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Night Chill #1
Night Chill
From the author of Jack Templar Monster Hunter comes a supernatural thriller for adult audiences. Jack Tremont moves his family to the quiet mountains of Western Maryland hoping to leave behind a troubled past and restart his life. Instead, he finds himself caught up in a nightmare when his daughter Sarah is targeted by Nate Huckley, a mysterious and horrifying stranger driven by a dark power that will stop at nothing to possess Sarah. When Sarah goes missing, suspicion falls on Jack and he must uncover the secrets of the small mountain town of Prescott City and face the evil secret hidden there. As he digs further, he learns the conspiracy reaches more deeply than he could have imagined. Finally, he will have to face the question, What is a father willing to do to save his child? The answer? Anything. Anything at all.
437 pages, Paperback
First published May 12, 2013
569 people are currently reading
1852 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Gunhus
27 books550 followersJeff Gunhus is the USA TODAY bestselling author of thriller and horror novels for adults and the middle grade series, The Jack Templar Chronicles. The first book, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. His books are available in several languages, been Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Finalists, and reached the USA TODAY bestseller list.
After his experience with his son, he is passionate about helping parents reach young reluctant readers and is active in child literacy issues. As a father of five, he leads an active lifestyle in Maryland with his wife Nicole by trying to constantly keep up with their kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel.
After his experience with his son, he is passionate about helping parents reach young reluctant readers and is active in child literacy issues. As a father of five, he leads an active lifestyle in Maryland with his wife Nicole by trying to constantly keep up with their kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
January 19, 2020
Almost 4.5 stars
Warning: This book comes with some adrenaline highs! One of the most gripping books I have read in a long time! This book is said to be in the tradition of Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Well, this book is not quite to the standards I have for those two but it held its own. What I can say up front is that after reading this, Jeff Gunhus is well on his way to being one of my favorite authors.
This book wastes no time getting into this. While drinking with a friend Jack witnesses a man get struck by lightning. As he dies he gives Jack a cryptic warning about his daughter, Sarah. That night, on his way home Jack pulls over at a rest stop where an man tries to get to his girls. And the creepy adrenaline moments begin! A car crash later has the attacker in a coma but that is not the end of things Jack starts to see things don't seem right. No one believes him. Not even his wife. But the man who went after Sarah seems to be haunting him somehow and Sarah knows things she shouldn't know....
The eerie setting envelopes you in this book. At points, even I was not sure what was real, and what was not. They are several heart-pounding moments. Jack quickly learns not everyone is who they seem. Some want his daughter but who are they and why. And how is Huckley (the attacker) do what he is doing while in a coma? Lots on unanswered question kick start the paranormal suspense-horror. We have ritualistic killings, psychic abilities, cavern spelunking and more happening.
While I struggled at times connecting to Jack (a popular name in Jeff Gunhus' books) I still greatly enjoyed the book. He was not an easy character to relate to. Lots of secrets that we do not understand until the end. But boy do I feel for him when he has no one to turn to for help. Even he thinks he is crazy at times. The question is: Is he? His wife I connected with easier, even if her lack of being able to connect the dots annoyed me. Huckley is one crazy wacko that I would never want to come across in real life. Right from the get-go he freaked me out, all the way until the end.
The ending gets quite intense and very grotesque. Vivid imagery is going to make sleep tonight interesting to say the least. But it just goes to show how good it was!
I will definitely be grabbing the next book when it comes out. I am eager for future books by Jeff Gunhus. He writes a good range of books that I have enjoyed, but this is my favorite so far!
One knock against this is that when I decided to re-read it years later was that I couldn't remember much. A couple basics and I knew I liked it. But without looking at my original review, I couldn't easily say why. Sadly if I can forget that much I cannot hold it at 5 stars. Yet on the positive of even that, it added fresh reactions as I read it again. And to illicit those twice is doing well!
*I was given a ecopy of this book in exchange for a fair, honest review.* Re-read was done with a final copy I had received direct from the author.
Warning: This book comes with some adrenaline highs! One of the most gripping books I have read in a long time! This book is said to be in the tradition of Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Well, this book is not quite to the standards I have for those two but it held its own. What I can say up front is that after reading this, Jeff Gunhus is well on his way to being one of my favorite authors.
This book wastes no time getting into this. While drinking with a friend Jack witnesses a man get struck by lightning. As he dies he gives Jack a cryptic warning about his daughter, Sarah. That night, on his way home Jack pulls over at a rest stop where an man tries to get to his girls. And the creepy adrenaline moments begin! A car crash later has the attacker in a coma but that is not the end of things Jack starts to see things don't seem right. No one believes him. Not even his wife. But the man who went after Sarah seems to be haunting him somehow and Sarah knows things she shouldn't know....
The eerie setting envelopes you in this book. At points, even I was not sure what was real, and what was not. They are several heart-pounding moments. Jack quickly learns not everyone is who they seem. Some want his daughter but who are they and why. And how is Huckley (the attacker) do what he is doing while in a coma? Lots on unanswered question kick start the paranormal suspense-horror. We have ritualistic killings, psychic abilities, cavern spelunking and more happening.
While I struggled at times connecting to Jack (a popular name in Jeff Gunhus' books) I still greatly enjoyed the book. He was not an easy character to relate to. Lots of secrets that we do not understand until the end. But boy do I feel for him when he has no one to turn to for help. Even he thinks he is crazy at times. The question is: Is he? His wife I connected with easier, even if her lack of being able to connect the dots annoyed me. Huckley is one crazy wacko that I would never want to come across in real life. Right from the get-go he freaked me out, all the way until the end.
The ending gets quite intense and very grotesque. Vivid imagery is going to make sleep tonight interesting to say the least. But it just goes to show how good it was!
I will definitely be grabbing the next book when it comes out. I am eager for future books by Jeff Gunhus. He writes a good range of books that I have enjoyed, but this is my favorite so far!
One knock against this is that when I decided to re-read it years later was that I couldn't remember much. A couple basics and I knew I liked it. But without looking at my original review, I couldn't easily say why. Sadly if I can forget that much I cannot hold it at 5 stars. Yet on the positive of even that, it added fresh reactions as I read it again. And to illicit those twice is doing well!
*I was given a ecopy of this book in exchange for a fair, honest review.* Re-read was done with a final copy I had received direct from the author.
February 5, 2014
Book Info: Genre: Horror
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of horror who don't have children
Trigger Warnings: danger to children, dying children (due to illness), kidnapping (young women and children), apparent murder attempts, actual murder attempts, murder, torture, mental torture
My Thoughts: Wow, this was a seriously messed-up book! It is absolutely full of triggers to freak out parents, so be warned: if you have children, this will probably freak you out even more than it did me. It is very fast-paced, and absolutely full of misdirection. Gunhus is always fooling you into making the wrong interpretation of events, and is very good at it.
I had just read his second Jack Templar, Monster Hunter book, and while I enjoyed this book, it wasn't quite as good as that one. The problem I had is that many of the characters in this book were sort of flat. A lot of character development was sacrificed to plot pace. I am no writer, so I have no idea how I would have developed the characters any better, but to me the story would have been better if the characters were a bit more rich. Don't hold it against the book! I enjoyed the book a lot, and if you like horror, and don't have children to freak out about, you should enjoy this story.
This is listed as being the first book in a series. I'm not sure where he plans to go with this, but I will certainly be along for the ride. Gunhus is a good writer, and I look forward to whatever comes next.
Disclosure: I was given this book as a gift from a friend. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Jack Tremont moves his family to the quiet mountains of Western Maryland hoping to leave behind a troubled past and restart his life. Instead, he finds himself caught up in a nightmare when his daughter Sarah is targeted by Nate Huckley, a mysterious and horrifying stranger driven by a dark power that will stop at nothing to possess Sarah. When Sarah goes missing, suspicion falls on Jack and he must uncover the secrets of the small mountain town of Prescott City and face the evil secret hidden there. As he digs further, he learns the conspiracy reaches more deeply than he could have imagined. Finally, he will have to face the question: What is a father willing to do to save his child? The answer? Anything. Anything at all.
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of horror who don't have children
Trigger Warnings: danger to children, dying children (due to illness), kidnapping (young women and children), apparent murder attempts, actual murder attempts, murder, torture, mental torture
My Thoughts: Wow, this was a seriously messed-up book! It is absolutely full of triggers to freak out parents, so be warned: if you have children, this will probably freak you out even more than it did me. It is very fast-paced, and absolutely full of misdirection. Gunhus is always fooling you into making the wrong interpretation of events, and is very good at it.
I had just read his second Jack Templar, Monster Hunter book, and while I enjoyed this book, it wasn't quite as good as that one. The problem I had is that many of the characters in this book were sort of flat. A lot of character development was sacrificed to plot pace. I am no writer, so I have no idea how I would have developed the characters any better, but to me the story would have been better if the characters were a bit more rich. Don't hold it against the book! I enjoyed the book a lot, and if you like horror, and don't have children to freak out about, you should enjoy this story.
This is listed as being the first book in a series. I'm not sure where he plans to go with this, but I will certainly be along for the ride. Gunhus is a good writer, and I look forward to whatever comes next.
Disclosure: I was given this book as a gift from a friend. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Jack Tremont moves his family to the quiet mountains of Western Maryland hoping to leave behind a troubled past and restart his life. Instead, he finds himself caught up in a nightmare when his daughter Sarah is targeted by Nate Huckley, a mysterious and horrifying stranger driven by a dark power that will stop at nothing to possess Sarah. When Sarah goes missing, suspicion falls on Jack and he must uncover the secrets of the small mountain town of Prescott City and face the evil secret hidden there. As he digs further, he learns the conspiracy reaches more deeply than he could have imagined. Finally, he will have to face the question: What is a father willing to do to save his child? The answer? Anything. Anything at all.
October 1, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. No other consideration was offered, expected or received.
Talk about creepiness... This book, once you get past the first 25%, is really awesome to read. It has the mystery and suspense that I love from a thriller mixed with the paranormal scariness (yes, that's a thing haha) I expect from a horror novel. It is nicely written and there were several really powerful scary moments, starting with the moment Jack and his two daughters, Sarah and Becky, first meet Nate. I do have to say that there were several character that I just did not care for - must have been a gut feeling :).
That first 25%, though. There is SO MUCH going on that it feels like an info dump (it was kinda boring in parts, actually) - or, worse, like I'm reading the second book in a series without reading the first. There was so much I didn't know that came across like I should have already had a clue ... until the information was finally divulged. It was really hard to see how it all would connect, but once it did, things made perfect sense.
Jeff, you are definitely an author I'm gonna keep my eye on.
Favorite line: "The background noise of Piper's, a country western song on the jukebox, the jingle of the old-fashioned cash register behind the bar, the grunting laughter of the men from the corner, all seemed disconnected, somehow gaudy instead of the comfortable familiarity the same noises had held only minutes earlier." Maybe not my "favorite" line, but one that really stood out for me. I could almost feel myself there.
Favorite character: Sarah. She went through so much, at such a young age, but at the same time, kept thinking about the ones around her.
Talk about creepiness... This book, once you get past the first 25%, is really awesome to read. It has the mystery and suspense that I love from a thriller mixed with the paranormal scariness (yes, that's a thing haha) I expect from a horror novel. It is nicely written and there were several really powerful scary moments, starting with the moment Jack and his two daughters, Sarah and Becky, first meet Nate. I do have to say that there were several character that I just did not care for - must have been a gut feeling :).
That first 25%, though. There is SO MUCH going on that it feels like an info dump (it was kinda boring in parts, actually) - or, worse, like I'm reading the second book in a series without reading the first. There was so much I didn't know that came across like I should have already had a clue ... until the information was finally divulged. It was really hard to see how it all would connect, but once it did, things made perfect sense.
Jeff, you are definitely an author I'm gonna keep my eye on.
Favorite line: "The background noise of Piper's, a country western song on the jukebox, the jingle of the old-fashioned cash register behind the bar, the grunting laughter of the men from the corner, all seemed disconnected, somehow gaudy instead of the comfortable familiarity the same noises had held only minutes earlier." Maybe not my "favorite" line, but one that really stood out for me. I could almost feel myself there.
Favorite character: Sarah. She went through so much, at such a young age, but at the same time, kept thinking about the ones around her.
June 4, 2013
I see a lot of book synopses that claim works by lesser known authors are King-like or that their writing style is similar to Koontz. I always take these with a grain of salt. But in this case, it is very true. The plot was so deeply layered and well thought out I was half expecting a scene where someone spots Pennywise while driving through Derry, or of someone eating a bologna and Bermuda onion sandwich (has anyone else noticed King's character's obsession with this sandwich?), or that Jack was committed to Juniper Hill Asylum because this book does have that amazing degree of creepiness that Stephen King has perfected. Then again, there IS a yellow lab, a dog species which Koontz often has traipsing through his plots.
This is a dangerous book of "one more". One more chapter and I'll do the laundry. One more chapter before I start dinner. One more chapter and I'll call and order a pizza deliver. One more chapter ... eh, the kids are old enough to make themselves a sandwich when they get hungry. Be prepared to have a very unproductive day because this book is incredibly fast paced and there is no good place to set it down and walk away. I was constantly wanting to find out what would happen next and was not disappointed. There were quite a few editing errors but the storyline more than made up for the annoyance.
This is a dangerous book of "one more". One more chapter and I'll do the laundry. One more chapter before I start dinner. One more chapter and I'll call and order a pizza deliver. One more chapter ... eh, the kids are old enough to make themselves a sandwich when they get hungry. Be prepared to have a very unproductive day because this book is incredibly fast paced and there is no good place to set it down and walk away. I was constantly wanting to find out what would happen next and was not disappointed. There were quite a few editing errors but the storyline more than made up for the annoyance.
February 26, 2016
- My Description -
Jack moves his family from the big city to a smaller city to escape demons from his past.
Little did he know, Demons also dwell in small spaces.
Jack and his two little girls have an unpleasant encounter during a thunderstorm one dark night.
The girls are not sure what they saw, but Jack is pretty sure of it.
Then his youngest daughter, Sarah goes missing.
Jack finds his demons or rather they find him.
- My Review -
This was a pretty chilling read.
Some surprises.
Some twists and turns.
I think you'll like it. =)
December 10, 2013
As a parent, I was shaken by what happened to Jack and his two young daughters. They stopped at a rest area to wait out a torrential downpour. Rest area = bad things happen here!
While Jack is using the payphone, a man approaches the girls. He thinks he’s gotten rid of the man until he reappears and acts crazier than ever, babbling about needing Sarah, Jack’s youngest daughter. How he must have her.
After a frightening confrontation the man drives away. Listening to his instincts, Jack follows and things get even crazier. It turns into a vehicular dogfight on the road, ending in a tangle of metal on metal, and right before Jack passes out, he sees a girls face peering at him through his windshield, where she landed when the guys trunk flew open on impact.
An event from Jacks past makes authorities and even his wife a bit skeptical about his report of the girl. Especially when no body is found.
The crazy guy is in a coma and not talking any time soon, and Jack has only his word that she existed at all.
The more that Jack and his wife dig, the stranger things become and a mysterious stranger warns Jack that his daughter, Sarah, is in danger.
Jack doesn’t know what to believe until Lonetree shows him the secret of the town.
Thanks to all of the horror movies I’ve watched, the authors vivid descriptions were easy to see in my mind. I could see the horrifying discoveries in detail. Thank God I couldn’t smell them. What they discovered was so far beyond belief yet Jack was unable to deny it.
Night Chills is a great title for this book. It gave me goose bumps, but I love horror, and read on into the night, delving deeper into this chilling story.
At first you get to know Jack and his family, an average couple with kids, moving to a small town to get away from the hectic life of a big city.
Then, as things go weird, you meet the towns inhabitants, some seem good, some arouse your suspicions, and some you learn quickly are the bad guys.
As for what is going on in Prescott City, you won’t begin to be able to guess. Jeff gives you a scenario straight from nightmares. Otherworldly and so evil, I shivered in scared delight. I love when the author gives me something new, something that takes a while to sink in and has me imagining the what ifs and hows of it.
This story filled me with need. I needed to know why this secret group wanted Sarah. I needed to know who the stranger with the mysterious aura, Lonetree, was. I needed to know what was in the cave and I needed to know the connection to it and the town. I needed more.
What I got was a chilling tale of dark secrets and Native American lore. Can’t ever go wrong with that.
The suspense kept growing and the author made it almost unbearable when he would leave one characters POV and leap to the others. It wasn’t irritating and it sure made the telling intense.
Before I go I wanted to mention the cover art for Night Chill. It’s an excellent portrayal of this eerie tale. I can almost feel the damp fog on my bare skin and hear the low moans of the tree branches rubbing together. And I assume that is young Sarah on the cover, offering her teddy bear. Or is it?
Jeff has proven to me that he can write a supernatural thriller that gives you goosebumps.
Now I’m more curious than ever about his fantasy series Jack Templar: Monster Hunter.
I’ll be reading them next!
While Jack is using the payphone, a man approaches the girls. He thinks he’s gotten rid of the man until he reappears and acts crazier than ever, babbling about needing Sarah, Jack’s youngest daughter. How he must have her.
After a frightening confrontation the man drives away. Listening to his instincts, Jack follows and things get even crazier. It turns into a vehicular dogfight on the road, ending in a tangle of metal on metal, and right before Jack passes out, he sees a girls face peering at him through his windshield, where she landed when the guys trunk flew open on impact.
An event from Jacks past makes authorities and even his wife a bit skeptical about his report of the girl. Especially when no body is found.
The crazy guy is in a coma and not talking any time soon, and Jack has only his word that she existed at all.
The more that Jack and his wife dig, the stranger things become and a mysterious stranger warns Jack that his daughter, Sarah, is in danger.
Jack doesn’t know what to believe until Lonetree shows him the secret of the town.
Thanks to all of the horror movies I’ve watched, the authors vivid descriptions were easy to see in my mind. I could see the horrifying discoveries in detail. Thank God I couldn’t smell them. What they discovered was so far beyond belief yet Jack was unable to deny it.
Night Chills is a great title for this book. It gave me goose bumps, but I love horror, and read on into the night, delving deeper into this chilling story.
At first you get to know Jack and his family, an average couple with kids, moving to a small town to get away from the hectic life of a big city.
Then, as things go weird, you meet the towns inhabitants, some seem good, some arouse your suspicions, and some you learn quickly are the bad guys.
As for what is going on in Prescott City, you won’t begin to be able to guess. Jeff gives you a scenario straight from nightmares. Otherworldly and so evil, I shivered in scared delight. I love when the author gives me something new, something that takes a while to sink in and has me imagining the what ifs and hows of it.
This story filled me with need. I needed to know why this secret group wanted Sarah. I needed to know who the stranger with the mysterious aura, Lonetree, was. I needed to know what was in the cave and I needed to know the connection to it and the town. I needed more.
What I got was a chilling tale of dark secrets and Native American lore. Can’t ever go wrong with that.
The suspense kept growing and the author made it almost unbearable when he would leave one characters POV and leap to the others. It wasn’t irritating and it sure made the telling intense.
Before I go I wanted to mention the cover art for Night Chill. It’s an excellent portrayal of this eerie tale. I can almost feel the damp fog on my bare skin and hear the low moans of the tree branches rubbing together. And I assume that is young Sarah on the cover, offering her teddy bear. Or is it?
Jeff has proven to me that he can write a supernatural thriller that gives you goosebumps.
Now I’m more curious than ever about his fantasy series Jack Templar: Monster Hunter.
I’ll be reading them next!
January 20, 2016
Usually the recommendation to read a book or not is at the end of the review, but with this novel I will make an exception: read it! It’s worth it! Perhaps it is classified as horror, which is a bit much. Personally, I think it can be read by a far wider range of readers than the passionate readership. Thriller, as shown in the description is enough. You will get an exciting reading that will make you live intensely alongside the characters from Jeff Gunhus��� story.
A book full of suspense and inexplicably, in which the fantastic sticks his tail to muddy the main characters’ waters that are not so clear anyway. A novel in which the tension is at home, but it is well dosed by the author to create strong emotional moments interlaced with brief pauses for respite. A race against time for salvation in which friends and enemies alternate and none can be trust about their good intentions anymore. It’s a grim story that starts abruptly, in which the betrayal and hidden interests will go hand in hand, but one that will not reveal you the mystery. This will be dripped sparingly by the author throughout the events to keep the suspense and to make you imagine all sorts of scenarios and new potential plot’s developments. It will intrigue you, fool you, but do not be upset! Everything will be for your delight.
About the subject, the book description says enough for you to start reading it. Everything kicks off from a bizarre incident, an unfortunate situation that may looks like a game of fate. It seems, however, that not everything is at hazard and the Evil never rests. And from this incident everything goes haywire, accumulates, the drama acquires epic proportions, the supernatural takes over and ... why should I ruin your surprise? Discover the mystery by yourself!
Jeff Gunhus achieved with this novel a real tour de force. It is full of energy, the rhythm breaks, with paramount moments and really unexpected situation turns. The characters are interesting shaped and developed throughout the book. The novel is well written, with nerve and will capture your attention with every page that you read. The action development is well run and you get a lot of it. It’s a thriller that you should not miss.
As I said at the beginning, it's worth your attention! Even those who are not hardcore fans of the genre will find it to be an exciting and interesting reading.
Happy reading!
http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/2013...
A book full of suspense and inexplicably, in which the fantastic sticks his tail to muddy the main characters’ waters that are not so clear anyway. A novel in which the tension is at home, but it is well dosed by the author to create strong emotional moments interlaced with brief pauses for respite. A race against time for salvation in which friends and enemies alternate and none can be trust about their good intentions anymore. It’s a grim story that starts abruptly, in which the betrayal and hidden interests will go hand in hand, but one that will not reveal you the mystery. This will be dripped sparingly by the author throughout the events to keep the suspense and to make you imagine all sorts of scenarios and new potential plot’s developments. It will intrigue you, fool you, but do not be upset! Everything will be for your delight.
About the subject, the book description says enough for you to start reading it. Everything kicks off from a bizarre incident, an unfortunate situation that may looks like a game of fate. It seems, however, that not everything is at hazard and the Evil never rests. And from this incident everything goes haywire, accumulates, the drama acquires epic proportions, the supernatural takes over and ... why should I ruin your surprise? Discover the mystery by yourself!
Jeff Gunhus achieved with this novel a real tour de force. It is full of energy, the rhythm breaks, with paramount moments and really unexpected situation turns. The characters are interesting shaped and developed throughout the book. The novel is well written, with nerve and will capture your attention with every page that you read. The action development is well run and you get a lot of it. It’s a thriller that you should not miss.
As I said at the beginning, it's worth your attention! Even those who are not hardcore fans of the genre will find it to be an exciting and interesting reading.
Happy reading!
http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/2013...
October 19, 2013
Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus is a dark tale of one family’s twisted journey through a nightmare of epic proportions as they become the victims of deceit, treachery and the quest for eternal life at any cost. Something is special about Sarah, one of Jack and Lauren’s young daughters and there are those who will stop at nothing to capture and use her for their nefarious purposes. What evil lurks in this small and seemingly quiet town? What demon has one crazed scientist unleashed and why does it want Sarah? Their nightmare began on a dark and stormy night, but how will it end?
Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus starts off fast and doesn't let up, from page one, I was baited, hooked and reeled in completely. Part mystery, part thriller, part sci-fi AND part paranormal, fast-paced, intense, what’s not to like? The characters were intense, detailed and their pain, terror and confusion felt real! I had to relax my death grip on my Kindle, I was that involved, hanging on every word, action and event as I was taken from an innocent car ride into the bowels of an underground scene from Hell. And the ending? It could have gone a couple of different ways without a doubt, but I have to say, I was not able to second guess the author, brilliant!
I received this review copy as part of the NIGHT CHILL Virtual Tour and Giveaway stopping at Tome Tender October 20, 2013.
Publication Date: May 12, 2013
Publisher: Seven Guns Press
ISBN-13: 978-0615828381
Page Count: 437
Genre: Adult Paranormal Mystery/Fantasy
Available from: Amazon
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus starts off fast and doesn't let up, from page one, I was baited, hooked and reeled in completely. Part mystery, part thriller, part sci-fi AND part paranormal, fast-paced, intense, what’s not to like? The characters were intense, detailed and their pain, terror and confusion felt real! I had to relax my death grip on my Kindle, I was that involved, hanging on every word, action and event as I was taken from an innocent car ride into the bowels of an underground scene from Hell. And the ending? It could have gone a couple of different ways without a doubt, but I have to say, I was not able to second guess the author, brilliant!
I received this review copy as part of the NIGHT CHILL Virtual Tour and Giveaway stopping at Tome Tender October 20, 2013.
Publication Date: May 12, 2013
Publisher: Seven Guns Press
ISBN-13: 978-0615828381
Page Count: 437
Genre: Adult Paranormal Mystery/Fantasy
Available from: Amazon
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
January 13, 2014
This book has mostly been classified as horror, but I’d put it more in the supernatural thriller category.
“Night Chill” starts off fast-paced and it drew me into the characters and action quickly, but as I read closer toward the middle of the book, there was just so much unnecessary information. They could have cut about 25% of this book and not lost any of the character development or plot. Each chapter follows the perspective of one of the characters and throughout the book, there are about 10 different character perspectives . . . including one from the dog. Yes, the dog.
As for the overall premise of the book, it was interesting. There were some elements I recognized from other stories, but it didn’t stick to anything too familiar. I figured some things out early on and others kept me guessing until the end.
Overall, it was a good book that could have benefited from some killed darlings.
“Night Chill” starts off fast-paced and it drew me into the characters and action quickly, but as I read closer toward the middle of the book, there was just so much unnecessary information. They could have cut about 25% of this book and not lost any of the character development or plot. Each chapter follows the perspective of one of the characters and throughout the book, there are about 10 different character perspectives . . . including one from the dog. Yes, the dog.
As for the overall premise of the book, it was interesting. There were some elements I recognized from other stories, but it didn’t stick to anything too familiar. I figured some things out early on and others kept me guessing until the end.
Overall, it was a good book that could have benefited from some killed darlings.
December 6, 2013
This review and many others can be found on my blog - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
3.5/5 Stars
As a fan of Gunhus' Jack Templar middle grade novels, I was really excited to read his adult debut. Night Chill was a difficult book for me to rate because the second half of the book was SO much better than the first for me. Honestly, if I was rating just the second half of the book, I would have given it at least 4.5 stars. The problem was that, while I found the first half of the book interesting and enjoyable, I was so confused that I found it hard to truly love it until I got to about the 50% mark. That's when the book got really good for me.
The synopsis tells about everything that I can tell without spoiling the mysteries, so I'll just jump right into what I did and didn't love.
The negatives:
Way too many POV's.
This book is told from the following points of view: Nate Huckley (one of the "bad guys", Jack Tremont (the protagonist), Doreen (for one chapter - she's a kidnapping victim), Lauren Tremont (Jack's wife), the man (I'll mention him more in a second), Sheriff Janney, Cathy Moran (a high school girl), Lonetree (won't spoil exactly who he is), Sarah Tremont (Jack's daughter), Buddy (the dog - yep, you read that right - The. Dog. We see the world from his perspective for one chapter - or maybe it was a half of a chapter - whatever it was, it was too much. He's. The. Dog). I might have missed someone, but I think that about covers it - this was all during the first 25% of the book. I spent most of this time trying to figure out who the person was that I was reading about and what they had to do with the story. Some of these POV's were necessary, but some could have easily been removed and we really wouldn't have lost anything (Doreen, the man, the dog, even Lonetree). There's still one character (the man) that I never did quite figure out who he was or what his purpose was in the book. I think he was supposed to be Huckley's brother and he went into Huckley's room and did some sort of magical ritual, but I don't know that we saw him ever again and I can't really tell you what it is he did or why. I would not have missed his perspective!
Too many mysteries?
At first, I really appreciated that this book had a ton of mysteries that I was dying to uncover. Who did Jack kill? (This isn't a spoiler, he reveals it pretty early in the book) Who is Huckley and what are his powers and why is he kidnapping and killing people? Who is The Boss that everyone seems to work for? What's special about Sarah? What's up with Jack's friends (Max and Kristi) and why are they so upset? Who is this Lonetree guy and is he good or bad? I could go on and on. It was really tantalizing to get all of these tiny little tidbits and to have to try to figure out how the pieces all fit together. The problem was that these were really tiny tidbits that we were being fed and I started to find myself getting frustrated when I wasn't getting any closer to understanding what was going on as I got further and further into the book. It really took until almost midway through the book until I had enough of a handle on the basic mysteries to be able to truly appreciate the story and to savor the remaining unknowns. By the 50% mark (or actually probably a bit earlier than that), I had a basic understanding of what was going on and knew who all of the characters were - and that's when I started really loving the book.
What I LOVED:
Heartbreaking story.
As a mom, this book totally tugged at my heartstrings. I mean, here's this dad who wants nothing more than to protect his daughter from some really nasty people. He is terrified for her and he feels completely helpless against this enemy that he doesn't understand. It was also really interesting to see the dynamics between Jack and his wife and how she responded when he started sounding a bit crazy. Top that off with Jack's guilt about an event in his past and you have a really sympathetic main character. I was 100% invested in Jack's story.
Creepy suspenseful scenes.
There were some scenes in this book that were really creepy. One scene that involved Jack going a bit out of his mind was especially freaky and also extremely suspenseful. His daughter's abilities were also often creepy and gave me the chills several times. The book was pretty action-packed, as Jack and his daughter went from one danger to another. There were lots of points in the book where you were really just holding your breath, wondering when something was going to happen to her. Gunhus did a great job of setting the scene for true horror suspense with plenty of creepy settings (who knew an elevator could be so scary?) and intriguingly scary characters.
Paranormal aspect.
I loved the paranormal aspect to this story - it's obvious that there are some characters with special "gifts" and I enjoyed learning more and more about them as the story went on. I also really loved discovering who it was that was after Sarah and why - I thought that this central mystery was dealt with really well and came to a satisfying conclusion.
Overall, I would recommend Night Chill. It's a really great story with excellent writing - just be prepared that it might take a little while before you start to unravel all the mysteries that Gunhus presents! 3.5/5 stars.
3.5/5 Stars
As a fan of Gunhus' Jack Templar middle grade novels, I was really excited to read his adult debut. Night Chill was a difficult book for me to rate because the second half of the book was SO much better than the first for me. Honestly, if I was rating just the second half of the book, I would have given it at least 4.5 stars. The problem was that, while I found the first half of the book interesting and enjoyable, I was so confused that I found it hard to truly love it until I got to about the 50% mark. That's when the book got really good for me.
The synopsis tells about everything that I can tell without spoiling the mysteries, so I'll just jump right into what I did and didn't love.
The negatives:
Way too many POV's.
This book is told from the following points of view: Nate Huckley (one of the "bad guys", Jack Tremont (the protagonist), Doreen (for one chapter - she's a kidnapping victim), Lauren Tremont (Jack's wife), the man (I'll mention him more in a second), Sheriff Janney, Cathy Moran (a high school girl), Lonetree (won't spoil exactly who he is), Sarah Tremont (Jack's daughter), Buddy (the dog - yep, you read that right - The. Dog. We see the world from his perspective for one chapter - or maybe it was a half of a chapter - whatever it was, it was too much. He's. The. Dog). I might have missed someone, but I think that about covers it - this was all during the first 25% of the book. I spent most of this time trying to figure out who the person was that I was reading about and what they had to do with the story. Some of these POV's were necessary, but some could have easily been removed and we really wouldn't have lost anything (Doreen, the man, the dog, even Lonetree). There's still one character (the man) that I never did quite figure out who he was or what his purpose was in the book. I think he was supposed to be Huckley's brother and he went into Huckley's room and did some sort of magical ritual, but I don't know that we saw him ever again and I can't really tell you what it is he did or why. I would not have missed his perspective!
Too many mysteries?
At first, I really appreciated that this book had a ton of mysteries that I was dying to uncover. Who did Jack kill? (This isn't a spoiler, he reveals it pretty early in the book) Who is Huckley and what are his powers and why is he kidnapping and killing people? Who is The Boss that everyone seems to work for? What's special about Sarah? What's up with Jack's friends (Max and Kristi) and why are they so upset? Who is this Lonetree guy and is he good or bad? I could go on and on. It was really tantalizing to get all of these tiny little tidbits and to have to try to figure out how the pieces all fit together. The problem was that these were really tiny tidbits that we were being fed and I started to find myself getting frustrated when I wasn't getting any closer to understanding what was going on as I got further and further into the book. It really took until almost midway through the book until I had enough of a handle on the basic mysteries to be able to truly appreciate the story and to savor the remaining unknowns. By the 50% mark (or actually probably a bit earlier than that), I had a basic understanding of what was going on and knew who all of the characters were - and that's when I started really loving the book.
What I LOVED:
Heartbreaking story.
As a mom, this book totally tugged at my heartstrings. I mean, here's this dad who wants nothing more than to protect his daughter from some really nasty people. He is terrified for her and he feels completely helpless against this enemy that he doesn't understand. It was also really interesting to see the dynamics between Jack and his wife and how she responded when he started sounding a bit crazy. Top that off with Jack's guilt about an event in his past and you have a really sympathetic main character. I was 100% invested in Jack's story.
Creepy suspenseful scenes.
There were some scenes in this book that were really creepy. One scene that involved Jack going a bit out of his mind was especially freaky and also extremely suspenseful. His daughter's abilities were also often creepy and gave me the chills several times. The book was pretty action-packed, as Jack and his daughter went from one danger to another. There were lots of points in the book where you were really just holding your breath, wondering when something was going to happen to her. Gunhus did a great job of setting the scene for true horror suspense with plenty of creepy settings (who knew an elevator could be so scary?) and intriguingly scary characters.
Paranormal aspect.
I loved the paranormal aspect to this story - it's obvious that there are some characters with special "gifts" and I enjoyed learning more and more about them as the story went on. I also really loved discovering who it was that was after Sarah and why - I thought that this central mystery was dealt with really well and came to a satisfying conclusion.
Overall, I would recommend Night Chill. It's a really great story with excellent writing - just be prepared that it might take a little while before you start to unravel all the mysteries that Gunhus presents! 3.5/5 stars.
March 12, 2017
Wow! When you open this book prepare for a wild ride!!! Terrifying, exciting and unpredictable. This author is very similar to Dean Koontz (who I love by the way) and so now Jeff Gunhus is one of my favorite authors.
I Highly recommend this book.
I Highly recommend this book.
September 28, 2016
It's been brought to my attention that my reviews are often "condescending" and "heartless." To my critics, I say, "Whatever, Mom and Dad. That's why you paid for me to get two masters and buy stock in red sharpies."
So... This book was pretty good (OK, Mom--are we happy now?), especially as I'm assuming the author didn't have an editor to bloody up the manuscript with discrepancies and questions that, if answered, would've made this an even better book.
If you haven't read the book, you might want to stop here (although nothing is really a "spoiler" unless you're another Type A like myself). Otherwise, read on...
1. Melissa's death is first described as an accident caused when her family's tire blew and she was thrown from her dad's pickup onto the hood of Jack's car. However later, speaking to Melissa's ghost, Jack says that he was speeding down a residential street and talking on the phone when he hit Melissa on her bike. Which is it?
2. Huckley's eyes are described as dark at the start of the book: "He might have been an albino except for the black pits for eyes." But later, Jack describes the killer's eyes as blue.
3. No one explains the small skeletons. Obviously the women were being bred, but why so many children that weren't sacrificed, even if the Sumac (btw, props to the author for using a fake tribe) were driven out and/or killed by white "settlers."
4. How did Jack and Lonetree get out of the cave the first time? Seriously...
5. What makes Sarah "special?" Inquiring minds would like to know. I could read and write in two languages when I was six. Sarah can spell R-U-N.
6. Why does Lonetree have to be such a freakin' martyr? I lost count of the times he told Jack to, "Just go--take care of yourself; it's my time..." He sounded like my grandma at the mall food court when she REALLY wanted another look-see at that food processor at Macy's.
So... This book was pretty good (OK, Mom--are we happy now?), especially as I'm assuming the author didn't have an editor to bloody up the manuscript with discrepancies and questions that, if answered, would've made this an even better book.
If you haven't read the book, you might want to stop here (although nothing is really a "spoiler" unless you're another Type A like myself). Otherwise, read on...
1. Melissa's death is first described as an accident caused when her family's tire blew and she was thrown from her dad's pickup onto the hood of Jack's car. However later, speaking to Melissa's ghost, Jack says that he was speeding down a residential street and talking on the phone when he hit Melissa on her bike. Which is it?
2. Huckley's eyes are described as dark at the start of the book: "He might have been an albino except for the black pits for eyes." But later, Jack describes the killer's eyes as blue.
3. No one explains the small skeletons. Obviously the women were being bred, but why so many children that weren't sacrificed, even if the Sumac (btw, props to the author for using a fake tribe) were driven out and/or killed by white "settlers."
4. How did Jack and Lonetree get out of the cave the first time? Seriously...
5. What makes Sarah "special?" Inquiring minds would like to know. I could read and write in two languages when I was six. Sarah can spell R-U-N.
6. Why does Lonetree have to be such a freakin' martyr? I lost count of the times he told Jack to, "Just go--take care of yourself; it's my time..." He sounded like my grandma at the mall food court when she REALLY wanted another look-see at that food processor at Macy's.
June 26, 2013
After a traumatic experience in California, Jack Tremont moves to Prescott City with his wife, Lauren, and daughters, Becky and Sarah. Their seemingly idyllic lifestyle is shattered after a chilling late-night encounter with the strange Nate Huckley at a rest stop during a violent storm.
We meet a series of unusual characters, including Max and Kristi Dahl and their children Julie and Jesse (Jack's friends), Albert James (the town drunk), Jim Butcher (the barman at Piper's), the Boss (whose identity we don't learn until later), Sheriff Hugh Janney, Felicia Rodriquez and Cathy Moran (who are both suffering from a strange disease), Scott Moran (a psychiatrist and Cathy's father), Dr Stanley Mansfield (a doctor who works with Lauren), and the mysterious Joe Lonetree. There is a strange conspiracy going on in Prescott City, but who's involved and who are the innocent bystanders?
"Night Chill" by Jeff Gunhus is a chill a minute. It is written in a style reminiscent of Dan Brown, with each short chapter being told from a different character's perspective and ending on a cliff-hanger. This is a sure-fire recipe to keep the reader turning the pages.
The story is full of red-herrings and heart-stopping moments. You never know what's real and what isn't, or when someone is in actual danger. This leaves the reader on the edge of their seat throughout the book.
This book contains something for everyone: horror, supernatural themes, ancient civilizations, medical mysteries, ghosts, and family drama. Despite a few editing errors, this book is very well written and I highly recommend it.
We meet a series of unusual characters, including Max and Kristi Dahl and their children Julie and Jesse (Jack's friends), Albert James (the town drunk), Jim Butcher (the barman at Piper's), the Boss (whose identity we don't learn until later), Sheriff Hugh Janney, Felicia Rodriquez and Cathy Moran (who are both suffering from a strange disease), Scott Moran (a psychiatrist and Cathy's father), Dr Stanley Mansfield (a doctor who works with Lauren), and the mysterious Joe Lonetree. There is a strange conspiracy going on in Prescott City, but who's involved and who are the innocent bystanders?
"Night Chill" by Jeff Gunhus is a chill a minute. It is written in a style reminiscent of Dan Brown, with each short chapter being told from a different character's perspective and ending on a cliff-hanger. This is a sure-fire recipe to keep the reader turning the pages.
The story is full of red-herrings and heart-stopping moments. You never know what's real and what isn't, or when someone is in actual danger. This leaves the reader on the edge of their seat throughout the book.
This book contains something for everyone: horror, supernatural themes, ancient civilizations, medical mysteries, ghosts, and family drama. Despite a few editing errors, this book is very well written and I highly recommend it.
July 30, 2013
I bought this book because it was advertised as a mix of Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I don't necessarily know if I agree with that assessment, but this is a good, well written book with plenty of action and suspense.
The book starts out with a kidnapping. Not long after that, the kidnapper sets his sights on the narrator's youngest daughter. At the same time, a mysterious health epidemic is taking place at the hospital where the narrator's wife works. I just knew it all tied together, but I couldn't figure out how.
Mixing history, suspense, mythology, and magic, Mr. Gunhus kept me guessing until he got ready for the big reveal. The climax of this book had the hair standing on the back of my neck. I'm still thinking about that awful creature.
The book starts out with a kidnapping. Not long after that, the kidnapper sets his sights on the narrator's youngest daughter. At the same time, a mysterious health epidemic is taking place at the hospital where the narrator's wife works. I just knew it all tied together, but I couldn't figure out how.
Mixing history, suspense, mythology, and magic, Mr. Gunhus kept me guessing until he got ready for the big reveal. The climax of this book had the hair standing on the back of my neck. I'm still thinking about that awful creature.
May 5, 2023
Loved It! There is now a new horror author to follow, Jeff Gunhus. Jack Tremont and his family moved to western Maryland for a fresh start. Things were going fine until strange events and threats on his daughters' life. Surprising twists keep you on edge through the end. I had a hard time putting this down.
Loved it just as much with my second time reading.
Loved it just as much with my second time reading.
October 13, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. One scene scared the heebie jeebies out of me and confirmed my fears for rest areas.
I feel like this story was a bit long in the end and could have been wrapped up a little quicker but overall it's a great story!
I feel like this story was a bit long in the end and could have been wrapped up a little quicker but overall it's a great story!
November 30, 2017
Tek kelime ile muhteşem . Harika bir kitaptı. Öyle bir bağladı ki okurken kendisine bitmeden elimden bırakamadım.
https://kozmokitap.blogspot.com.tr/20...
https://kozmokitap.blogspot.com.tr/20...
January 6, 2020
This isn't my usual read but I needed a change. It was Okay. I got a little bored in the middle but I did like the story line. The idea of the caves was good and I liked the constant is this stuff happening or is John going crazy theme throughout. I didn't guess certain identities which made me enjoy the book more as you had the Oh no moments.
December 3, 2013
Jack approached Piper’s and acknowledged the drunken man leaning against the wall.
Then SHE said, “Run while you can.”
From that point on, I was off and running, too. Jeff aroused my curiosity and curious minds must know.
~~~~~~
I have seen Jeff’s books around, even participated in some tours for him, but this is the first book of his I have read. Because I loved this book, The Templar Chronicles will be added to my TBR list ASAP.
The cover screamed chilly, ghostly.
The writing was so detailed and smooth, at times I felt I was walking side by side with Jack. It was a walk I willingly accepted, but never anticipated how bad the journey would be.
Jeff Gunhus does an excellent job of keeping the level of mystery and suspense high throughout the entirety of Night Chill.
I kept waiting and waiting as more details came to light – waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop.
The writing went back and forth between Jack and Lauren’s perspectives. The suspense seemed to last forever. Jeff Gunhus would leave me hanging with Jack then go to Lauren. He would then leave me hanging with Lauren and go to Jack. He kept the level of suspense so high, building and building, until I felt my heart pounding and my head spinning. I love this.
When Jack pulled into the rest area, I had a feeling of dread? I could feel goosebumps and the hair stand up on my arms and neck. Creepy, scariness started and kept on going and going – like the Energizer bunny. I could hardly catch my breath before another awful thing came at Jack.
Jeff Gunhus’ description of Jack driving through the rainstorm was so familiar. Being from the Gulf Coast, popup thunderstorms are not unusual. I hear the rain pounding on the top of the car. I see the wipers flashing across the windshield, unable to keep up. I feel the tensions in my body as he clutches the steering wheel struggling to see through the downpour.
I fell for Lonetree. I liked his elusiveness, as I tried to figure out his part in this horrific story. Is he going to be the hero that appears out of nowhere? Well, you will have to read the book for yourself to find out what he is doing in the small town of Prescott City?
The evil. What is it? Is it a supernatural demon from hell or just the human kind of monster?
The shit hit the fan and Jack was faced with the decision – drugs or action – he chose to act.
OH NO!. Is he really going into the cave? How many times have we seen this scenario? I mean, come on, we all know, don’t go in the cave. But…..I love it!!
“Welcome to Hell.”
Curiouser and curiouser.
Now, Jeff Gunhus takes us to Sarah, Jack and Lauren’s daughter. Sarah rolled the ball down the hall and I knew something bad was going to happen. My anticipation made me sit up straighter as if to brace myself for what is to come. I was very afraid for her and found myself calling out to her, telling her to leave it alone, let the ball go. Nooooo.
Why Sarah? Why are they so determined to take her, to kill her?
I love myths and legends. Cultures, sacrifice, civilizations little known, rituals, and Native American folklore.
When Lauren was in the most trouble and I thought it may be the end of her, Jeff gave me such a surprise. He gave a little hint and I thought something may be up, but until the end, I never saw the connection.
5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)
I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review. I look forward to reading his Templar Chronicle series.
Hi Jeff. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Night Chill.
I have been to the City Dock Café and I can see why you choose such a fabulous place to work on your next novel. Maybe I’ll see you there sometime.
We are all touched when we hear of a missing child. For more information or to see what you can do, go to www.missingkids.com.
October 1, 2014
This is a great book of horror. Creepy in all the right ways. Fans of King and Kootz will really enjoy this read. I like them both and I found this to be every bit of scary. The characters in Night Chill have depth and the story is delivered in layers that enfold the reader. I was left wondering how we got here. How could I possibly break this down in a review? Somehow the author pieces all the events, and the many characters together brilliantly.
This book starts off with scary, describing a girl bound and gagged in a trunk, just hours from her death. We meet Jack and Lauren who just moved the family to the small town of Prescott after an accident happened in California. Jack is driving his two girls home one night, and torrential downpour forces him to pull over into a rest stop to wait it out. There he has a confrontation with the kidnapper, and everything gets really frightening. The man approaches the car when Jack goes to call his wife from the payphone, (no signal in the storm of course). The man is trying to get to Sarah, Jack’s youngest daughter. He has it in his head that she is going to be his next victim. Jack and the guy have a confrontation. Jack then chases the guy out into the highway, only to find that he is the pursued. They end up in a bad car accident. In the collision, the body of the girl in the trunk lands right on Jacks windshield. Just like what happened to the ten year old girl in California. Her face is the last thing he sees before he wakes up in the hospital.
Jack tries to defend his story, telling it over and over to officials in the town. Jack soon discovers that there is something really sinister going on in this town. It involves a girl lying in the hospital dying of some unknown disease, Jack’s youngest daughter Sarah, and a crazy madman. The crazy madman ends up being a town pillar, a regular guy no one believes is capable of harm. Jack is starting to see things that aren’t there, his daughter is acting strange, and he is sleepwalking. All of these creepy things happen to Jack. No one believes his account of the story, even his wife is skeptical. I was left wondering if this guy Jack was just loosing his mind and trying to take me with him. Jack manages to find a few people trying to help him along the way. The evil he faces is terrifying and he needs their help to sort this all out.
This book was such a great thriller. I couldn’t put it down. All Jack wants to do is save his daughter, keep his family safe. He gets all these warnings that something is coming, coming for his daughter. The lengths he goes to to keep her safe are extreme but who wouldn’t go outer limits for their child. Loosing a child is like every parent’s nightmare, this book touches a raw nerve for me. This book kept me up into the wee hours of the night.
This book starts off with scary, describing a girl bound and gagged in a trunk, just hours from her death. We meet Jack and Lauren who just moved the family to the small town of Prescott after an accident happened in California. Jack is driving his two girls home one night, and torrential downpour forces him to pull over into a rest stop to wait it out. There he has a confrontation with the kidnapper, and everything gets really frightening. The man approaches the car when Jack goes to call his wife from the payphone, (no signal in the storm of course). The man is trying to get to Sarah, Jack’s youngest daughter. He has it in his head that she is going to be his next victim. Jack and the guy have a confrontation. Jack then chases the guy out into the highway, only to find that he is the pursued. They end up in a bad car accident. In the collision, the body of the girl in the trunk lands right on Jacks windshield. Just like what happened to the ten year old girl in California. Her face is the last thing he sees before he wakes up in the hospital.
Jack tries to defend his story, telling it over and over to officials in the town. Jack soon discovers that there is something really sinister going on in this town. It involves a girl lying in the hospital dying of some unknown disease, Jack’s youngest daughter Sarah, and a crazy madman. The crazy madman ends up being a town pillar, a regular guy no one believes is capable of harm. Jack is starting to see things that aren’t there, his daughter is acting strange, and he is sleepwalking. All of these creepy things happen to Jack. No one believes his account of the story, even his wife is skeptical. I was left wondering if this guy Jack was just loosing his mind and trying to take me with him. Jack manages to find a few people trying to help him along the way. The evil he faces is terrifying and he needs their help to sort this all out.
This book was such a great thriller. I couldn’t put it down. All Jack wants to do is save his daughter, keep his family safe. He gets all these warnings that something is coming, coming for his daughter. The lengths he goes to to keep her safe are extreme but who wouldn’t go outer limits for their child. Loosing a child is like every parent’s nightmare, this book touches a raw nerve for me. This book kept me up into the wee hours of the night.
September 3, 2016
This review first appeared on Books i View. I recieved an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was initially drawn to this book by two reasons:
1) I liked the fact that the book takes place in my home state of Maryland.
2) I also seen that it was being compared to my favorite author, Stephen King.
It was a no brainier for me to sign up for this tour, and I’m glad I did because this ended up being one of my favorite horror reads of the year.
Jeff Gunhus created a chilling and intricate story in Night Chill. I was amazed at how well thought out and detailed the plot was. There is just so much going on here, something is bound to drag you in and not let you go until after you’ve read the last chapter. I was pulled in by the scene when Jack was driving his two kids home but was forced to stop and pull into a parking lot due to a heavy downpour. You know something bad is going to happen, you just know it. My heart was thumping hard while reading it and I know that scene and plenty others in this book will stick with me for a long while.
Night Chill is written in multiple POV’s. I really love books where we get to read from both sides of the story, the hero and the villain. When you read the villain’s chapters you will be creeped out and disturbed. This is also the kind of book where you’re not quite sure whose good or bad, who to trust and who not to.
I also really liked Jeff’s writing style. He has a way of describing the scene and setting the mood which is very much reminiscent of Stephen King. Though the story has many depths too it, it was an easy read and was not too confusing. I can’t tell you how many books I read with as many aspects as this book yet I found myself stumbling through it; there was none of that with this book.
Overall I would recommend this to all the horror junkies out there. This book is equal parts thriller and paranormal with a dose of gore and plenty of memorable scenes. If you like horror you’ll love this!
I was initially drawn to this book by two reasons:
1) I liked the fact that the book takes place in my home state of Maryland.
2) I also seen that it was being compared to my favorite author, Stephen King.
It was a no brainier for me to sign up for this tour, and I’m glad I did because this ended up being one of my favorite horror reads of the year.
Jeff Gunhus created a chilling and intricate story in Night Chill. I was amazed at how well thought out and detailed the plot was. There is just so much going on here, something is bound to drag you in and not let you go until after you’ve read the last chapter. I was pulled in by the scene when Jack was driving his two kids home but was forced to stop and pull into a parking lot due to a heavy downpour. You know something bad is going to happen, you just know it. My heart was thumping hard while reading it and I know that scene and plenty others in this book will stick with me for a long while.
Night Chill is written in multiple POV’s. I really love books where we get to read from both sides of the story, the hero and the villain. When you read the villain’s chapters you will be creeped out and disturbed. This is also the kind of book where you’re not quite sure whose good or bad, who to trust and who not to.
I also really liked Jeff’s writing style. He has a way of describing the scene and setting the mood which is very much reminiscent of Stephen King. Though the story has many depths too it, it was an easy read and was not too confusing. I can’t tell you how many books I read with as many aspects as this book yet I found myself stumbling through it; there was none of that with this book.
Overall I would recommend this to all the horror junkies out there. This book is equal parts thriller and paranormal with a dose of gore and plenty of memorable scenes. If you like horror you’ll love this!
November 11, 2015
(Book given to me by Mr. Gunhus himself!)
When I saw Night Chill, I knew I wanted to read it. The cover, beckoned to me. I had to have it, so I sent a request that went to Mr. Jeff Gunhus directly. I am so happy he did because the book took me on a supernatural journey that compared to the greatest in horror-telling! The man can scare you!
Night Chill is about Jack Tremont and his family. Well no, that's not right. It's about a lot of people. Some very bad people. For reasons unknown, strangers are after Jack and Lauren's daughter, Sarah. And they aren't normal people. They're immortals... because they have a process called, "The Taking" and it has to do with killing young people, mostly girls. As Jack is dealing with a guilt-ridden past, he's trying to make a new life for his family when a stranger attempts to abduct his little girl while at a rest area during a thunderstorm. A supernatural game of cat and mouse ensues, leading Jack to think he's going insane, arrested for attempted murder and kidnapping!
Night Chill was a great read, with lots of action, hauntings and an ancient hellion from your darkest of dreams. The actions made you either an angry or heartbroken parent or a 'fraidy cat, cringing at the creaks and shadows of your home while reading in the middle of the night. It was awesome- just the sort of book I love reading! I don't believe it was horror, but there were some seriously horrific scenes, I tell you what! lol This book was like Poltergeist and Hannibal Lector combined! If you like scary, this is the story for you.
Now Night Terror is a continuation of Night Chill. The story carries on with the Tremont family in the same game, ... For the rest of this review, please visit http://bit.ly/1HI32wA
When I saw Night Chill, I knew I wanted to read it. The cover, beckoned to me. I had to have it, so I sent a request that went to Mr. Jeff Gunhus directly. I am so happy he did because the book took me on a supernatural journey that compared to the greatest in horror-telling! The man can scare you!
Night Chill is about Jack Tremont and his family. Well no, that's not right. It's about a lot of people. Some very bad people. For reasons unknown, strangers are after Jack and Lauren's daughter, Sarah. And they aren't normal people. They're immortals... because they have a process called, "The Taking" and it has to do with killing young people, mostly girls. As Jack is dealing with a guilt-ridden past, he's trying to make a new life for his family when a stranger attempts to abduct his little girl while at a rest area during a thunderstorm. A supernatural game of cat and mouse ensues, leading Jack to think he's going insane, arrested for attempted murder and kidnapping!
Night Chill was a great read, with lots of action, hauntings and an ancient hellion from your darkest of dreams. The actions made you either an angry or heartbroken parent or a 'fraidy cat, cringing at the creaks and shadows of your home while reading in the middle of the night. It was awesome- just the sort of book I love reading! I don't believe it was horror, but there were some seriously horrific scenes, I tell you what! lol This book was like Poltergeist and Hannibal Lector combined! If you like scary, this is the story for you.
Now Night Terror is a continuation of Night Chill. The story carries on with the Tremont family in the same game, ... For the rest of this review, please visit http://bit.ly/1HI32wA
June 2, 2013
When I saw the description for Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus I just knew it would be an awesome read! It has two elements I really love, which is suspense and the paranormal. The description was just a tiny peek into a book that kept me up all night, it was nearly impossible to lay down!
The author has a way with words that captivates the reader right from the get-go. I love how he starts the book out. He doesn’t just stick a toe in the water, he jumps right in with a huge splash!
Immediately the book starts out with Huckley, a suspicious guy that we just know is sinister based off of the detailed and descriptive writing. We can tell that Huckley is up to no good as he approaches the small-town hardware store. It’s confirmed throughout the course of the conversation he has with the girl he’s engaging through the door as he attempts to get her to open up the store. Even worse, he has the ability to read minds, and he does not hesitate to use this on his victims.
Jack is just your everyday, average guy. He’s married to a doctor, and has two daughters. One night a heavy storm forces him to pull of at an empty rest stop….. And his life takes a chilling turn. Dark forces have decided they want his daughter….. Forces that are supernaturally strong, well-networked, and shrouded in mystery. How can you fight something when you don’t even know what it is?
Night Chill is gripping. The plot is well-developed, taking you on a chilling journey as Jack attempts to save his daughter. He can’t be sure of who to trust…. And time is running out. This is definitely a five-star book, one that you will definitely enjoy and possibly want to leave the light on after you’re done!
Author Rose Wynters
The author has a way with words that captivates the reader right from the get-go. I love how he starts the book out. He doesn’t just stick a toe in the water, he jumps right in with a huge splash!
Immediately the book starts out with Huckley, a suspicious guy that we just know is sinister based off of the detailed and descriptive writing. We can tell that Huckley is up to no good as he approaches the small-town hardware store. It’s confirmed throughout the course of the conversation he has with the girl he’s engaging through the door as he attempts to get her to open up the store. Even worse, he has the ability to read minds, and he does not hesitate to use this on his victims.
Jack is just your everyday, average guy. He’s married to a doctor, and has two daughters. One night a heavy storm forces him to pull of at an empty rest stop….. And his life takes a chilling turn. Dark forces have decided they want his daughter….. Forces that are supernaturally strong, well-networked, and shrouded in mystery. How can you fight something when you don’t even know what it is?
Night Chill is gripping. The plot is well-developed, taking you on a chilling journey as Jack attempts to save his daughter. He can’t be sure of who to trust…. And time is running out. This is definitely a five-star book, one that you will definitely enjoy and possibly want to leave the light on after you’re done!
Author Rose Wynters
July 20, 2014
This one is a mixed bag of really good and a just downright annoying character who ruins the enjoyment. From the start the reader is hooked. You don't want to stop reading, but then you have to endure a supposed intelligent character who does and says the stupidest things. Stupid annoys me and as such ruins the enjoyment for me. If you can overlook this then you'll enjoy this book as it's very well written and is actually suspenseful. The rest of the cast of characters are well fleshed out. The plot has great flow although it seems familiar. Overall I'd still say this is well worth the read.
I received an evaluation copy in exchange for my review. Read more reviews and enter giveaways for books, kindles, cash and more on my blog.
View all my reviews
I received an evaluation copy in exchange for my review. Read more reviews and enter giveaways for books, kindles, cash and more on my blog.
View all my reviews
October 17, 2015
In my opinion, a good horror novel is about unexplainable phenomena that still has a toe or two in the realm of believability, and a struggle between good and bad (not always evil)... but not gore. This book started that way, but then it took some small forays into gore and a landslide plunge into unbelievability. The author spent a lot of time in the main character's head and presented a likeable guy that I could relate to. His wife, however, wasn't given as much care and I felt she was one-dimensional; she was just there to help the plot along, not to actually be a human being. I hated that she refused to believe a word her husband said, no matter what strange things she experienced and that it was all chalked up to her being a doctor with scientific beliefs. People aren't that simple. Nevertheless, the reviews for the second book in the series made me curious, so I will give it a read.
June 10, 2013
Set in Maryland, Jack Tremont and his family moved away from the hustle and bustle of California for what they feel is a better quality of family life. That is until weird things start happening.
Jack gets a warning from the well-known town vagrant and then the vagrant is struck by lightning and issues Jack another warning, someone is after his daughter. But who or what is the question.
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Jack gets a warning from the well-known town vagrant and then the vagrant is struck by lightning and issues Jack another warning, someone is after his daughter. But who or what is the question.
Click Here for Full Review
October 10, 2014
I started Jeff Gunhus' NIGHT CHILL as a buddy read, however, I had to finish this book!
We were looking for an honestly creepy read since its October, I was definitely not disappointed. A lot of horror/thriller books start out scary, then get really stupid. This is absolutely not the case with NIGHT CHILL. You will be creeped out and you will stay creeped out! Lots of twists you won't see coming will have you on the edge of your seat.
This is one case where if there were more than 5 stars, I would give infinity stars!
Definitely a must read for thriller buffs...
We were looking for an honestly creepy read since its October, I was definitely not disappointed. A lot of horror/thriller books start out scary, then get really stupid. This is absolutely not the case with NIGHT CHILL. You will be creeped out and you will stay creeped out! Lots of twists you won't see coming will have you on the edge of your seat.
This is one case where if there were more than 5 stars, I would give infinity stars!
Definitely a must read for thriller buffs...
January 2, 2015
This book was not the sort of book I would normally read. I love mystery and suspense, but supernatural isn't really my style. That being said, I was blown away by my inability to tear myself away from this book. Gunhus has an amazing ability to captivate his reader and leave you thirsty for more. I found myself fighting sleep and then waking up before the sun came up just to be able to read more. I have been waiting for something I couldn't put down since Intensity by Dean Koontz, and this filled the bill. A+
January 7, 2016
This book was a rollercoaster. So many ups and downs, feels and twists. I'd recommend this to anyone who is a horror fan. The first few chapters had me hooked, as well as the rest of the book. It was hard to put it down because I wanted to know what will happen. There are sensitive topics for people to read, if you get triggered by kidnapping, children dying, sacrifices, and other things, precede with caution.
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