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The Gordon Place
Lost Hollow constable Graham Gordon just walked into his abandoned childhood home for the first time in twenty years. Local teenagers have been spreading rumors about disembodied screams coming from inside. Now, thanks to a rickety set of cellar stairs and the hateful spirit of his dead father, he might never escape.
Meanwhile, Channel 6 News feature reporter Afia Afton—whose father is the victim of a local decades-old hate crime—is meeting with town administrator Patsy Blankenship. Her mission is to develop a ghost story feature for a special to air on the station's Halloween broadcast. When Patsy tells her about the screams at the Gordon place, the past and the present are set on a collision course with potentially catastrophic results.
Can Graham come to terms with his father’s past and redeem his own future? Can the murder mystery that has haunted Afia for most of her life finally be solved?
It’s a fight for the future and the past when spirit and flesh wage war at the Gordon place.
Meanwhile, Channel 6 News feature reporter Afia Afton—whose father is the victim of a local decades-old hate crime—is meeting with town administrator Patsy Blankenship. Her mission is to develop a ghost story feature for a special to air on the station's Halloween broadcast. When Patsy tells her about the screams at the Gordon place, the past and the present are set on a collision course with potentially catastrophic results.
Can Graham come to terms with his father’s past and redeem his own future? Can the murder mystery that has haunted Afia for most of her life finally be solved?
It’s a fight for the future and the past when spirit and flesh wage war at the Gordon place.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 15, 2019
15 people are currently reading
1293 people want to read
About the author
Isaac Thorne
14 books249 followersIsaac Thorne is a Middle Tennessee man who has, over the course of his life, developed a modest ability to spin a good yarn. Really. He promises.
He considers himself a lover of books, music, movies. His philosophy on his life is that it's all one giant experiment.
He considers himself a lover of books, music, movies. His philosophy on his life is that it's all one giant experiment.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 7, 2020
A big thank you to Sean Duregger, the narrator of the audiobook edition, for sending me a download in exchange for an honest review! Video review coming soon...
The Gordon Place by Issac Thorne opens with a disclaimer from the author assuring his readers that this novel is about the horrors of racism. It is not a racist novel. I'll admit, this statement made me nervous from the get-go. If an author feels the need to include a disclaimer exposing the point of their novel outright so that readers won't unfairly judge the book without finishing, it makes me weary of the author's ability to make their point through storytelling alone. Fortunately, The Gordon Place didn't really need this disclaimer to begin with. It should be obvious to anyone with comprehensive reading skills that this is an anti-prejudice book with the racist characters being uneducated with evil intentions and the main characters being a cop raised by an abusive, racist father, a black female reporter who has worked hard to overcome the racism of her small-town, and her gay cameraman who thankfully isn't too much of a stereotype.
The story follows a man named Graham Gordon, who is the constable of Lost Hollow. It has been twenty years since Graham has been to his childhood home where he suffered much abuse by the hand of his father, but he decides to visit that home only to be trapped there by an evil presence. Enter Afia Afton, a reporter for the local news, and her cameraman. They are filming a Halloween segment for the Channel 6 news about the rumored hauntings of Lost Hollow, and their next stop is the Gordon place. What proceeds is a story of possession, grief, and finding justice for those who have been wronged.
The Gordon Place is a timely novel that explores, not so much the current political climate at large, but the current climate of small town living. There is no subtly here and the story can be a bit heavy handed, so please know that going in. This is primarily a story built around its message.
Some strong points: I enjoyed the characters, particularly the tragic Graham Gordon and Afia Afton. They were both fleshed out and easy to empathize with. I also enjoyed reading scenes with Patsy Blankenship, the town administrator. She's this spunky southern bell with a lot of personality and charm, torn right out of the pages of a cozy mystery.
Unfortunately, I did find the story a bit predictable (except for two very clever twists), and it could also be slow and repetitive at times. Therefore, it took me a while to get through the audiobook. This is nothing against the narrator though. Sean Duregger has an infectious energy and an upbeat voice. He also likes to get into character, making the audiobook a fun listen overall. The only nitpick I have is that sometimes his upbeat energy can diffuse the tension in heavier scenes, but seeing that this is one of his early performances, I won't hold it against him. His recent narration of The Brain Eaters was spot-on.
Overall, I'd recommend The Gordon Place to anyone looking for a timely read in these challenging times.
The Gordon Place by Issac Thorne opens with a disclaimer from the author assuring his readers that this novel is about the horrors of racism. It is not a racist novel. I'll admit, this statement made me nervous from the get-go. If an author feels the need to include a disclaimer exposing the point of their novel outright so that readers won't unfairly judge the book without finishing, it makes me weary of the author's ability to make their point through storytelling alone. Fortunately, The Gordon Place didn't really need this disclaimer to begin with. It should be obvious to anyone with comprehensive reading skills that this is an anti-prejudice book with the racist characters being uneducated with evil intentions and the main characters being a cop raised by an abusive, racist father, a black female reporter who has worked hard to overcome the racism of her small-town, and her gay cameraman who thankfully isn't too much of a stereotype.
The story follows a man named Graham Gordon, who is the constable of Lost Hollow. It has been twenty years since Graham has been to his childhood home where he suffered much abuse by the hand of his father, but he decides to visit that home only to be trapped there by an evil presence. Enter Afia Afton, a reporter for the local news, and her cameraman. They are filming a Halloween segment for the Channel 6 news about the rumored hauntings of Lost Hollow, and their next stop is the Gordon place. What proceeds is a story of possession, grief, and finding justice for those who have been wronged.
The Gordon Place is a timely novel that explores, not so much the current political climate at large, but the current climate of small town living. There is no subtly here and the story can be a bit heavy handed, so please know that going in. This is primarily a story built around its message.
Some strong points: I enjoyed the characters, particularly the tragic Graham Gordon and Afia Afton. They were both fleshed out and easy to empathize with. I also enjoyed reading scenes with Patsy Blankenship, the town administrator. She's this spunky southern bell with a lot of personality and charm, torn right out of the pages of a cozy mystery.
Unfortunately, I did find the story a bit predictable (except for two very clever twists), and it could also be slow and repetitive at times. Therefore, it took me a while to get through the audiobook. This is nothing against the narrator though. Sean Duregger has an infectious energy and an upbeat voice. He also likes to get into character, making the audiobook a fun listen overall. The only nitpick I have is that sometimes his upbeat energy can diffuse the tension in heavier scenes, but seeing that this is one of his early performances, I won't hold it against him. His recent narration of The Brain Eaters was spot-on.
Overall, I'd recommend The Gordon Place to anyone looking for a timely read in these challenging times.
December 30, 2020
First off I have to say that I dig Isaac Thorne's writing style. In a genre where it's sometimes difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff, this is good old school horror, remarkably well-written and suitably creepy.
August 27, 2019
i was really excited to listen to this one but this one just didn't work for me. Thank you Issac Thorne for your warning up front! if that wasn't there, i would've turned this off a lot sooner. As for why it didn't work, i never cared about any of the characters. The idea sounded great, i guess i was expecting more haunting & black dog sightings. the use of black bitch over and over was really getting old by the end of the book. While i didn't really like this one, i would give the author another chance.
i received this audio book in exchange for a honest review. this is it.
i received this audio book in exchange for a honest review. this is it.
May 30, 2019
Graham Gordon left his childhood home and vowed to never go back after the abuse from his drunken father. Now his is the only constable in the town of Lost Hollow and he finds himself back at his childhood home. At the same time reporter Afia Afton has returned to Lost Hollow on the hunt for a Halloween story but secretly looking for whole killer her father when she was young.
Both Graham and Afia find themselves intertwined with their father’s past and hatred of each other. I liked both Graham and Afia and how everything is linked. I was so glad that Graham didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps. As for Afia I wanted her to find closure but I don’t think she expected what she was going to find.
This is a great, classic ghost story, not the blood and gore you normally think of today. But that doesn’t mean it is not scary, I found if I let my mind wander I was more creeped out. This is a fantastic chilling story for anyone that enjoys ghost stories.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
Both Graham and Afia find themselves intertwined with their father’s past and hatred of each other. I liked both Graham and Afia and how everything is linked. I was so glad that Graham didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps. As for Afia I wanted her to find closure but I don’t think she expected what she was going to find.
This is a great, classic ghost story, not the blood and gore you normally think of today. But that doesn’t mean it is not scary, I found if I let my mind wander I was more creeped out. This is a fantastic chilling story for anyone that enjoys ghost stories.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
April 17, 2019
The tale starts by inviting into a condemned place and condemned souls, men with troubles of hate and alcohol, a bad father who had beaten down on a son with a possible chance in life, memories, the dead past and the bad things remaining.
There is mention of murder of a past time, ones of hate, things from past revisiting our main character, a son of a man, kin, human but not humane.
Reeling and hooking you in to the tale successfully with need for answers with all the other world things occurring, serving up a haunting entertaining read.
There will be entities of a kind with the newly founded invested interests in the fates of denizens of Lost Hollow and this haunted dwelling Gordon Place.
Small town, Lost Hollow, bad histories and mysteries.
You will start wondering Small towns do all of them have secrets?
Review also @ More2Read
There is mention of murder of a past time, ones of hate, things from past revisiting our main character, a son of a man, kin, human but not humane.
Reeling and hooking you in to the tale successfully with need for answers with all the other world things occurring, serving up a haunting entertaining read.
There will be entities of a kind with the newly founded invested interests in the fates of denizens of Lost Hollow and this haunted dwelling Gordon Place.
Small town, Lost Hollow, bad histories and mysteries.
You will start wondering Small towns do all of them have secrets?
Review also @ More2Read
April 4, 2019
** Edited as Review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
The Gordon Place is my first go around with Mr. Thorne’s work, although I’ll admit I’ve had his collection Road Kills on my radar for some time.
The synopsis/premise of The Gordon Place, is itself intriguing. The small town of Lost Hollow has one constable, Graham Gordon. Graham returns to his abandoned childhood home. The house itself holds horrible memories from his youth, and he’d vowed to never return. But now duty calls and he must.
Meanwhile a newscaster whose father was a victim of a horrible hate-crime returns to Lost Hollow in the hopes of uncovering a solid ghost story to run. Something that’ll bump her ratings but also, hopefully in the off chance it happens, answer some questions she’s always wished answered.
It doesn’t take long before the constable and the newscaster’s paths cross and they discover their pasts are intertwined in ways they’d never imagined.
Thorne does some magnificent character building in this story. He starts off with a foreword letting us know that there’s some very unsettling content within, and the truth of the matter – there is. But set in the context of the story, the time line/years of occurrences and the nature behind why it’s all included make perfect sense and I never once felt uncomfortable in the sense that it was excessive. Don’t get me wrong, the story line that goes with it is highly uncomfortable, but it has a purpose and for that Thorne deserves some tremendous props.
The ghost story included is fascinating, even while only making me feel creeped out a few times. The ‘creature’ within that rear’s its head a few times was unsettling, but overall this read more like a well-paced drama then a gore filled haunted house tale and it worked really well.
Thorne has some serious writing chops and every time I jumped back into The Gordon Place, I was easily whisked away to Lost Hollow. This was a hard one to review based on the fact that it’s tough to go too far into what the story holds without giving away major spoilers! That says a ton about the depth included within the pages.
The Gordon Place is my first go around with Mr. Thorne’s work, although I’ll admit I’ve had his collection Road Kills on my radar for some time.
The synopsis/premise of The Gordon Place, is itself intriguing. The small town of Lost Hollow has one constable, Graham Gordon. Graham returns to his abandoned childhood home. The house itself holds horrible memories from his youth, and he’d vowed to never return. But now duty calls and he must.
Meanwhile a newscaster whose father was a victim of a horrible hate-crime returns to Lost Hollow in the hopes of uncovering a solid ghost story to run. Something that’ll bump her ratings but also, hopefully in the off chance it happens, answer some questions she’s always wished answered.
It doesn’t take long before the constable and the newscaster’s paths cross and they discover their pasts are intertwined in ways they’d never imagined.
Thorne does some magnificent character building in this story. He starts off with a foreword letting us know that there’s some very unsettling content within, and the truth of the matter – there is. But set in the context of the story, the time line/years of occurrences and the nature behind why it’s all included make perfect sense and I never once felt uncomfortable in the sense that it was excessive. Don’t get me wrong, the story line that goes with it is highly uncomfortable, but it has a purpose and for that Thorne deserves some tremendous props.
The ghost story included is fascinating, even while only making me feel creeped out a few times. The ‘creature’ within that rear’s its head a few times was unsettling, but overall this read more like a well-paced drama then a gore filled haunted house tale and it worked really well.
Thorne has some serious writing chops and every time I jumped back into The Gordon Place, I was easily whisked away to Lost Hollow. This was a hard one to review based on the fact that it’s tough to go too far into what the story holds without giving away major spoilers! That says a ton about the depth included within the pages.
July 20, 2021
Good modern haunted house story - https://www.alwroteabook.com/2020/04/...
September 22, 2019
If you like sick and twisted this book is for you. There are some racial slurs ( but you must take them in the context they were written, which is explained) , lots of colorful language and at times violence. There's ghosts, possession, and so much more.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
April 5, 2020
When Graham decides to return to his childhood home, he’s not sure what to expect. The place has been abandoned for years, and in the shadows lurk his memories. The worst of which are tied to his father. To save himself, he must get to the bottom of his father’s twisted past.
A unique twist on a haunted house tale. There’s quite a bit of racism in the story which made it hard for me to get through because I was constantly rooting for the downfall of most of the characters. The author did a good job of showing three different POVs, and their way of handling the prejudice in the small town. This story has plenty of tension to draw you in and hold you tight.
Narration was okay.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
A unique twist on a haunted house tale. There’s quite a bit of racism in the story which made it hard for me to get through because I was constantly rooting for the downfall of most of the characters. The author did a good job of showing three different POVs, and their way of handling the prejudice in the small town. This story has plenty of tension to draw you in and hold you tight.
Narration was okay.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
May 1, 2019
Gritty horror story
Caught up in this engrossing story, you will feel every chill in the air, see every trick of the light, hear every creak and eerie voice. Thorne superbly builds up a chilling and riveting tale of a new constable rediscovering the horrors of his past and new terrors he never could have dreamed of, and leaves readers on the edge of their seats desperate and terrified for more.
Caught up in this engrossing story, you will feel every chill in the air, see every trick of the light, hear every creak and eerie voice. Thorne superbly builds up a chilling and riveting tale of a new constable rediscovering the horrors of his past and new terrors he never could have dreamed of, and leaves readers on the edge of their seats desperate and terrified for more.
June 2, 2019
This is a new author to me, and he has written a delightful horror story with the suspense being built throughout the story. This resulted in my sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what was going to happen next. The author does a wonderful job of setting the scene and telling the story by weaving past and present together, with characters who are well developed and relatable. A great book!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 24, 2019
After graham convinces his small town to sell him his condemned childhood home his past comes back to haunt him
A fantastic ghost story that also deals with child and alcohol abuse along with racism in rural communities
Overall a well narrated paranormal mystery I thoroughly enjoyed
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
A fantastic ghost story that also deals with child and alcohol abuse along with racism in rural communities
Overall a well narrated paranormal mystery I thoroughly enjoyed
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
November 28, 2019
A refreshingly original horror tale with psychosocial allegories on par with The Babadook. Sean Duregger nails it with the narration! His ability to capture the personalities and intents of each character elevates the story to another level entirely. The audiobook version is definitely worth your time!
June 13, 2019
Honestly, the best horror story I have read in a long time. This author is an excellent writer and this story had me glued to the pages. Definitely a compelling read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 12, 2019
Knock knock.
Who’s there?
A multilayered book that fans of the Ronald Malfi and the King himself would greatly enjoy. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook which was performed well, helping to illuminate the writing of Thorne. I’m looking into more of his work from here on. No joke.
Who’s there?
A multilayered book that fans of the Ronald Malfi and the King himself would greatly enjoy. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook which was performed well, helping to illuminate the writing of Thorne. I’m looking into more of his work from here on. No joke.
August 23, 2023
The Gordon Place- a unusual ghost story
Great story! So unexpected. Something new and unexpected in a ghost story. If you’re looking for a ghost story with a twist this is the book for you.
Great story! So unexpected. Something new and unexpected in a ghost story. If you’re looking for a ghost story with a twist this is the book for you.
May 27, 2020
I hate leaving reviews, or deciding between stars since personal opinion is ..... just an opinion, but I finished The Gordon Place last night and am glad I had the chance to read this one. We've been quarantined for over 80 days, and a few weeks ago I put my info out on Instagram asking for book contests to enter, and shared my address with a writer. Who shared it with writers. Isaac Thorne must have gotten my info because The Gordon Place arrived unexpectedly. Once it made it past decontamination, I opened it and began reading. And didn't stop.
I would never have known about this book if not for Covid. So thank you Covid for introducing me to a very talented writer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a solid scary story with great characters and really skillful language. Here's the obligatory trigger warning - this one includes details about child abuse, racism and violence. There is some language that might be hard to hear, but it's not gratuitous and was appropriate for the tale.
The best compliment I can give is I will be adding Thorne to my list of authors to follow and checking out his other books.
I received this (surprise!) gift from the author and was not obligated to leave a review.
I would never have known about this book if not for Covid. So thank you Covid for introducing me to a very talented writer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a solid scary story with great characters and really skillful language. Here's the obligatory trigger warning - this one includes details about child abuse, racism and violence. There is some language that might be hard to hear, but it's not gratuitous and was appropriate for the tale.
The best compliment I can give is I will be adding Thorne to my list of authors to follow and checking out his other books.
I received this (surprise!) gift from the author and was not obligated to leave a review.
May 24, 2019
This story was very original and chilling. It was also realistic in the way it portrayed the father with his backwards, bigoted, racist, child abusing, totally horrific ways and how it was all pasted down by his own father. Regardless of how Lee (the bad father) was, his son, Graham, didn’t take after him. Thank goodness! Afia and Staff also learned that just because you’re supposed to do a fluff Halloween story, it’s not always what you get! I really hope I don’t have nightmares from this, or see the “dog” in my dreams! Read the book, you’ll see what I’m talking about!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 10, 2019
Very intense and masterfully wrote book. Enjoyed it from beginning to end. Plenty of twists so some may get lost but for the avid reader, very intriguing. I love the horror and supernatural genres and this fits in perfectly.
If you are easily offended, then this book may not be for you but remember this book is fictional.
Great characters and great story.
If you are easily offended, then this book may not be for you but remember this book is fictional.
Great characters and great story.
May 31, 2019
Isaac Thorne wrote a very impressing story called The Gordon Place. Haunted house spooky ghost murder mystery what more could you need.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 13, 2019
What a terrific read! You will meet some wonderful and intriguing characters. This book did not disappoint. The characters were realistic without being too detailed. The writing was to the point no skirting around things which made for a very easy read.
February 12, 2020
supernatural goodness
November 25, 2022
Gordon Graham grew up with an abusive father. He was constantly beaten and he often hid himself in their cellar. Now 20 years later Gordon finds himself stuck in that same cellar after falling down the rotten cellar stairs. Afia Afton lived in the same town and had her own troubles with Gordon's father because he was a racist. Now she's working for the Channel 6 news and is headed back to her hometown of Lost Hollow to run a Halloween special. As the stories develop, Gordon finds he's not alone in the cellar, and Afia finds that some ghosts do come back to haunt you - alive.
"I mean that the Lost Hollow I remember was aptly named because it was kind of a lost place. It's where people lived or died or disappeared without anyone noticing much one way or the other."
This book was an excellent haunted house feat. possession story. Don't think I've read any of such stories from the angle presented here. Plus there's an interesting "creature of the past" that's waiting for justice. It's something you must read to appreciate the originality of the writing. It's a horror book on different levels. In addition to the premise in which it takes place, there's the reality of racism, domestic abuse, homophobia, misogyny, murder - written from the viewpoint of one deranged individual who places guilt on everybody but himself. I think the author portrayed Graham's father's mindset well and you'll be angered many times at the character while reading. The other characters were realistic, Gordon himself being flawed and influenced throughout his life, not really knowing which direction to go. And that's why I loved the ending even more. It just suited. Sadly.
Couldn't start to imagine living in a place like that. If only they existed in the twisted imaginations.
"I mean that the Lost Hollow I remember was aptly named because it was kind of a lost place. It's where people lived or died or disappeared without anyone noticing much one way or the other."
This book was an excellent haunted house feat. possession story. Don't think I've read any of such stories from the angle presented here. Plus there's an interesting "creature of the past" that's waiting for justice. It's something you must read to appreciate the originality of the writing. It's a horror book on different levels. In addition to the premise in which it takes place, there's the reality of racism, domestic abuse, homophobia, misogyny, murder - written from the viewpoint of one deranged individual who places guilt on everybody but himself. I think the author portrayed Graham's father's mindset well and you'll be angered many times at the character while reading. The other characters were realistic, Gordon himself being flawed and influenced throughout his life, not really knowing which direction to go. And that's why I loved the ending even more. It just suited. Sadly.
Couldn't start to imagine living in a place like that. If only they existed in the twisted imaginations.
December 27, 2020
Isaac Thorne is a writer more people should be familiar with, particularly fans of classic horror. To anyone who asks why I think so, I would say, "Read The Gordon Place and you'll understand, and I expect you'll agree." This is a scary story (really) told in the style of 70s-80s horror, with literary aspirations and contemporary relevance. For fear of unintended spoilers, I'll stay away from the plot, except to say the story takes a man back to his hometown and his abandoned childhood home. There he is confronted with his complicated past, both figuratively and literally. The novel explores questions of identity, free will, family secrets, social injustice, folklore, and more, and manages to weave it all into a pulse pounding tale with only a few moments to catch your breath. (Those moments, by the way, include some closely studied episodes of very real, very human engagement that make the main characters into flesh and blood people we can thoroughly recognize and relate to.) I enjoyed this book from start to finish, which is not so common for me anymore. I will be looking for more from Mr. Thorne.
May 2, 2019
I have always been a fan of the horror genre, and was particularly happy to find a good read in a category that is too-often plagued by digital dime-store paperbacks that can quickly degenerate into a propensity for gore over masterful suspense...something the author of The Gordon Place is not guilty of.
Who isn’t captivated by the idea of a creepy house in the backwoods? And yet, despite the ubiquitous precedent for this tale, it here has a fresh uniqueness that is riveting and entertaining.
When I was younger I read through much of the literature of Stephen King. The way that the Gordon Place moves back-and-forth between past and present in order to weave them together into one chilling narrative was a truly engaging device that Reminded me of King’s opus, It. Also, the setting of the creepy house remind me of Bleak House, a book that King cowrote with Peter Straub.
Great read and thoroughly enjoyable; highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the horror genre.
Who isn’t captivated by the idea of a creepy house in the backwoods? And yet, despite the ubiquitous precedent for this tale, it here has a fresh uniqueness that is riveting and entertaining.
When I was younger I read through much of the literature of Stephen King. The way that the Gordon Place moves back-and-forth between past and present in order to weave them together into one chilling narrative was a truly engaging device that Reminded me of King’s opus, It. Also, the setting of the creepy house remind me of Bleak House, a book that King cowrote with Peter Straub.
Great read and thoroughly enjoyable; highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the horror genre.
April 30, 2019
After more than six decades of reading horror daily, I cannot recall ever reading a story quite like this one. Weird--and distinctly unique. Set in a tiny town in Tennessee, the story intricately weaves back and forth between contemporary setting and the ugly 1990's, ugly here because the bigotry is still alive and well. Reconstruction had nothing on these folks, who act like they're living in George Wallace's Alabama.
Graham Gordon is the newly elected Town Constable of Lost Hollow, and a more feckless protagonist you are likely never to find. Raised motherless in a horribly abusive environment, he likely will never achieve emotional stability. And then the Supernatural sets in--and all Hades breaks loose.
Graham Gordon is the newly elected Town Constable of Lost Hollow, and a more feckless protagonist you are likely never to find. Raised motherless in a horribly abusive environment, he likely will never achieve emotional stability. And then the Supernatural sets in--and all Hades breaks loose.
May 22, 2019
This book had me sucked in from the beginning. I loved getting to know the characters (except for Lee) and seeing how much they've grown through the flashbacks and having to deal with this bizarre situation together.
The author has a note at the beginning stating that there are scenes of violence and racism and it still did not prepare me with the introduction of Lee Gordon. Lee Gordon is hands down the most vile character I've ever been introduced to in a fictional story. Some villains have some sort of redeeming quality that could make you understand why they are the way that they are but this does not apply to Lee Gordon.
I will say that I am disappointed in how the story ends for Graham Gordon. The few interactions and developments that you have of him, make him a really likable character. It would've been great (although more heart wrenching) to have gotten to know him a little more.
The story deals with a lot of small town racism and I will say that the author presents it 110% accurately, which really says something about the state of the world.
I was fully convinced that I knew how the ending would play out upon Jeremy Beard's arrival to the Gordon house but he caught me off guard and it didn't end anywhere close to how I presumed it would and that's absolutely one of my favorite things.
This isn't a type of story that I would normally read but the entire concept appealed to me and was presented beautifully.
I do recommend this story to those that can handle violence and a feeling of dread throughout the read.
The author has a note at the beginning stating that there are scenes of violence and racism and it still did not prepare me with the introduction of Lee Gordon. Lee Gordon is hands down the most vile character I've ever been introduced to in a fictional story. Some villains have some sort of redeeming quality that could make you understand why they are the way that they are but this does not apply to Lee Gordon.
I will say that I am disappointed in how the story ends for Graham Gordon. The few interactions and developments that you have of him, make him a really likable character. It would've been great (although more heart wrenching) to have gotten to know him a little more.
The story deals with a lot of small town racism and I will say that the author presents it 110% accurately, which really says something about the state of the world.
I was fully convinced that I knew how the ending would play out upon Jeremy Beard's arrival to the Gordon house but he caught me off guard and it didn't end anywhere close to how I presumed it would and that's absolutely one of my favorite things.
This isn't a type of story that I would normally read but the entire concept appealed to me and was presented beautifully.
I do recommend this story to those that can handle violence and a feeling of dread throughout the read.
May 23, 2019
The Gordon Place is a chilling paranormal tale that kept me turning the pages. The writing switches between the past and modern day, and presents a tense and creepy story.
Duty calls and, as the only constable in the small town of Lost Hollow, Graham Gordon has returned to his childhood home. A place where his mother left him to be beaten and abused by his alcoholic father, who has now been dead for many years. Graham has an accident and because of the run-down state of the house, he can’t get out.
Meanwhile, reporter, Afia Afton and cameraman, Joe ‘Staff’ Stafford are on their way to Lost Hollow to film a ghost story feature. B&B owner, Patsy, has a tale to tell them about the local entity, The Black Bitch, a dog with a human face.
Afia left Lost Hollow as a child, after someone murdered her father, a few years after her mother had disappeared, and she’s never been back until now.
Graham and Afia’s fathers had bad blood between them, but no-one knew, or cared, about how deep the hostility ran, or the extent of Lee Gordon's hatred, until the events in the book run their course.
An intriguing and creepy, haunted house story with ghosts, spirits and possession. Not for the easily offended as the antagonist is a vile and abusive racist.
Duty calls and, as the only constable in the small town of Lost Hollow, Graham Gordon has returned to his childhood home. A place where his mother left him to be beaten and abused by his alcoholic father, who has now been dead for many years. Graham has an accident and because of the run-down state of the house, he can’t get out.
Meanwhile, reporter, Afia Afton and cameraman, Joe ‘Staff’ Stafford are on their way to Lost Hollow to film a ghost story feature. B&B owner, Patsy, has a tale to tell them about the local entity, The Black Bitch, a dog with a human face.
Afia left Lost Hollow as a child, after someone murdered her father, a few years after her mother had disappeared, and she’s never been back until now.
Graham and Afia’s fathers had bad blood between them, but no-one knew, or cared, about how deep the hostility ran, or the extent of Lee Gordon's hatred, until the events in the book run their course.
An intriguing and creepy, haunted house story with ghosts, spirits and possession. Not for the easily offended as the antagonist is a vile and abusive racist.
April 24, 2019
Isaac Thorne has written a page turner that kept me guessing the whole time.
It all begins with Constable Grahame Gordon heading to his family's old house to fix a broken security light - and turns into a supernatural mystery that tackles small town prejudices and politics at its finest. The characters were well developed and fleshed out, I especially liked Alfia, the reporter who returns to the small town of Lost Hollow to do a campy Halloween story and gets much more than she bargained for.
I would recommend this book to fans of a good thriller and those who like some darkness in their mysteries. Horror mystery? Thorne might have created his own genre.
It all begins with Constable Grahame Gordon heading to his family's old house to fix a broken security light - and turns into a supernatural mystery that tackles small town prejudices and politics at its finest. The characters were well developed and fleshed out, I especially liked Alfia, the reporter who returns to the small town of Lost Hollow to do a campy Halloween story and gets much more than she bargained for.
I would recommend this book to fans of a good thriller and those who like some darkness in their mysteries. Horror mystery? Thorne might have created his own genre.
May 27, 2019
The Gordon Place is a horror novel set in a small town with some seriously dark secrets.
A man wanting to renovate his childhood home gets more than he bargained for when he ends up in the basement.
A female news reporter returns to the small town that caused her so much grief and discovers the horrors of her childhood still haven't been put to rest.
This is a dark, horrifying story that will leave readers uneasy and creeped out. It's more than just a haunted house story. It's more than just uncovering the evil that's been buried in this small town for twenty years. This story tackles a lot, but at the backbone of it all, it's a story about forgiveness.
I found The Gordon Place to be both terrifying (I have issues with dogs, and the one in this story is really weird) and intriguing. There's strangely a decent amount of heart to the story, even though it's got a lot of awful stuff going on. I enjoyed it.
I did think, at first, the story was a little slow in spots. But once things started picking up and got going, it was a legitimately scary, intense ride. I had to put the book down a couple of times (usually when the dog showed up, because that seemed to happen when I was reading at night, in the dark), but I made it through without freaking myself out too much. I'd consider that a plus.
If you're a fan of horror and are looking for a new book to check out, definitely give The Gordon Place a whirl.
I'm rating it 4.5 stars.
A man wanting to renovate his childhood home gets more than he bargained for when he ends up in the basement.
A female news reporter returns to the small town that caused her so much grief and discovers the horrors of her childhood still haven't been put to rest.
This is a dark, horrifying story that will leave readers uneasy and creeped out. It's more than just a haunted house story. It's more than just uncovering the evil that's been buried in this small town for twenty years. This story tackles a lot, but at the backbone of it all, it's a story about forgiveness.
I found The Gordon Place to be both terrifying (I have issues with dogs, and the one in this story is really weird) and intriguing. There's strangely a decent amount of heart to the story, even though it's got a lot of awful stuff going on. I enjoyed it.
I did think, at first, the story was a little slow in spots. But once things started picking up and got going, it was a legitimately scary, intense ride. I had to put the book down a couple of times (usually when the dog showed up, because that seemed to happen when I was reading at night, in the dark), but I made it through without freaking myself out too much. I'd consider that a plus.
If you're a fan of horror and are looking for a new book to check out, definitely give The Gordon Place a whirl.
I'm rating it 4.5 stars.
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