If you haven’t read him yet, then you are missing out.
The dialog and action in this one really rang true for me. I was more a child of the 80’s than 90’s, but kids are kids and Malfi deftly navigates the wonder and thrill of being on the younger side of the teenage years in a (somewhat) small town.
Very well done and put together. A solid 4+ Stars and Highly Recommended.
Simply calling this one a “coming-of-age” tale really doesn’t do the story justice. It is more than that. It is a nostalgic tour of small town childhood in the early 1990’s, as five schoolyard friends are thrust into a hunt for the serial killer that has gripped their town in fear and paranoia. Everyone is suspect. Every one of their acquaintances is a potential victim. Including them.
I have really become a big of Ronald Malfi. Dude can write. Thrillers, horror, mystery, crime/drama. Whatever. Doesn’t matter. He’s good. Real good. Definitely earned a spot on my must read author list. If you haven’t read him yet, then you are missing out.
The dialog and action in this one really rang true for me. I was more a child of the 80’s than 90’s, but kids are kids and Malfi deftly navigates the wonder and thrill of being on the younger side of the teenage years in a (somewhat) small town.
Very well done and put together. A solid 4+ Stars and Highly Recommended.
July 1, 2014
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Excellent coming-of-age horror novel -- this one gets my highest recommendation!
December 28, 2022
Solid sprawling horror YA in the vein of Boys Life and IT, only updated for 1993. It's a mystery with a ton of kids going missing, yes, but mostly it's a slice of life and a full nostalgia pie.
Definitely worth reading if you need this kind of thing in your life, and I did.
Definitely worth reading if you need this kind of thing in your life, and I did.
November 9, 2019
Erwachsen werden in den 90ern plus ein Serienkiller plus der eindringlichen und packende Stil von Ronald Malfi ergeben für mich ein wirkliches Lesehighlight. Wer gerne Coming of Age - Romane liest ist hier genau richtig. Allerdings sollte man sich darauf gefasst machen völlig von der Geschichte eingesogen und am Ende als ein kleines Häufchen Elend wieder ausgespuckt zu werden.
May 31, 2021
Great story, characters, and writing. A little over descriptive in places, but his words are so well placed it's not that big of deal.
January 31, 2025
I’m sitting here sobbing. This entire work by Ronald Malfi is spectacular. Every page was a gift and the ending has broken my heart at the same time it mended it back together. ❤️🩹 A coming of age story that will most likely be my favorite read of the year. I want to pick it up again right now and begin the journey all over.
10 ⭐️s.
10 ⭐️s.
June 2, 2014
I wish I had written this book
One of the more popular subgenres of horror fiction is the "coming-of-age" novel. From longer books like Robert R. McCammon's BOY's LIFE and Dan Simmons' SUMMER OF NIGHT to shorter novels and novellas such as James Newman's MIDNIGHT RAIN, Joe R. Lansdale's THE BOTTOMS, and of course Stephen King's chilling novella THE BODY, these are books that I read over and over again. I have gone through 2-3 copies of each of these classics, either due to reading them into tatters, or lending them to friends who manage to "lose" them.
Ronald Malfi's DECEMBER PARK has jumped onto that list. The five boys featured in its 530+ pages (not 756 as listed on the Amazon description) were fully fleshed-out human beings who brought to mind friends from my youth. Although I grew up in the mid-1980's in upstate New York, the setting of 1990's coastal Maryland was as familiar to me as if I had lived there. I know that if my group of friends had been thrust into the same situation, investigating the presence of a possible serial killer in their town, we would have made the same ill-advised decisions.
In a couple of reviews, some people claimed that it dragged on, or complained that there was no supernatural element, so it wasn't horror. To them, I say "SO WHAT?" Malfi has written a great novel that pulled me along through the pages until the surprising, heart-wrenching end.
Horror isn't only fit for tales with soul-sucking monsters or ancient evils that corrupt small towns. There is also room for stories about the horrors of everyday life. I absolutely love books with vivid descriptions of tentacles, fangs and ectoplasmic ooze, but the books that truly scare me are ones with situations that I could imagine happening to me.
Buy this book. You won't regret it.
One of the more popular subgenres of horror fiction is the "coming-of-age" novel. From longer books like Robert R. McCammon's BOY's LIFE and Dan Simmons' SUMMER OF NIGHT to shorter novels and novellas such as James Newman's MIDNIGHT RAIN, Joe R. Lansdale's THE BOTTOMS, and of course Stephen King's chilling novella THE BODY, these are books that I read over and over again. I have gone through 2-3 copies of each of these classics, either due to reading them into tatters, or lending them to friends who manage to "lose" them.
Ronald Malfi's DECEMBER PARK has jumped onto that list. The five boys featured in its 530+ pages (not 756 as listed on the Amazon description) were fully fleshed-out human beings who brought to mind friends from my youth. Although I grew up in the mid-1980's in upstate New York, the setting of 1990's coastal Maryland was as familiar to me as if I had lived there. I know that if my group of friends had been thrust into the same situation, investigating the presence of a possible serial killer in their town, we would have made the same ill-advised decisions.
In a couple of reviews, some people claimed that it dragged on, or complained that there was no supernatural element, so it wasn't horror. To them, I say "SO WHAT?" Malfi has written a great novel that pulled me along through the pages until the surprising, heart-wrenching end.
Horror isn't only fit for tales with soul-sucking monsters or ancient evils that corrupt small towns. There is also room for stories about the horrors of everyday life. I absolutely love books with vivid descriptions of tentacles, fangs and ectoplasmic ooze, but the books that truly scare me are ones with situations that I could imagine happening to me.
Buy this book. You won't regret it.
November 10, 2017
In 1993, children in Harting Farms begin to go missing. The police start investigating — and a curfew for kids under eighteen is implemented — but no answers are found. The crimes go on. Five teenage friends band together to solve the crime for themselves, going to places in town adults aren’t aware of, the places kids frequent. Their investigation goes on for quite a while, and in that time they’ll discover more than they expected.
This was my second Ronald Malfi novel. Call me a bonafide Malfi fan, because this guy is 2/2 with me. Though this one didn’t quite reach the heights of Bone White, I feel, it was still a lot of fun. It’s a quick, enthralling read, and I would have finished it much sooner had I not also had David Copperfield on the docket.
I must admit a few things about this book felt rather derivative. The main character and narrator, Angelo, is a horror-loving kid with a penchant for storytelling. This sort of character has become a trope in horror-tinged coming of age fiction, though it is understandable. It’s a case of writers writing about what they know. Still, it just smacked of unoriginality. Other elements such as a massive storm and a creepy house the kids refer to as “The Werewolf House” felt like they’d been ripped straight from Stephen King’s IT. That’s not to say this is a case of plagiarism; most certainly not. It’s just these things have been done so often before.
This is an enjoyable and emotional mystery/thriller starring five very likable (albeit somewhat unmemorable) kids. Whatever problems are present are made up for with Malfi’s sheer writing talent.
This was my second Ronald Malfi novel. Call me a bonafide Malfi fan, because this guy is 2/2 with me. Though this one didn’t quite reach the heights of Bone White, I feel, it was still a lot of fun. It’s a quick, enthralling read, and I would have finished it much sooner had I not also had David Copperfield on the docket.
I must admit a few things about this book felt rather derivative. The main character and narrator, Angelo, is a horror-loving kid with a penchant for storytelling. This sort of character has become a trope in horror-tinged coming of age fiction, though it is understandable. It’s a case of writers writing about what they know. Still, it just smacked of unoriginality. Other elements such as a massive storm and a creepy house the kids refer to as “The Werewolf House” felt like they’d been ripped straight from Stephen King’s IT. That’s not to say this is a case of plagiarism; most certainly not. It’s just these things have been done so often before.
This is an enjoyable and emotional mystery/thriller starring five very likable (albeit somewhat unmemorable) kids. Whatever problems are present are made up for with Malfi’s sheer writing talent.
May 16, 2022
December Park is my second foray into Ronald Malfi’s novels, and after how immensely thrilling this was, he’s on his way to becoming one of my favourite horror authors. Filled with eerie atmospheric prose, heartfelt characters and a gripping mystery, this book is a coming-of-age tale that demands your attention.
During 1993 in the sleepy suburbs of Harting Farm five friends anticipate the end of school and a long summer of carefree shenanigans and capers in the park and the mysterious surrounding woods. However, when children begin disappearing, and one young girl is found brutally murdered, fears of a serial killer, terrifyingly named The Piper, grips all the residents in fear for their children’s safety. As parent’s become stricter and police begin to enforce restrictions, our five band of friends decide to make a pact to uncover who The Piper is and put an end to their horrific deeds. Yet what begins as a simple pledge, an adventure of sorts, soon turns into a deadly task. Can they find The Piper before one of them becomes their next victim?
“When I wrote, I entered a fantasy world. That old typewriter was the machine that took me there and brought me safely back. I didn't
know if I could get there from someone's spare word processor. Moreover, I thought that once you stopped writing words and started processing them, those wonderful fantasy worlds became harder and harder to visit.”
Our main protagonist is Angelo Mazzone, a fifteen year old Italian American boy, who gives us his first person account of the fateful summer he and his friends spent searching for The Piper. Angelo doesn’t quite fit into the mainstream crowd, his passions are music and writing, not sports, and his home is filled with grief and longing after the death of his brother Charlie. Angelo loses himself in his imagination, creating stories on a rickety typewriter, spinning tales of horror. At school his new English teacher recognises his talent and encourages him, but to a fifteen year old boy, thoughts of future careers are not of high priority. His father is often aloof, lost in thoughts, and due to his police work, and now the task of catching a killer, he’s rarely at home. It is clear he cares for his son, but after losing one, he doesn’t know how to show affection for the one who still lives. Unlike most teenagers, Angelo never showed bitterness towards his father, he’s a kind and gentle soul, a boy who can see beyond himself. In his grandparents' care most of the time, Angelo doesn’t grow up without love, and certainly not without friendship.
As we meet Peter, Michael, Scott and some time later Adrian, we soon discover Angelo never had to face life alone. Together they bike ride across the twilight streets of Hartings Farm, watch horror movies at the Juniper, secretly enjoy a smoke or two, listen to Nirvana and Springsteen, and share jokes and quip at each other. Over the course of the novel these five young boys form an unbreakable bond. Malfi is fantastic at building characters, making each of them distinct and memorable. I loved the way Michael was the comedian of the group, Angelo the more sensible one, Peter the guardian, Scott cautious and Adrian held dark secrets. As the threat of bullies rears its ugly head, and the danger surrounding The Piper mounts up, these kids stand together, never leaving each other’s side. Their friendship was everything and I truly adored them.
“We were four black souls carving our way up the cliff road on the
outskirts of town. The city faded
to smeary lights and dark pits of shadow. It was the world as we
knew it, and we were shuttling right
out of orbit.”
I have also come to really love Malfi’s prose, which I always find easy to fall into. His dialogue flows naturally, full of jibes and insults as teenagers do. Yet it is his descriptions I love the most, they build up to become gloomily atmospheric, bringing the setting of Harting Farms, December Park and the surrounding forest to life. At the beginning of the novel these places reflect a carefree and joyous neighbourhood for the five boys to spend their summer together, but as the disappearances grip the streets, Malfi raises a sense of foreboding, every dark alley or secluded area a threat, a potential abduction or even murder site. Instead of outright horror and gore, Malfi creates tension, a sense of eeriness and claustrophobia. He plays on sensory fears and makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck, right until the very end.
Once again, Malfi hit me with an unexpected emotional ending. I hadn’t realised how much I would miss this little band of friends and their quips until I had closed the book. December Park may be a horror novel but it is one which centres on friendship, growing up and discovering who you truly are.
During 1993 in the sleepy suburbs of Harting Farm five friends anticipate the end of school and a long summer of carefree shenanigans and capers in the park and the mysterious surrounding woods. However, when children begin disappearing, and one young girl is found brutally murdered, fears of a serial killer, terrifyingly named The Piper, grips all the residents in fear for their children’s safety. As parent’s become stricter and police begin to enforce restrictions, our five band of friends decide to make a pact to uncover who The Piper is and put an end to their horrific deeds. Yet what begins as a simple pledge, an adventure of sorts, soon turns into a deadly task. Can they find The Piper before one of them becomes their next victim?
“When I wrote, I entered a fantasy world. That old typewriter was the machine that took me there and brought me safely back. I didn't
know if I could get there from someone's spare word processor. Moreover, I thought that once you stopped writing words and started processing them, those wonderful fantasy worlds became harder and harder to visit.”
Our main protagonist is Angelo Mazzone, a fifteen year old Italian American boy, who gives us his first person account of the fateful summer he and his friends spent searching for The Piper. Angelo doesn’t quite fit into the mainstream crowd, his passions are music and writing, not sports, and his home is filled with grief and longing after the death of his brother Charlie. Angelo loses himself in his imagination, creating stories on a rickety typewriter, spinning tales of horror. At school his new English teacher recognises his talent and encourages him, but to a fifteen year old boy, thoughts of future careers are not of high priority. His father is often aloof, lost in thoughts, and due to his police work, and now the task of catching a killer, he’s rarely at home. It is clear he cares for his son, but after losing one, he doesn’t know how to show affection for the one who still lives. Unlike most teenagers, Angelo never showed bitterness towards his father, he’s a kind and gentle soul, a boy who can see beyond himself. In his grandparents' care most of the time, Angelo doesn’t grow up without love, and certainly not without friendship.
As we meet Peter, Michael, Scott and some time later Adrian, we soon discover Angelo never had to face life alone. Together they bike ride across the twilight streets of Hartings Farm, watch horror movies at the Juniper, secretly enjoy a smoke or two, listen to Nirvana and Springsteen, and share jokes and quip at each other. Over the course of the novel these five young boys form an unbreakable bond. Malfi is fantastic at building characters, making each of them distinct and memorable. I loved the way Michael was the comedian of the group, Angelo the more sensible one, Peter the guardian, Scott cautious and Adrian held dark secrets. As the threat of bullies rears its ugly head, and the danger surrounding The Piper mounts up, these kids stand together, never leaving each other’s side. Their friendship was everything and I truly adored them.
“We were four black souls carving our way up the cliff road on the
outskirts of town. The city faded
to smeary lights and dark pits of shadow. It was the world as we
knew it, and we were shuttling right
out of orbit.”
I have also come to really love Malfi’s prose, which I always find easy to fall into. His dialogue flows naturally, full of jibes and insults as teenagers do. Yet it is his descriptions I love the most, they build up to become gloomily atmospheric, bringing the setting of Harting Farms, December Park and the surrounding forest to life. At the beginning of the novel these places reflect a carefree and joyous neighbourhood for the five boys to spend their summer together, but as the disappearances grip the streets, Malfi raises a sense of foreboding, every dark alley or secluded area a threat, a potential abduction or even murder site. Instead of outright horror and gore, Malfi creates tension, a sense of eeriness and claustrophobia. He plays on sensory fears and makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck, right until the very end.
Once again, Malfi hit me with an unexpected emotional ending. I hadn’t realised how much I would miss this little band of friends and their quips until I had closed the book. December Park may be a horror novel but it is one which centres on friendship, growing up and discovering who you truly are.
December 23, 2023
I don’t know who started these stories. The earliest one for me was Ray Bradbury, and Dandelion Wine. These are stories about a group of friends on the verge of growing up, who band together to stop evil.
The next I read was Stephen King’s IT.
Both of these books are favorites of mine.
It isn’t easy to write stories like these.
Ronald Malfi does a fantastic job in December Park.
The next I read was Stephen King’s IT.
Both of these books are favorites of mine.
It isn’t easy to write stories like these.
Ronald Malfi does a fantastic job in December Park.
March 14, 2019
4.5 stars!
March 17, 2024
Ronald Malfi’s December Park is more than a solid read, entering ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ territory it ticks all the boxes that keeps you entertained for 16h / 534pp.
I suspect the author was growing up in the 90s for he truly makes the time and setting come to life. Pretty soon I felt transported into that transformative era when computers were slowly accepted in households, cassette tapes became obsolete, and heavy metal became music for the masses. The young protagonist ‘s family life depicted in the quiet town of Harting Farm is beautiful, the grandparents filling a hole that is left my a missing mother and brother.The youthful characters of a band of brothers of five are well-rounded, well-thought out, if not always that believable. The main character, aged 15/16 is a teenager that has, at times, thoughts much too mature and grownup. But that is forgivable, quite understandable even when we write of what has long past in our own lives. Besides, that unnatural maturity adds to the the overall reflective complexity of the main character. The mystery as personified by the “Piper” , an elusive character allegedly responsible for a series of disappearances in a small Maryland community just of the coast, keeps you one your toes and guessing. Admittedly, until very late in the book I had no clue as to identity and motive of the “Piper”. The story told scores high on suspense, high on being able to just observe the everyday lives of the band of youths, their silly yet often hilarious banter and name-calling “... uglier than Gorbachev’s wife, ... fart-faced perfumed anus opening” (not sure I remember that one correctly😂)
The many humorous observations made by the main character such as “his brow seemed permanently creased as if doomed to contemplate a difficult math problem for the rest of his life” only add to an already very good novel.
This is only my second Malfi novel but I can say this already, he is the master of the tear-stirring ending and that all I ll say about how it ends.
I suspect the author was growing up in the 90s for he truly makes the time and setting come to life. Pretty soon I felt transported into that transformative era when computers were slowly accepted in households, cassette tapes became obsolete, and heavy metal became music for the masses. The young protagonist ‘s family life depicted in the quiet town of Harting Farm is beautiful, the grandparents filling a hole that is left my a missing mother and brother.The youthful characters of a band of brothers of five are well-rounded, well-thought out, if not always that believable. The main character, aged 15/16 is a teenager that has, at times, thoughts much too mature and grownup. But that is forgivable, quite understandable even when we write of what has long past in our own lives. Besides, that unnatural maturity adds to the the overall reflective complexity of the main character. The mystery as personified by the “Piper” , an elusive character allegedly responsible for a series of disappearances in a small Maryland community just of the coast, keeps you one your toes and guessing. Admittedly, until very late in the book I had no clue as to identity and motive of the “Piper”. The story told scores high on suspense, high on being able to just observe the everyday lives of the band of youths, their silly yet often hilarious banter and name-calling “... uglier than Gorbachev’s wife, ... fart-faced perfumed anus opening” (not sure I remember that one correctly😂)
The many humorous observations made by the main character such as “his brow seemed permanently creased as if doomed to contemplate a difficult math problem for the rest of his life” only add to an already very good novel.
This is only my second Malfi novel but I can say this already, he is the master of the tear-stirring ending and that all I ll say about how it ends.
August 29, 2017
I am giving this book a five rating because despite a huge flaw - I really enjoyed it. I'll get the negative out of the way first. There is no way, no way at all that with this many missing children (or even just one child) that places like the abandoned railway, Werewolf House and the Patapsco Institute and any other remote place wouldn't be investigated by the police. I kept hoping this wouldn't come into play because it's totally unfathomable that it would.
I read this book based on reviews of how scary it was. I will reiterate that this is just basically a mystery thriller like 99.99% of the horrors I read. I like this book because of the surrounding background which I found similar to mine growing up. It brought me back to adventures I had with my friends in the woodlots near our homes.
Even though it wasn't a scary book per se it did leave me thinking at night about certain things but as I said I had similar experiences as the main character, dealing with bullies and the like and having to look over your shoulder a lot.
When the Piper was eventually and initially caught there was about 30 pages of reading left. I thought why so many more pages and I will tell you those final 30 pages were awesome. What an ending. So despite a huge investigative flaw I am happy with the book. When you read fiction you have to give a little and buy into the story so I will ignore all my training with regard to this type of crime and just enjoy the story because it is an excellent one.
I read this book based on reviews of how scary it was. I will reiterate that this is just basically a mystery thriller like 99.99% of the horrors I read. I like this book because of the surrounding background which I found similar to mine growing up. It brought me back to adventures I had with my friends in the woodlots near our homes.
Even though it wasn't a scary book per se it did leave me thinking at night about certain things but as I said I had similar experiences as the main character, dealing with bullies and the like and having to look over your shoulder a lot.
When the Piper was eventually and initially caught there was about 30 pages of reading left. I thought why so many more pages and I will tell you those final 30 pages were awesome. What an ending. So despite a huge investigative flaw I am happy with the book. When you read fiction you have to give a little and buy into the story so I will ignore all my training with regard to this type of crime and just enjoy the story because it is an excellent one.
March 17, 2016
It’s October of 1993 in Harting Farms, MD, when the first body is found. Following this grisly discovery is a slew of missing children, their fates soon attributed to an enigma known as The Piper. The police seem to be at a loss for leads, and a tight-knit group of teenage boys ends up taking matters into their own hands. December Park is their story.
As Malfi says in the acknowledgments, “Any writer worth their salt has inside them at least one good book about their childhood. This one is mine.” So although the dual investigations of the police and the boys serve as the story’s core, from there it branches out and, over the course of its considerable length, touches on some universal staples of adolescence – the fears, the insecurities, the primal fistfights and the family drama and the awkward attempts at romance. The ubiquitous shadow of the Piper adds to the gravitas inherent in all of these things, and the atmosphere is stifling.
It’s a dark book to be sure, but the darkness is leavened by the relationship between the five main characters. Each has a distinct personality and, although not all are as nuanced as they could have been, they’re all likable in their own way. As focused as December Park is on character, the plot is somewhat languid for much of the book. It’s more an extended literary slice of life piece than a standard horror novel, and at times it seems to suffer for it. “Seems” is the operative word. There’s some repetition and some drawn out segments that feel superfluous, but by the final page it’s apparent that this “more is more” approach was very much intentional, and in the end the characters feel almost like old friends we’ve just caught up with for a while. It’s a bittersweet feeling to close the book and let them go.
The settings are impressive as well. There are some brilliantly constructed set pieces here that, when they show up, serve as the backdrop for mini-horror-stories themselves. An underground tunnel, an old and decrepit house, the haunting burned-out shell of a former school that’s described in dream-like terms (it’s nearly a mirror image of the school the boys attend). It’s a beautifully written book all around, but these are the parts where Malfi’s gift for language shines brightest.
As darkly beautiful as the writing is, more than a little suspension of disbelief is required to accept that the friends’ investigation would go on as long as it does. They withhold obvious evidence from the police and put their lives in extreme danger in the process. The police overlook some glaring things too. It’s easy enough to accept these things, as everything else about the novel is done so well. It’s a consistently engaging read, and one that should have you turning the pages long into the night.
This is indeed a great book about childhood. Malfi’s at the top of his game, and December Park is a must-have for horror readers. Highly recommended.
review originally posted at horrornovelreviews.com
As Malfi says in the acknowledgments, “Any writer worth their salt has inside them at least one good book about their childhood. This one is mine.” So although the dual investigations of the police and the boys serve as the story’s core, from there it branches out and, over the course of its considerable length, touches on some universal staples of adolescence – the fears, the insecurities, the primal fistfights and the family drama and the awkward attempts at romance. The ubiquitous shadow of the Piper adds to the gravitas inherent in all of these things, and the atmosphere is stifling.
It’s a dark book to be sure, but the darkness is leavened by the relationship between the five main characters. Each has a distinct personality and, although not all are as nuanced as they could have been, they’re all likable in their own way. As focused as December Park is on character, the plot is somewhat languid for much of the book. It’s more an extended literary slice of life piece than a standard horror novel, and at times it seems to suffer for it. “Seems” is the operative word. There’s some repetition and some drawn out segments that feel superfluous, but by the final page it’s apparent that this “more is more” approach was very much intentional, and in the end the characters feel almost like old friends we’ve just caught up with for a while. It’s a bittersweet feeling to close the book and let them go.
The settings are impressive as well. There are some brilliantly constructed set pieces here that, when they show up, serve as the backdrop for mini-horror-stories themselves. An underground tunnel, an old and decrepit house, the haunting burned-out shell of a former school that’s described in dream-like terms (it’s nearly a mirror image of the school the boys attend). It’s a beautifully written book all around, but these are the parts where Malfi’s gift for language shines brightest.
As darkly beautiful as the writing is, more than a little suspension of disbelief is required to accept that the friends’ investigation would go on as long as it does. They withhold obvious evidence from the police and put their lives in extreme danger in the process. The police overlook some glaring things too. It’s easy enough to accept these things, as everything else about the novel is done so well. It’s a consistently engaging read, and one that should have you turning the pages long into the night.
This is indeed a great book about childhood. Malfi’s at the top of his game, and December Park is a must-have for horror readers. Highly recommended.
review originally posted at horrornovelreviews.com
December 28, 2017
And now for that perfect December read...which actually turned out to have nothing to do with the month, but is in fact a name of a park. No, this one actually starts off around October 31st, where in a quiet small Maryland town kids are disappearing. And five teenage friends decide to take it upon themselves to solve this. Seems like most genre authors of some repute at some time of their career decide to write a nostalgia driven book (or in modern nomenclature The Stranger Things one). You know the one, with the kids. Which amazingly still reads like a book for adults. Normally these kids are younger, Malfi ones are 15 going on 16. It's disorienting, so much so that my mind was constantly aging them down. The other things is nothing will make you feel quite as old and figuring out that good old days are now within your own timeline. These kids are literally my contemporaries. Now that's scary. The book itself actually isn't...at least not in any traditional supernatural way. The scares here come from very real things, family tragedies, peer violence...and some seriously creepy locales. This is one small town with some terrifically eerie hiding places, ones that Malfi exploits to great effect for some genuinely exciting edge of your seat scenes. I don't love large books and this one took me a minute to psyche myself up to get into, but after that...it was tough, very tough to put down. Despite the hefty page count of 524 or so, this one sped by in two days in best possible way, it was just an awesome book to immerse yourself in, completely engrossing, great characters, great writing. Surprisingly underwhelming editing effort by a major publishing company, seriously, Medallion Press...do you need an editor? I'd do it, I'll ever undercut the competition. But anyway, minor things, nothing to take away from how incredibly enjoyable this book was to read. I was completely engaged with this one, devastated by the ending, sad, like life. I've been a fan of Malfi's for a while now, he seems to improve with time, this one is definitely a great representation of his talent. Enthusiastically recommended. Many thanks to Bill, the Malfi supplier extraordinaire.
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