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Succubus
A Skin-Crawling, Heart-Pounding, Stomach-Churning Hit from Bestselling Horror Author Wesley Thomas.
Leon may be a billionaire, but money can't save him from this...
After awakening from a year-long coma caused by a traumatic event he can't remember, Leon finds himself plunged into a waking nightmare. An evil presence stalks his every move. A deadly predator watches from the shadows. Violent flashbacks claw their way into his mind, each one hinting at a truth far worse than he imagined.
To survive, Leon must piece together his shattered memories and uncover the horror that nearly killed him, before it finishes the job.
What readers are saying:
★★★★★ “There was no easing into the creepy and gore. The prologue drops you straight into a haunted hospital atmosphere, and I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down.”
★★★★★ “It felt like walking through a haunted house, completely tense and waiting for the next scare.”
★★★★★ “A fresh, terrifying take on a succubus. Compelling, unnerving, and thrilling until the very end.”
★★★★★ “Best horror novel I’ve ever read. Not just horror, but mystery, thriller, and crime. I loved the author’s writing.”
Perfect for fans of Stephen King, Richard Laymon, Grady Hendrix, Anne Rice, and Riley Sager.
Did you enjoy Fright Night, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood, You're Next, or Ready or Not? This novel is for you.
Leon is about to wish he'd never woken from his coma...
Grab your copy today.
Leon may be a billionaire, but money can't save him from this...
After awakening from a year-long coma caused by a traumatic event he can't remember, Leon finds himself plunged into a waking nightmare. An evil presence stalks his every move. A deadly predator watches from the shadows. Violent flashbacks claw their way into his mind, each one hinting at a truth far worse than he imagined.
To survive, Leon must piece together his shattered memories and uncover the horror that nearly killed him, before it finishes the job.
What readers are saying:
★★★★★ “There was no easing into the creepy and gore. The prologue drops you straight into a haunted hospital atmosphere, and I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down.”
★★★★★ “It felt like walking through a haunted house, completely tense and waiting for the next scare.”
★★★★★ “A fresh, terrifying take on a succubus. Compelling, unnerving, and thrilling until the very end.”
★★★★★ “Best horror novel I’ve ever read. Not just horror, but mystery, thriller, and crime. I loved the author’s writing.”
Perfect for fans of Stephen King, Richard Laymon, Grady Hendrix, Anne Rice, and Riley Sager.
Did you enjoy Fright Night, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood, You're Next, or Ready or Not? This novel is for you.
Leon is about to wish he'd never woken from his coma...
Grab your copy today.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 26, 2016
9 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Wesley Thomas
19 books52 followersBestselling British Horror Author Wesley Thomas
Wesley Thomas, a renowned British horror author, made his mark in the horror fiction world in 2011 with his debut novel. Since then, he has penned several bestselling collections, novels, and novellas. With over two decades of passion for all things horror, Wesley's transition into horror fiction was a natural choice.
His work has been featured in various anthologies, websites, national and local newspapers, and has even been read live on radio. Wesley's dedication to the genre is evident in his regular consumption of horror literature, movies, TV shows, and his attendance at horror-themed events worldwide.
Endorsements:
"Wesley Thomas is one of the very few authors that has managed to completely scare me when reading his work." - Amazon Reviewer
"I always look forward to new stories from this author. His writing style is one that should be taught in writing classes." - Word Forward Blog
"Thomas is an absolute wordsmith and his writing is unique and descriptively precise." - Kay Oliver
"A huge imagination and a unique, inimitable writing style." - C. L. Hernandez, Author of 'Cobwebs'
"Simply speaking, Wesley is a writer who cares for the genre deeply, and contributes to it meaningfully!" - Dustin Urness, Author of 'Disturbing Tales of Anguish & Horror'
"Wesley is an extremely talented young horror craftsman. Love the retro vibe to his work and the presentation." - Terry M. West, well-known horror author, director, and actor
Wesley Thomas, a renowned British horror author, made his mark in the horror fiction world in 2011 with his debut novel. Since then, he has penned several bestselling collections, novels, and novellas. With over two decades of passion for all things horror, Wesley's transition into horror fiction was a natural choice.
His work has been featured in various anthologies, websites, national and local newspapers, and has even been read live on radio. Wesley's dedication to the genre is evident in his regular consumption of horror literature, movies, TV shows, and his attendance at horror-themed events worldwide.
Endorsements:
"Wesley Thomas is one of the very few authors that has managed to completely scare me when reading his work." - Amazon Reviewer
"I always look forward to new stories from this author. His writing style is one that should be taught in writing classes." - Word Forward Blog
"Thomas is an absolute wordsmith and his writing is unique and descriptively precise." - Kay Oliver
"A huge imagination and a unique, inimitable writing style." - C. L. Hernandez, Author of 'Cobwebs'
"Simply speaking, Wesley is a writer who cares for the genre deeply, and contributes to it meaningfully!" - Dustin Urness, Author of 'Disturbing Tales of Anguish & Horror'
"Wesley is an extremely talented young horror craftsman. Love the retro vibe to his work and the presentation." - Terry M. West, well-known horror author, director, and actor
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 7, 2017
Leon wakes up after being in a coma for a year from an accident that he cannot remember - in fact he cannot remember much about life at all. He feels an evil presence haunting him as well as having a mixture between erotic and frightening dreams that confuse him as he has no idea if they are just dreams or flashbacks into his past. As events spiral he has to work through the dreams to decide if they are memories and try to piece together the pieces of the puzzle he has identified.
I don't generally read horror but I really enjoyed this book. It had plenty of twists and turns as Leon sorted out his dreams into memories and worked out the significance of them. Even when he thought he understood what was going on, something would happen and it all changed again. It was well written and everything was clear and completely understandable. Emotions were easy to pick up and I could feel myself empathising with Leon at times over his confusion and the way everything had changed after he thought he had got to the bottom of things.
I don't generally read horror but I really enjoyed this book. It had plenty of twists and turns as Leon sorted out his dreams into memories and worked out the significance of them. Even when he thought he understood what was going on, something would happen and it all changed again. It was well written and everything was clear and completely understandable. Emotions were easy to pick up and I could feel myself empathising with Leon at times over his confusion and the way everything had changed after he thought he had got to the bottom of things.
February 25, 2016
**I received this book for an honest review. **
Mr. Thomas is back again to scare the shit out of you. Fear not though, as it's not all blood, guts, and gore. There are sincere, heart warming moments that unfold within the pages of "Succubus" but the dread lingers and surrounds you. Things do get messy and violent but not just for the sake of being violent. The author crafts a wonderful plot that isn't hinged on gore. Remove the violence and it would still be an intense story well worth reading.
I believe Mr. Thomas is stalking me. His stories consistently have elements that terrify me in real life. And within the pages of his fiction, he amps everything up that causes adrenaline to pump and nerves to rattle.
Do yourself a favor and grab this as soon as you can. It's a must read in my opinion and my favorite read of 2016 so far.
Mr. Thomas is back again to scare the shit out of you. Fear not though, as it's not all blood, guts, and gore. There are sincere, heart warming moments that unfold within the pages of "Succubus" but the dread lingers and surrounds you. Things do get messy and violent but not just for the sake of being violent. The author crafts a wonderful plot that isn't hinged on gore. Remove the violence and it would still be an intense story well worth reading.
I believe Mr. Thomas is stalking me. His stories consistently have elements that terrify me in real life. And within the pages of his fiction, he amps everything up that causes adrenaline to pump and nerves to rattle.
Do yourself a favor and grab this as soon as you can. It's a must read in my opinion and my favorite read of 2016 so far.
March 14, 2017
Thomas does it again.
Our protagonist Leon wakes from a coma to discover that a year had past since his mysterious accident, one he has no recollection of, that left him bedridden for so long. His mind is a mixture of memories and nightmares, and no ability to tell one from the other. Who is the old woman that seems to haunt him? Who is the blonde girl he keeps dreaming of? Are they connected? What secrets is his father keeping from him? The questions keep coming, and as the answers begin to appear, the horror of reality far surpasses any nightmare.
Wesley has shown again his mastery of the craft, in delivering a well-developed character, an intriguing plot, and unsettling scenes of dread. There are glimpses of his influences here, Laymon, Barker and the like, but the craftsmanship is surely all his own. I've read some of Thomas' other work, but this one is the first novel length work of his I've seen, and he is truly in full form. If you've enjoyed any of his other work, definitely give this one a read.
If you're a fan of Clive Barker, Richard Laymon or just a good horror story, you're in for a treat.
Our protagonist Leon wakes from a coma to discover that a year had past since his mysterious accident, one he has no recollection of, that left him bedridden for so long. His mind is a mixture of memories and nightmares, and no ability to tell one from the other. Who is the old woman that seems to haunt him? Who is the blonde girl he keeps dreaming of? Are they connected? What secrets is his father keeping from him? The questions keep coming, and as the answers begin to appear, the horror of reality far surpasses any nightmare.
Wesley has shown again his mastery of the craft, in delivering a well-developed character, an intriguing plot, and unsettling scenes of dread. There are glimpses of his influences here, Laymon, Barker and the like, but the craftsmanship is surely all his own. I've read some of Thomas' other work, but this one is the first novel length work of his I've seen, and he is truly in full form. If you've enjoyed any of his other work, definitely give this one a read.
If you're a fan of Clive Barker, Richard Laymon or just a good horror story, you're in for a treat.
March 22, 2016
I picked this up for my Kindle app for like 99 cents based on the cover and the blurb on the back. It seemed like the perfect little horror novel and for awhile it was. A little horror/mystery if you will. Leon wakes up after being in a coma for a year and then strange things begin to happen. It's a creepy tale that truly pulls you in and then the novel just seems to drag on, and on. For the most part Thomas is a good writer and gives you a likeable chap in Leon. You can relate to him, hell you want to believe that everything about Annabelle is the direct fault of his parents. There are a lot of questions that come up and then you hit the ending. It's almost like crashing into a brick wall. The pay off is surprising and laughable to say the least.
I would have loved this book had it have been a bit shorter. There's a lot of filler here and I skimmed through a lot simply because it was starting to bore me. The fault is that the story seems to unravel and Leon's quest to find Annabelle seems to go on forever. By the end of the novel I was ready to be done with the damn thing. For a horror novel it's not bad, and there are a lot of reasons to check it, but it does have its faults. Thomas is a talented writer that often goes the creepy route. You feel bad for Leon, and that's what a good writer does. They allow you to invest in the characters and cheer them on. If the story starts to fall apart though the characters no longer matter. You just want to see how it all ends so you can say you read it.
Is Succubus terrible? Not at all but for me it was just one hundred pages too long. Getting toward the end took forever and seemed a bit rushed. As a story it's interesting but the conclusion is where the wheels fall off. It tries to be shocking but instead makes you giggle at its ridiculousness. Casual horror fans may find this mind blowing, and maybe even brilliant, but seasoned horror fans will simply roll their eyes. There are moments here where Succubus is fantastic but in the end it's just an okay horror novel that you can read on a rainy afternoon. For the record I like the original cover better.
I would have loved this book had it have been a bit shorter. There's a lot of filler here and I skimmed through a lot simply because it was starting to bore me. The fault is that the story seems to unravel and Leon's quest to find Annabelle seems to go on forever. By the end of the novel I was ready to be done with the damn thing. For a horror novel it's not bad, and there are a lot of reasons to check it, but it does have its faults. Thomas is a talented writer that often goes the creepy route. You feel bad for Leon, and that's what a good writer does. They allow you to invest in the characters and cheer them on. If the story starts to fall apart though the characters no longer matter. You just want to see how it all ends so you can say you read it.
Is Succubus terrible? Not at all but for me it was just one hundred pages too long. Getting toward the end took forever and seemed a bit rushed. As a story it's interesting but the conclusion is where the wheels fall off. It tries to be shocking but instead makes you giggle at its ridiculousness. Casual horror fans may find this mind blowing, and maybe even brilliant, but seasoned horror fans will simply roll their eyes. There are moments here where Succubus is fantastic but in the end it's just an okay horror novel that you can read on a rainy afternoon. For the record I like the original cover better.
April 29, 2016
If you are looking for a great horror book, this is it!
The book started really creepy and kept going from there. At times my heart was literally pounding and I had to put the book down and think happy thoughts because I was getting so stressed out. The way the story was written, I found myself not trusting any of the characters because of all the twists and surprises.
It felt like I was walking through a haunted house, completely tense waiting for the next thing to pop out of the shadows and scare me, but then nothing did, and I would relax a bit only to have something pop out a minute later for a delayed scare. This is what it was like reading this story. It was fantastic!
The imagery in the story makes it even more chilling and the analogies the author comes up with are amazing. For the first time ever I used the highlight feature on my kindle so I could quickly find them again when I wanted to show someone how incredible they are.
Initially I was going to put them in the review but I don’t want to spoil them for anyone.
I love this story and this author’s style of writing. This was a chilling tale that I will definitely be talking about for a while.
The book started really creepy and kept going from there. At times my heart was literally pounding and I had to put the book down and think happy thoughts because I was getting so stressed out. The way the story was written, I found myself not trusting any of the characters because of all the twists and surprises.
It felt like I was walking through a haunted house, completely tense waiting for the next thing to pop out of the shadows and scare me, but then nothing did, and I would relax a bit only to have something pop out a minute later for a delayed scare. This is what it was like reading this story. It was fantastic!
The imagery in the story makes it even more chilling and the analogies the author comes up with are amazing. For the first time ever I used the highlight feature on my kindle so I could quickly find them again when I wanted to show someone how incredible they are.
Initially I was going to put them in the review but I don’t want to spoil them for anyone.
I love this story and this author’s style of writing. This was a chilling tale that I will definitely be talking about for a while.
January 5, 2017
Review of Succubus by Wesley Thomas
Wesley Thomas manages to build up great suspense and intrigue, particularly in the first half of the novel. The story follows a rich young man, Leon, who wakes up from a coma after almost a year. How did he end up in such a state? Who is the beautiful blonde woman who haunts his dreams? Why does he keep having these hallucinations about some bloodthirsty old hag? Questions such as these make you want to keep on reading.
The second half of the book moves more into the classic horror vein: creepy houses, vampires, bloodletting... a bit less intriguing than the first half.
Overall, though, I found it to be a readable, well-told story - recommended for horror fans.
Wesley Thomas manages to build up great suspense and intrigue, particularly in the first half of the novel. The story follows a rich young man, Leon, who wakes up from a coma after almost a year. How did he end up in such a state? Who is the beautiful blonde woman who haunts his dreams? Why does he keep having these hallucinations about some bloodthirsty old hag? Questions such as these make you want to keep on reading.
The second half of the book moves more into the classic horror vein: creepy houses, vampires, bloodletting... a bit less intriguing than the first half.
Overall, though, I found it to be a readable, well-told story - recommended for horror fans.
April 8, 2016
Leon Crimson is waking from a coma but he might just wish he was asleep as creepy things happen and as he tries to remember a past that is hidden in a foggy memory the author takes readers on a strange journey. This is a scary, creepy and compelling read that will have readers looking over their shoulders even with the lights on. Thanks to the author for the twisted journey that will not soon be forgotten. Wesley Thomas is an author that will be one readers are going to go back to over and over again.
February 8, 2016
This book was EPIC!!!! Nothing short of perfection on this one, a perfect blend of horror, suspense, heart wrenching drama, and believe it or not heart warming and very well may leave you teary eyed at some points. A very well rounded book all the way around hands down. In the prologue alone Wesley has your skin crawling. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to get there creep on. Live Feb 28th but you can preorder now on Amazon.
February 1, 2025
4.5 stars
This book is my first foray into the Horror Genre. I’m so glad I started with a Wesley Thomas book!
I enjoy horror movies and this book made me feel like I was in one. I’m not sure what I expected out of a horror book but this went beyond all my expectations. I loved the combination of horror, mystery and thriller. There were times I was thoroughly creeped out and at the edge of my seat.
There was no easing into the creepy and gore! The prologue right away drops you into a “haunted hospital atmosphere” and we’re immediately introduced to the “monster”. I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down.
It’s hard to describe some of my favorite scenes without hitting spoilers. But there were a few scenes that were depicted that I thought, “this was so sick and twisted” that just added another layer to the scene! (The message left for Leon towards the end of the book. IYKYK) Wesley, sir, your mind is freakishly fantastic! 😆
What was pleasantly surprising, was the humor. I chuckled so much at Leon’s inner quips. Just imagining them in a British accent made it so much better!
I can’t wait to dive into his other books!
This book is my first foray into the Horror Genre. I’m so glad I started with a Wesley Thomas book!
I enjoy horror movies and this book made me feel like I was in one. I’m not sure what I expected out of a horror book but this went beyond all my expectations. I loved the combination of horror, mystery and thriller. There were times I was thoroughly creeped out and at the edge of my seat.
There was no easing into the creepy and gore! The prologue right away drops you into a “haunted hospital atmosphere” and we’re immediately introduced to the “monster”. I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down.
It’s hard to describe some of my favorite scenes without hitting spoilers. But there were a few scenes that were depicted that I thought, “this was so sick and twisted” that just added another layer to the scene! (The message left for Leon towards the end of the book. IYKYK) Wesley, sir, your mind is freakishly fantastic! 😆
What was pleasantly surprising, was the humor. I chuckled so much at Leon’s inner quips. Just imagining them in a British accent made it so much better!
I can’t wait to dive into his other books!
August 14, 2025
A chilling and addictive read! Wesley Thomas brings the Succubus myth to life in a way that is fresh, terrifying, and strangely heartwarming. The suspense kept me hooked until the last page, and the atmosphere lingered long after I finished. Horror fans, you’re in for a treat
June 26, 2016
The cover is fantastic and effectively conveys the horror of a monster wanting to eat you in the middle of the night. Even though a succubus is a monster who seduces men while they are sleeping, the novel doesn't really follow the traditional formula, which keeps the reader in suspense.
Succubus is arguably stronger in the first half, as the mystery of what happened to Leon takes the center stage and takes the right amount of time to develop. My only nitpick is that I would have preferred that he wasn't inflicted with so many 'it was all a bad dream' sequences which attacked him at the very beginning. But eventually this disappears as most of the focus is on Leon attempting to recover his lost memories, which leads him to finding out what happened to the love of his life, Annabelle. Throughout this book Wesley Thomas has a great style of writing and descriptive writing which has a way of easily drawing the reader into the book.
Once the mystery is revealed, there are some questionable things which happen as a result. I am going to do my best to avoid spoilers here, but there was a group of very powerful people Leon's family could have turned to for help, and for the life of me I can't figure out why they didn't go to them for help again, or at least call them. Maybe I missed a crucial fact somewhere in the novel, but so far the only reason I found was 'well, that's what got us in trouble earlier'. That may be true, but lives are on the line at that point in the novel and Leon is very out of his depth, as evidenced when several plans to wrong. They were terrifying in their own right, but clearly there had been a dialogue which had also been set up earlier.
Overall though, Wesley Thomas does do a fantastic job of conveying horror in this novel-there is one particular scene in the lake that I won't soon forget (it doesn't help that I hate crabs already!) and there were a few scenes when I literally jumped, which is very rare for me to do when reading fiction. The formatting of the book could really use some work though, so overall this is a bit of a mixed bag for me.
My final thoughts are that strong characters and descriptive language mix with formatting issues and slightly uneven pacing, particularly towards the ends. There is a lot that happens in the last twenty pages, to a point where I think 'less is more' might have led to a more satisfying conclusion. But if you're looking for a book to scare you, this would be a good one.
http://www.blackhavenreviews.com/2016...
Succubus is arguably stronger in the first half, as the mystery of what happened to Leon takes the center stage and takes the right amount of time to develop. My only nitpick is that I would have preferred that he wasn't inflicted with so many 'it was all a bad dream' sequences which attacked him at the very beginning. But eventually this disappears as most of the focus is on Leon attempting to recover his lost memories, which leads him to finding out what happened to the love of his life, Annabelle. Throughout this book Wesley Thomas has a great style of writing and descriptive writing which has a way of easily drawing the reader into the book.
Once the mystery is revealed, there are some questionable things which happen as a result. I am going to do my best to avoid spoilers here, but there was a group of very powerful people Leon's family could have turned to for help, and for the life of me I can't figure out why they didn't go to them for help again, or at least call them. Maybe I missed a crucial fact somewhere in the novel, but so far the only reason I found was 'well, that's what got us in trouble earlier'. That may be true, but lives are on the line at that point in the novel and Leon is very out of his depth, as evidenced when several plans to wrong. They were terrifying in their own right, but clearly there had been a dialogue which had also been set up earlier.
Overall though, Wesley Thomas does do a fantastic job of conveying horror in this novel-there is one particular scene in the lake that I won't soon forget (it doesn't help that I hate crabs already!) and there were a few scenes when I literally jumped, which is very rare for me to do when reading fiction. The formatting of the book could really use some work though, so overall this is a bit of a mixed bag for me.
My final thoughts are that strong characters and descriptive language mix with formatting issues and slightly uneven pacing, particularly towards the ends. There is a lot that happens in the last twenty pages, to a point where I think 'less is more' might have led to a more satisfying conclusion. But if you're looking for a book to scare you, this would be a good one.
http://www.blackhavenreviews.com/2016...
September 1, 2016
This book isn't my usual vampire reading as I prefer a story that takes place in ancient times but I really enjoyed reading this one. A very good contemporary vampire story that grabs our attention from the very beginning.
Wesley Thomas does know how to make the reader interested in keep reading; the plot is very good and when I first started reading the book never thought it would end the way it did. His writing is gripping and fluid, very descriptive so that it made me feel as if I was in the story myself.
There was some creepy moments whenever the old hag haunted Leon and it was a bit of a riddle yet I loved the last two chapters when it all came together and finally I understood what the haunting was about. The search for Annabelle had a few twists but.. well no spoilers, you have to read it if you want to know what I'm talking about.
Wesley Thomas does know how to make the reader interested in keep reading; the plot is very good and when I first started reading the book never thought it would end the way it did. His writing is gripping and fluid, very descriptive so that it made me feel as if I was in the story myself.
There was some creepy moments whenever the old hag haunted Leon and it was a bit of a riddle yet I loved the last two chapters when it all came together and finally I understood what the haunting was about. The search for Annabelle had a few twists but.. well no spoilers, you have to read it if you want to know what I'm talking about.
March 3, 2016
Gripping at first. Done a good job in maintaining the veil of suspense till almost half of the book. The last part is rather comical as compared to the horror genre.....Still a fine read.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews