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Kathy Ryan #1
Chills
“True Detective” meets H.P. Lovecraft in this chilling novel of murder, mystery, and slow-mounting dread from acclaimed author Mary SanGiovanni….
It begins with a freak snowstorm in May. Hit hardest is the rural town of Colby, Connecticut. Schools and businesses are closed, powerlines are down, and police detective Jack Glazier has found a body in the snow. It appears to be the victim of a bizarre ritual murder. It won’t be the last. As the snow piles up, so do the sacrifices. Cut off from the rest of the world, Glazier teams up with occult crime specialist, Kathy Ryan, to uncover a secret society hiding in their midst.
The gods they worship are unthinkable. The powers they summon are unstoppable. And the things they will do to the good people of Colby are utterly, horribly unspeakable…
It begins with a freak snowstorm in May. Hit hardest is the rural town of Colby, Connecticut. Schools and businesses are closed, powerlines are down, and police detective Jack Glazier has found a body in the snow. It appears to be the victim of a bizarre ritual murder. It won’t be the last. As the snow piles up, so do the sacrifices. Cut off from the rest of the world, Glazier teams up with occult crime specialist, Kathy Ryan, to uncover a secret society hiding in their midst.
The gods they worship are unthinkable. The powers they summon are unstoppable. And the things they will do to the good people of Colby are utterly, horribly unspeakable…
190 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2015
193 people are currently reading
1762 people want to read
About the author
Mary SanGiovanni
81 books483 followersMary SanGiovanni is the author of over twenty books in horror and supernatural thrillers. Her fiction has appeared in periodicals and anthologies for the last decade. She has a Masters degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, Pittsburgh, where she studied under genre greats. She is currently a member of The Authors Guild, The International Thriller Writers, and Penn Writers, and was previously an Active member in the Horror Writers Association.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
September 16, 2017
A blizzard in late May is the least of the town of Colby's problems. A string of cult murders points to a cult bent on opening a gate to another world and it's up to a group of homicide detectives to stop them...
Yeah, it may have been a case of wrong book, wrong time, or the fact that I just finished After the End of the World, a book with some similarities to this one, but I never really grabbed on to Chills.
The blurb describes this as "True Detective meets HP Lovecraft," which really sparked my interest. However, the only resemblance to True Detective is that the book features detectives investigating some cult murders and there's nothing particularly Lovecraftian about it other than talk of creatures from the void.
The setup is pretty interesting. An east coast town is gripped in an unusually long winter and the cops are called in to investigate a cult murder. You've got Jack Glazier, a down and out divorced cop, Teagan, an Irish lady's man, and Kathy, an occult expert with a tortured past. The winning ingredients are all there. It was pretty much paint by numbers after that.
Maybe I've read too many detective and horror novels but there weren't a lot of surprises. After the novelty of monsters made of snow and ice wore off, it was all pretty standard. Not only that, some parts got on my nerves. The romance subplot was annoying and unnecessary and the characters did some illogical things to add some jeopardy to the end.
One thing that annoyed me more than it should have was that everyone casually knew what an anglerfish was. People kept describing one of the creatures as resembling an anglerfish and no one had to ask what an anglerfish was. I knew what one was but I hardly think what an anglerfish looks like is common knowledge. For the record, it looks like this:
I realize that's a lot of bitching so I have to note that I didn't actually hate the book. Some parts were scary and I liked the concept of the Hand of Black Stars cult. Jack and Kathy had interesting backgrounds and I wouldn't mind reading more about them. I did also like the creatures SanGiovanni introduced, like The Blue People and the various ice creatures. Mary SanGiovanni's writing was pretty sharp and I'm open to reading more from her. I just didn't particularly care for this book. Two out of five stars.
Yeah, it may have been a case of wrong book, wrong time, or the fact that I just finished After the End of the World, a book with some similarities to this one, but I never really grabbed on to Chills.
The blurb describes this as "True Detective meets HP Lovecraft," which really sparked my interest. However, the only resemblance to True Detective is that the book features detectives investigating some cult murders and there's nothing particularly Lovecraftian about it other than talk of creatures from the void.
The setup is pretty interesting. An east coast town is gripped in an unusually long winter and the cops are called in to investigate a cult murder. You've got Jack Glazier, a down and out divorced cop, Teagan, an Irish lady's man, and Kathy, an occult expert with a tortured past. The winning ingredients are all there. It was pretty much paint by numbers after that.
Maybe I've read too many detective and horror novels but there weren't a lot of surprises. After the novelty of monsters made of snow and ice wore off, it was all pretty standard. Not only that, some parts got on my nerves. The romance subplot was annoying and unnecessary and the characters did some illogical things to add some jeopardy to the end.
One thing that annoyed me more than it should have was that everyone casually knew what an anglerfish was. People kept describing one of the creatures as resembling an anglerfish and no one had to ask what an anglerfish was. I knew what one was but I hardly think what an anglerfish looks like is common knowledge. For the record, it looks like this:
I realize that's a lot of bitching so I have to note that I didn't actually hate the book. Some parts were scary and I liked the concept of the Hand of Black Stars cult. Jack and Kathy had interesting backgrounds and I wouldn't mind reading more about them. I did also like the creatures SanGiovanni introduced, like The Blue People and the various ice creatures. Mary SanGiovanni's writing was pretty sharp and I'm open to reading more from her. I just didn't particularly care for this book. Two out of five stars.
September 30, 2016
"Evil in a small town" is a trope that appeals to me very much, especially when it's well done. Combine it with a smidge of cosmic horror and a heaping helping of police procedural and voila! You have the recipe for Chills.
You might actually GET the chills while reading this book. Atmosphere is a favorite facet of dark storytelling for me and this book has it in spades. The snow is constantly falling over the small town of Colby, Connecticut. It's created drifts, because the wind is howling and sometimes you catch glimpses of things in the snow. Are they real, or is it just your eyes playing tricks? You'll have to read Chills to find out.
Another aspect of this story that I enjoyed was the the tightness of the prose. It's clean and precise. Not a lot of time is spent going on and on with descriptions of the town or the snow drifts. I thought just enough time was spent getting to know the characters and I developed a real feeling for the character of Kathy, due to her horror-show of a brother, Toby. I would have liked a bit more information on Toby's cult, the Hand of the Black Stars, though; mostly because I find that kind of thing fascinating. I also wouldn't have minded a little more of the cosmic horror aspect over the police procedural one and for these reasons, I've deducted 1 star.
Chills was a lot of fun, especially if you consider shivering while you're reading to be fun. I know I do. Recommended to fans of: atmospheric dark fiction, evil in a small town stories, and the always fascinating Old Gods and the people who serve them. (Just make sure you wear a warm sweater!)
*Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Kensington/Lyrical Underground for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*
You might actually GET the chills while reading this book. Atmosphere is a favorite facet of dark storytelling for me and this book has it in spades. The snow is constantly falling over the small town of Colby, Connecticut. It's created drifts, because the wind is howling and sometimes you catch glimpses of things in the snow. Are they real, or is it just your eyes playing tricks? You'll have to read Chills to find out.
Another aspect of this story that I enjoyed was the the tightness of the prose. It's clean and precise. Not a lot of time is spent going on and on with descriptions of the town or the snow drifts. I thought just enough time was spent getting to know the characters and I developed a real feeling for the character of Kathy, due to her horror-show of a brother, Toby. I would have liked a bit more information on Toby's cult, the Hand of the Black Stars, though; mostly because I find that kind of thing fascinating. I also wouldn't have minded a little more of the cosmic horror aspect over the police procedural one and for these reasons, I've deducted 1 star.
Chills was a lot of fun, especially if you consider shivering while you're reading to be fun. I know I do. Recommended to fans of: atmospheric dark fiction, evil in a small town stories, and the always fascinating Old Gods and the people who serve them. (Just make sure you wear a warm sweater!)
*Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Kensington/Lyrical Underground for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*
February 9, 2017
This review and the rest of the crap I write can be seen @ my blog Bark's Book Nonsense . Stop by and say hey.
*I received an ARC from Netgalley with an unspoken promise to pen a review. Here it is.
Investigators are attempting to figure out who left a dead body with a strange occult marking lying around just as an unseasonable snow storm starts moving in. This isn’t just any old winter storm either. This storm brings with it man-eating monsters!
The writer had me at flesh eating monsters but I have to admit that she lost me a bit somewhere along the way and this book started to drag. It could simply be me and my aversion to books that feature all action at the expense of character building. In my opinion, only Kathy, the occult specialist, was fleshed out well in this story. Her back story and her brother’s past were interesting but the rest of the people were nothing more than fodder for the monsters or an interchangeable mix of men trying to figure out the cultish case. That made sticking to this material a very hard thing for me to do.
I’m not going to lie though. The whole scenario she sets up here is quite terrifying. The monsters don’t pick and choose their prey. They eat every living human in their path and some of the scenes are riveting early on. You’ve been warned!
This is a well written action-packed, gory monster tale and now that I’ve finished, I completely understand the mixed reviews. It’s going to come down to a matter of what you like and what you don’t. If action is your thing you are going to love this a lot more than I did.
*I received an ARC from Netgalley with an unspoken promise to pen a review. Here it is.
Investigators are attempting to figure out who left a dead body with a strange occult marking lying around just as an unseasonable snow storm starts moving in. This isn’t just any old winter storm either. This storm brings with it man-eating monsters!
The writer had me at flesh eating monsters but I have to admit that she lost me a bit somewhere along the way and this book started to drag. It could simply be me and my aversion to books that feature all action at the expense of character building. In my opinion, only Kathy, the occult specialist, was fleshed out well in this story. Her back story and her brother’s past were interesting but the rest of the people were nothing more than fodder for the monsters or an interchangeable mix of men trying to figure out the cultish case. That made sticking to this material a very hard thing for me to do.
I’m not going to lie though. The whole scenario she sets up here is quite terrifying. The monsters don’t pick and choose their prey. They eat every living human in their path and some of the scenes are riveting early on. You’ve been warned!
This is a well written action-packed, gory monster tale and now that I’ve finished, I completely understand the mixed reviews. It’s going to come down to a matter of what you like and what you don’t. If action is your thing you are going to love this a lot more than I did.
February 6, 2017
What can I say will keep this a short review the plot was intriguing but this was way out of my comfort zone occult killings a snow storm as the snow fell more bodies show up with the same occult markings but WHO DID IT AN ANIMAL OR SOMETHING OR SOMEONE MORE SINISTER!! this book was not for me but the intensity was high.
February 10, 2018
So far so good!
September 10, 2016
I feel like I’ve been in a bit of a slump with my horror reads of late, with the last few titles being more misses than hits, the bad outweighing the good. Chills is a title that I’ve been looking forward to, ever since it was previously released as a signed, limited edition hardcover from Thunderstorm under the title The Blue People. I secured a copy of that edition earlier this year, but opted to keep it pristine and instead read an advanced copy of the Kensington Books edition on Kindle.
I’ve openly admitted in the past to being a sucker for winter-based horror thrills, and am always on the lookout for titles in this niche. Many thanks to John Carpenter and The Thing for this particular affectation. There’s something about blood-stained snow and monsters running wild that just really does it for me.
All of this is to say that I had certain hopes and expectations for Chills – it needed to satisfy some particular sweet spots I have for this corner of the horror genre, but it also needed to get me over that hump of disappointment I’ve been feeling lately after a couple less-than-stellar readings.
Well, Mary SanGiovanni delivered in spades. I flat-out loved Chills, and it grabbed me in a way that the last few horror books I’ve read failed to do. I did not want to put this book down, and I looked forward to my time with Colby, CT police detectives Jack Glazier, Reece Teagan, and occultist Kathy Ryan. Ryan in particular was an easy favorite in SanGiovanni’s cast of characters, and I’m hoping we get more of her in the future.
Set in a small, isolated town blanketed in a furious storm of snow and ice, unearthly monsters lurk and strike out with surprising viciousness, and a handful of dead bodies turning up around town are branded with strange, occult markings. Suffice to say, there’s a lot of bad stuff going on in Colby, and SanGiovanni not only crafts a wicked little creature feature, but one heck of a sharp cosmic horror thriller to boot. The Lovecraftian elements in Chills are very well rendered and help give a nice epic feel to this story of small-town terror. This is the type of stuff I good and truly dig.
Chills was my first title from SanGiovanni, and it most definitely will not be the last. I caught reference throughout the work to some of her other titles, most notably The Hollower, which has made its way onto my must-purchase list come payday.
[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title for review from the publisher via NetGalley.]
I’ve openly admitted in the past to being a sucker for winter-based horror thrills, and am always on the lookout for titles in this niche. Many thanks to John Carpenter and The Thing for this particular affectation. There’s something about blood-stained snow and monsters running wild that just really does it for me.
All of this is to say that I had certain hopes and expectations for Chills – it needed to satisfy some particular sweet spots I have for this corner of the horror genre, but it also needed to get me over that hump of disappointment I’ve been feeling lately after a couple less-than-stellar readings.
Well, Mary SanGiovanni delivered in spades. I flat-out loved Chills, and it grabbed me in a way that the last few horror books I’ve read failed to do. I did not want to put this book down, and I looked forward to my time with Colby, CT police detectives Jack Glazier, Reece Teagan, and occultist Kathy Ryan. Ryan in particular was an easy favorite in SanGiovanni’s cast of characters, and I’m hoping we get more of her in the future.
Set in a small, isolated town blanketed in a furious storm of snow and ice, unearthly monsters lurk and strike out with surprising viciousness, and a handful of dead bodies turning up around town are branded with strange, occult markings. Suffice to say, there’s a lot of bad stuff going on in Colby, and SanGiovanni not only crafts a wicked little creature feature, but one heck of a sharp cosmic horror thriller to boot. The Lovecraftian elements in Chills are very well rendered and help give a nice epic feel to this story of small-town terror. This is the type of stuff I good and truly dig.
Chills was my first title from SanGiovanni, and it most definitely will not be the last. I caught reference throughout the work to some of her other titles, most notably The Hollower, which has made its way onto my must-purchase list come payday.
[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title for review from the publisher via NetGalley.]
October 4, 2015
Mary SanGiovanni's "The Blue People" is a beautifully produced book from Thunderstorm Books. The dust jacket is stunning.
"The Blue People" takes place in Colby, Connecticut. The month is late May, almost June, yet the snow continues to inexplicably fall. The town is completely cut off from the outside world. no cell service, no phone service, no communications except within the town limits itself.
Then the killing starts.
A poorly defined cult of six or eight acolytes has found the key to open a doorway to the abyss that will allow the old ones to return, make them powerful and consume the remainder of mankind.
Kathy Ryan a freelance occult investigator joins forces with the Colby police department to determine the cause of the problem. Kathy's insane brother currently in an asylum just happens to be familure with the cult.
Mary SanGiovanni has the ability to be an exceptional writer. There are portions of this novel that let her ability shine through. This was not one of her best offerings.
This is copy 14 of 66 signed numbered copies signed by Mary SanGiovanni.
"The Blue People" takes place in Colby, Connecticut. The month is late May, almost June, yet the snow continues to inexplicably fall. The town is completely cut off from the outside world. no cell service, no phone service, no communications except within the town limits itself.
Then the killing starts.
A poorly defined cult of six or eight acolytes has found the key to open a doorway to the abyss that will allow the old ones to return, make them powerful and consume the remainder of mankind.
Kathy Ryan a freelance occult investigator joins forces with the Colby police department to determine the cause of the problem. Kathy's insane brother currently in an asylum just happens to be familure with the cult.
Mary SanGiovanni has the ability to be an exceptional writer. There are portions of this novel that let her ability shine through. This was not one of her best offerings.
This is copy 14 of 66 signed numbered copies signed by Mary SanGiovanni.
August 13, 2016
When a rogue late season snow storm cuts off the town of Colby, Connecticut, the weather proves to be the least of problems for the stranded locals. Bodies are turning up in the snow, victims of ritual murder and something far worse. Joining forces with an enigmatic occult crime expert, police detective Jack Glazier finds himself in a race against time, for as the snow rises, so does the body count....and the bizarre goes off the charts. A cult has come to Colby, one with the keys needed to unleash an unspeakable horror upon the small town...and the world.
A fast paced horror/police procedural, populated with well rounded characters, an intriguing new spin on Lovecraftian style Mythos building, and enough chills to cut your air conditioning bills, SanGiovanni's latest delivers.
Highly recommended.
This was an eARC from Netgalley.
A fast paced horror/police procedural, populated with well rounded characters, an intriguing new spin on Lovecraftian style Mythos building, and enough chills to cut your air conditioning bills, SanGiovanni's latest delivers.
Highly recommended.
This was an eARC from Netgalley.
April 21, 2023
Chills has the look of a detective procedural (or perhaps I just got that impression from something I saw somewhere), but nope, it's a straight-up, good old-fashioned petals-to-the-metal and pseudopods-to-the-wall horror novel. It's eldritch, it's like William W. Johnstone (without the kink), it's Lovecraft for the current day. (Apropos to Lovecraft, I even had to get the dictionary to look up two words from the text, albescent and ecru.) The story concerns a nasty cult called the Hand of the Black Stars, who are attempting to open a door to Xionathymia, which, of course, is the Great Far Realm of Starless Space, and the home of the Greater Gods who devour other dimensions. It's set in the small town of Colby, Connecticut, which is cut-off from outside aid by a late-season blizzard that masks the incursion of the invading force, the Blue Men. The resistance is comprised of several police officers, but the only one who gets much character development is Kathy Ryan, whose brother, a member of the cult, has abused and disfigured her. I enjoyed the book, but my timing was off... I finished it on an eighty-degree day but should have waited for a good snow. Anyway, it doesn't have much to offer in the way of detection or mystery, but if you're looking for a good old cosmic horror, ask your local indie bookstore to hook you up with Chills. Tell them that Iaroki the Swallower of Suns, Imnamoun the She-Beast Mother of the Spheres, Xixiath-Ahk the Blood-Washed, Okatik'Nehr the Watcher, and Thniaxom the Traveler sent you.
October 27, 2023
Spooky Suspense!
Small backstory:
The town of Colby is being hammered by a snowstorm but it is also being hammered by some ritualistic murders too. Local detective, Jack Glazer is trying to solve the crimes that a local cult may be responsible for called the Hand of the Black Stars. Not knowing what else to do he calls in Kathy Ryan who has occult experience as he hopes she can help out with solving the crimes before anyone else is murdered!
That is about all I can give on small backstory without giving away spoilers, so if you want to know more than go read this book!
Thoughts:
This was my second book by this author as I had read another book in this series a few years ago not realizing at the time that the book was part of this series but the book could be read as a stand alone as the stories are different - they just have Kathy Ryan as the main character. All in all this first book was very good and has all the elements of crime and horror meshed well together.
There is quite a bit of occult activity within this book which brings the elements of suspense, intrigue, tension, spookiness and horror flowing together within this book to the point where I found myself reading late into the night.
I loved all the characters in this book and I thought the world building was done well as it didn't take long to draw me into the story as the author just throws the reader into the midst of the story without a lot over detailed descriptions. Looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future. Giving this book four "Chilling Cult" stars!
Small backstory:
The town of Colby is being hammered by a snowstorm but it is also being hammered by some ritualistic murders too. Local detective, Jack Glazer is trying to solve the crimes that a local cult may be responsible for called the Hand of the Black Stars. Not knowing what else to do he calls in Kathy Ryan who has occult experience as he hopes she can help out with solving the crimes before anyone else is murdered!
That is about all I can give on small backstory without giving away spoilers, so if you want to know more than go read this book!
Thoughts:
This was my second book by this author as I had read another book in this series a few years ago not realizing at the time that the book was part of this series but the book could be read as a stand alone as the stories are different - they just have Kathy Ryan as the main character. All in all this first book was very good and has all the elements of crime and horror meshed well together.
There is quite a bit of occult activity within this book which brings the elements of suspense, intrigue, tension, spookiness and horror flowing together within this book to the point where I found myself reading late into the night.
I loved all the characters in this book and I thought the world building was done well as it didn't take long to draw me into the story as the author just throws the reader into the midst of the story without a lot over detailed descriptions. Looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future. Giving this book four "Chilling Cult" stars!
March 8, 2018
Fattails and Spider hands and Anglerfish, oh my!
Not to mention occult detectives, the Blue Man group and a gaggle of crazy cultists bent on trying to bring about a true New World Order.
Or bring back the Old World Order is more like it.
This was good. I enjoyed it. The storyline flowed and I really liked the writing style, which felt effortless and easy. My only peeve is that there were too many “nasties” running around to really focus on one or two. They were excellent “nasties”… just too many of them and I got confused with who was who doing what. There were at least two or three stories worth of beasties here that I would have liked to read more about.
And now a meaningless rant about nothing pertinent to the story…
For whatever reason, I feel that I have been giving way too many 4-star ratings lately and there is no reason for that other than my brain thinking “Dude, wtf, can’t you rate anything else but a 4? Are you in love with the 4 star button? It’s too vague. Too easy. Too many 4’s in your life. Nobody is going to take your ratings seriously!”
Oh yeah…my ratings aren’t for other people. They’re for me. I just share them and put them out there for my friends and other readers. I am not a huge fan of the Goodreads 5 Star rating system and would like to see half stars available at some point (Hear me Goodreads?). I like the Amazon 5 Star rating system even less, so I shouldn’t complain.
Sorry for getting off track there, Mary…
So here’s my 4 Star rating ;)
A solid 3 Star story with 5 Star creatures and 4 Star writing. Wait for it…this is me doing math… = 4 Stars! Can’t f*ck with the math.
Me no mathing good aside, I will be reading more of Mary’s work for sure.
Not to mention occult detectives, the Blue Man group and a gaggle of crazy cultists bent on trying to bring about a true New World Order.
Or bring back the Old World Order is more like it.
This was good. I enjoyed it. The storyline flowed and I really liked the writing style, which felt effortless and easy. My only peeve is that there were too many “nasties” running around to really focus on one or two. They were excellent “nasties”… just too many of them and I got confused with who was who doing what. There were at least two or three stories worth of beasties here that I would have liked to read more about.
And now a meaningless rant about nothing pertinent to the story…
For whatever reason, I feel that I have been giving way too many 4-star ratings lately and there is no reason for that other than my brain thinking “Dude, wtf, can’t you rate anything else but a 4? Are you in love with the 4 star button? It’s too vague. Too easy. Too many 4’s in your life. Nobody is going to take your ratings seriously!”
Oh yeah…my ratings aren’t for other people. They’re for me. I just share them and put them out there for my friends and other readers. I am not a huge fan of the Goodreads 5 Star rating system and would like to see half stars available at some point (Hear me Goodreads?). I like the Amazon 5 Star rating system even less, so I shouldn’t complain.
Sorry for getting off track there, Mary…
So here’s my 4 Star rating ;)
A solid 3 Star story with 5 Star creatures and 4 Star writing. Wait for it…this is me doing math… = 4 Stars! Can’t f*ck with the math.
Me no mathing good aside, I will be reading more of Mary’s work for sure.
February 12, 2025
My first Mary Sangiovanni novel and I have to say I really really struggled with it. It kind of deals largely with the occult and yet doesn't really commit to that story line that much and I thought it should have. So it deals with what the occult group "The Hand of the Black Stars" set in motion in a smaller Conneticut town of Colby. I mean it should be summer and yet there is a vast snow that is everlasting and that snow and that snow being alive is cover for portals where vicious monsters and beasts are crossing over. Kind of cool in a way but the backdrop wasn't really developed enough for me.
So then the other side of the story deals with the monsters who have crossed over and the quite vicious actions they have on us. It kind of almost reminded me of the extreme horror I often read but nowhere near the level of extreme horror.
So in my mind this novel is just kind of stuck in the middle of two distinct story lines where neither is really developed to any satisfaction for me. I almost DNF'd it and it had me considering my whole stance on NOT DNF'ing books. I was thinking why should I waste my time continuing to read but I did and to be honest I know I spent many a page just reading words on a page and not really caring about what I was reading. If there had been a reading comprehension test akin to my days in grade school I am sure I would fail miserably with regard to the contents of this book.
Yet I have to say the last third was kind of good and saved the day in my mind but again I don't think I would recommend it when there are just so many other good books to read. I do have the second in the series as well but I am just not sure when or if I'll ever get to it. I rate this book a failing grade but a decent ending where clearly this saga will continue on. Two stars.
I have read some awesome books dealing with the occult which can downright scare the hell out of you. Every blue moon a kind of stinker comes along like Steve Stred's The Father of Lies which sits in my to be reviewed pile of like 3 books. I read that one over two years ago and every time it comes in sight I think of how many times he used the line "of hoof and man" and how he proclaims to have infiltrated a cult in real life so as to gain insight. Yeah ok, it was online and when they asked you to do something evil you didn't and they were somehow ok with it. Stay way from that one too, lol. And fyi The Father of Lies is his trilogy rolled up in one book and sadly I read them all.
I had to know that a price would be paid for all the books I truly enjoyed through 23 and 24 and have to admit I have been in kind of a reading funk of late. I am going to one of my faves to save me. Chris Carter's An Evil Mind about a crazed serial killer just had better do the trick. I am so banking on it.
So then the other side of the story deals with the monsters who have crossed over and the quite vicious actions they have on us. It kind of almost reminded me of the extreme horror I often read but nowhere near the level of extreme horror.
So in my mind this novel is just kind of stuck in the middle of two distinct story lines where neither is really developed to any satisfaction for me. I almost DNF'd it and it had me considering my whole stance on NOT DNF'ing books. I was thinking why should I waste my time continuing to read but I did and to be honest I know I spent many a page just reading words on a page and not really caring about what I was reading. If there had been a reading comprehension test akin to my days in grade school I am sure I would fail miserably with regard to the contents of this book.
Yet I have to say the last third was kind of good and saved the day in my mind but again I don't think I would recommend it when there are just so many other good books to read. I do have the second in the series as well but I am just not sure when or if I'll ever get to it. I rate this book a failing grade but a decent ending where clearly this saga will continue on. Two stars.
I have read some awesome books dealing with the occult which can downright scare the hell out of you. Every blue moon a kind of stinker comes along like Steve Stred's The Father of Lies which sits in my to be reviewed pile of like 3 books. I read that one over two years ago and every time it comes in sight I think of how many times he used the line "of hoof and man" and how he proclaims to have infiltrated a cult in real life so as to gain insight. Yeah ok, it was online and when they asked you to do something evil you didn't and they were somehow ok with it. Stay way from that one too, lol. And fyi The Father of Lies is his trilogy rolled up in one book and sadly I read them all.
I had to know that a price would be paid for all the books I truly enjoyed through 23 and 24 and have to admit I have been in kind of a reading funk of late. I am going to one of my faves to save me. Chris Carter's An Evil Mind about a crazed serial killer just had better do the trick. I am so banking on it.
August 14, 2016
3 stars: I liked the book.
This book is a combination police procedural and HP Lovecraft monster story, and the mixture makes for a fast-paced, high-body-count, quick-reading horror novel. There's a bit of an info dump at the beginning, and a slightly abrupt ending, but neither of these things decreased my enjoyment of this book. The inter-dimensional monsters were properly creepy (and ravenous!), and SanGiovanni's writing was stripped-down and frenetic--perfect for the subject matter. I especially loved the crazed cult and the awful spider-monsters. Recommended for horror fans.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
This book is a combination police procedural and HP Lovecraft monster story, and the mixture makes for a fast-paced, high-body-count, quick-reading horror novel. There's a bit of an info dump at the beginning, and a slightly abrupt ending, but neither of these things decreased my enjoyment of this book. The inter-dimensional monsters were properly creepy (and ravenous!), and SanGiovanni's writing was stripped-down and frenetic--perfect for the subject matter. I especially loved the crazed cult and the awful spider-monsters. Recommended for horror fans.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
September 27, 2016
It was the hope of reading something really chilling was what drove me to read this book. And, at first, I thought that it would turn out to be pleasant reading. I liked the feeling of a doomed city that is taken over by snow monsters and a little group of people trying to save the town, and the world. However, somewhere along the way the story just lost the appeal for me. I think one of the main reason was that the characters were not very memorable. In the end, I think Morris was the only one that was interesting reading about, the rest just lacked anything substantial. I had high hope for Kathy making the book interesting with her dark background, but in the end, she turned out to be spending most of the time trying to find a spell to reverse the opening of the door to the other world. And, thus the one character in the book that really appealed to me when I started to read the book faded into the background. Yes, I did find Kathy and Teagan in the beginning an interesting "couple", But, then I lost interesting in them both when they started to get cozy in the middle of danger.
Also, I think the story should have been built up a bit better, with a slower start, then there would have been more anticipations for larger and frightening things to happened. Now it was just killing from the beginning to the end, and because of that, there was no thrill in reading the book because you hardly got to know any characters, more than the cops. The rest was just people waiting to be killed. No point in getting attached because most people they were killed as soon as they were introduced. Sure, one or two survived, but they were in the story for a page or two never to be heard of again.
And, another problem was that it was not frightening to read, not even a bit chilling. Hell, I was mostly bored towards the end of the book and just wanted the book to end so that I could read something else.
So, the book started promising, then the story started to get more and more uninteresting and the ending was quite dull. Not, a book for me.
I want to thank Kensington Books for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
Also, I think the story should have been built up a bit better, with a slower start, then there would have been more anticipations for larger and frightening things to happened. Now it was just killing from the beginning to the end, and because of that, there was no thrill in reading the book because you hardly got to know any characters, more than the cops. The rest was just people waiting to be killed. No point in getting attached because most people they were killed as soon as they were introduced. Sure, one or two survived, but they were in the story for a page or two never to be heard of again.
And, another problem was that it was not frightening to read, not even a bit chilling. Hell, I was mostly bored towards the end of the book and just wanted the book to end so that I could read something else.
So, the book started promising, then the story started to get more and more uninteresting and the ending was quite dull. Not, a book for me.
I want to thank Kensington Books for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
December 18, 2016
Whenever you hear great things about a book or movie, it tends to set you up for disappointment. Either you raise the bar of your expectations too high or you find yourself comparing what's presented before you with what you imagined in your mind.
New to SanGiovanni's work, after reading quite a few rave reviews, I decided to test the waters. All I can say is, "Come on in. The water's fine."
Chills is a superbly crafted gem of a novel, taking the "small-town up against unspeakable evil" approach and delivering in spades. The horror elements here, from the creatures found in the snow to the Lovecraftian-like cult inviting the winter in, are remarkably unique and truly frightening. It's nice to read a horror novel that's actually scary every once in awhile. SanGiovanni excels in delivering the scares, and this honestly reminded me of early Stephen King, in a good way.
But unlike many creature feature stories which focus only on the blood and gore, there's a lot of depth and heart to this tale. SanGiovanni's prose is poetic, elevating the novel from a "horror" book to something much more.
"Maybe we're just here to listen to a babe giggle, or feel a woman's kiss, or understand in an exchanged look everything words never could express. And so I figure that we aren't here to conquer the universe, but to experience all the facets of it, one moment at a time -- good, bad, indifferent, amazing."
The ending, to me, felt a little rushed, but overall this was a novel I thoroughly enjoyed, one I looked forward to diving back into. If you're looking for that wintery scare this time of year, this is one I'd highly recommend. 4.5 / 5 stars.
New to SanGiovanni's work, after reading quite a few rave reviews, I decided to test the waters. All I can say is, "Come on in. The water's fine."
Chills is a superbly crafted gem of a novel, taking the "small-town up against unspeakable evil" approach and delivering in spades. The horror elements here, from the creatures found in the snow to the Lovecraftian-like cult inviting the winter in, are remarkably unique and truly frightening. It's nice to read a horror novel that's actually scary every once in awhile. SanGiovanni excels in delivering the scares, and this honestly reminded me of early Stephen King, in a good way.
But unlike many creature feature stories which focus only on the blood and gore, there's a lot of depth and heart to this tale. SanGiovanni's prose is poetic, elevating the novel from a "horror" book to something much more.
"Maybe we're just here to listen to a babe giggle, or feel a woman's kiss, or understand in an exchanged look everything words never could express. And so I figure that we aren't here to conquer the universe, but to experience all the facets of it, one moment at a time -- good, bad, indifferent, amazing."
The ending, to me, felt a little rushed, but overall this was a novel I thoroughly enjoyed, one I looked forward to diving back into. If you're looking for that wintery scare this time of year, this is one I'd highly recommend. 4.5 / 5 stars.
September 14, 2016
Originally titled as The Blue People from Thunderstorm Books (as a gorgeous signed/limited edition), this was the first book that I read by Mary SanGiovanni and was enough to make me want to read everything I could find by her. Which prompted my requesting the next new book I saw from her without actually realizing I'd already read it - oops. :)
There's a freak snowstorm in Colby, Connecticut. Even freakier are the bodies showing up that appear to be occult killings. When the gods that this dark cult summons are even more cruel and brutal than they are, do the people of Colby stand a chance? A simplistic summary for a book that goes beyond that. This is a rather short novel so I'm not going to give you more than that but I will tell you that it's well worth the read. I've always hated winter, but Chills makes the snowstorms seem that much more ominous... and colder.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley/Kensington books in exchange for an honest review.
There's a freak snowstorm in Colby, Connecticut. Even freakier are the bodies showing up that appear to be occult killings. When the gods that this dark cult summons are even more cruel and brutal than they are, do the people of Colby stand a chance? A simplistic summary for a book that goes beyond that. This is a rather short novel so I'm not going to give you more than that but I will tell you that it's well worth the read. I've always hated winter, but Chills makes the snowstorms seem that much more ominous... and colder.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley/Kensington books in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2018
*Alternate name of novel is CHILLS*
THE BLUE PEOPLE, by Mary SanGiovanni, is a novel that blends cult activities and the supernatural--or "great gods"--against the unlucky inhabitants of Colby, Connecticut. Detectives Jack Glazer, Reece Teagan, and Oliver Morris represent the Colby Township Homicide Department. When an extreme weather blitz of freezing snow and ice hits the town in late May, it's merely a prelude to events that a certain cult are trying to unleash there. ". . . believing in evil was easy; what was hard was accepting that most of it could be attributed to humans not so different from anyone else."
Joining the police force is Kathy Ryan, an "occult expert" that apparently helped them in past situations (although those are not detailed, it is simply stated, as they all know her work fairly well). Another character comments to her: ". . . I always thought of you as more evenly matched with death. That you and the Reaper . . . have an understanding. You dance together, but you don't leave together . . ."
The elements are a vital factor in this novel. The sinister "blue people" are only one such entity shifting in and out from the raging blizzard, and of course, there are still those humans responsible for calling them forth . . . ". . . they weren't operating on delusions . . . They had brought their own horrible belief system of gods and monsters into the real world . . . All of that--security, normalcy, the escape of the broader horrific through the mundane--was gone now." The descriptions, deaths, mutilations, and interaction of the characters were all handled very well. The weather conditions positively chilled me just reading them, and I enjoyed the overall writing style.
The only part I didn't particularly care for was the fact that Kathy's connection to this selective cult and the rites involved was a bit too convenient, in my opinion. She just happened to be the one person that knew how to figure out what was going on, and had a "personal" involvement with one of the cult's former members.
Other than that issue, I felt the entire novel was very well done. At times, the language was nearly poetic--causing me to stop and really visualize the images being presented. "It's like . . . wandering into a mirage. Or a memory . . . Some echo of a moment that was or will be but is never, ever where you are when you are. . . . Whatever you were, the hate becomes what you are, what give you definition and outline, and what ultimately simulates the kind of physicality you had been looking for all along . . ."
Highly recommended!
**Re-read for the July 2018 Group Read at Horror Aficionados. I am also reading another of her novels in which the character of Kathy Ryan appears, so this was a nice "refresher" for that.**
THE BLUE PEOPLE, by Mary SanGiovanni, is a novel that blends cult activities and the supernatural--or "great gods"--against the unlucky inhabitants of Colby, Connecticut. Detectives Jack Glazer, Reece Teagan, and Oliver Morris represent the Colby Township Homicide Department. When an extreme weather blitz of freezing snow and ice hits the town in late May, it's merely a prelude to events that a certain cult are trying to unleash there. ". . . believing in evil was easy; what was hard was accepting that most of it could be attributed to humans not so different from anyone else."
Joining the police force is Kathy Ryan, an "occult expert" that apparently helped them in past situations (although those are not detailed, it is simply stated, as they all know her work fairly well). Another character comments to her: ". . . I always thought of you as more evenly matched with death. That you and the Reaper . . . have an understanding. You dance together, but you don't leave together . . ."
The elements are a vital factor in this novel. The sinister "blue people" are only one such entity shifting in and out from the raging blizzard, and of course, there are still those humans responsible for calling them forth . . . ". . . they weren't operating on delusions . . . They had brought their own horrible belief system of gods and monsters into the real world . . . All of that--security, normalcy, the escape of the broader horrific through the mundane--was gone now." The descriptions, deaths, mutilations, and interaction of the characters were all handled very well. The weather conditions positively chilled me just reading them, and I enjoyed the overall writing style.
The only part I didn't particularly care for was the fact that Kathy's connection to this selective cult and the rites involved was a bit too convenient, in my opinion. She just happened to be the one person that knew how to figure out what was going on, and had a "personal" involvement with one of the cult's former members.
Other than that issue, I felt the entire novel was very well done. At times, the language was nearly poetic--causing me to stop and really visualize the images being presented. "It's like . . . wandering into a mirage. Or a memory . . . Some echo of a moment that was or will be but is never, ever where you are when you are. . . . Whatever you were, the hate becomes what you are, what give you definition and outline, and what ultimately simulates the kind of physicality you had been looking for all along . . ."
Highly recommended!
**Re-read for the July 2018 Group Read at Horror Aficionados. I am also reading another of her novels in which the character of Kathy Ryan appears, so this was a nice "refresher" for that.**
September 7, 2016
Chills is Mary San Giovanni's mash up of Lovecraftian horrors from beyond this dimension with a police procedural results in something quite new and engaging. Starting out in the fairly standard fashion of a unit of detectives examining the remains of a murder victim, San Giovanni wastes little time in accelerating events so that all manner of deadly creatures are soon running rampant. Four detectives must band together to determine what is happening and why, and put a stop to proceedings before The Old Ones can emerge from their dimension and commence the destruction of everyone and everything ...
Chills excels when it is focusing on the monsters and the death and destruction they wreak on the town of Colby. San Giovanni has an excellent eye for detail, making for creatures that are fleshed out and readily imaginable. Her prose is also usually very good insofar as being lyrical and entertainingly varied as evidenced by the more than one occasion when I paused to appreciate a particular turn of phrase or paragraph construction.
However, the book's characters are not as well drawn or engaging as they might have been. Jack's scenes, in particular, fell largely flat for me with his motivations and personality quirks being extremely cliched. And the sections focusing on the police efforts - other than those involving one of the main characters, Kathy, and her occult investigations - tended to drag.
As such, what starts as a fantastic read, eventually becomes decent, with an ending that wrapped up far too neatly for my tastes.
Nevertheless, I definitely enjoyed enough here to be interested in finding more of San Giovanni's back catalogue, and will focus that search on her more horror-centric titles.
3 Doors Unlocked for Chills.
The preceding was made possible by an eARC provided by Netgalley and Kensington Publishing in exchange for an honest review
Chills excels when it is focusing on the monsters and the death and destruction they wreak on the town of Colby. San Giovanni has an excellent eye for detail, making for creatures that are fleshed out and readily imaginable. Her prose is also usually very good insofar as being lyrical and entertainingly varied as evidenced by the more than one occasion when I paused to appreciate a particular turn of phrase or paragraph construction.
However, the book's characters are not as well drawn or engaging as they might have been. Jack's scenes, in particular, fell largely flat for me with his motivations and personality quirks being extremely cliched. And the sections focusing on the police efforts - other than those involving one of the main characters, Kathy, and her occult investigations - tended to drag.
As such, what starts as a fantastic read, eventually becomes decent, with an ending that wrapped up far too neatly for my tastes.
Nevertheless, I definitely enjoyed enough here to be interested in finding more of San Giovanni's back catalogue, and will focus that search on her more horror-centric titles.
3 Doors Unlocked for Chills.
The preceding was made possible by an eARC provided by Netgalley and Kensington Publishing in exchange for an honest review
July 2, 2018
Demonic blue snowmen, serial killers, cults, dark dimensions, The Old Ones! - you know what we have here? The SyFy Channels movie of the week.
You know you love them.
Here’s a handy list: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categ...
I can already see this on the list:
Winter of the Old Ones.
October 10, 2024
Cosmic-loving horror fans will love Chills for its eerie atmosphere, terrifying monsters, and a strong, capable protagonist who is a paranormal expert. The brutal snowstorm setting and blend of folk/cosmic horror is a crowd-pleasing combination.
December 17, 2016
I could not have picked a better night to read this book. As I read about the town of Colby being engulfed by snow, fluffy flakes were falling outside my own windows. What better time to read a book called Chills than during a snowstorm? That's where life imitating art stopped, thank goodness. My recommendation is to read it as the snow flies... unless you are "unlucky" enough to have warm temperatures.
I must confess, I like my horror more human and less supernatural. I went into this book knowing it might not be my cup of tea. I was wrong. I had to hop online in the middle and see if I was coming in at the beginning or middle of a series. The characters have a lot of backstory that is touched upon almost as if we should be already aware. Turns out, this seems to be a standalone. Now that I've had some time to digest it, I like how the author presented the past of the characters. You get some detail, but not so much that you feel like you're being smacked over the head with it. I'd like to see these characters again. I wonder if there's any possibility of a sequel? Very pleasant way to pass an evening in.
A snowstorm has hit the small town of Colby... in late May. This is no average storm, and it's not just the timing. A body is found having been murdered in a brutal, ritualistic manner. Detectives Glazier and Reagan don't even have an ID on the suspect before more pop up. The victims seem to have been maimed not only by people, but by some large unidentified animal. Kathy Ryan, an occult specialist with a history with the two men is called into town to try to shed some light on the ritualistic murders, complete with strange symbols no one else understands. It soon becomes obvious that they're the only hope the town of Colby has of survival during the storm that seems to have taken on a life of its own.
I was permitted to read an ARC of this title from Net Galley and Kensington Books. This in no way affects my opinion. My review is honest and unbiased.
I must confess, I like my horror more human and less supernatural. I went into this book knowing it might not be my cup of tea. I was wrong. I had to hop online in the middle and see if I was coming in at the beginning or middle of a series. The characters have a lot of backstory that is touched upon almost as if we should be already aware. Turns out, this seems to be a standalone. Now that I've had some time to digest it, I like how the author presented the past of the characters. You get some detail, but not so much that you feel like you're being smacked over the head with it. I'd like to see these characters again. I wonder if there's any possibility of a sequel? Very pleasant way to pass an evening in.
A snowstorm has hit the small town of Colby... in late May. This is no average storm, and it's not just the timing. A body is found having been murdered in a brutal, ritualistic manner. Detectives Glazier and Reagan don't even have an ID on the suspect before more pop up. The victims seem to have been maimed not only by people, but by some large unidentified animal. Kathy Ryan, an occult specialist with a history with the two men is called into town to try to shed some light on the ritualistic murders, complete with strange symbols no one else understands. It soon becomes obvious that they're the only hope the town of Colby has of survival during the storm that seems to have taken on a life of its own.
I was permitted to read an ARC of this title from Net Galley and Kensington Books. This in no way affects my opinion. My review is honest and unbiased.
November 22, 2016
Every once in a while I want to read a horror book. What can I say? I like them from time to time, So I did a search on the internet "best horror books of 2016" and this book came up. Sorry, but I would not put this book on my "best of" list.
The book begins with a freak snowstorm in May. The town that is hit the worst is Colby, Connecticut. Powerlines are down, schools and businesses are closed, people are staying indoors to wait out the storm.
Detective Jack Glazier has found a body hanging upside down from a tree in the woods. An occult symbol is burned/frozen/carved into the back of the victim. He and his partner, Reece Teagan are trying to find out what is going on and need to consult with an expert in this area. Kathy Ryan is an expert on the occult. Her brother just happens to be a serial killer (who once tried to kill her) with ties to the cult/occult in question. I wish there would have been more background information here.
Set in a rural snowy setting, chills did not send shivers up my spine. Monster (snow monsters?) begin attacking and eating people. People who the detectives think they can trust turn out to be untrustworthy. My older sister and I used to stay up on Saturday nights and watch "creature features" at midnight. That is what this book reminded me of. A bad B horror film. So why 3 stars? The writing was good. The author is a very good writer - I just wished liked her story better.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
The book begins with a freak snowstorm in May. The town that is hit the worst is Colby, Connecticut. Powerlines are down, schools and businesses are closed, people are staying indoors to wait out the storm.
Detective Jack Glazier has found a body hanging upside down from a tree in the woods. An occult symbol is burned/frozen/carved into the back of the victim. He and his partner, Reece Teagan are trying to find out what is going on and need to consult with an expert in this area. Kathy Ryan is an expert on the occult. Her brother just happens to be a serial killer (who once tried to kill her) with ties to the cult/occult in question. I wish there would have been more background information here.
Set in a rural snowy setting, chills did not send shivers up my spine. Monster (snow monsters?) begin attacking and eating people. People who the detectives think they can trust turn out to be untrustworthy. My older sister and I used to stay up on Saturday nights and watch "creature features" at midnight. That is what this book reminded me of. A bad B horror film. So why 3 stars? The writing was good. The author is a very good writer - I just wished liked her story better.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
August 4, 2016
It's been a long, hard winter. It's now May and and winter has its tentacles curled around Colby, CT. As the snow continues to fall with no end in sight, Colby finds itself cut off from the outside world.
I found CHILLS to be one of Mary SanGiovanni's best stories yet - combining horror, police procedural and a bit of romance. This had something I missed in some of her other books, a fully developed plot and characters. I know it may not make sense, but my complaint is that she intends to make it a series. The ending - while not a true cliffhanger - was enough to let the reader know that this wasn't the end. And that's why I gave it a 4 star raring.
This was a truly enjoyable read for this horror fan. Add it to your tbr list.
I received my copy from from the publisher.
I found CHILLS to be one of Mary SanGiovanni's best stories yet - combining horror, police procedural and a bit of romance. This had something I missed in some of her other books, a fully developed plot and characters. I know it may not make sense, but my complaint is that she intends to make it a series. The ending - while not a true cliffhanger - was enough to let the reader know that this wasn't the end. And that's why I gave it a 4 star raring.
This was a truly enjoyable read for this horror fan. Add it to your tbr list.
I received my copy from from the publisher.
March 31, 2021
I was riveted when I started reading this book. Not only were the characters dealing with some terrifying things, but they are in small town Colby, Connecticut. It was not hard for me to imagine a town like Colby in Connecticut. Small towns abound in this state where snow storms are common and the people are self sufficient.
This story starts with a ritualistic murder. Kathy, occult expert is brought in to help with case. In the meantime it is May and snow is falling at an alarming rate. The town is used to snow, but not this late in the season. When other bodies with similar markings are discovered the cops know that they are dealing with something they can’t handle. Cut off from the rest of the world due to the storm, monsters start to make their presence known in this small town. Now it is up to Kathy and the cops in this small town to figure out how to stop the evil that has been unleashed.
This story starts off at a breakneck pace and doesn’t let up. I have to admit I was surprised to see the author lead us right there to face off with terrifying creatures at a time when most stories are still laying out the back story.I loved the horror of the snow storm. This isn’t just a bit of snow, it is snowing sideways and freezing roads faster then anyone can clear them. It is scary in itself to be stuck somewhere during a storm, having creatures out there eating people takes this fear to a whole new level.
I loved the paranormal aspect to this story. Imagine devil worshipers that are actually able to conjure up demons that bite and kill. Scary! The creatures aren’t too well defined, but I found their descriptions enough for my imagination to fill in the blanks. My imagination, paired with the details supplied by the author, is terrifying! The creatures don’t care who they kill as long as they are dead.
I loved a lot about this story, but that’s not to say that this writing style isn’t without faults. I found it a bit difficult to get invested in the characters. Kathy is well described but her actions don’t really go with her experience, or so I thought. The other main character, Jack, was a bit one-dimensional. Teagan, (the love interest), would have been a nice touch, but the author doesn’t give us any information about him. That’s frustrating. All of the characters were a bit cliché, but for a horror it worked. I did like how well played the ending wrapped was. All in all I would recommend this to horror fans only. As a horror story it does it’s job.
August 12, 2016
I liked the unique setting in this, but that was probably it's best feature. The first half just seemed like it was an excuse to kill people in different ways. However, the middle was strong, with lots of suspense and good character moments. But the end was very lack luster. I literally had one of those "that's it?" moments during the climax. It was a very disappointing ending after a pretty good middle.
I did enjoy the writing style of SanGiovanni (I will be checking out more of her work), but this one just was lacking. I thought the characters were rather one-dimensional and one was particularly annoying (ugh. Teagan. It was like a parody of an Irish guy). And the story just didn't catch me. Maybe I'll have better luck with SanGiovanni's other work.
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
I did enjoy the writing style of SanGiovanni (I will be checking out more of her work), but this one just was lacking. I thought the characters were rather one-dimensional and one was particularly annoying (ugh. Teagan. It was like a parody of an Irish guy). And the story just didn't catch me. Maybe I'll have better luck with SanGiovanni's other work.
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
August 18, 2018
In the town of Colby, Connecticut, a bizarre snowstorm has struck, but what has the townspeople puzzled and perhaps a bit worried is this has happened in May. Then the bodies are found, horribly mutilated and carved with arcane symbols. The police detectives turn to a specialist familiar with such horrible crimes and they at first believe it might be the work of a satanic cult.
But what's behind the late winter storm and brutal, shocking and disturbing murders is worse beyond anything they could imagine.
Those unfamiliar with the work of Mary SanGiovanni, she has a definite penchant for cosmic horror and this lean novel goes off with a bang and doesn't let up. I look forward to the next novel starring occult investigator Kathy Ryan, who was both a flawed but deeply interesting heroine with a dark past.
Highly recommended!
But what's behind the late winter storm and brutal, shocking and disturbing murders is worse beyond anything they could imagine.
Those unfamiliar with the work of Mary SanGiovanni, she has a definite penchant for cosmic horror and this lean novel goes off with a bang and doesn't let up. I look forward to the next novel starring occult investigator Kathy Ryan, who was both a flawed but deeply interesting heroine with a dark past.
Highly recommended!
March 30, 2021
This book is described as "True Detective meets H.P. Lovecraft". Well, it does begin with detectives arriving at a crime scene that appear to have a cult-relater murder. That's about where the True Detective comparison ends. Yes, the book is about a murderous cult trying to call forth the Old Gods. Yes, it's full of made-up esoteric book titles and cosmic horror monsters. But there's so much of that, that it feels like it's desperately trying to be Lovecraftian without being Lovecraftian. At the end of the day, it's an okay book about a cult using old magic to murder/sacrifice most of a small Connecticut town using snow, which buries the town and becomes murderous creatures. 2.5/5*
October 12, 2018
A solid 3 1/2 stars.
I liked this, I wouldn't say I loved it, but I read through it pretty quick, although I felt the ending was a bit rushed. It wasn't scary as such, but the thought of at the end had my heart pounding and kept me reading into the wee small hours.
Will definitely read more of SanGiovanni's work.
I liked this, I wouldn't say I loved it, but I read through it pretty quick, although I felt the ending was a bit rushed. It wasn't scary as such, but the thought of at the end had my heart pounding and kept me reading into the wee small hours.
Will definitely read more of SanGiovanni's work.
August 31, 2022
I liked that 'Chills' opened with a cult having already carried out a ritual sacrifice to open a door between worlds and invite in the creatures who will clear the way for the arrival of the Elder Gods by killing everyone in the small town of Colby. This was a more interesting take than all those stories about someone trying to stop the cult before the door is opened and risking being seen as insane. The mutilated dead bodies splatter across the unseasonal snow provide convincing evidence that something strange is happening.
I also liked the creatures that had been sent to 'cleanse the town of light'. They were original, well-imagined and very scary. I was impressed that there was more than one kind and by their relationship to the snow that is burying the town in the middle of May.
The midsection of the book had a lot of traditional horror scenes where one or more civilians find themselves in the path of the killer monsters while we were kept in suspense about if and how they might survive. There was a huge body count and a lot of slicing, dicing, bleeding, screaming and dying. Mary SanGiovanni did a good job in making the snow and the things that emerged from it menacing.
The main character, Kathy Ryan, the person the police call when a case involves cults or other weird things, has a well-thought-through traumatic background that I hadn't seen used before.
So why did I finish this book disappointed and with no interest in reading the next Kathy Ryan book?
Firstly, Kathy Ryan doesn't really come across as the main character. We see very little of the story from her point of view and even when we do, we don't really get inside her head except as a convenient device for disclosing her traumatic backstory. It's really hard to engage with a character when you are given almost no insight into how they feel about what is happening to them and to the people around them.
Secondly, it often felt as if Detective Glazier was the main character, which was a pity because he was so bland that I'm already starting to forget him. Did this story need to spend so much time on a divorced middle-aged detective who represses his emotions, is dogged and determined but not particularly talented and who never really figures out what's going on? I kept waiting for us to move on to another character when we were following him around. And the way he reacted to his ex-wife being in danger did not endear him to me. On the other hand, he was so bland that there wasn't enough there for me to build up a solid dislike of the man.
Then there was the dialogue. The purely functional, disclose-information or move-the-plot-along stuff went well enough but the interpersonal stuff needed work because the characters seemed to me to take turns giving speeches about how they felt rather than talking to each other. It didn't help that the narrator's delivery was flat and, apart from giving Tegan an unconvincing Irish accent, didn't give the characters identifiable voices.
It was the ending that finally snuffed out my interest. I was sitting there thinking 'We had all that build-up and all that death and all those truly scary monsters and THIS is how the situation resolves?'
Maybe I could have lived with the ending if the book had stopped when the action did but the last chapter or so was a return to normality that was stretched my suspension of disbelief much more than the idea of Elder Gods coming through a portal to a small town in the US did.
I read 'Chills' for the Ice Cold Fear square on my Halloween Bingo card.
I also liked the creatures that had been sent to 'cleanse the town of light'. They were original, well-imagined and very scary. I was impressed that there was more than one kind and by their relationship to the snow that is burying the town in the middle of May.
The midsection of the book had a lot of traditional horror scenes where one or more civilians find themselves in the path of the killer monsters while we were kept in suspense about if and how they might survive. There was a huge body count and a lot of slicing, dicing, bleeding, screaming and dying. Mary SanGiovanni did a good job in making the snow and the things that emerged from it menacing.
The main character, Kathy Ryan, the person the police call when a case involves cults or other weird things, has a well-thought-through traumatic background that I hadn't seen used before.
So why did I finish this book disappointed and with no interest in reading the next Kathy Ryan book?
Firstly, Kathy Ryan doesn't really come across as the main character. We see very little of the story from her point of view and even when we do, we don't really get inside her head except as a convenient device for disclosing her traumatic backstory. It's really hard to engage with a character when you are given almost no insight into how they feel about what is happening to them and to the people around them.
Secondly, it often felt as if Detective Glazier was the main character, which was a pity because he was so bland that I'm already starting to forget him. Did this story need to spend so much time on a divorced middle-aged detective who represses his emotions, is dogged and determined but not particularly talented and who never really figures out what's going on? I kept waiting for us to move on to another character when we were following him around. And the way he reacted to his ex-wife being in danger did not endear him to me. On the other hand, he was so bland that there wasn't enough there for me to build up a solid dislike of the man.
Then there was the dialogue. The purely functional, disclose-information or move-the-plot-along stuff went well enough but the interpersonal stuff needed work because the characters seemed to me to take turns giving speeches about how they felt rather than talking to each other. It didn't help that the narrator's delivery was flat and, apart from giving Tegan an unconvincing Irish accent, didn't give the characters identifiable voices.
It was the ending that finally snuffed out my interest. I was sitting there thinking 'We had all that build-up and all that death and all those truly scary monsters and THIS is how the situation resolves?'
Maybe I could have lived with the ending if the book had stopped when the action did but the last chapter or so was a return to normality that was stretched my suspension of disbelief much more than the idea of Elder Gods coming through a portal to a small town in the US did.
I read 'Chills' for the Ice Cold Fear square on my Halloween Bingo card.
August 8, 2020
I liked the book well enough but it wasn’t what I expected from the description. It seemed to be much more on the witchcraft/demon-craft side than I really like. I did like the characters and how they interacted with one another. While the book does have a bit of spookiness to the story…I found that it began to flatten out and become repetitive. The author did do a pretty good job of describing and creating atmosphere in the small Connecticut town but the reader never really got a feel for how life was for the characters before the freak snow storm and before the discovery that defied the imagination. It's not a bad book at all and if you like stories involving the black arts you will probably love it.. It’s one of those books that you are either completely into or you’re not.
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