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Blood Red Roses
The spirits of the dead cry for justice.
In the waning days of the Civil War, orphaned teen Jebediah Abernathy has been indentured to one of the most notorious plantations in Mississippi, Beechwood. Ramses, the sadistic overseer, rules completely, unchecked by owners driven mad by the loss of their only son. Cruelty and torture are commonplace. And slave boys are mysteriously vanishing. But Jebediah is not completely alone. The ghost of his father and an escaped slave sorceress will lead him to the horrific truth about the disappearances—a knowledge that will probably cost him his life.
- GenresHorror
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2014
5 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Russell James
50 books219 followersRussell R. James was raised on Long Island, New York and spent too much time watching Chiller, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, and Dark Shadows, despite his parents’ warnings. Bookshelves full of Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe didn’t make things better. He graduated from Cornell University and the University of Central Florida.
After a tour flying helicopters with the U.S. Army, he now spins twisted tales best read in daylight.
His wife reads what he writes, rolls her eyes, and says “There is something seriously wrong with you.”
He has published the novels DARK INSPIRATION, SACRIFICE, BLACK MAGIC and DARK VENGEANCE, the compilations OUT OF TIME and TALES FROM BEYOND, as well as numerous short stories. He founded the Minnows Literary Group.
He and his wife share their home in sunny Florida with two cats.
Drop by the website to kill some time with some short stories.
After a tour flying helicopters with the U.S. Army, he now spins twisted tales best read in daylight.
His wife reads what he writes, rolls her eyes, and says “There is something seriously wrong with you.”
He has published the novels DARK INSPIRATION, SACRIFICE, BLACK MAGIC and DARK VENGEANCE, the compilations OUT OF TIME and TALES FROM BEYOND, as well as numerous short stories. He founded the Minnows Literary Group.
He and his wife share their home in sunny Florida with two cats.
Drop by the website to kill some time with some short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 18, 2014
This is a quick, fast-paced and entertaining read from Russell James concerning an orphaned young man down on his luck who has to endure hard labour at the Beechwood Plantation in Mississippi. Just when he thinks he has seen the worst in terms of everything from how he's treated (or rather mistreated) to the lives of the slaves, he soon learns that he has no idea how much worse it's about to get for him.
If you're a big fan of historical fiction mixed with your horror, especially if you're a fan of the Southern gothic and supernatural fiction traditions, then you will gobble down "Blood Red Roses" in no time. I appreciated the author's attention to historical details while weaving them into an exciting and page-turning thriller. His afterword, in particular, was very notable for the mention that despite his writing supernatural thrillers with all kinds of imaginary monsters, sometimes humanity can be the worst monster with the atrocities we commit against each other, a theme that is also reflected in this narrative. I would recommend that fans of Mr. James's other books also pick this one up as they will be thoroughly entertained.
If you're a big fan of historical fiction mixed with your horror, especially if you're a fan of the Southern gothic and supernatural fiction traditions, then you will gobble down "Blood Red Roses" in no time. I appreciated the author's attention to historical details while weaving them into an exciting and page-turning thriller. His afterword, in particular, was very notable for the mention that despite his writing supernatural thrillers with all kinds of imaginary monsters, sometimes humanity can be the worst monster with the atrocities we commit against each other, a theme that is also reflected in this narrative. I would recommend that fans of Mr. James's other books also pick this one up as they will be thoroughly entertained.
November 11, 2017
I snagged a copy of this gem at Horror Hound Cincinnati 2017. Wish I'd gotten around to it sooner. Blood Red Roses is a Southern Gothic story that hits all the right spots. Written effectively in a style reminiscent of Civil War era letters, it tells of a young orphan sent to work at a vast plantation. There he witnesses firsthand the brutal realities of American slavery, embodied by the loathsome overseer Ramses. There are other dark elements in the mix, too, involving missing boys, witchcraft, and spirits of the dead. James builds an engrossing mystery which leads to a horrifying revelation you won't see coming. A must read if you like historical fiction with shades of Dickens and Twain mixed in with your horror.
April 22, 2014
Publication Date: 05-06-2014
There were two kinds of slaves before the Civil War, those who came from Africa and the poor people of other races. Jebediah Abernathy was orphaned by the war, and then sold by family too poor to care for him.
Blood Red Roses highlights the emotional devastation of war suffered by the families of the soldiers killed. The plot also illustrates the deplorable treatment of slaves as well as poor white workers. Driven insane by their grief, the owners neglected the daily operations of the plantation. The only portion of the property that was maintained was the rose garden.
At the tender age of fourteen, Jebediah was sold to Beechwood as a stable boy because society dictated that white boys did not work in the fields. Jebediah was warned by the overseer to never venture out of the stables after dark. Shortly after the warning Jebediah, quite by accident saw what happened to the slave boys but he was defenseless to help them. Trapped by the lethal rituals of Beechwood, Jebediah came face to face with evil.
Russell James has created an intriguing as well as an enjoyable American historical entwined with scary ceremonies emulating dark voodoo.
There were two kinds of slaves before the Civil War, those who came from Africa and the poor people of other races. Jebediah Abernathy was orphaned by the war, and then sold by family too poor to care for him.
Blood Red Roses highlights the emotional devastation of war suffered by the families of the soldiers killed. The plot also illustrates the deplorable treatment of slaves as well as poor white workers. Driven insane by their grief, the owners neglected the daily operations of the plantation. The only portion of the property that was maintained was the rose garden.
At the tender age of fourteen, Jebediah was sold to Beechwood as a stable boy because society dictated that white boys did not work in the fields. Jebediah was warned by the overseer to never venture out of the stables after dark. Shortly after the warning Jebediah, quite by accident saw what happened to the slave boys but he was defenseless to help them. Trapped by the lethal rituals of Beechwood, Jebediah came face to face with evil.
Russell James has created an intriguing as well as an enjoyable American historical entwined with scary ceremonies emulating dark voodoo.
November 19, 2014
I've been a fan of Mr. James' work for a while now, and this one did not disappoint. In fact, it might be his best. Blood Red Roses is a character-driven, southern gothic horror story. It's an intense and disturbing tale where the humans prove to be the most terrifying and despicable things in the book. It's so well-written and a great time-period piece. I felt like I was transported back in history. It's got plenty of scares and the subject matter is quite dark. The book flew by as I was caught up in the story and main character. It's a tale you'll get sucked into and not be able to put down until the last word is read. Highly recommended!!!!
January 7, 2015
In this Civil War era horror piece a young man goes from the frying pan into the fire. Poor and now an orphan, Jebediah Abernathy has become indentured to one of Mississippi's most notorious plantations. Fraught with racial tensions of the time, the place is run by the fearsome Ramses, a cruel and sadistic overseer. When slaves begin to come up missing, Jeb begins to watch from the shadows and finds out what makes some gardens grow may not always be natural.
I loved this book and look forward to more by Russell James.
I loved this book and look forward to more by Russell James.
February 28, 2015
A good Gothic horror novella
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/blood-... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/blood-... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
July 30, 2019
Prolific horror author Russell James here delivers a period piece novella of "the evil that men do" and how the good and the innocent must endeavor to stand against its outrage. A young boy orphaned by Gettysburg is sent involuntarily to a Mississippi plantation which is an effective stand-in for the torments of Hades.
January 10, 2025
Was a quick read full of big words that were not needed and sounded pretentious for the time is was written in. Typos and reference to bloody marry that seemed so poorly placed in this book. More supernatural than true horror. The good I got through it and it mentioned the battle is manassas aka bull run…
March 19, 2015
Book Review originally posted here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
Blood Red Roses is an entertaining ghost story set during the Civil War era. Jebediah Abernathy is left an orphan by the war, and then his family sells him to the owners of the Beechwood plantation, where he’s to work as a stable boy. Jebediah only knows little about horses, but he does the best he can. Treatment for slaves is tough, and even though he’s not a slave as such, that doesn’t seem to warrant a better treatment either. Ramses, the sadistic overseer, likes to crack the whip around at every chance he gets. And with the owners still blinded by the loss of their son during the war, Ramses’ rule is unchallenged.
Then Jebediah discovers that men have gone missing from the plantation. They’re slaves, so their disappearance goes mostly unnoticed except by the other slaves. Jebediah grows worried that one day he might be next, especially when he finds out a secret connected to the plantation. With the aid of an escape sorceress and the ghost of his father, Jebediah might stand a chance against the dark powers at work.
The author doesn’t shy away from making the characters go through horrible ordeals. A lot of emphasis is put on the harsh treatment of slaves, and on the way tragedy can cripple people and change them forever. The addition of ghosts and a sorceress was a nice though. Overall, the book is an enjoyable read, and the setting worked well. Jebediah is a solemn, grief-struck character, yet he’s also a fighter, and it’s easy to root for him.
Blood Red Roses is an entertaining ghost story set during the Civil War era. Jebediah Abernathy is left an orphan by the war, and then his family sells him to the owners of the Beechwood plantation, where he’s to work as a stable boy. Jebediah only knows little about horses, but he does the best he can. Treatment for slaves is tough, and even though he’s not a slave as such, that doesn’t seem to warrant a better treatment either. Ramses, the sadistic overseer, likes to crack the whip around at every chance he gets. And with the owners still blinded by the loss of their son during the war, Ramses’ rule is unchallenged.
Then Jebediah discovers that men have gone missing from the plantation. They’re slaves, so their disappearance goes mostly unnoticed except by the other slaves. Jebediah grows worried that one day he might be next, especially when he finds out a secret connected to the plantation. With the aid of an escape sorceress and the ghost of his father, Jebediah might stand a chance against the dark powers at work.
The author doesn’t shy away from making the characters go through horrible ordeals. A lot of emphasis is put on the harsh treatment of slaves, and on the way tragedy can cripple people and change them forever. The addition of ghosts and a sorceress was a nice though. Overall, the book is an enjoyable read, and the setting worked well. Jebediah is a solemn, grief-struck character, yet he’s also a fighter, and it’s easy to root for him.
June 17, 2014
i loved the way the tension mounted from the first page. Which way would it go? Who would be innocent and who guilty of the most heinous crimes imaginable? The atmosphere was dark, intense, frightening, as we saw young Jebediah's world through his eyes. Bleak, terrifying, lonely - but if that's all it had been, he would have been lucky. It wasn't. He wasn't. This Gothic horror, set in the deep south during the Civil War kept me glued to each page. If you love horror, this is for you.
December 21, 2016
Outstanding novella. Russell James does it again. He always writes very likeable (or hateable as the case may be) characters. Details of the time period and setting are well researched and accurate making you feel like you are really experiencing this place and time. And his plots are never predictable and always entertaining. I actually read this book in one evening, couldnt put it down.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews