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Night of The Pumpkin Man
Summer's Cove, Alabama: A small town once besieged in 1914 by the frightful and mysterious Pumpkin Man. His first time visiting Summer's Cove led to murder, mayhem, and chaos. Now in 2015, a new mayor has taken over Summer's Cove and has changed everything, including the rituals that once kept The Pumpkin Man resting in peace. Now a hundred and one years later, The Pumpkin Man is back and out for vengeance against the small town. Can the mayor and a small group of heroes overcome their disbelief and fears in order to defeat The Pumpkin Man again before he completely destroys the city? How many in Summer's Cove will die this time?
248 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 20, 2017
NIGHT OF THE PUMPKIN MAN, by Jack Beaumont, is a great novel to get you into the "Halloween Spirit". A new mayor has come to Summer's Cove, Alabama this year. Elton Crosby feels he can further his political aspirations by doing something monumental in a small town, such as bringing in a major business to employ its citizens.
What Elton is soon to learn is that this town has its own, very rigid, ways to celebrate Halloween--ways that date back to the Fall of 1914, and to what locals refer to as the "Night of the Pumpkin Man".
Unfortunately, the new mayor is a non-believer in anything, save himself, and refuses to tolerate the local traditions.
". . . I was there the night that the Pumpkin Man came to Summer's Cove . . . I can tell you, he ain't no 'mythical bad guy' . . . "
The atmosphere is charged right from the start with the malevolent intentions of this 100 year old entity. To the readers, there is no doubt as to the veracity of the Pumpkin Man. Beaumont writes in a fluid, quickly advancing style, alternating between current events, and the events leading up to Halloween in 1914. The Pumpkin Man himself is a central figure in the book--whether some choose to believe in him or not.
". . . It was always easier to influence and corrupt those who refused to acknowledge he existed . . . "
The emotions continue heightening all throughout the novel, with evil manipulations and unlikely carnage spreading rapidly among the citizens.
". . . Pray that we are just a couple of old fools who have lived too long in a town that is haunted by its past . . . "
Although the exact beginning of the Pumpkin Man's origins remain ambiguous, Beaumont has fleshed out this "creature" with a full personality, memory, and opinions all of his own.
". . . He could think of no emotions more useless than happiness and love. Both made you weak . . . "
Overall, I found this to be a great, fast-paced novel that completely evoked the Halloween season, and played tribute to those 80's style horror movies that I grew up watching.
". . . The Pumpkin Man was real. Very real. And very full of hate with a desire for vengeance . . . "
The perfect way to start gearing up for the Fall season!
Recommended.
What Elton is soon to learn is that this town has its own, very rigid, ways to celebrate Halloween--ways that date back to the Fall of 1914, and to what locals refer to as the "Night of the Pumpkin Man".
Unfortunately, the new mayor is a non-believer in anything, save himself, and refuses to tolerate the local traditions.
". . . I was there the night that the Pumpkin Man came to Summer's Cove . . . I can tell you, he ain't no 'mythical bad guy' . . . "
The atmosphere is charged right from the start with the malevolent intentions of this 100 year old entity. To the readers, there is no doubt as to the veracity of the Pumpkin Man. Beaumont writes in a fluid, quickly advancing style, alternating between current events, and the events leading up to Halloween in 1914. The Pumpkin Man himself is a central figure in the book--whether some choose to believe in him or not.
". . . It was always easier to influence and corrupt those who refused to acknowledge he existed . . . "
The emotions continue heightening all throughout the novel, with evil manipulations and unlikely carnage spreading rapidly among the citizens.
". . . Pray that we are just a couple of old fools who have lived too long in a town that is haunted by its past . . . "
Although the exact beginning of the Pumpkin Man's origins remain ambiguous, Beaumont has fleshed out this "creature" with a full personality, memory, and opinions all of his own.
". . . He could think of no emotions more useless than happiness and love. Both made you weak . . . "
Overall, I found this to be a great, fast-paced novel that completely evoked the Halloween season, and played tribute to those 80's style horror movies that I grew up watching.
". . . The Pumpkin Man was real. Very real. And very full of hate with a desire for vengeance . . . "
The perfect way to start gearing up for the Fall season!
Recommended.
October 19, 2017
Back in 1914, in the small town of Summer's Cove, Alabama, the pumpkin man made his first appearance. He appearance led to mass murders and complete chaos. The locals of Summer Cove, found away to defeat the pumpkin man. The pumpkin man was bury under a large tree in the glen. The pumpkin man told the locals, that each year on Halloween, that must build a huge fire near the tree and they must sacrifice some of their farm animals and throw their carcasses into the fire and let the blood soak into the earth. The pumpkin man warned the locals, if they did not do this, he would come back stronger than ever, and would destroy their town. In 2015, the town elected a new mayor, Elton Crosby. Crosby has his mind set, that some changes need to take place. He knew some of the changes would not sit well with the people of Summer's Cove. One thing Crosby wanted to do, is make some changes to the pumpkin festival. He wanted to omit the sacrifices of the animals and the prayer by the local minster. The prayer was not to God but instead to the pumpkin man. After hearing about the changes the mayor wanted to make, 101 year old Elmira Camp begged the mayor to change his mind. Elmira was seven years old, when the pumpkin man made his first appearance and witness all the chaos that happened. Crosby did not believe in the curse of the pumpkin man and he would not change his mind. This time the pumpkin man was coming back, to seek revenge against the ancestors of the town who killed him. The pumpkin man was going to form his own army, and would wipe out the people, who would not follow him. This was the first book that I have read by Jack Beaumont. I enjoyed this book. There are two other books in this series, that I plan on reading. This was a nice surprise to read during the cold and windy nights in October. I recommend this book.
February 9, 2024
Well that was a pleasant little surprise - accidentally reading a book by the other Jack Beaumont.
Written not by the author of The French Man but the start of a horror trilogy.
Reminiscent of Frank Peretti’s Visitation, an old terror is awakened to haunt Summer’s Cove, Alabama again.
A good fun read!
Written not by the author of The French Man but the start of a horror trilogy.
Reminiscent of Frank Peretti’s Visitation, an old terror is awakened to haunt Summer’s Cove, Alabama again.
A good fun read!
February 2, 2023
This book reminded me much of the horror novels of the late 80's, early 90's. It's an original tale and the author writes in an easy prose.
Currently reading the second installment in the series. I also highly recommend his Santa Claus Comes Tonight! books.
Currently reading the second installment in the series. I also highly recommend his Santa Claus Comes Tonight! books.
March 17, 2016
Interesting novel about a new mayor in a small Alabama town who ignores the past stories of the Pumpkin Man only to confront the horrors in the present. I liked it.
September 27, 2017
A good story to kick off the Halloween season.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews