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The Grey Matter
The mountains of DeKalb County, Alabama were majestic, tranquil, inspiring and isolated. Just the type of place a man like John Grey would choose to call home. A land where he was king of all he surveyed. A land where he could be God himself, if he chose to be. Until those kids moved into the cabin below the ridge.
It had been perfect at first for the four young people. Friends since their broken childhoods, now they stood together at the threshold of adulthood. They were a family by choice, not by nature. When supplies dwindled and society failed, so did the rules of civilization and the mountain closed in. Not all predators walk on four legs.
THE GREY MATTER is a novel of white-hot suspense where life is unpredictable and survival is paramount. Who is a friend and who's the enemy?
It had been perfect at first for the four young people. Friends since their broken childhoods, now they stood together at the threshold of adulthood. They were a family by choice, not by nature. When supplies dwindled and society failed, so did the rules of civilization and the mountain closed in. Not all predators walk on four legs.
THE GREY MATTER is a novel of white-hot suspense where life is unpredictable and survival is paramount. Who is a friend and who's the enemy?
199 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2014
15 people want to read
About the author
Billie Sue Mosiman
138 books92 followersEdgar Award Nominee for Best Novel
Stoker Award Nominee for Superior Novel
Novelist, short story writer, columnist, writing instructor, editor.
My published novels are now available at Kindle.com, along with new short story anthologies and novellas.
Stoker Award Nominee for Superior Novel
Novelist, short story writer, columnist, writing instructor, editor.
My published novels are now available at Kindle.com, along with new short story anthologies and novellas.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 9, 2014
Billie Sue Mosiman has impressed me with every single thing I have read of hers. The Grey Matter is no exception. I generally don’t go into the story, as that is what the synopsis is for, but this book is intense and wholly original, with a prose style that’s both simultaneously poetic and gripping.
Other than knowing how to write great books and stories of intensity, be it mystery, horror, or other, Mosiman is a master of character. Every character in The Grey Matter, no matter how small their role, is a fully fleshed out, three-dimensional human being, and even the bad guys have qualities and traits one can identify with. I was able to, anyway. Mosiman understands human psychology very, very well, and she draws you into the mind or each and every person living in this story.
She is also a master of plot. While this borders on a perfect book, I was also easily able to see it as a movie. It’s all there. If I had the funds and the time, I would honestly consider trying to option this one. To me, it’s a no-brainer for a great thriller. One of the hardest things to properly pull off is an ending. The ending of this one pays off in spades.
If you are looking for a great read full of suspense and great character, fast-paced, scary, gripping, clever, and intelligently written, pick up The Grey Matter. You can thank me later.
This is an easy five-star book.
Other than knowing how to write great books and stories of intensity, be it mystery, horror, or other, Mosiman is a master of character. Every character in The Grey Matter, no matter how small their role, is a fully fleshed out, three-dimensional human being, and even the bad guys have qualities and traits one can identify with. I was able to, anyway. Mosiman understands human psychology very, very well, and she draws you into the mind or each and every person living in this story.
She is also a master of plot. While this borders on a perfect book, I was also easily able to see it as a movie. It’s all there. If I had the funds and the time, I would honestly consider trying to option this one. To me, it’s a no-brainer for a great thriller. One of the hardest things to properly pull off is an ending. The ending of this one pays off in spades.
If you are looking for a great read full of suspense and great character, fast-paced, scary, gripping, clever, and intelligently written, pick up The Grey Matter. You can thank me later.
This is an easy five-star book.
May 9, 2014
Billie Sue Mosiman is not only an award winning and talented writer, she is also one of my Facebook friends. When I heard she had written a new novel I was eager to read it. I picked it up as soon as it was available for Kindle.
The Grey Matter is the story of four young adults, still teenagers, who have made a home for themselves in the mountains of Alabama. Abe, Ben and Josie have been abused and neglected all of their young lives. Caleb is their wealthy young friend who takes them in and makes a home for them all. Together these four friends learn that family is not necessarily what you are born into, but what you make for yourselves.
There is even an older man up on their mountain that gives them sound advice and shares produce from his garden with them. What could go wrong?
Well for starters, the world as they know it ends when three EMP bombs explode over the USA taking down the electrical grid and everything that goes with it. Chaos reigns, and it becomes a world where survival means fending for yourselves and trusting no one.
But soon these kids learn they have more to fear than marauders intent on stealing their food. There is a killer on their mountain - one who kills for pleasure, not just survival.
I will admit this book didn't always go the way I wanted it to. People I wanted to stay safe were sometimes hurt or killed and people I wanted to die turned out to be harder than heck to kill. I cursed Billie at times while reading it.
It's not a perfect read. There were a few tiny things I felt were flawed, but they didn't impact my enjoyment of this book and I did enjoy it.
The Grey Matter is the story of four young adults, still teenagers, who have made a home for themselves in the mountains of Alabama. Abe, Ben and Josie have been abused and neglected all of their young lives. Caleb is their wealthy young friend who takes them in and makes a home for them all. Together these four friends learn that family is not necessarily what you are born into, but what you make for yourselves.
There is even an older man up on their mountain that gives them sound advice and shares produce from his garden with them. What could go wrong?
Well for starters, the world as they know it ends when three EMP bombs explode over the USA taking down the electrical grid and everything that goes with it. Chaos reigns, and it becomes a world where survival means fending for yourselves and trusting no one.
But soon these kids learn they have more to fear than marauders intent on stealing their food. There is a killer on their mountain - one who kills for pleasure, not just survival.
I will admit this book didn't always go the way I wanted it to. People I wanted to stay safe were sometimes hurt or killed and people I wanted to die turned out to be harder than heck to kill. I cursed Billie at times while reading it.
It's not a perfect read. There were a few tiny things I felt were flawed, but they didn't impact my enjoyment of this book and I did enjoy it.
August 17, 2014
The woods are screaming...
Billie Sue Mosiman captures a nightmare gem in her apocalyptic THE GREY MATTER, a peek into an Alabama mountain community hiding monsters, each face of the gem increasing with tension and fear.
For a realistic, high-tension thriller, THE GREY MATTER does with people what most horror novels achieve through demons and fantastical beasts of terror. Ms. Mosiman climbs into the mind of a killer and allows him to become a real person, expertly conjuring reader sympathy and amping the conflict as the story unfolds. On the flip side, the levels of degeneracy to which the normal population of Herndon, Albama sink in their desperation, rival even the serial killers of the new apocalypse.
Ms. Mosiman has a unique way of rendering her characters so each possesses a very distinct personality and stands out both in action and dialogue. The inner conflicts from all major players—good and bad—come together in a multidimensional cauldron, slow-roiling to a turbid boil and sucking the reader in with sympathy and strong emotion.
The rural and isolated setting of green mountain cabin life is well detailed, from the joys of daily routine, to the fear of being surrounded by dense woods. Plot and pacing start off extreme, but quickly settle in for a slower build in keeping with the classic thriller feel versus over-the-top violence of modern horror, something I appreciated as it gave so much more dwell time with the characters. As the story progresses, it develops much momentum until it is steaming downhill toward the violent and disturbing climax, screams echoing through those dark woods.
Other than being familiar with the outstanding quality Ms. Mosiman’s previous work, I had no idea what to expect with THE GREY MATTER, but it hooked me from the first paragraph and kept my attention throughout. I strongly recommend this book with five-stars. It visits domains the human condition often overlooked in the horror genre, yet delivers a breed of horror to the thriller shelves as disturbing as it is riveting.
Billie Sue Mosiman captures a nightmare gem in her apocalyptic THE GREY MATTER, a peek into an Alabama mountain community hiding monsters, each face of the gem increasing with tension and fear.
For a realistic, high-tension thriller, THE GREY MATTER does with people what most horror novels achieve through demons and fantastical beasts of terror. Ms. Mosiman climbs into the mind of a killer and allows him to become a real person, expertly conjuring reader sympathy and amping the conflict as the story unfolds. On the flip side, the levels of degeneracy to which the normal population of Herndon, Albama sink in their desperation, rival even the serial killers of the new apocalypse.
Ms. Mosiman has a unique way of rendering her characters so each possesses a very distinct personality and stands out both in action and dialogue. The inner conflicts from all major players—good and bad—come together in a multidimensional cauldron, slow-roiling to a turbid boil and sucking the reader in with sympathy and strong emotion.
The rural and isolated setting of green mountain cabin life is well detailed, from the joys of daily routine, to the fear of being surrounded by dense woods. Plot and pacing start off extreme, but quickly settle in for a slower build in keeping with the classic thriller feel versus over-the-top violence of modern horror, something I appreciated as it gave so much more dwell time with the characters. As the story progresses, it develops much momentum until it is steaming downhill toward the violent and disturbing climax, screams echoing through those dark woods.
Other than being familiar with the outstanding quality Ms. Mosiman’s previous work, I had no idea what to expect with THE GREY MATTER, but it hooked me from the first paragraph and kept my attention throughout. I strongly recommend this book with five-stars. It visits domains the human condition often overlooked in the horror genre, yet delivers a breed of horror to the thriller shelves as disturbing as it is riveting.
April 16, 2014
Billie Sue Mosiman gives you a world of suspense in this novel like no other. She also gives you characters that have so much love and compassion for one another that is shows that you don't have to be blood related to be family. The villain in this book is truly a monster who goes beyond crazy and into a realm of his own.
All Caleb, Ben and Abe know is that beyond anything else in the world they must take care of Josie. The 4 have been friends since the 6th grade, and Caleb is the only one with the means to give them a home. Ben, Abe and Josie have been abused and stepped on their whole lives by the people who were supposed to love them but when the do finally find a home in a quaint cabin in the woods they think life couldn't be any better. Things do go well for the friends and they even have the old man in th cabin close to them helping out and giving advice to make sure they do and have what they need. Little do any of them know that the world as they know it, both inside the cabin and out into the world they left is about to turn upside down and they must find their most basic of instincts to survive.
This author does a fantastic job of painting your imagination right into the book. The characters are well developed both physical and emotionally so it makes for easy reading and allows the novel to flow wonderfully from words into images you seem to watch instead of read.
Highly recommended for any fan of suspense, drama or end of the world novels!
All Caleb, Ben and Abe know is that beyond anything else in the world they must take care of Josie. The 4 have been friends since the 6th grade, and Caleb is the only one with the means to give them a home. Ben, Abe and Josie have been abused and stepped on their whole lives by the people who were supposed to love them but when the do finally find a home in a quaint cabin in the woods they think life couldn't be any better. Things do go well for the friends and they even have the old man in th cabin close to them helping out and giving advice to make sure they do and have what they need. Little do any of them know that the world as they know it, both inside the cabin and out into the world they left is about to turn upside down and they must find their most basic of instincts to survive.
This author does a fantastic job of painting your imagination right into the book. The characters are well developed both physical and emotionally so it makes for easy reading and allows the novel to flow wonderfully from words into images you seem to watch instead of read.
Highly recommended for any fan of suspense, drama or end of the world novels!
August 19, 2014
An interesting concept that tried to be a bit different but at the same time kind of felt a bit predictable. John is the highlight of Grey Matter but there just wasn't enough of him to keep me interested. The end of the world and these kids are befriended by a serial killer yet there's not a lot of gore or horror.
End of the world novels are a dime a dozen and the interesting concept is of course John yet the book feels too Mich like a Dean Koontz novel and by the end you already know what's going to happen. There isn't anything shocking or even different to make it interesting.
I think if you're a fan of lighter thrillers with a dash of horror this is the novel for you. Mosiman plays it safe and the risks she takes in the beginning of the novel soon disappear and that's when it becomes just a typical thriller which disappointed me. I like my characters to be less predictable and more over the top. I want something different but this just fell a bit flat.
I received this in exchange for an honest review and there was a great deal of potential here but it's never explored upon. There are a lot of readers who will eat this up and tell you it's tje greatest thing sliced bread but to me it just lacked real horror.
End of the world novels are a dime a dozen and the interesting concept is of course John yet the book feels too Mich like a Dean Koontz novel and by the end you already know what's going to happen. There isn't anything shocking or even different to make it interesting.
I think if you're a fan of lighter thrillers with a dash of horror this is the novel for you. Mosiman plays it safe and the risks she takes in the beginning of the novel soon disappear and that's when it becomes just a typical thriller which disappointed me. I like my characters to be less predictable and more over the top. I want something different but this just fell a bit flat.
I received this in exchange for an honest review and there was a great deal of potential here but it's never explored upon. There are a lot of readers who will eat this up and tell you it's tje greatest thing sliced bread but to me it just lacked real horror.
October 26, 2014
Billie Sue Mosiman weaves an intricate tale of suspense in her recent novel The Grey Matter. The book is well written, combining strong plot and characterization that glue the reader to her work. A serial killer goes about his crimes undetected for years. Then he encounters a crew of young folk trying to make their way in a cabin nestled in the Alabama mountains.
Mosiman captures the people of her native state with a distinctive voice. The reader quickly gets to know Abe, Caleb, Ben and Josie. More importantly, we reader is taken inside the mind of John Grey, seeing things from his point of view. A nationwide blackout sends the nearby rural town into chaos. Josie and her friends are forced to contend with the elements of nature, a nearby serial killer, and a world in disruption. At the same time, they are pitted with internal conflicts.
Not since Jack Ketchum's novel Red have we seen such a fine development of plot, development of character, and precise writing. You can't go wrong with this book by Post Mortem Press. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this book and hope to see it recognized for the craft required to being it all together.
Mosiman captures the people of her native state with a distinctive voice. The reader quickly gets to know Abe, Caleb, Ben and Josie. More importantly, we reader is taken inside the mind of John Grey, seeing things from his point of view. A nationwide blackout sends the nearby rural town into chaos. Josie and her friends are forced to contend with the elements of nature, a nearby serial killer, and a world in disruption. At the same time, they are pitted with internal conflicts.
Not since Jack Ketchum's novel Red have we seen such a fine development of plot, development of character, and precise writing. You can't go wrong with this book by Post Mortem Press. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this book and hope to see it recognized for the craft required to being it all together.
April 29, 2016
An unusual audiobook containing a serial killer, abused children and an apocalyptic event! The story revolves around a group of teens that live in a cabin in the mountains; they find themselves fighting to survive against the collapse of society, a serial killer, hunger, and some desperate and psychotic people. It is fast paced story that keeps your attention and takes you on a violent journey of anarchy and death. The characters are interesting and you soon become invested in the teens survival. The narration fits the book excellently; from children to serial killers, the narrator manages to give life and personality to each characters. It is an unusual and interesting storyline, but I did feel that it could have been a bit more suspenseful in parts and I found the gory scene in the hotel a bit to strange. Overall it is interesting, has great narration and is worth listening to. I received this audiobook at no cost in exchange for an honest review
May 6, 2016
I listened to the Audible audio version of this book.
"Strange Yet Compelling"
THE GREY MATTER was an interesting listen. It was a good story but at times felt disjointed. I liked the characters and especially that of Josie. This was an apocalyptic story with a serial killer. John Grey was the stalker who was hunting the kids. I didn't think the story was predictable at all. There were a few places where it was a little gory though. All in all, this was a decent listen by BILLIE SUE MOSIMAN.
The narration by JOE HEMPEL was excellent. He has great vocal skills and voice inflections. I really liked him in this book as he had the perfect voice for the characters. I've listened to him before and he reads at a very professional level.
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."
April 18, 2016
Disclaimer: I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot com
The beginning of this book left me uninterested, afraid I knew exactly where it was going to go. Then I found myself drawn in by the four teens who had been failed by their birth families and formed their own family. They were likable and interesting. I started to care about them and enjoy the story. Unfortunately, in the end the book went exactly where I'd been afraid it would. It devolved into an adolescent gore fest with macho men (boys, really) and female characters who seemed to exist only to be abused and/or protected. The ending was disappointing and not particularly believable. Which is too bad, as the writing and narration were good.
The beginning of this book left me uninterested, afraid I knew exactly where it was going to go. Then I found myself drawn in by the four teens who had been failed by their birth families and formed their own family. They were likable and interesting. I started to care about them and enjoy the story. Unfortunately, in the end the book went exactly where I'd been afraid it would. It devolved into an adolescent gore fest with macho men (boys, really) and female characters who seemed to exist only to be abused and/or protected. The ending was disappointing and not particularly believable. Which is too bad, as the writing and narration were good.
April 19, 2016
I enjoyed listening to this book. Nothing supernatural here. Just a great book about what could possibly happen after a large scale EMP attack on the US. Pretty good character development, but never really got attached to any of them. Probably liked Josie the most, but I'm sure that's because she was essentially a damsel in distress from a downtrodden family.
Narration was very good in my opinion. Smooth and fluid. Good emotion when needed, and rather animated throughout.
Overall, good book and worth a listen if you like Apocalyptic type scenarios.
I received a free copy of this audio book for an honest review.
Narration was very good in my opinion. Smooth and fluid. Good emotion when needed, and rather animated throughout.
Overall, good book and worth a listen if you like Apocalyptic type scenarios.
I received a free copy of this audio book for an honest review.
June 21, 2016
The premise for this listen was a good one. The end of civilization forces a group of abused teenage friends to kill or be killed. A serial killer is suddenly without a steady supply of victims. Who will survive?
The story kept me listening until the end to see if the teenagers would be able to outpsycho the psycho...and all of the rest of a small town that goes crazy when the EMP hits. I was rooting for the kids and it kept me listening until the end.
It would have been more believable if the dialogue had been a little better.
Joe Hempel was a decent narrator and brought the story to life.
I recieved this audiobook for free from Audiobook Boom! in exchange for an honest review.
The story kept me listening until the end to see if the teenagers would be able to outpsycho the psycho...and all of the rest of a small town that goes crazy when the EMP hits. I was rooting for the kids and it kept me listening until the end.
It would have been more believable if the dialogue had been a little better.
Joe Hempel was a decent narrator and brought the story to life.
I recieved this audiobook for free from Audiobook Boom! in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2016
This was a very good thriller. I had my doubts at first, but the narrator (Joe Hempel) kept me listening.
The story itself was interesting, and takes a turn that I was not expecting (a rare thing in thrillers). Ultimately, I was glad I kept listening. A little warning, this story has some graphic imagery, and can be a little hard to listen to/read.
I found a new author I like, and a new narrator that I love. I am very lucky that I was able to receive a free copy of this audible book for my honest, if not simple, review.
The story itself was interesting, and takes a turn that I was not expecting (a rare thing in thrillers). Ultimately, I was glad I kept listening. A little warning, this story has some graphic imagery, and can be a little hard to listen to/read.
I found a new author I like, and a new narrator that I love. I am very lucky that I was able to receive a free copy of this audible book for my honest, if not simple, review.
April 18, 2016
The premise of this story offered much promise, but ultimately, the story fell short of its potential. All of the characters could have been developed further. Much of it was unrealistic and immature.
Joe Hempel's performance was satisfactory. He attempted to give distinctive voices to the characters. I especially liked his voicing of John Grey.
This is a suspenseful story, but nothing to rave about.
NOTE: I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for this unbiased review.
Joe Hempel's performance was satisfactory. He attempted to give distinctive voices to the characters. I especially liked his voicing of John Grey.
This is a suspenseful story, but nothing to rave about.
NOTE: I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for this unbiased review.
April 7, 2016
I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot com.
This book was decent. I wasn't overly impressed and felt the characters lacked real depth and the way the author kept jumping from one point of view to the other was kind of hard to keep up with. Perhaps it is because I listened to the book instead of read it myself.
This book was decent. I wasn't overly impressed and felt the characters lacked real depth and the way the author kept jumping from one point of view to the other was kind of hard to keep up with. Perhaps it is because I listened to the book instead of read it myself.
May 17, 2016
First this book took me awhile to get through but it wasn't the books fault. It was life's.
Overall this is a good book. It starts with a punch and keeps the action rolling through out it. Like many horror books there are parts that you say to yourself, really? Are you that stupid?
But in truth maybe we over think things and would be just as stupid if we were facing the same things.
Bravo for keeping it moving along. This is a must read.
Overall this is a good book. It starts with a punch and keeps the action rolling through out it. Like many horror books there are parts that you say to yourself, really? Are you that stupid?
But in truth maybe we over think things and would be just as stupid if we were facing the same things.
Bravo for keeping it moving along. This is a must read.
April 24, 2014
It's a refreshing change to read a thrilling story and have protagonists you can root for. These kids are nice.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews