The Church of Broken Pieces

by David Haynes

Frank Wilson has a reputation as a finder of rare items and unusual artefacts. But his latest client’s request is the strangest yet:

“I would like you to find my mother’s soul. Someone has stolen it.”

Drawn to the industrial town of Hemlock Mill, Maine, Wilson and his buddy Donovan discover a godforsaken place where lives are wrecked, hope is crushed, and souls are indeed lost.

And the only offer of salvation comes from the Church of Broken Pieces…

Genres: Horror

325 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 12, 2017

About the author

When 12 year-old David Haynes picked up a battered copy of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot, he never looked back.

Writing in the grand tradition of the horror paperback originals of his misspent youth, Haynes populates his spine-chilling novels with ancient evils and small-town terrors, mutant monstrosities and knife-wielding psychopaths, and is dedicated to disproving the depressing observation that “...they don’t write ‘em like they used to.”

David Haynes is the author of sixteen horror novels and three collections of macabre short fiction, and lives in England with his wife and dog - that he wasn’t allowed to call Cujo.

Reviews

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

CHURCH OF BROKEN PIECES is an exciting, engrossing Horror/Thriller starring a pair of unlikely heroes (yes, admittedly feckless) out of their depth, finding themselves struggling for both sanity and survival in an incomprehensible situation. The beauty of their character is their integrity and refusal to give up, despite insurmountable odds, when running away or just surrendering would be the easy route.

[MARTIN WITHERS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good scary read

An interesting story with some great horror sequences, but spoiled by some overlong episodes . Recommended with some reservations good.

[Kath Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frank Wilson makes his living finding and sourcing items, usually old and rare, for clients. His friend John Donovan works with him, and they are approached by a man who wants them to find something for him. His mother’s soul, which he believes someone has stolen. Initially they refuse – it’s too weird. Eventually they go to the run-down town of Hemlock Mill where the lady in question is in a facility where she suffers from Lock-in syndrome. The town is on its last legs and Frank and John meet the doctor and the reverend, both involved with the hospice.

This is a great modern-day horror story. The situation, in a ghost town, where the few authority figures are uneasy with one another, builds as we find out more about what is going on. Wilson begins to feel ill with a presumed heart complaint and this gets worse when he’s in the hospice. The reverend and his associates are not what they seem. I really enjoyed this story and it feels horribly real. Another great book from a really good writer.

[Michael Brookes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic horror read.

[Joo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another creepy tale from David Haynes. Even though this was set in modern times America, it still had an olden feel to it, probably because it was set in small town America.

[John Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ultimate "penny dreadful"!

Well, this book had everything, two sincere but slightly dim heroes, a mad (and bad) reverend, a saintly doctor and a satanic organisation, "The Church of Broken Pieces". Put them all together and you have a delicious blend of hokum and horror. Highly enjoyable!

[julia russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Really really enjoyed it. Definitely going to be reading a few more by David Haynes. Something to really get your teeth into,couldn't put it down.