Grand Masquerade

by Stephen C. Perkins

Beware the terror lurking beneath a mask of smiles... On an ancient ley line, deep within Vermont's dark forests, lives a mysterious and frightening secret...A forbidden door to a world beyond human perception. And three hunters are about to become the hunted! When a high-tech executive with a fiendish agenda and two other men visit the small town of Rupert, Vermont for a weekend hunting excursion, they come face to face with their worst nightmares - coming back not just to haunt them, but coming alive to take revenge! READ WITH THE LIGHTS ON! What readers from Amazon are ""A cross between the supernatural shockers of Steven King and the political and corporate intrigue of modern television shows like Succession and Billions, Grand Masquerade is a scary and intriguing thriller!""

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Fiction

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 2, 2020

About the author

In just his first year as an independent author, Massachusetts native Stephen Perkins' thrilling, entertaining, and thought provoking novels Raging Falcon, American Siren, Escape to Death and now the dark supernatural thriller Sorcerers' Dynasty have fast gained a loyal and rabid audience. While enjoying the books, be sure to check out Newsspellcom.org for a unique perspective on the news of the world one shall not surely discover anywhere else! Or, stop by for a visit on Twitter (Twitter.com@RAGEOFWORDS)

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grand Masquerade has an amazing beginning with bodies disappearing into the forest, birds circling, accident victims brought back to life, and emotion-laden prose, and, of course, the mysterious Others to whom promises have been made. But, the storyline focuses on political intrigue, creepy industrialists, and the whole dam thing breaking. After a Promising start, which may indeed have promised too much, the story, which was an amalgam of this and that, gets lost in the pages causing this reader to lose interest.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.

[the-librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are familiar with X-Files, Lost, or Stephen King novels, you have probably heard of ley lines. Ley lines entered public consciousness in the 1920s after the book The Old Straight Track was written by Alfred Watkins. He noted that many ancient structures could have straight lines drawn between them. They took on a pseudoscience-feel in the 1960s when people began putting forward the idea that “earth energies” ran through ley lines. They have been a fascination for many since that time and form the basis of many supernatural stories since that time.

Grand Masquerade follows in this tradition by drawing on the powers of a ley line located in a dense Vermont forest protected by spiritual entities called the Others. The power of the ley line and Others work to together to throw a kink in the plans of a U.S. presidential candidate and a technology firm CEO to take over the townspeople with a mind control device.

The small-town sheriff and the tech executives son set out to put a stop to this evil plan. Both groups discover something they weren’t expecting in the forest.

The action is fast-paced and the supernatural aspects of the story add interest rather than a dues ex machina aspect to the plot. The characters are fun and interesting. Everything is falls into place to make this a really fun read. I would highly recommend picking up this novel.

[Jimmy Jefferson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Supernatural horror from the depths of the Green mountains

This is a great supernatural horror story that takes place in a sleepy little Vermont town. When some bizarre things are discovered in the woods outside of town, the president of a super tech company meets with a Senator to discuss the implementation of a twisted mind control program called minerva. The meeting takes a drastic turn when their worst nightmares begin to appear deep in the forest. This book has a great storyline and will pull you deep into the terrifying mystery of the woods and the mind control program that could take over the world. A twisted horror story with some epic twists along the way. This is a must read for the horror fan and the supernatural ones as well. Great characters and a journey that will have you looking over you shoulder as you turn the pages to discover what will happen in the end. Check this one out folks, it is extreme and worth the read.

[Guy Wheatley · Rating 1 out of 5]

The prose is …. interesting, and virtually unreadable. It’s almost as though the author thought he was getting paid by the adjective. I found a couple of places where an entire paragraph was a single sentence. The sentence structure could have been designed by Yoda. The strange wording and long and flowery descriptions smother any action to the point I often forget what action the adjectives are describing.
Then we have the character. I say “the” character because they could all be the same person. Male, female, old, young, or supernatural, they all speak with the same ridiculous sentence bending fluff. I envision the character adopting exaggerated shakespearean gestures with every line. The bad guys are two dimensional mustache twirling Oil-Can Harry types who love evil for evil’s sake while the protagonist could be Dudley Do-Right.
The author’s knowledge of firearms seem to have come from a cursory Google search. Our protagonist knows they will be using a Browning MKIII semiautomatic when somebody mentions a ten round magazine. (Kudos to the author for only calling the magazine a clip once.) Standard round count for the MKIII is 4+1, though I suppose one can acquire an extended magazine. Then, after firing a round, the author has the shooter “Pull back the bolt action,” to load another round. What part of semiautomatic did we miss?
The plot is completely unbelievable. The author seems to have less understand of politics than he does firearms. (Hint, the job of Sheriff isn’t inherited. You have to win an election.) And the “masquerade” between Madden and Barkley was ludicrous.
If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be pompous.

[Pegboard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand Masquerade: A Supernatural Suspense Novel by Stephen Perkins grabs the reader from the very chapter as young Tad Keyes believes he is one of the chosen for the ultimate promise. His motorcycle and jacket that is left behind tells another story. The mystery builds as the State Troopers investigating Tad's disappearance are mutilated. Strange things happen in the Green Mountains, just where Richard Madden takes Senator for a little one on one time of manipulation.

Stephen Perkins is just an amazing author who knows just the right words to grab your attention and sends shivers down your back. Grand Masquerade combines supernatural, mystery, and horror together in one mesmerizing novel. This book is fast from the get-go and the tension continually mounts. The ending is classical as things are set straight, or are they?

[Píaras Cíonnaoíth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read supernatural suspense thriller...

Grand Masquerade by Stephen Perkins is a superbly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are expertly woven in this supernatural suspense thriller that guarantees the attention of the reader. Skillfully constructed and set against the backdrop of shady political dealings and the dark foreboding forests of Vermont, this book will have you turning the pages from beginning to end. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘On an ancient ley line, deep within Vermont's dark forests, lives a mysterious and frightening secret... A forbidden door to a world beyond human perception… And three hunters are about to become the hunted… A high-tech executive and a US presidential candidate, who in public appear to be at odds, are covertly working together to flood a small Vermont town. The plan is to evacuate the townspeople to a federal camp where they will be implanted with a newly developed surveillance/mind control device called Minerva… What they didn't know, is that the town sits on an ancient ley line guarded by spiritual beings called the Others. There's something going on in the Green Mountains of Vermont and it's more than anyone could imagine… Their visit to the small town, in the guise of a hunting expedition, quickly turns sour. They come face to face with their worst nightmares - coming back not just to haunt them, but coming alive to take revenge… The executive's playboy son and the town sheriff catches on to their fiendish plan and tries to stop them --- and discover forces beyond comprehension.’

I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a well-written supernatural suspense thriller with perfect pacing. Not much is as it appears here, which is just the way fans of the mystery, thriller and suspense will want it.

Grand Masquerade had every element a good story should have. An intriguing plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. It’s one of those stories that come along once in a while that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader!

I’ll be looking forward to reading more from this author in the future. Highly recommended to all fans of paranormal suspense and a well-deserved five stars from me.

[Seraphia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grand Masquerade is a dark suspense supernatural thriller by Stephen Perkins that promises thrills and to pull readers deep into its pages with conspiracy theories, danger, thrills, and bloodthirsty supernatural creatures. The author promises thrills and chills as dark deeds come to light and an ending that that is worth pushing onward to.
Grand Masquerade is the first book that I have read by this author and being an avid fan and reader of supernatural thrillers I was excited to see where the author was going to take me with this book. I have to admit that the author hooked me in with the first few pages of this book. A young man, out riding his motorcycle in the dark, and then something calls to him. Without hesitation or fear he answers…and the darkness claims its prize. But he is not the first nor will he be the last. These scenes quickly pique my interest and push me to eagerly page-turn to devour more of this book as I eagerly anticipate more of the dark twists that are sure to come. Well, the author then shifts gears to the two men who are to be…what are essentially the villains and victims of this book. The author puts a lot of focus on these characters and their individual doings and plotting. For me, the story begins to plod along with an exciting moment mixed in here and there to pull me back in and eagerly hopeful for the true darkness of the story to unfold.
While this book has the good moments of where you get the darkness, the supernatural, the thrills and the horror, I wish that the author had focused more so on that element of the story to really make it a true page-turner. As is, the author spends a lot of time on, in my opinion, excessive details. Describing a character’s facial hair and how he strokes it, for me, does not add anything beneficial to the storyline. Instead, for me, it drags it down and makes the story ponderous to get through. The tidbits of hidden gems scattered throughout the book are what make it worth the effort of moving forward, but I was disappointed that the piece that is mentioned in the blurb is buried halfway into the book when I was expecting it to take more a front seat/center stage closer to 25% into the book. I was hoping by 50% into the book that the storyline would have shifted more into the characters being in mortal danger deep into the woods, so I’m a bit disappointed that there isn’t more of a supernatural element prevalent throughout the storyline from beginning to end to spice the storyline up more.
At the end of the day, I am rating this book 4 out of 5 stars. The book has some good elements to it, but I just feel like the heavy-handed descriptions drown the storyline and bog it down when if some were taken out then it would help the story flow better and keep readers more captivated by what is going on with the lack of prevalent supernatural situations from beginning to end. I enjoy some of the backgrounds I get in certain scenes, but I just wanted more and I feel that the story falls short in meeting that expectation. If you, on the other hand, are a reader who enjoys a lot of detail and believes less is more when it comes to the supernatural element until the big moment, then I’m sure that you will enjoy reading this book.

[carly's library card · Rating 2 out of 5]

★★
The Grand Masquerade is an intriguing suspense novel that, at first, was very entertaining.

What I liked:
○ The cover!
○ The introductory events. The book started off like an episode of X-files. You're thrown into an eerie landscape with an ominous cloud of the supernatural hanging over each paragraph.
○The setting. The author sets up each chapter with its own detailed sights, sounds, smells. You can really picture what the character what experiencing.

What I didn't like:
○ The flowery language. While the descriptors were often interesting, it felt as if it was dragging on and on.
○The character development. Each character had the same manner of speaking (again, too many adjectives) and it was hard to tell them apart.
○The plot. The author drew me in in the beginning, but I found the story to be less and less believable as it went on.

All in all, this book was not what I thought it was and was hard to get through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Star Born Publishing for the advanced reading copy.

[Moná · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Grand Masquerade: A Supernatural Suspense Novel," author Stephen Perkings is full of completely suspenseful sci-fi elements, leaving you hooked on every word. Have you ever thought one-day communication could be so high tech, it didn't take anything beyond what your body already possesses, your brain? That's what Minerva entails, a new futuristic app that enables people to communicate on a global scale without the use of any device, just their mind. Interestingly enough, it was being created and promoted by Richard Madden, the CEO of the company, Morningstar. Does that name happen to ring a bell for you, I sure hope so. Just gives you a thought as to what we're up against.

Around the same time as the presentation for this innovative technology, there was an investigation transpiring for the disappearance of Tad Keyes, amidst the evidence of his shredded leather jacket, which included his Vermont's license in a pocket, and his motorcycle farther away from the scene. To make matters even worse, the small team of investigators suffered a fatal death by mauling and the creature that attacked them remained a mystery. A lot is going on with more questions than answers. Minerva isn't exactly an application for your device, it's a small electronic cerebral augmentation device the size of a rice grain, which would be placed under everyone's arm skin. If this doesn't remind you of the microchips we currently have in our society, that's implanted between the web of the thumb and index finger, I don't know what is. The idea of developing a universal utopia is expected to be successful with the help of Senator Graham Barkley.

I enjoyed reading this sci-fi written with elements of conspiracy theory, it keeps the reader at the edge of their seats. I highly recommend this book to everyone who truly enjoys sci-fi and suspense because this author has phenomenal writing abilities.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

What I liked about Grand Masquerade:
- I enjoyed the setting descriptions in this book. The author has a very flowery writing style, which makes it easy for him to transport the reader to small town Vermont.

What I disliked about Grand Masquerade:
- I found the author's writing style very difficult to read. He would add tons of extra adjectives and use very proper wording to describe the character's actions and the scenes.
- An example was when the author wrote "Washington's District of Columbia" is stead of simplifying using "Washington D.C.", "Washington", or "D.C.". The context clues in the story would have clued the reader in to the meaning the author intended.
-The way that that the character's talked was very formally and used out of date idioms for the technology that was present in the story.
-I did not enjoy the amount of supernatural activity involved in the story. I think the story could be equally as thrilling without the included supernatural aspects.
-I think the mystery was revealed way too soon. There was not enough time for the suspense t0 build up before the author revealed major mysterious aspects in the story.

Overall Thoughts:
Overall, I did not enjoy reading this story. There were times when it seemed like a slog to get through. I was expecting a supernatural suspense, but it lacked both supernatural creepiness and suspenseful reveals.


I would like to thank NetGalley and Star Born Publishing for the e-ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb

Stephen C. Parkin's Grand Masquerade, is a masterpiece of a writing document if I can say. 1st the author brings what I will call political mindsend into the game. I believe always, politicians usually have a hidden agenda. And as most rich people, the author brings the truth of the matter and situation, they usually have some people who do their dirty laundry or rather work. So based on that fact the author brings the characters very well and their roles well player in the book. I tried to be guessing what the story would bw like at the beginning, since I hadn’t had enough look, I never guessed right, suspence after suspence lead.
The author also added supernatural powers, something that the characters never expected to be as real as the author made it look. Their agenda was to secretly make the people of Vermont their little spies may be to gain clues to hunt the supernatural beings, but it couldn’t happen since the feared spiritual guards, the author called ‘others’ in the book came to hunt and hount them. There is panic and fear in the book, good word use and vocabulary. The author also used the supernatural beings in the story like they were supposed to and how they were to be feared. It is wonderful. I rate it 4 stars.

[Carolina Solano · Rating 5 out of 5]

The belongings of a certain Tad Keyes are found along the Vermont forest trail along with his motorcycle, apparently the boy magically disappeared without leaving a trace; There is only his jacket which is ripped to pieces as if an animal had attacked him.
Simultaneously, in New York City, Richard Madden introduces Minerva to a new innovative technology system that enables people to communicate without using any device, just their mind. Richard, to convince Senator Barkley to endorse his bill, invites a group of influential friends to a hunting weekend in Vermont Woods. These two events seem to have nothing to do with each other, just a common point in Vermont's forests, but they are the beginning of this incredible story.
It is a very well narrated book and the meticulously details reveal the imagination of author Stephen C. Perkins showing that it is a well thought out science fiction thriller story.
The characters are very well thought out and their descriptions reveal their very dark feelings.
It is a novel that constantly keeps us expectant and alert since what happens while reading its chapters is unimaginable.
I definitely recommend reading this novel and I am giving it five stars

[Carol M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a mystery and horror story packed with suspense scenes that will make your heart skip a bit. The book begins with the sudden disappearance of a young man in Vermont’s dark forest, leaving the State troopers totally perplexed. Then, the reader is taken to the state of New York where Richard Madden, the president of an important corporation, is about to launch a controversial app that will change the future. Yet, Senator Barkley wants to pass a law that will affect Madden’s plans. To gain Barkley’s support, Madden will invite Barkley to a hunting trip into Vermont’s forest.

The story is intriguing and captivating. You know that the characters are in danger and you won’t be able to put the book down until you find out what happens. The author, Stephen Perkins, wittifully manages to capture the reader's attention by including illustrations that make you feel you’re right there,in danger, in Vermont’s forest.

What I liked the most about this story is that unlike other horror books, this one deals with other controversial topics such as greed and ambition, not to mention how well depicted the natural elements are. If you are looking for a must-read suspense supernatural thriller, you mustn't miss it!

[Karyn H · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something scary in the woods
Stephen Perkins once more shows us his writing prowess in this mysterious adventure. First Tad Keyes gets missing with his motorbike parked close to the Vermont forest. Days after, they found more dead bodies with villagers pointing fingers to grizzlies.
A greater conspiracy boils down, and it is one that aims to control the human mind. Richard Madden was in charge of the project called Minerva. The presidential spokesperson Senator Barkley does not buy the idea; he was pushing for a bill that will inhibit the release of Minerva.
Madden, however, was determined to push forward, so he arranges for a secret meeting with Barkley. Madden sets up a hunting retreat with Barkley, and a few others were also invited.
I love the way this story flows naturally and leaves your heart pumping with every page you flip. Grand Masquerade is a wonderfully written story that cuts across the topics of politics and dark mystery. The moment they walked into that forest, I knew they were on an adventure of a lifetime.
This book is very entertaining and highly recommendable to lovers of the mystery genre.

[Tim Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrifying masquerade that ensues as an ancient sinister evil lurking in a remote wood comes face to face with modern corporate greed.

In the ancient forest near the remote town of Vermont is an area located directly where powerful forces converge to create a brooding and sinister evil. When business tycoon, Richard Madden sends his son to entertain a presidential candidate and entice him into endorsing their mind-controlling technology to be released on the ignorant masses, powerful eons-old forces are pit against implacable corporate greed and ambition in the setting of the ancient forest. A masquerade of death ensues in a gruesome dance that can only end with one winner.
Grand Masquerade is a brooding novel crafted with heavy highly descriptive tracts of writing similar to a modern version of H. P. Lovecraft. The bleak atmosphere and underlying horror of the tones are starkly reminiscent of the great writer and fans of this type of fiction will enjoy this book and the creeping terror that it invokes as you read it. Readers and fans of supernatural mystery thrillers combined with chilling modern technology will also find this eminently satisfying.

[CarlitasFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel to read at the edge of your seat

As the saying goes: “Do not judge a book by its cover”, and I dare say that I did. The first thing that caught my attention was the cover. It is so creative and attractive that invites you to read the story. “Grand Masquerade” was written by Stephen Perkins, a well-known writer of novels of this genre.
The story is set in Rupert, a small town situated in Vermont which is said to be “haunted" or called "dark forests”. Unfortunately, a mysterious death of a person without a trace of the body is the main event to investigate.
The plot of this novel is complicated but at the same time absorbing. It will let your imagination conjures up images from this tale. The characters are well-developed and complex. There are several twists and turns among them which make the action fast paced.
As regards the choice of vocabulary that the writer used, I must say that it was a smart read and I learnt plenty of new words. It is not a simple read but it is very enjoyable and gripping. I thoroughly recommend this supernatural thriller. I liked it!

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand Masquerade is a supernatural suspense thriller written by the bestselling author Stephen C. Perkins. This is a middle-length book with no more than 310 pages, divided into 23 chapters.

This mysterious novel is set in Rupert in the state of Vermont, where a boy disappeared near the Vermont forest, leaving no trace, only his motorcycle and his jacket were found. Later on, some bodies were also found and people in Rupert got really scared. Meanwhile in Manhattan, Minerva, a new futuristic technology, is being launched. The President of the Corporation, Richard Madden, needs Senator Barkley's approval, so he organizes a hunting trip. Do they know that they are in danger?

I really enjoyed reading this masterpiece. I think Stephen C. Perkins´s prose is fantastic, which makes this novel so interesting. The twist and turns of the story make you continue reading. Although I got scared in some parts, I was glued to the pages and I couldn’t put it down. I would recommend this novel to all suspense thriller lovers.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand Masquerade was written by Stephen Perkins. This fiction book is written for a general audience. It is a fast, absorbing, creative and interesting story about a boy who is brutally killed and his father, who is a farmer, couldn’t find his son’s body. Part fantasy thriller and part drama, this novel can easily make you feel lost in the fiction.
The story is narrated in third person. It is set in a town called Rupert; a small and isolated town in Vermont. I think the place that the author chose is perfect for the context since it is surrounded by woods and mountains, the perfect scene in a scary story.
Each chapter is more exciting than the last one. I couldn’t stop reading the book. The characters are all beautifully fleshed out. I have read most of Stephen Perkins books and I really enjoy the kind of stories he tells. I would recommend this one to anyone who really enjoys mystery.

[Sol Tyty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand Masquerade, by Stephen C. Perkins, is composed of 23 short fast-paced chapters narrated in the third person. It is a supernatural, macabre and full of suspense novel about some bizarre things that happen in the woods outside of Rupest, a small town in Vermont.
If you have read Stephen King at some point in your life, you can say this book has some elements that resemble King’s.
Gran Masquerade has great characters and an amazing storyline which, as the book unfolds, would make you want to know more and go deeper into the terrifying mystery of the woods. The story is twisted and some twists are totally unexpected.
I completely recommend this book if you are a horror or supernatural fan or if your main author of choice is Stephen King. Perkins can also be a must-read for King’s fans, his proses and writings have a similar style. This book would keep you hooked from the beginning until the very end.

[Alfredo R · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read, spine-tingling story
Grand Masquerade: A Supernatural Suspense Novel tells the story about a city which is about to be destroyed. However, this mysterious town is protected by spiritual beings called “the Others”, who are ready to do everything it takes to protect what they own.
The writer, Stephen Perkins, describes the settings in a way that allows us to be there while reading. The plot is easy to follow, the vocabulary is simple and the characters are unusual. The story is spectacular and realistic, and should not be read by those who are easily scared. There are 300 pages in this book, and you need to pay attention to every detail in order to reveal the truth.
I recommend this book for young adults who want to challenge their minds with a believable story.
If you like suspense, you should trust this best-seller writer and definitely read this spine-chilling, page-turner novel.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand Masquerade: A Supernatural Suspense Novel by Stephen Perkins is one on those books you don’t want to finish but at the same time you want to know what is going to happen next. It’s a supernatural book mixed with very interesting topics related to the world of politics, power and entitlement.
The story goes about some very greedy executives and politicians planning to flood a small town to start a project related to surveillance and control. But something will prevent that from happening, they don’t know it but the town is protected by spiritual beings known as “The Others”. While reading you know things are going to get messy, but nothing is certain.
I like how the author managed to balance the narrative with the dialogues, it makes this a very pleasant and intriguing read. Also, the development of the characters helps to the richness of the story. Divided into twenty-three chapters, Grand Masquerade is a supernatural thriller you are going to enjoy.  

[Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indeed a page turner. It was difficult for me to put down Grand Masquerade by Stephen C. Perkins because it was absolutely a stunning supernatural suspense thriller. There are moments that I was so shooked because of the events that I didn't see coming. The thing I loved about this book in particular is the storyline which was easy to follow and full of interesting happenings. The main hero was also likeable and very believable.

As for the setting, I loved that it was set in a quiet and sleepy town of Vermont. I could very well picture out how gloomy it looks like just by reading the chapters. I also would like to point out how the author did a very good job mixing the political aspects into this book which added intrigue to the whole story. I was creeped out and nervous all throughout the book. It was so well done and I thought the amazing writing had really something to do with its overall appeal.

[Agustina Sureda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen Perkins takes you on a trip to Vermont to find out that it is not a quiet little town anymore, but a very dark scenario indeed. Years of human sacrifice have brought prosperity to the small community of Rupert Township, and it is up to our main characters to discover the secret and save the people from this terrifying place. Meanwhile in New York City, a utopian world is forming through advanced micro-chips. The new technology, Minerva, would be inserted into people’s wrists, allowing for seamless communication between them, so a couple of politicians are asked to go to Vermont to promote this, and that’s when our story begins.
The author's rich, descriptive imagery draws you into a thriller that you can't put down. If you enjoy Stephen Kings novels then I assure you will like Perkins' book as well. There are definitely great moments, and it is an amazing book. I highly recommend it to you, 5 stars!

[Nela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing is what it seems in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Beneath a mask of smiles, you will find dark intentions, supernatural experiences, and surely exciting suspense and thrilling terror.

Under the appearance of a public confrontation between them, a high-tech executive and a US presidential candidate are planning to flood a small Vermont town. The behind intention is to evacuate the town's people to a camp where they will be implanted with a mind control device. But that town is located on an ancient ley line guarded by spiritual beings called the Others. That is the gripping plot of “Grand Masquerade: A Supernatural Suspense Novel”, by bestselling author Stephen Perkins.

Written cunningly, told in a steady pace, with mysterious characters and well-descripted imagery of suspenseful scenes, this thriller will leave you on the edge of your seat with every turn of the page. I earnestly invite mystery and thriller readers to get their own pleasure from this scary story

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A supernatural Thriller set deep in the heart of Vermont’s forests; this book will take you on the hunt. When three hunters become the hunted, things are not always as they at first appear. A sinister plot to flood a small town and implant all the residents with a mind controlling device is interfered with by the Others. Spiritual Beings who have guarded this land for centuries. The ones in charge of the plot, an Executive and a presidential candidate come to the town to oversee the plan and come face to face with their worst nightmares instead of a well-executed plan like they expected. Will they be able to be stopped in time to prevent a catastrophe?
A very good plot that has been executed in a page-turning manner. The story pace increases steadily and even though there are plenty of creepy moments, it is a terrific story to keep you entertained.

[Ivana S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I read from this author: Stephen Perkins. “Grand Masquerade” is a supernatural and suspenseful book with lots of twists and turns that keeps you at the edge of your seat. This novel is written for a general audience. Everyone will have a great time reading it! No matter the age.
The story is narrated in third person. It is set in a Vermont town. It is about two important people: a high-tech executive and a US presidential candidate who have to fight together to help people battle against supernatural forces that want to haunt them and that would even come alive to take revenge.
My favourite parts were the ones when I felt really scared; the moments when I didn't know what is going to happen and I felt nervous and anxious. I love feeling my heart bumping.
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

[Mia C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand Masquerade is a book written by Stephen Perkins, best selling author. This middle length book of a bit more than three hundred pages has a mixture of the supernatural, suspense and thriller.
This is a read that I enjoyed at the edge of my seat and with the lights on, obviously. It is certainly a page turning novel that once I started I could not put it aside. There has been a long time since a reading did not scare me like this one. It was like watching a movie.
The author has a very enjoyable writing style that makes the reader feel inside the story. While reading, many questions arouse in my mind and all my guesses were incorrect. The story has many twists and turns that kept me hooked in the reading.
I will definitely recommend reading this masterpiece. I am giving this book five stars because I cannot give it more.

[Jenny Goff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was full of suspense and scary twists and turns. There were some slow parts in the book but for the most part, this book really kept my interest as I wanted to find out what was really going on in this small, haunted town in Vermont. I liked that there were multiple story lines going on at the same time, from within the town and outside of the town. I also liked that it was not completely obvious right away which people in the town were not actually humans, but were the Outsiders, the spiritual beings that were guarding the town. There are several different twists that you find out throughout the story which I really enjoyed. The book does a great job of keeping you in suspense and, also scaring you as it all plays out. I enjoyed reading this book and I would definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good, scary, suspense novel.

[Melina A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen C. Perkins has done a great job here! Grand Masquerade is a tale that falls into the category of thriller and consists of short but easy-to-read chapters written in the third person.
I am a big fan of Stephen King and when I first started reading this book it reminded me of King’s writing style. There are a lot of elements present in Grand Masquerade’s prose which can usually be found in King’s books.
The book is splendidly written and the characters have been drawn in a fantastic way. The story revolves around weird things taking place in a small town in Vermont. Supernatural and macabre activities are happening in the woods and would keep readers on the alert until the last page.
I suggest this piece of literature to those keen on horror or supernatural stories. It will definitely make readers replay parts of the book in the minds even after finish reading it.

[Caro Rey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gripping Read

“Grand Masquerade: a supernatural suspense novel” was written by Stephen Perkins, best selling
author. The author did a great job here with this novel, making it a page turner from the first to the last pages.
Character portrayal is great; all the characters are very well developed. Moreover, the
plot was carefully thought, making it a gripping read. I’ve read many good comments about this book and luckily all of them were right. It is a must read and very entertaining novel.
The author used some narrative elements that can be found in King’s books for instance,
so Perkins’ writing style has proven to be very good.
All in all, it is a very good novel that captivated me from the very first pages and for
this reason I will recommend reading Grand Masquerade. I’d be glad to read some other work by this author.