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Frank Balenger #1
Creepers
On a cold October night, five people gather in a run-down motel on the Jersey shore and begin preparations to break into the Paragon Hotel. Built in the glory days of Asbury Park by a reclusive millionaire, the magnificent structure - which foreshadowed the beauties of art deco architecture - is now boarded up and marked for demolition.
The five people are "creepers," the slang term for urban explorers: city archeologists with a passion for investigating abandoned buildings and their dying secrets. On this evening, they are joined by a reporter who wants to profile them - anonymously, as this is highly illegal activity - for a New York Times article.
Frank Balenger, a sandy-haired, broad-shouldered reporter with a decided air of mystery about him, isn't looking for just a story, however. And after the group enters the rat-infested tunnel leading to the hotel, it becomes clear that he will get much more than he bargained for. Danger, terror, and death await the creepers in a place ravaged by time and redolent of evil.
The five people are "creepers," the slang term for urban explorers: city archeologists with a passion for investigating abandoned buildings and their dying secrets. On this evening, they are joined by a reporter who wants to profile them - anonymously, as this is highly illegal activity - for a New York Times article.
Frank Balenger, a sandy-haired, broad-shouldered reporter with a decided air of mystery about him, isn't looking for just a story, however. And after the group enters the rat-infested tunnel leading to the hotel, it becomes clear that he will get much more than he bargained for. Danger, terror, and death await the creepers in a place ravaged by time and redolent of evil.
342 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
149 people are currently reading
4224 people want to read
About the author
David Morrell
217 books1,673 followersDavid Morrell is a Canadian novelist from Kitchener, Ontario, who has been living in the United States for a number of years. He is best known for his debut 1972 novel First Blood, which would later become a successful film franchise starring Sylvester Stallone. More recently, he has been writing the Captain America comic books limited-series The Chosen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 828 reviews
November 17, 2025
Abandoned Buildings
Are Like a Time Machine...
CREEPERS
by David Morrell
4 stars. They call themselves creepers. Frank Balenger met with the group of four creepers in a decrepit motel in a New Jersey ghost town...
And from that day forward...
Balenger couldn't stand to be in rooms with closed doors...
Memories of musty smells, flashlight beams, and screams made him break out in a cold sweat...
It was a little past 9:00 p.m...
On a chilly Saturday night in late October, the nightmare began...
The ocean was two blocks away, and the wind and surf could be heard pounding against the shores of the little ghost town...
But what Belanger remembered most was a mournful clang, clang, clang...
Like a distant ocean buoy...
That sound represented hopelessness and doom. That sound alone should have made him turn and run...
The old motel only had twelve rooms...
Balenger met the creepers in the only occupied room that night. Room #4...
They were urban building explorers interested in history. They didn't steal from sites or disturb them in any way...
Their golden rule...
Look, but do not touch. Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints...
Abandoned buildings to creepers are like a time machine, taking the infiltrator through the decades...
Creeping is also illegal...
This year, their college professor selected the abandoned Paragon Hotel in Asbury Park, built in 1901...
The group accessed the boarded up hotel through a series of storm drainage tunnels...
Once inside...
They discovered more than history within the hotel's walls. They discovered they were not alone...
This story grabbed me from the first chapter. It is a psychological thriller as well as a mystery full of twists and turns as it progresses. It gave me claustrophobic vibes like being a character in THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE.
Summing up: A very enjoyable read, but a warning to Desert Storm veterans about graphic POW content.
Are Like a Time Machine...
CREEPERS
by David Morrell
4 stars. They call themselves creepers. Frank Balenger met with the group of four creepers in a decrepit motel in a New Jersey ghost town...
And from that day forward...
Balenger couldn't stand to be in rooms with closed doors...
Memories of musty smells, flashlight beams, and screams made him break out in a cold sweat...
It was a little past 9:00 p.m...
On a chilly Saturday night in late October, the nightmare began...
The ocean was two blocks away, and the wind and surf could be heard pounding against the shores of the little ghost town...
But what Belanger remembered most was a mournful clang, clang, clang...
Like a distant ocean buoy...
That sound represented hopelessness and doom. That sound alone should have made him turn and run...
The old motel only had twelve rooms...
Balenger met the creepers in the only occupied room that night. Room #4...
They were urban building explorers interested in history. They didn't steal from sites or disturb them in any way...
Their golden rule...
Look, but do not touch. Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints...
Abandoned buildings to creepers are like a time machine, taking the infiltrator through the decades...
Creeping is also illegal...
This year, their college professor selected the abandoned Paragon Hotel in Asbury Park, built in 1901...
The group accessed the boarded up hotel through a series of storm drainage tunnels...
Once inside...
They discovered more than history within the hotel's walls. They discovered they were not alone...
This story grabbed me from the first chapter. It is a psychological thriller as well as a mystery full of twists and turns as it progresses. It gave me claustrophobic vibes like being a character in THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE.
Summing up: A very enjoyable read, but a warning to Desert Storm veterans about graphic POW content.
May 14, 2016
this is a 4 star book if you like it fast-paced and page-turning, if you want to stay up all night as you say to yourself Just One More Chapter, if you want an hour-by-hour narrative of an intrepid but often foolish group as they encounter heaps of perils and death in an abandoned, pyramid-shaped luxury hotel, full of hidden passageways and rooms full of disturbing secrets and maybe even another group, except those guys are a bunch of murderous jerks, and hey maybe there's even a serial killer, and some bombs and death traps and mutant rats and a mutant cat and all sorts of grisly surprises, it's that kind of book - you know, a fun book, a supermarket paperback you can read on a flight or at the beach; I had some fun reading it, the author is a professional, he knows his stuff, he crams the book full of details from his own life experiences and all of the research he obviously did beforehand, kudos to him for sure, he can make a story that is all Go! Go! Go! and that is chock-full of blood and danger.
or maybe this is a 2 star book for you? too many info dumps, perhaps? an exciting fast pace but you maybe skipped a bunch of pages because those info dumps were sometimes hella boring and a bit eye-rolling? maybe the dialogue was eye-rolling too? maybe the characters were just a little too flat for you? maybe the backstories were just a bit too convenient and the coincidences just a bit too Oh C'mon Now Really? maybe that's why you gave it 2 stars even though you actually enjoyed it?
or maybe this is a 2 star book for you? too many info dumps, perhaps? an exciting fast pace but you maybe skipped a bunch of pages because those info dumps were sometimes hella boring and a bit eye-rolling? maybe the dialogue was eye-rolling too? maybe the characters were just a little too flat for you? maybe the backstories were just a bit too convenient and the coincidences just a bit too Oh C'mon Now Really? maybe that's why you gave it 2 stars even though you actually enjoyed it?
March 6, 2025
Ein altes Luxushotel, das seit 30 Jahren leer steht. Fünf Menschen dringen in das Gebäude ein auf der Suche nach Abenteuer. Es gibt geheime Gänge, die erforscht werden wollen. Doch aus dem Spaß wird bald bitterer Ernst…
Die erste Hälfte des Buches hat mir am besten gefallen. Ich mochte das Geheimnisvolle an der Geschichte, die Schrecken der Dunkelheit, das Rätsel um den früheren Besitzer…
Irgendwann hat mich die Geschichte dann aber ein wenig verloren. Es wurde ein bisschen zu seltsam, zu übertrieben, trotzdem aber immer noch interessant und unterhaltsam.
Die erste Hälfte des Buches hat mir am besten gefallen. Ich mochte das Geheimnisvolle an der Geschichte, die Schrecken der Dunkelheit, das Rätsel um den früheren Besitzer…
Irgendwann hat mich die Geschichte dann aber ein wenig verloren. Es wurde ein bisschen zu seltsam, zu übertrieben, trotzdem aber immer noch interessant und unterhaltsam.
January 11, 2022
Where was the horror? Where was the evil? I couldn't even get at least ONE ghost in an abandoned hotel with a creepy owner? Seriously Morrell....
September 21, 2024
Considerably less than frightening!
Morrell's novel begins with such promise! Five "creepers", urban archeologists who indulge their passion for history and the (definitely less than legal) investigation of abandoned derelict buildings, gather to break into the Paragon Hotel for a night's exploration. But, in a twist somewhat reminiscent of James Dickey's DELIVERANCE, our intrepid group of explorers encounter much, much more than they bargained for and the outing becomes a bloodied, gory nightmare with the team's survival hanging in the balance!
The sidebars on the culture and techniques of this extra-legal urban archeology are interesting, informative and even provocative. Morrell's history of Asbury Park, his recounting of the historical details of the linkage of gold to currency, the passage of the Gold Reserve Act of 1934 in which it became illegal for private US citizens to own gold bars or coins and the quirky intricacies of art-deco architecture and furnishings are positively fascinating. But these admittedly strong points are only window dressing and fail to rescue a weak, melodramatic story that is rife with stilted writing, B-movie dialogue and cheesy effects such as feral albino cats. Even the violence seems contrived and insipid as is the predictable romantic entanglement with which the novel ends.
A lightweight diverting read but certainly not memorable and with little to recommend it over so many other superior thrillers. A weak two stars from this reviewer!
Paul Weiss
Morrell's novel begins with such promise! Five "creepers", urban archeologists who indulge their passion for history and the (definitely less than legal) investigation of abandoned derelict buildings, gather to break into the Paragon Hotel for a night's exploration. But, in a twist somewhat reminiscent of James Dickey's DELIVERANCE, our intrepid group of explorers encounter much, much more than they bargained for and the outing becomes a bloodied, gory nightmare with the team's survival hanging in the balance!
The sidebars on the culture and techniques of this extra-legal urban archeology are interesting, informative and even provocative. Morrell's history of Asbury Park, his recounting of the historical details of the linkage of gold to currency, the passage of the Gold Reserve Act of 1934 in which it became illegal for private US citizens to own gold bars or coins and the quirky intricacies of art-deco architecture and furnishings are positively fascinating. But these admittedly strong points are only window dressing and fail to rescue a weak, melodramatic story that is rife with stilted writing, B-movie dialogue and cheesy effects such as feral albino cats. Even the violence seems contrived and insipid as is the predictable romantic entanglement with which the novel ends.
A lightweight diverting read but certainly not memorable and with little to recommend it over so many other superior thrillers. A weak two stars from this reviewer!
Paul Weiss
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June 26, 2020Actual rating is 3.5 stars.
Over the top, full of unlikely events, coincidences and character motivations, this book nevertheless was perfectly paced and full of enough dramatic twists and turns to keep me flipping the pages until I finished the whole thing in a single setting.
Like a strange hybrid of POSIEDON and the thriller movie IDENTITY, Creepers is non-stop action and a heck of a good time that keeps things moving along at such a fast and smooth pace you won't bother to take the time to think about the ridiculousness of everything - kind of like a Richard Laymon novel without the lechery.
David Morrell is an incredibly readable writer, and even though I never got a good feeling for the actual layout of the hotel they were exploring (it seemed to grow larger and larger as the story progressed), the action was well written and gripping.
Recommended if you're looking for a good pulpy page-turner. I liked it enough that I plan to read the sequel, Scavengers, next.
Over the top, full of unlikely events, coincidences and character motivations, this book nevertheless was perfectly paced and full of enough dramatic twists and turns to keep me flipping the pages until I finished the whole thing in a single setting.
Like a strange hybrid of POSIEDON and the thriller movie IDENTITY, Creepers is non-stop action and a heck of a good time that keeps things moving along at such a fast and smooth pace you won't bother to take the time to think about the ridiculousness of everything - kind of like a Richard Laymon novel without the lechery.
David Morrell is an incredibly readable writer, and even though I never got a good feeling for the actual layout of the hotel they were exploring (it seemed to grow larger and larger as the story progressed), the action was well written and gripping.
Recommended if you're looking for a good pulpy page-turner. I liked it enough that I plan to read the sequel, Scavengers, next.
August 19, 2011
This was an odd book. Some aspects struck me as cheesy (listening on audiobook), but man it was intense, and the bad guy is a piece of work. Actually, there were other bad guys, which were a complete surprise (and they were complete jack*sses that made me want to jump into the story and do some b****slapping).
The genre of this book seems to vary as I listened. At first, was it adventure? Then it was mystery. Then, horror...but supernatural or human monster variety?
The violent parts come suddenly and are somewhat brutal. Nothing I couldn't handle, but I was gasping in horror and talking to myself as I listened on my commute. I'm working on my language, and I had to restrain myself from cursing at the bad guys.
The characters didn't immediately strike me as memorable. But Mr. Balenger, well he earned my respect. Goodness gracious, what this man has gone through. But I have to say it really prepared him to be the hero in the ordeal that their little urban exploration jaunt into a long-abandoned hotel on the Jersey Shore will bring them to face. At first, he's a man who seems mysteriously knowledgeable and capable in emergency situations for a mere, mild-mannered reporter. And strangely bossy. But then, you know why. He comes through big time, and I definitely wanted to give him a high five. But he's also very human. The everyman sort of hero, kind of like John McClane from Die Hard, in a way. I also liked Amanda and Vinny. I felt bad for a few other characters who had some messed up crap happen to them.
And the main villain. What a sicko lowlife scumbag, for sure! I mean, seriously???
What did I learn from this book?
*Creepers, the nickname for urban explorers, are crazy as heck!
*Every experience you go through in your life will come in handy, so pay attention!!
*Minutiae and trivial facts might buy time if you can spout them off when you are dealing with bad guy losers who want to end your life.
*Stay my butt out of abandoned old buildings.
*People can be seriously messed up in the head!
*There is a such thing as poetic justice.
I didn't love this book (some parts just seemed cheesy to me), but it was an interesting read on audiobook. At any rate, I was sucked in big time.
The genre of this book seems to vary as I listened. At first, was it adventure? Then it was mystery. Then, horror...but supernatural or human monster variety?
The violent parts come suddenly and are somewhat brutal. Nothing I couldn't handle, but I was gasping in horror and talking to myself as I listened on my commute. I'm working on my language, and I had to restrain myself from cursing at the bad guys.
The characters didn't immediately strike me as memorable. But Mr. Balenger, well he earned my respect. Goodness gracious, what this man has gone through. But I have to say it really prepared him to be the hero in the ordeal that their little urban exploration jaunt into a long-abandoned hotel on the Jersey Shore will bring them to face. At first, he's a man who seems mysteriously knowledgeable and capable in emergency situations for a mere, mild-mannered reporter. And strangely bossy. But then, you know why. He comes through big time, and I definitely wanted to give him a high five. But he's also very human. The everyman sort of hero, kind of like John McClane from Die Hard, in a way. I also liked Amanda and Vinny. I felt bad for a few other characters who had some messed up crap happen to them.
And the main villain. What a sicko lowlife scumbag, for sure! I mean, seriously???
What did I learn from this book?
*Creepers, the nickname for urban explorers, are crazy as heck!
*Every experience you go through in your life will come in handy, so pay attention!!
*Minutiae and trivial facts might buy time if you can spout them off when you are dealing with bad guy losers who want to end your life.
*Stay my butt out of abandoned old buildings.
*People can be seriously messed up in the head!
*There is a such thing as poetic justice.
I didn't love this book (some parts just seemed cheesy to me), but it was an interesting read on audiobook. At any rate, I was sucked in big time.
October 30, 2010
I've always been fascinated by the idea of exploring abandoned buildings but have always been too chicken to do it for real. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw Morrell's Creepers, a fictional story about a group of urban explorers (aka "creepers"). About 24 hours later, I was finished. I just couldn't put it down!
The story follows a group of urban explorers and one reporter as they prepare to explore one of the most mysterious hotels ever- the Paragon Hotel. Built by a reclusive architect, it was THE place to see and be seen at. When the hotel closed suddenly in the 1930s, the place soon fell into neglect. It is into this mystery that the plucky group enter into, only to find a bit more than what they were looking for.
I absolutely adore this book. I've read it over & over again & the thrill is still there each time. Maybe not as sharp as the first time I read it, but it's still a fun read. I absolutely love the characters, especially since they are all written as flawed characters. Everyone has something to hide, some more than others. This book will appeal not only to fans of thrillers but also to those who love the idea of exploring dusty old buildings.
The story follows a group of urban explorers and one reporter as they prepare to explore one of the most mysterious hotels ever- the Paragon Hotel. Built by a reclusive architect, it was THE place to see and be seen at. When the hotel closed suddenly in the 1930s, the place soon fell into neglect. It is into this mystery that the plucky group enter into, only to find a bit more than what they were looking for.
I absolutely adore this book. I've read it over & over again & the thrill is still there each time. Maybe not as sharp as the first time I read it, but it's still a fun read. I absolutely love the characters, especially since they are all written as flawed characters. Everyone has something to hide, some more than others. This book will appeal not only to fans of thrillers but also to those who love the idea of exploring dusty old buildings.
July 9, 2021
First off, a 'creeper' is slang for someone who on the sly investigates abandoned buildings and such; urban spelunkers if you will. Creepers is about a group of people who decide to creep an old abandoned hotel on the Jersey shore that will be torn down in a few weeks. Published in 2005, the hotel has been abandoned since the early 70s. It was once a grand hotel, shaped like a Mayan pyramid, with the owner/recuse living on the top tier penthouse.
Pretty mixed on this one. On the one hand, it is a fast, fun read with lots of action-- something you would expect from the guy who penned First Blood and gave us Rambo. Morrell became known in the 80s as the king of American action thrillers and it is easy to see why. Yet, on the other hand, the series of long info dumps and really contrived events that unfold here made me want to toss the book across the room.
We know from the get go that SOMETHING BAD is going to happen during this creep-- the first few pages our main protagonist bemoans ever going on the creep as he is still recovering months later. The leader of the creep is a history professor; the others in the group are three former students. The 'wild card' (our main protagonist) was invited by the professor who gives the former students a line about how he is going to write a story about creeping for a New York newspaper.
I am not going to go into much detail regarding the contrived events that occurred during this novel due to spoilers, but no author should expect their readers to swallow such events without raising a few eyebrows to say the least.
So, a fast, fun read, but one with lots of flaws as well. Worth a read if you are in the mood for some popcorn, but I would not really seek this one out. 2 stars.
Pretty mixed on this one. On the one hand, it is a fast, fun read with lots of action-- something you would expect from the guy who penned First Blood and gave us Rambo. Morrell became known in the 80s as the king of American action thrillers and it is easy to see why. Yet, on the other hand, the series of long info dumps and really contrived events that unfold here made me want to toss the book across the room.
We know from the get go that SOMETHING BAD is going to happen during this creep-- the first few pages our main protagonist bemoans ever going on the creep as he is still recovering months later. The leader of the creep is a history professor; the others in the group are three former students. The 'wild card' (our main protagonist) was invited by the professor who gives the former students a line about how he is going to write a story about creeping for a New York newspaper.
I am not going to go into much detail regarding the contrived events that occurred during this novel due to spoilers, but no author should expect their readers to swallow such events without raising a few eyebrows to say the least.
So, a fast, fun read, but one with lots of flaws as well. Worth a read if you are in the mood for some popcorn, but I would not really seek this one out. 2 stars.
December 11, 2023
Rounded up a little but won’t split hairs.
Man, this book has something for everyone.
It’s got just enough horror elements for the horror readers. It’s got just enough thrills and suspense for the thriller readers, and just enough mystery/crime if that’s your bag.
I throughly enjoyed this book. I read 3/4’s in a day because I had to know how it was going to end.
Would I read another David Morrell book?
Hell yes.
Was it scary?
Not crazy scary, but it definitely peaked my interest and I could feel the spooky vibes.
What did you like best?
How easy the book was to read. It flowed nicely. The images came easily.
Was there anything you disliked?
I don’t want to split hairs because I haven’t rated a book this high in a long time. People that know me, know I’m a stickler about a lot of my reading material. But there wasn’t enough to deter me from rating the book any lower.
Would you recommend this to the average joe reader for a leisure read?
Absolutely! You can read this book quickly. It’s very easy to put down and pick up the next day right where you left off.
I found a few other reviewers say there was too many details. IMHO, it wasn’t. Like I said, it’s super easy to read, the details given, are details you need. Nothing turns me off on a book more than filler and over detailed pages. This was a fun read.
Man, this book has something for everyone.
It’s got just enough horror elements for the horror readers. It’s got just enough thrills and suspense for the thriller readers, and just enough mystery/crime if that’s your bag.
I throughly enjoyed this book. I read 3/4’s in a day because I had to know how it was going to end.
Would I read another David Morrell book?
Hell yes.
Was it scary?
Not crazy scary, but it definitely peaked my interest and I could feel the spooky vibes.
What did you like best?
How easy the book was to read. It flowed nicely. The images came easily.
Was there anything you disliked?
I don’t want to split hairs because I haven’t rated a book this high in a long time. People that know me, know I’m a stickler about a lot of my reading material. But there wasn’t enough to deter me from rating the book any lower.
Would you recommend this to the average joe reader for a leisure read?
Absolutely! You can read this book quickly. It’s very easy to put down and pick up the next day right where you left off.
I found a few other reviewers say there was too many details. IMHO, it wasn’t. Like I said, it’s super easy to read, the details given, are details you need. Nothing turns me off on a book more than filler and over detailed pages. This was a fun read.
April 7, 2012
I found the first 1/4 of this book to be a little slow but I am glad I kept reading! It turned out to be a great page turner. As I finished the last few paragraphs I was struck by the realization that "Creepers" could be described as "Goonies" for grown-ups!
September 3, 2021
2.5 zvaigznes. Daudzsološs sākums - 5 urbānie pētnieki izlaužas pamestā viesnīcā, ko cēlis ekscentrisks bagātnieks, lai pētītu pamesto ēku un noslēpumus ko tā glabā. Uz grāmatas vidu un beigām viss palika visai garlaicīgs, nemitīga iekrišana kādā izpuvušā grīdas caurumā, žurkas-mutanti, sūdzēšanās par pelējuma smaku utt. Bija nodaļas, ko vispār varētu izmest no grāmatas, nekādu sižeta virzību tās neveidoja. Lai gan pati ideja likās interesanta, izpildījums lika vilties. Šķiet, autors jau izrakstījies.
March 8, 2022
>>Manche Gebäude lassen die Vergangenheit so lebendig werden, als wären sie Batterien. Sie scheinen die Energie von allem gespeichert zu haben, das jemals in ihnen vorgegangen ist. Und manchmal lassen sie diese Energie wieder ab, wie die Gefühle, die in diesem Koffer gesteckt haben.<<
Von dem Buch "Creepers" von David Morrell muss ich ehrlich sagen habe ich vorab nicht so viel erwartet. Ich wollte ein bisschen was einfaches, dennoch spannendes, gruseliges, bei dem ich einfach nicht viel nachdenken muss und letztlich habe ich genau das richtige bekommen.
Die Geschichte strickt sich insgesamt sehr einfach und gerade zum Ende wird es ein bisschen vorhersehbar und erinnerte mich an "Saw" aber wie gesagt, das hat mich nicht gestört denn ich wollte mich ja schließlich auch nicht in Theorien verheddern.
Das alte Hotel, um das es hier geht hat es wirklich in sich! Es ist unheimlich interessant der Geschichte dieses Hotels auf die Spur zu kommen und das lies mir tatsächlich auch den ein oder anderen Schauer durch die Adern ziehen!
Fazit: Alles in allem ein guter Thriller, der Sogwirkung hat, sich gut lesen lässt und mit einer interessanten, sowie spukigen Geschichte aufwartet! Kleiner Hinweis an dieser Stelle, es wird mitunter auch hin und wieder ein bisschen blutig...🤗
Von dem Buch "Creepers" von David Morrell muss ich ehrlich sagen habe ich vorab nicht so viel erwartet. Ich wollte ein bisschen was einfaches, dennoch spannendes, gruseliges, bei dem ich einfach nicht viel nachdenken muss und letztlich habe ich genau das richtige bekommen.
Die Geschichte strickt sich insgesamt sehr einfach und gerade zum Ende wird es ein bisschen vorhersehbar und erinnerte mich an "Saw" aber wie gesagt, das hat mich nicht gestört denn ich wollte mich ja schließlich auch nicht in Theorien verheddern.
Das alte Hotel, um das es hier geht hat es wirklich in sich! Es ist unheimlich interessant der Geschichte dieses Hotels auf die Spur zu kommen und das lies mir tatsächlich auch den ein oder anderen Schauer durch die Adern ziehen!
Fazit: Alles in allem ein guter Thriller, der Sogwirkung hat, sich gut lesen lässt und mit einer interessanten, sowie spukigen Geschichte aufwartet! Kleiner Hinweis an dieser Stelle, es wird mitunter auch hin und wieder ein bisschen blutig...🤗
March 28, 2017
I was excited to read this book. I was open-minded with flexible, not-too-high expectations. The concept of urban explorers sounded right up my alley. Also, it won the Bram Stoker Award.
I was so disappointed. It failed to deliver on setting, atmosphere, character development, character motivation, use of language, plot, description...every aspect of storytelling except pace. A decade after I read it, this book stands out as one of the five worst reading experiences I've ever had.
I was so disappointed. It failed to deliver on setting, atmosphere, character development, character motivation, use of language, plot, description...every aspect of storytelling except pace. A decade after I read it, this book stands out as one of the five worst reading experiences I've ever had.
April 18, 2023
While "creeping" is illegal, its mostly harmless, except for the inherent risk to the folks...the "creepers", that participate. the Paragon Hotel, a long-abandoned building built and owned by a reclusive hemophiliac until his mysterious suicide. Set in Asbury Park, New Jersey, the once grand summer resort of the rich and famous is now just another east coast city time has forgotten, a near ghost town of urban decay. Robert Conklin is a professor of history at Buffalo State University, and also an experienced and principled practitioner of the little talked about sport of "creeping". His team for this adventure is composed of some of his former students. Conklin and his crew have plans to somehow gain entrance to the seemingly impregnable Paragon and to unlock its secrets, including confirming the existence of a vault rumored to have been installed by an infamous New York City mobster. Joining the team is Frank Balenger, supposedly a New York Times Magazine reporter on assignment to document this obscure pastime. Our explorers, who I believe may need their heads examined, set out to enter the hotel by going up through the mutant rat-and-cat-infested sewers of Asbury Park. The abandoned building has long been a scary story told around the campfire, and the author uses this along with added amounts of suspense and terror. The hulking wreck of the Paramount hides secrets in its seven floors of rooms which reminded me of Stephen King's "The Shining". Soon the group finds that they were not alone and what was there has absolutely no desire to make their stay and enjoyable one. There is more to the story than an innocent trip into the Asbury Park, and both Conklin and Balenger have hidden histories of their own. It was a fun read if you are a horror story fan. I don't want to give away too much of a deliciously creepy storyline and spoil all the fun...but it is very hard to stop reading once you get into the hotel itself.
March 31, 2010
So I finally got my hands on something written by the guy who created Rambo. Having expertise in firearms, executive protection, hostage negotiation and various other action skills and still suffering the death of his own child from blood cancer, Morrell is gifted when it comes to coming up with a good story and he has everything he needs to back up the action and the pain that fills his novels.
Creepers is a dark thriller, full of suspense and casualties. When a group of action loves who love to infiltrate old buildings in search of the past makes the mistake of picking the wrong place at the wrong time. Past and future collides as the group gets trapped in an Aztec temple style Paragon Hotel, deserted and about to be bulldozed. Amidst the rats, ruins and secret hotels rooms awaits something that is not dead, something that will turn their lives inside out and splash the walls with fresh blood. The team consists of a college professor Robert Conklin, his two students Rick and Cora, friend Vincent and a new comer with mysterious past, Frank Balenger, well trained in survival and perhaps their only chance of getting out alive.
Blinded by the dark, walking on rotten floors they climb higher and higher stirring the past with their discoveries. The original owner of the hotel was not an average person, but a peeping tom with secrets of his own. As the stumble into his domain they enter a trap as if they entered a portal to hell and what awaits them has no intention of letting anyone escape its clutches.
Fast paced and very entertaining, it certainly kept me glued to the pages and the story went from creepy to bizarre but I loved the main concept and what was really lurking for them in the dark. It was almost a mystery book mixed in with a healthy dose of terror and suspense. I am looking forward to "Scavenger" which picks up with the main hero of this story.
Creepers is a dark thriller, full of suspense and casualties. When a group of action loves who love to infiltrate old buildings in search of the past makes the mistake of picking the wrong place at the wrong time. Past and future collides as the group gets trapped in an Aztec temple style Paragon Hotel, deserted and about to be bulldozed. Amidst the rats, ruins and secret hotels rooms awaits something that is not dead, something that will turn their lives inside out and splash the walls with fresh blood. The team consists of a college professor Robert Conklin, his two students Rick and Cora, friend Vincent and a new comer with mysterious past, Frank Balenger, well trained in survival and perhaps their only chance of getting out alive.
Blinded by the dark, walking on rotten floors they climb higher and higher stirring the past with their discoveries. The original owner of the hotel was not an average person, but a peeping tom with secrets of his own. As the stumble into his domain they enter a trap as if they entered a portal to hell and what awaits them has no intention of letting anyone escape its clutches.
Fast paced and very entertaining, it certainly kept me glued to the pages and the story went from creepy to bizarre but I loved the main concept and what was really lurking for them in the dark. It was almost a mystery book mixed in with a healthy dose of terror and suspense. I am looking forward to "Scavenger" which picks up with the main hero of this story.
March 21, 2020
A condemned building is investigated by a team of historians and a team of criminals(!)… who find out it's dark secret over one dark night. Moer a chiller than a straight-up horror. 5 out of 12.
December 21, 2012
I want four hours of my life back.
September 18, 2018
I had the most uncanny feeling that I wasn't reading a novel, I was reading a really detailed description of a film. The first act includes some moments of hideously mutated rats leaping out from behind pipes, and as I read it I thought, 'Oh yes, this would be very scary in a film. There would be a big swell of ominous music, then a loud screech of strings, and I would jump.' But I didn't really feel it when reading, because jump scares don't work in books. I hope it's not spoiling too much to say that the denouement is also very cinematic!
So the book kind of fails as a horror because it wasn't particularly frightening.
That aside, I enjoyed it. It was a solid book. I mean that it was very well paced, well plotted, competently written. Lots of fun twists! The hero is a Big Damn Hero – and I liked him immensely for it. The rest of the cast are rather 2D, but they all serve their roles fine, and get killed off in perfectly predictable order. The dialogue is often laughably wooden. And yet, it was so well structured in the 90 minute action movie style, that I almost enjoyed the craftsmanship more than the story. But what I really want from a novel is to be dragged into the story and what I really want from horror is to be so spooked that I have to stay up all night to finish it.
So the book kind of fails as a horror because it wasn't particularly frightening.
That aside, I enjoyed it. It was a solid book. I mean that it was very well paced, well plotted, competently written. Lots of fun twists! The hero is a Big Damn Hero – and I liked him immensely for it. The rest of the cast are rather 2D, but they all serve their roles fine, and get killed off in perfectly predictable order. The dialogue is often laughably wooden. And yet, it was so well structured in the 90 minute action movie style, that I almost enjoyed the craftsmanship more than the story. But what I really want from a novel is to be dragged into the story and what I really want from horror is to be so spooked that I have to stay up all night to finish it.
March 10, 2023
WOW! What a read!
Based on the average ratings, I wasn't expecting much.
A group of people explore an abandoned hotel. The Paragon Hotel is shuttered and locked up tight; what urban explorers call "untouched", no vandalism and things left as they were.
They go in but they can't get out!
It has intense and creepy moments. The best part, it was unpredictable! Just when you think you have it figured out, you're wrong.
I really loved this book. It would be an excellent movie!
It's going on my favorites shelf and my first (and hopefully not only) 5 star read of 2023.
I've never explored an abandoned building or house, but I'm interested in it and would love to do that someday.
Although, after reading this, I might have second thoughts. 😳
Until then, I will continue to binge-watch youtube urban exploration videos; its safer that way. 😜
October 30, 2014
4.5 stars
Fast paced and full of twists and turns, this turned out to be nothing like what I expected. On the premise, I thought I'd be diving into some sort of haunted story full of ghosts and thrills in an old hotel. I didn't get that, sure, but the psychopath that took center stage instead was pretty damn creepy--enough so to make me forgive the story for not being what I'd hoped!
Just when you think you have it figured out, David Morrell surprises you, shocks you, stupefies you, and makes you want to keep reading until you devour the book and figure out the mystery behind this tale. I might need to get my hands on the second installment of the Frank Balenger books.
Fast paced and full of twists and turns, this turned out to be nothing like what I expected. On the premise, I thought I'd be diving into some sort of haunted story full of ghosts and thrills in an old hotel. I didn't get that, sure, but the psychopath that took center stage instead was pretty damn creepy--enough so to make me forgive the story for not being what I'd hoped!
Just when you think you have it figured out, David Morrell surprises you, shocks you, stupefies you, and makes you want to keep reading until you devour the book and figure out the mystery behind this tale. I might need to get my hands on the second installment of the Frank Balenger books.
September 4, 2024
This is not the greatest audiobook I've ever listened to, production values-wise, but I was hooked on the story enough that I couldn't wait for a library hold on the physical copy. No regrets! I enjoyed this a bunch!
Creepers rides that genre blending line between thriller and horror: a group of urban explorers with high minded morals - take nothing, leave nothing behind - break into an old hotel that has been sealed for decades. But as they pick their way through the crumbling art deco furniture, the group uncovers secrets that have long been locked away.
This is high on the action, exploration and gunshots. If you enjoy Taylor Adams's style of thrillers, then this one is for you.
Creepers rides that genre blending line between thriller and horror: a group of urban explorers with high minded morals - take nothing, leave nothing behind - break into an old hotel that has been sealed for decades. But as they pick their way through the crumbling art deco furniture, the group uncovers secrets that have long been locked away.
This is high on the action, exploration and gunshots. If you enjoy Taylor Adams's style of thrillers, then this one is for you.
September 1, 2019
A really fast-paced thriller, and I've never read so furiously.
After James Hadley Chase's books, this is the only thriller I've read without any kind of distraction from other books, or the temptation to try a first few lines of another book of my to-read list just because I don't like what I'm reading; it just isn't keeping my attention. No, that didn't happen with this one, and I've read two awesome books successively that swept me of my feet with plot twist, mystery and vivid description of an expedition gone horribly wrong, so wrong that at the end of the novel, the survivors were asked that what the hell had happened to them; the answer was "The Paragon Hotel" .
The novel was vivid enough; at some places, eerily vivid I think. I haven't read the author's note at the end, but I know from the title of the note that David Morrell researched a lot, and he researched with love and enthusiasm.
Somehow this novel is bound to make a reader get fond of history. The details presented here isn't boring at all; it's obviously dark, maybe fiction, maybe fictionalized, but I don't care... because it's damn good.
The incidents of the book happened at night, and I read this book through the night, and if there was rain and storm here I would've been more caught up than I am right now. How I wish that happened! But I just couldn't wait for the sky to come down heavy, now do I?
End of my kind-of-review-that-isn't-a-review-at-all. I hope this book gives many other readers an awesome journey and elements of surprise. Happy reading!
After James Hadley Chase's books, this is the only thriller I've read without any kind of distraction from other books, or the temptation to try a first few lines of another book of my to-read list just because I don't like what I'm reading; it just isn't keeping my attention. No, that didn't happen with this one, and I've read two awesome books successively that swept me of my feet with plot twist, mystery and vivid description of an expedition gone horribly wrong, so wrong that at the end of the novel, the survivors were asked that what the hell had happened to them; the answer was "The Paragon Hotel" .
The novel was vivid enough; at some places, eerily vivid I think. I haven't read the author's note at the end, but I know from the title of the note that David Morrell researched a lot, and he researched with love and enthusiasm.
Somehow this novel is bound to make a reader get fond of history. The details presented here isn't boring at all; it's obviously dark, maybe fiction, maybe fictionalized, but I don't care... because it's damn good.
The incidents of the book happened at night, and I read this book through the night, and if there was rain and storm here I would've been more caught up than I am right now. How I wish that happened! But I just couldn't wait for the sky to come down heavy, now do I?
End of my kind-of-review-that-isn't-a-review-at-all. I hope this book gives many other readers an awesome journey and elements of surprise. Happy reading!
April 12, 2022
4.5 stars
While the synopsis on the back cover would have you believe Creepers is a horror novel, don’t be fooled.
Instead, this book is the true definition of a thriller and a novel that is damn near impossible to put down. Insanely fast paced with some crazy twists and turns, Creepers is the perfect example of a “page turner”.
I admit I had my doubts on how a novel about urban exploration could transform into a white knuckled thrill ride, but I’m glad I put those worries aside and went for it, because Morrell goes 100 mph the entire time, never once letting his foot off the gas.
Bits and pieces of this book felt a little to contrived and the dialogue was laughably cliche at times, however, this is a thriller after all and if you’re going in for original conversation and unique characters, well, you’re looking in the wrong place.
Honestly, all things considered, Creepers is one of those rare novels that actually works from beginning to end. It’s close to perfect and reminds me a lot of the way the old Preston and Child used to write…before they got lazy and repetitive.
While the synopsis on the back cover would have you believe Creepers is a horror novel, don’t be fooled.
Instead, this book is the true definition of a thriller and a novel that is damn near impossible to put down. Insanely fast paced with some crazy twists and turns, Creepers is the perfect example of a “page turner”.
I admit I had my doubts on how a novel about urban exploration could transform into a white knuckled thrill ride, but I’m glad I put those worries aside and went for it, because Morrell goes 100 mph the entire time, never once letting his foot off the gas.
Bits and pieces of this book felt a little to contrived and the dialogue was laughably cliche at times, however, this is a thriller after all and if you’re going in for original conversation and unique characters, well, you’re looking in the wrong place.
Honestly, all things considered, Creepers is one of those rare novels that actually works from beginning to end. It’s close to perfect and reminds me a lot of the way the old Preston and Child used to write…before they got lazy and repetitive.
May 5, 2022
The idea behind this book was interesting, even quite exciting....a group of people secretly enter long abandoned buildings to explore spaces which have been frozen in the past.
It started out ok, but I'm not sure what went wrong, it just became brutal and silly....I think the story had potential, but the author, in my opinion, went in the wrong direction with it.
I speed read the last third, as it just didn't hold my interest....
It started out ok, but I'm not sure what went wrong, it just became brutal and silly....I think the story had potential, but the author, in my opinion, went in the wrong direction with it.
I speed read the last third, as it just didn't hold my interest....
September 24, 2025
This was a really fun, ultra fast paced action/thriller with some horror elements sprinkled in. A tasty concoction to be sure, and perhaps not a surprising genre recipe from the author of First Blood. The one draw back to a book like this, and specifically this book, is that the character work is not terribly deep or satisfying for the most part, but the non stop adventure, which quickly takes a dark turn, keeps the pages turning, and the premise is tantalizing indeed. This is one of those books that while you're reading it, you're thinking "damn, this would make a really good movie" and it turns out there is one coming out soon, but it took someone nearly 20 years to realize it. In any case, I had a hell of a good time with this one, and apparently there is a sequel I'll have to check out sometime.
April 17, 2009
I found the premise of this novel quite interesting. I actually hadn't even read enough of the cover to know that it was in fact a fairly straightforward thriller, and in the opening I was expecting a supernatural horror (the appearance of strange wildlife and the suggestion of more furthered this suggestion), having found the book in the horror section. Well, while I did think the premise was quite good, I found the execution far less so.
I found the characters to be flat and their dialogue to be awful. The three meatheaded "villains" were right out of a pulp cliche catalogue. They were seemingly dropped into the story with little motivation and were quick to ruthless, disproportionate violence. Their biggest apparent fear was the Crowbar, an magical item that seemed to have more violent potential than the handgun. I should have poured myself a shot every time "Crowbar" was said.
I don't want to go on and on about what I perceived as the shortcomings of this novel, after all, I did enjoy it somewhat. Like most television shows, it's usually the character writing that puts me off - in this case the plot and setting were a lot of fun. I found the dialogue corny and unrealistic, and the character interplay and suspicions unlikely (who cares about the dead-end love triangle).
If you're from close to my generation and familiar with Saturday morning cartoons, you will find this story very familiar, as it was only lacking two characters: Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. Oh, and the Mystery Machine. "Jinkies!"
I found the characters to be flat and their dialogue to be awful. The three meatheaded "villains" were right out of a pulp cliche catalogue. They were seemingly dropped into the story with little motivation and were quick to ruthless, disproportionate violence. Their biggest apparent fear was the Crowbar, an magical item that seemed to have more violent potential than the handgun. I should have poured myself a shot every time "Crowbar" was said.
I don't want to go on and on about what I perceived as the shortcomings of this novel, after all, I did enjoy it somewhat. Like most television shows, it's usually the character writing that puts me off - in this case the plot and setting were a lot of fun. I found the dialogue corny and unrealistic, and the character interplay and suspicions unlikely (who cares about the dead-end love triangle).
If you're from close to my generation and familiar with Saturday morning cartoons, you will find this story very familiar, as it was only lacking two characters: Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. Oh, and the Mystery Machine. "Jinkies!"
September 6, 2016
This was a toss up between 2 and 3 stars. Yes, I gobbled it up. Yes, it was very fast-paced and a fun read.
But - you know those horror movies (no actual horror in the book by the way) where you're thinking "don't go into the haunted house/don't go into the basement/just run..." It was like that, full of cliched plot elements and one dimensional characters that you couldn't really care less about.
So, this motley bunch of people (with ulterior motives) are exploring a long abandoned hotel that was built by an eccentric in the early 20th century and not only are the floors rotten in places, there are mutant cats and rats, a gang of thieves, dead bodies and a homicidal maniac. I can't think of anything the author left out. Oh, that's right, there were no actual ghosts!
But - you know those horror movies (no actual horror in the book by the way) where you're thinking "don't go into the haunted house/don't go into the basement/just run..." It was like that, full of cliched plot elements and one dimensional characters that you couldn't really care less about.
So, this motley bunch of people (with ulterior motives) are exploring a long abandoned hotel that was built by an eccentric in the early 20th century and not only are the floors rotten in places, there are mutant cats and rats, a gang of thieves, dead bodies and a homicidal maniac. I can't think of anything the author left out. Oh, that's right, there were no actual ghosts!
December 24, 2014
Fast-paced mystery/thriller about a group of "creepers" (people who explore abandonded buildings) who get more than they bargained for during an exploration of an abandoned hotel in Asbury Park, NJ. There are a few twists in the plot, as they discover things about the hotel's builder and the events that happened in the hotel. A fun, fast read.
October 14, 2024
Urban explorers. The title for anyone that busts into an old building, abandoned house, or even a forgotten subway tunnel. Whether or not you fall into this category, most of us have explored a dilapidated structure once or twice, and daydreamed about what it looked like during its heyday, what secrets reside within its walls, what treasures may still be in their hiding spot just waiting to be discovered. If so, Creepers may be for you.
Reporter Frank Balenger joins a group of college students and their professor outside the Paragon Hotel for a night of illegal exploration. The Paragon was a famous landmark on Jersey shore’s Asbury Park. Built in 1901 by eccentric millionaire, Morgan Carlisle. A rare blood disease made Carlisle a recluse from the public. The Paragon was his way of interacting with society without them even knowing he was there, hidden behind the walls, looking through undetected peepholes. You’d be amazed at what goes on behind the locked doors of the hotel’s rooms when the guests think they’re all alone. Over the course of 70 years, Carlisle witnessed every perversion, every form of debauchery - even murder. But what would cause him to suddenly shut down the hotel and commit suicide? What, after all this time, was finally too much for him to bear? Ahh, the Paragon certainly has some stories to tell.
Morrell, the author of First Blood, crafts a spine-tingling thriller that’ll keep you zipping through the pages. The writing is excellent, fast-paced, full of atmosphere and character development. By the time you’re done, you’ll never look at the inside of a hotel room the same again.
4.5 Three-Legged Rats out of 5
Reporter Frank Balenger joins a group of college students and their professor outside the Paragon Hotel for a night of illegal exploration. The Paragon was a famous landmark on Jersey shore’s Asbury Park. Built in 1901 by eccentric millionaire, Morgan Carlisle. A rare blood disease made Carlisle a recluse from the public. The Paragon was his way of interacting with society without them even knowing he was there, hidden behind the walls, looking through undetected peepholes. You’d be amazed at what goes on behind the locked doors of the hotel’s rooms when the guests think they’re all alone. Over the course of 70 years, Carlisle witnessed every perversion, every form of debauchery - even murder. But what would cause him to suddenly shut down the hotel and commit suicide? What, after all this time, was finally too much for him to bear? Ahh, the Paragon certainly has some stories to tell.
Morrell, the author of First Blood, crafts a spine-tingling thriller that’ll keep you zipping through the pages. The writing is excellent, fast-paced, full of atmosphere and character development. By the time you’re done, you’ll never look at the inside of a hotel room the same again.
4.5 Three-Legged Rats out of 5
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