Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Unseemly” as Want to Read:
Unseemly
by
Some discoveries are better left unmade.
Peter thought he was done with grave robbing, but when a former business partner lures him out to Dungarradh, a small Scottish island with a big secret, he finds himself waist deep in more than local folklore. Is the disappearance of his teammate truly the work of the legendary fae, or is a sinister force at play?
A brand-new tale of ...more
Peter thought he was done with grave robbing, but when a former business partner lures him out to Dungarradh, a small Scottish island with a big secret, he finds himself waist deep in more than local folklore. Is the disappearance of his teammate truly the work of the legendary fae, or is a sinister force at play?
A brand-new tale of ...more
Paperback, 64 pages
Published
February 2016
by Corpus Press
(first published January 28th 2016)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Unseemly,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Unseemly
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

3.5*
A man named Peter travels to an island in Scotland to meet his less than respectable friend, Dervish, to discuss some probably illegal shenanigans. He's got a bad feeling from the get-go and he should have listened. That's all I can say about the plot of this novella.
The guy's going to an island in Scotland, so you already know this isn't going to turn out well. Scotland is home to how many scary legends and myths? Why, oh why, would you go despite your bad feelings about the situation? Of ...more
A man named Peter travels to an island in Scotland to meet his less than respectable friend, Dervish, to discuss some probably illegal shenanigans. He's got a bad feeling from the get-go and he should have listened. That's all I can say about the plot of this novella.
The guy's going to an island in Scotland, so you already know this isn't going to turn out well. Scotland is home to how many scary legends and myths? Why, oh why, would you go despite your bad feelings about the situation? Of ...more

4.5 stars.
UNSEEMLY: A Novella of Horror, by Jason Parent is the latest example of this author's vast writing skills. We begin with Peter Callum, a down-on-his-luck archeologist, arriving at a small village in Scotland after a call from the brutish Dervish--a "friend" who specializes in finding money through dubious means. When Peter first finds out what Dervish is onto, he scoffs at the notion. However, at some point during the narrative, he begins to think of the possibilities, "that maybe the ...more
UNSEEMLY: A Novella of Horror, by Jason Parent is the latest example of this author's vast writing skills. We begin with Peter Callum, a down-on-his-luck archeologist, arriving at a small village in Scotland after a call from the brutish Dervish--a "friend" who specializes in finding money through dubious means. When Peter first finds out what Dervish is onto, he scoffs at the notion. However, at some point during the narrative, he begins to think of the possibilities, "that maybe the ...more

UNSEEMLY: A Novella of Horror, by Jason Parent is the latest example of this author's vast writing skills. We begin with Peter Callum, a down-on-his-luck archeologist, arriving at a small village in Scotland after a call from the brutish Dervish--a "friend" who specializes in finding money through dubious means. When Peter first finds out what Dervish is onto, he scoffs at the notion. However, at some point during the narrative, he begins to think of the possibilities, "that maybe there was som
...more

Jan 29, 2016
Cats of Ulthar February Weird Fiction
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Review: UNSEEMLY by Jason Parent
This novelette is just exceptional. I certainly did not expect it to unfold as it did, neither the denouement nor the conclusion. The poetic imagery throughout really inspires vividness, and there's a neat balance of "I really don't trust/shouldn't get involved" vs. sheer greed plus inertia. The outworking of the plot is deliciously scary. Definitely rereadable.
This novelette is just exceptional. I certainly did not expect it to unfold as it did, neither the denouement nor the conclusion. The poetic imagery throughout really inspires vividness, and there's a neat balance of "I really don't trust/shouldn't get involved" vs. sheer greed plus inertia. The outworking of the plot is deliciously scary. Definitely rereadable.

I really dug this novelette from Jason Parent. Since I rarely read synopsis or reviews before diving into a work, I was unsure where this one would be going. Of course, after reading Jason’s “What Hides Within” and checking out the cover of this one, I pretty much assumed this was going to be some crazy dark fantasy story about spiders. *eek! Jumps up on the dining room table*
Well…I was wrong.
Sort of.
Ish.
That’s it! No spoilers!
There is very little f’n around here and the story gets right to it. ...more
Well…I was wrong.
Sort of.
Ish.
That’s it! No spoilers!
There is very little f’n around here and the story gets right to it. ...more

A special thanks to the author for sending this to me for free in exchange for a review!
This was a great twisty-turny novella. It has a touch of horror, a touch of science fiction, and a bit of fantasy. It was engaging as well, though I kept guessing wrong at every step! I enjoyed it and will look into more by the author. :)
This was a great twisty-turny novella. It has a touch of horror, a touch of science fiction, and a bit of fantasy. It was engaging as well, though I kept guessing wrong at every step! I enjoyed it and will look into more by the author. :)

UNSEEMLY is an entertaining novelette from SEEING EVIL author, Jason Parent.
The story of a man who goes to Scotland to meet some old comrades looking for a big payout. There are rumors of fairies, or faeries, being in this land, somewhere down by the sea. One person, Matt, is not answering his phone, but left his father a message confirming that he'd seen the faeries. The group prepares to head out for their little excursion after 3 AM. All the while, they're getting side glances from the patron ...more
The story of a man who goes to Scotland to meet some old comrades looking for a big payout. There are rumors of fairies, or faeries, being in this land, somewhere down by the sea. One person, Matt, is not answering his phone, but left his father a message confirming that he'd seen the faeries. The group prepares to head out for their little excursion after 3 AM. All the while, they're getting side glances from the patron ...more

Faeries aren't real...are they? Read to find out and it isn't a pretty sight. And so...Go figure. A Scottish tale of horror that isn't authored by Meikle. Parent did a good enough job with it. Having listened to Seeing Evil before, sort of knew what to expect and sure, this was about as diverting as expected, though maybe grosser than optimal enjoyment merits, but certainly nothing too disgusting for seasoned horror fans. For 40 minutes total, this novella entertains plenty. Thanks Netgalley.

May 31, 2016
Kaisersoze
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
horror,
horror-awesome
In this day and age where time is so precious, I find myself becoming increasingly appreciative of authors who can put together a tale in a relatively sparse number of pages, but lose none of the suspense while doing away with much of the unnecessary detail longer novels tend to include. Unseemly is one such novella, and it is very well written to boot by an up and coming author who also seems to be a mighty fine human being - at least based on my online interactions with him.
Not that it's a per ...more
Not that it's a per ...more

Mar 26, 2016
Brittany
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
arcs,
zchallenge-2016,
4-stars,
action,
fairy-tale,
fantasy-paranormal,
fiction,
horror,
mythology,
reviews
Check out my blog to see Reviews of Book and Movies, and check out some Recipes!
Unseemly is a short story/novella written by Jason Parent featuring a legend about an obscure Scottish Island. Peter is here for a black market payday, and another grave robbing experience. Although his true passion is archeology, he learned long ago that honest money didn't pay his bills.
He has come to the island to meet up with past unsavory partners that have teamed up on other undesirable jobs. This one features ...more
Unseemly is a short story/novella written by Jason Parent featuring a legend about an obscure Scottish Island. Peter is here for a black market payday, and another grave robbing experience. Although his true passion is archeology, he learned long ago that honest money didn't pay his bills.
He has come to the island to meet up with past unsavory partners that have teamed up on other undesirable jobs. This one features ...more

"You sort of know where the story in this is going. You know what the main characters are after and want out of the story so you sort of know what to expect, and what to expect to come round the corner so to speak.
WRONG!!"
See here for the full review:
Unseemly
WRONG!!"
See here for the full review:
Unseemly

Feb 08, 2016
Ken McKinley
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
horror,
own-kindle
The novella, Unseemly, is my first read from author, Jason Parent. For a guy who hails from New England, Jason does a really nice job at painting a vivid and realistic picture of a secluded. island off of the northern coast of Scotland. Parent summons his inner Lovecraft as he introduces us to Peter, an archeologist who is trying to reform his checkered and seedy ways that he previously used to make his living. When he receives a call from his unscrupulous and former partner, Dervish, requesting
...more

First of all, thanks to Mr. Jason Parent and my friend Brittany for sending me this book.
This was a horror novella. It starts with Peter (who has problem with money and family). Peter was lured by a old time partner in crime for a new job. Work promised money. But, Peter agreed to do it because his friend's son was lost during the surveillance (he liked the boy[young man] too). And from there on it's all about plans gone wrong and existence falling into horror.
I think the story wasn't bad, but ...more
This was a horror novella. It starts with Peter (who has problem with money and family). Peter was lured by a old time partner in crime for a new job. Work promised money. But, Peter agreed to do it because his friend's son was lost during the surveillance (he liked the boy[young man] too). And from there on it's all about plans gone wrong and existence falling into horror.
I think the story wasn't bad, but ...more

Jason Parent flexes his writing wings in this magnificent tale. It is a tale centered around fae, but you can remove any thoughts of Darby O'Gill from your disillusioned mind and sit back for a nasty little tale reminiscent of some long forgotten Tales from the Crypt episode. Jason writes a dark little story here. The characters are believeable and the horror just seems to drip from the page. Jason is beginning to show his talents as a writer and I really enjoyed this one. The atmosphere is thi
...more

To tell too much about Jason Parent's little pinprick of a horror story, UNSEEMLY, would be to spoil it terribly and that would be, well, unseemly. The synopsis will have to suffice for that purpose. What can be said about this incredible tale is that it's chilling as hell, packed with edge of your seat action and a collection of quirky, three-dimensional characters that are interesting to follow and easy to like.
"Peter Callum stared at the behemoth with the slack jaw and handlebar mustache, slo ...more
"Peter Callum stared at the behemoth with the slack jaw and handlebar mustache, slo ...more

I received Unseemly as a gift from Jason Parent, without his intention of me reading it. However, once I read "Scottish Island with a big secret" how could I not be enticed!? It wouldn't quit calling me to read it. It's length made it easy to read quickly, yet he completely packed it full of just enough entertainment to make me feel satiated. I was highly impressed with this captivating work right from the start. The first half of the book held me engaged with hints, clues, and atmospheric suspe
...more

Review from: http://beneaththeunderground.com
An adventurer, grave robber, and parent struggling to get his next child support payment made, Peter Callum decides to take one more job when a former business partner and part time friend, Dervish, lures him to small Scottish island by the name of Dungarradh. The draw is a mystery wrapped in a large payday. When Peter arrives, he will discover that some fairytales and local legends are far more terrifying in reality.
The town of Dungarradh holds many ...more

Peter Callum was once a grave robber but has given up that type of life. Peter gets word from a former business partner, that he has something lined up, that would make the both of them rich. Peter, is going through a messy divorce with his ex-wife and she was trying bleed him dry. So Peter, travels to Scotland, to see what Dervish has lined up for them. Scotland is the home of many myths and legends. When Peter, finds out what Dervish crazy plan is, he wants nothing to do with it. Like in most
...more

Novellas have a special place in my heart. They are short, to the point, and when well written they can be just as riveting as a full blown novel. Parent has succeeded in pulling that off with Unseemly. With such a short page count he has managed to tell a good horror story with, twists, a character you actually care about, and just enough back story peppered in to really suck you into this world.
Unseemly tells the tale of Peter, a down on his luck archeologist/grave robber, who is trying to ea ...more
Unseemly tells the tale of Peter, a down on his luck archeologist/grave robber, who is trying to ea ...more

Unseemly by Jason Parent
Jason Parent was kind enough to give me this novella after I had some issues with a kindle purchase. He did not ask anything from me and this is my unbiased review.
Fairies tend to be a tired theme to work with, but Mr. Parent was able to put his own spin on it. His descriptions of the action in this story are gruesome without being bloody, something that tends to be a challenge at times with authors. This story is a true horror to read, and what more could you ask from a ...more
Jason Parent was kind enough to give me this novella after I had some issues with a kindle purchase. He did not ask anything from me and this is my unbiased review.
Fairies tend to be a tired theme to work with, but Mr. Parent was able to put his own spin on it. His descriptions of the action in this story are gruesome without being bloody, something that tends to be a challenge at times with authors. This story is a true horror to read, and what more could you ask from a ...more

Feb 10, 2017
Jayana
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
arc-review-copy,
from-publishers-authors,
autographed,
paperback,
fantasy,
creepy-pasta,
reviewed,
horror
I'll never be able to look at mermaids the same way.
That's for sure.
*I know it's a fae and not a mermaid.
But oh well.
Except the part where the book leaves you with a cliffhanger, what is more horrifying is that it doesn't have a sequel.
You heard me.
It had mystery, horror and grit at just the right proportion with some chilling twists which were really unexpected.
It wasn't earth-shatteringly good but good enough to make you think twice about going to take a piss alone.
Just saying.
The stor ...more
That's for sure.
*I know it's a fae and not a mermaid.
But oh well.
Except the part where the book leaves you with a cliffhanger, what is more horrifying is that it doesn't have a sequel.
You heard me.
It had mystery, horror and grit at just the right proportion with some chilling twists which were really unexpected.
It wasn't earth-shatteringly good but good enough to make you think twice about going to take a piss alone.
Just saying.
The stor ...more

While this was a fast read, the pace of the story was not - which in this case is not meant as criticism. Of course, the action traveled in high gear, but several descriptive scenes appeared like in slow motion, where you are able to notice every little detail in perfect clarity. Another well-working constrast of the story was between the mystical cute little fairies and the horrendous otherworldly creatures. (The first image that came to mind was the cuddly little Blawp from Lost in Space - cau
...more

I don't read a lot of fantasy. It's just generally not my thing. This novella was interesting and written well enough to keep me reading. A creepy short story that would be ideal for when you don't have a lot of time and crave a good read.
Peter has been called to a small island... and regrets it not long after he arrives. A former business partner he's done seedy things with in the past has lured him there with the promise of a big payday. His instincts are screaming for him to leave, as he'd r ...more
Peter has been called to a small island... and regrets it not long after he arrives. A former business partner he's done seedy things with in the past has lured him there with the promise of a big payday. His instincts are screaming for him to leave, as he'd r ...more

The story set in island of Scotland. In order to get money to pay his debt and child support payment, Peter Callum decides to Fly to an island to take job. The town holds many secrets and folklore about fairy tale. His friends Dervish plans to find and catch the fairy somewhere in that island. With the team set by four people they do the expedition which later they discover that the local legends are far more terrifying in reality.
Unseemly is a novella mix of horror and dark fantasy. It will lea ...more
Unseemly is a novella mix of horror and dark fantasy. It will lea ...more

**I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange of a honest review**
First of all, let me thanks the author for this opportunity.
It was the first time i read anything from Jason Parent, and i usually do not read horror books but i have to admit that this one is well written and that i like the plot of the story.
My rating was more 3.5* stars actually, and it was not because of something negative on the book but because i usually do not give more than 3* for short story's.
In this sor ...more
First of all, let me thanks the author for this opportunity.
It was the first time i read anything from Jason Parent, and i usually do not read horror books but i have to admit that this one is well written and that i like the plot of the story.
My rating was more 3.5* stars actually, and it was not because of something negative on the book but because i usually do not give more than 3* for short story's.
In this sor ...more

Jason Parent’s new book, “The Unseemly” is a juicy, quick read. Looking at the cover and reading the back jacket I definitely was ready one thing and was served something completely different…in the best possible way. In fact, the cover felt misleading until I got further into the story. Parent does a great job of placing the reader into the middle of the characters’ lives without the annoying sense that you don’t know any of their motivations or backstory. For such a small book, the pacing does
...more

**I received a copy of this book from the For Love of a Book's Read & Review Opportunity Program
For such a short novella, I found this book haunting and atmospheric. I loved the mix of dark fantasy and horror. Although fast paced, this book took twists and turns that weren't confusing. It flowed really well and the writing was cohesive. The author Jason Parent does a great job of fleshing out his MC in just a handful of pages. Written from Peter's POV, you get a glimpse of his backstory as ...more
For such a short novella, I found this book haunting and atmospheric. I loved the mix of dark fantasy and horror. Although fast paced, this book took twists and turns that weren't confusing. It flowed really well and the writing was cohesive. The author Jason Parent does a great job of fleshing out his MC in just a handful of pages. Written from Peter's POV, you get a glimpse of his backstory as ...more

I saw Mr. Parent wrote a new book. I had to check it out. I would break this book up into three parts. First part is character building. Second part is set up of their adventure. Third part is all the action and horror. It's a quick story. I was surprised Jason was writing about the Fae. It made me wonder and laugh a bit then everything started to happen and I felt, (view spoiler) . There was some major twists but if you pay atten
...more

I like this author. He is one of my favorites. His writing style easily pulls you into the story, and his descriptions are disturbing because he never holds back, but that is what you expect from the best horror writers. This novella has everything I like in a horror story, especially twists and turns. I would love to comment on the plot and theme, but I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone. Let’s just say, if your genre is horror, you will like this story.
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
For Love of a Book:
![]() |
13 | 35 | Jan 31, 2017 02:02PM |
In his head, Jason Parent lives in many places, but in the real world, he calls New England his home. The region offers an abundance of settings for his writing and many wonderful places in which to write them. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his cuddly corgi named Calypso.
In a prior life, Jason spent most of his time in front of a judge . . . as a civil litigator. When he ...more
In a prior life, Jason spent most of his time in front of a judge . . . as a civil litigator. When he ...more
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »