Ghost at Dusk

by Kevan Dale

The ghost story you’ve been waiting for.

One desperate ghost. One psychotic demon. And only one will win.

Tim died on Halloween, 1981. Last year, he haunted his elderly father from the house. But he’s still a captive, tormented—and more determined than ever to slip free from the chains of the past.

The only thing standing in his way is the demon who killed him.

Determined and alone, Tim readies his plan to leave behind the joys, the tragedies, and the memories of the only home he’s ever known. But before he can make his escape, another family moves in. One of the new family members is Alyssa, a teenage girl who becomes obsessed with finding out what happened in 1981. Within weeks of their moving in, Tim devises a way to communicate with her.

When their connection leads them to realize he’s not the demon’s only prisoner, they discover a dark secret—one the demon will do anything to defend.

What really happened on Halloween in 1981? What kept Tim from reaching the other prisoners? And how far will the demon go to stop him now?

From the bestselling author of The Books of Conjury comes this darkly funny, chilling novel of contemporary horror. 

Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Ghosts, Ebooks, Supernatural, Demons, Halloween

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2020

About the author

Kevan Dale grew up in a Massachusetts home full of books, next to a winding patch of woods full of stories (in his already vivid imagination). Books and stories eventually pointed him to a degree in English. That degree in English inspired him to pursue a career as a professional guitar maker (long story.) A decade of luthiery led to a second career, this time in video games (another long story) where he remains. It all made sense at the time, honestly.

Throughout all, books and stories. History, fantasy, horror. All of them tug at his imagination, and he happily follows.

Kevan is once again in Massachusetts, glad to live in his own home full of books, next to a winding patch of woods full of stories.

Join Kevan's private newsletter: www.kevandale.com

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't blown away by this book and can't really see what everyone with a raving review found in it. To me it was OK. Fine. (I guess.)

But not exactly magical or great.

It had something that made me keep going even if I thought many times about dropping it. The obscene demon and our rather weak main character just didn't push the right buttons for me. Neither did the daily "life" of a ghost. Some aspects were cool, others just rather ok.

Even when Tim grew as a character I felt somewhat detached from the story. I'm not sure why. It was certainly creative, but didn't really click with me.

[Joseph Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timothy is a 14 year old boy that is killed by a demon on Halloween night in 1981. Three decades later Tim is in his abandoned childhood home and is still tormented by the demon Timothy, calls Mr. Sloan.

When Tim’s family home goes up for sale Sloan has one request. Keep people away. When Timothy cannot, Sloan kills him over and over again.

When Timothy sees another boy, on the roof of the house behind his own that Timothy cannot get too, because of the tether that keeps him from leaving his yard.

Timothy tries to do what he has never done before, to get to the boy and the pieces of the puzzle start falling in place, but at what consequences?

[Curlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the power outage in my place today, I managed to finish this book without getting distracted. I started reading it last year after I availed the free version via Amazon Kindle.
As for the story itself, well...
It's not as terrifying as expected. I like the characters, but the pace is too slow, especially near the end.
Will I recommend it? Only to specific readers.
It contains profanity, violence, some sexual stuff and gory details.
Oh, and I realize it's the first book in a series(???) I'm not going to read the sequel, Ghost at Dawn, anytime soon.

[Teresa Barrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really don't know where to start with this book. I don't think I remember reading a book from a ghost's POV before. If I have, I don't remember.
This book will definitely be remembered as it's one of those stories that you can't help but to continue to think about.
Timothy died on Halloween and has been trapped in his house for over 30 years with the demon that killed him, tormenting him.
As new residents move into his house, Timothy not only finds new hope of an escape, he finds that he may not be the only one being tortured.
This story kept me at the edge of my seat and I felt really sad for Timothy. Can you imagine being a ghost in the hands of a demon trapped for more years dead than alive?
The author did a great job bringing realism to the story and the characters. I felt for all of them, with the exception of the demon, no sympathy for that monster, lol. I also enjoyed the comedy throughout the book which brought light to Timothy's situation as well as the story.
I want to go a bit deeper into this review, but don't want to spoil anything.
I really enjoyed this book and the emotional feels it gave. Definitely recommend this book and I'll definitely be checking out this author's work as the writing style really hooks you in.

[Katt Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well That Escalated Quickly...

So this book gets you hooked immediately. Dale didn't stuff this book full of filler to make it long and drawn out. It's fast paced and easy to read. I won't lie, I got Casper vibes at times but rated R 🤣🤣 Being an empath and someone who does genealogy full time, this really hit me in my feels.

When a book makes you interested 100% from start to finish, makes you smile and laugh, cringe and go 😮😮 as well as anxious and angry, AND hopeful and teary eyed, it's a damn good book.

Especially for Halloween 😉

[Elentarri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ghost at Dusk is not a particularly terrifying ghost story, but does contain a mystery. Why is Tim (aka ghost boy) stuck in his house and why does the Demon keep harassing him, and how does he escape?

[Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read hundreds of ghost stories it’s rare to find one that stands out because it is both a story well told and different - ‘Ghost At Dusk’ is such a novel. Kevan Dale gives you wonderfully memorable characters with a unique POV and he creates a rich world with a real sense of time and place from two different eras. The tension and suspense steadily builds throughout the story to the point you’re ready to jump out of your seat towards the end. A thoroughly great read, and highly recommended.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

A great book, refreshingly different. My heart was in my mouth towards the end of the book. Five stars. One of the best books I've read this year.

[Rose Vining · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really quite good despite it having me tear up a few times. Honestly I wouldn't call it horror. It's rather depressing, more than horrifying. Tim's death story is pretty disturbing. I found it difficult to not feel a pang of sadness each time his family was brought up. This book certainly won't elevate your fear of death. Mr. Groan does have his gross, creepy, and downright dark moments (but was honestly mostly meh for this horror snob). However, the general meloncholic setting feels way more sad than it does terrifying (which was probably augmented by my audiobook reader). Jesenta may be my new favorite character next to Wen from The Cabin at the End of the World. Is it just me, or is she a perfect description of Agnes from Despicable Me?

I think if there is anything horrifying about the book, it's Groan's gaslighting. You come to feel truly bad for Timothy and (this is not a spoiler because it's obvious from page one) Groan is a bully. While he certainly is an illiterate, dumb bully, he is also smart enough to convince Tim that he is incapable of thinking. The way you start to see his tactics unravel through the novel, and how you eventually see them for what they really are is pure art in my opinion. Groan moves from being just a bully like the ones you'd see on a playground to an actual manipulative narcissist. Personally, I find that to be the most scary part- way more than descriptions of gunk and gore. As a True Crime enthusiest, it's also not hard for me to see that this could be a reality even amung the living. To continue to be haunted by abuse even after you pass from life to death is.. well.. that IS terrifying.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a confession to make. I only picked this book up because I confused the author for someone else whose book I'd enjoyed (and only just realised my error as I write this).
Mistakes can be good. Not only did I really enjoy this book, it's introduced me to an author I'd never come across before. Go happy accidents.
Told from the perspective of a boy who became a ghost at the age of 14, this story documents his attempts to escape from the house in which a spiteful demon holds him him captive, a demon who punishes him mercilessly for any infraction.
It's a pretty memorable ride as he attempts to find a way to escape, all the while never knowing why or when the demon will appear and exact brutal retribution for disobeying its rules.
A cracking read then, and another author to keep an eye out for.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

We are introduced to Tim, a ghost of a 14 year old boy, pretty much confined to the house where he lived before he died on Halloween over 30 years ago. We are also introduced to an evil entity who controls Tim's existence and makes him miserable by savagely beating him (and sometimes "killing" him). We learn why he is confined (not really) and what he must do to set himself free (again, a little sketchy here).

I liked the story enough to finish it, first rated it a 3 (liked it) but it was so much closer to just an OK rating. Tim is a nice character with a good sense of humor and somewhat witty remarks, but he is not all that complex. The evil entity is just a plain old mean bully--and you never really find out why. Maybe this could be a good Young Adult / teen story (except for the physical abuse described), but even a teen might find this one a bit boring. If you want a good spooker, this is not it.

[Kat Montemayor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story and great narration. It had parts that reminded me of A Ghost Story 2017 -- the stuck ghost concept, A Nightmare on Elm Street--these ghosts all lived on Chestnut Street, Haunter -- ghosts can't leave their house, generational ghosts helping the living, and The Possession of Deborah Logan --living beings with dementia more susceptible to demonic possession. Even though all these concepts have been covered in myriad other movies, this was a unique presentation. The demon was actually stupid. The narrator made a great fourteen-year-old boy. I loved the setting of the story of Halloween 1981.

[E. D. Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started this book, I pretty much went in blind, knowing nothing about it except it was a ghost story. Cutting to the chase, I'm glad I did.
The story made me think, not only about mortality, but also what it may be like for the ghosts. Not to mention there were some things done to a ghost that I wouldn't think possible, but it's fiction and makes for more entertainment, especially the gorey kind.
The book did get off to a slow start and I kind of wish we had gotten some time alone with the humans, and their thoughts, but it was still a good story with some heartfelt moments.

[BookRascal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good ghost story. It wasn't really scary for me but I may be impervious.

Tim was a 14 year old boy who died on Halloween in 1981. He has been stuck in his house ever since. There is a demon that tortures and even re-kills him at night. Things start to change when a new family moves into his house and he discovers new ways to communicate. Tim starts to search for a way to break free from the demon and find a way to move on.

Very good story!

[Sea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was honestly skeptical about starting this book in fear it would be cheesy, but to my surprise I fell in love with each one of the characters (even the demon at times 😂)! This book is so beautifully written; I laughed, cringed, and cried. It’s unlike any other ghost story I’ve ever read and gives you a different perspective! This book was super hard not to breeze through, good thing there’s a second!

There is a free audio version on YouTube with an amazing narrator! 😊

[Scottishlass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book , It is told by a teenaged boy who died tragically almost 4 decades ago. For some reason he has been trapped in the house/neighborhood where he died. Kevin Dale has an interesting take on "the afterlife". This is a fascinating subject. What happens to us after death ? Do we linger around those who loved us ? Can we communicate with certain living people ? Is the end of this life THE END or do we go somewhere else ?

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightfully different ghost story, told from the POV of a 14 year old boy. The author reveals and holds back just enough to keep you turning the pages. I liked it enough to wish for sequels, even though the ending was perfect. But a book that leaves you wanting more is as good as it gets!

And I only read it once, not sure why it’s showing up as twicwvread.

[Amie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I have ever read a book from the ghost point of view before, this was such a fresh way to explore the ghost genre. I will, I loved Tim's character he felt real, Dale brought a lot of personality to him, as well as Andy and Kyle. I really felt a lot of the boys, partiality Andy in his little Spider Man outfit. He broke my heart. 5 stars!

[Perrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike any other ghost story

Rich, luscious description and heartfelt characters kept me reading from start to finish. The book is almost two stories in one. Although the prose is wonderful as everything is set up, it's after the family moves in that the stakes are heightened and I couldn't turn pages quickly enough.

And that ending... Perfect.

[Shahna (VanquishingVolumes) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a surprising find on my library’s audiobook app, and I’m so glad I found it. A heartwarming story about untimely death, friendship, and finding peace - I thoroughly enjoyed this story that mixed mystery elements with supernatural ones to tell an ultimately lovely story about some kid ghosts and the humans who sense them or the houses they live in long after they died:

[Claudia Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightfully different ghost story, told from the POV of a 14 year old boy. The author reveals and holds back just enough to keep you turning the pages. I liked it enough to wish for sequels, even though the ending was perfect. But a book that leaves you wanting more is as good as it gets!

And I only read it once, not sure why it’s showing up as twicwvread.

[LoKat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging, and definitely kept me reading. I think the entire tangent flashback section with the dad could have been cut - it was too long (over 10% over the book), and ultimately entirely irrelevant to the story, so it's just padding. But I guess that would've made a short book even shorter - though that's not a good enough reason to keep it.

[Anu Baburam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not one of the best ghost stories I’ve read. Many aspects of it was too unreal even for fiction. For example how does a ghost bleed? I get it’s a fiction and all made up but even fiction should have some grounding in reality.

[Connie Zinsmeister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly unique.

Fascinating take on what happens if Tim can't move on after death. Tim was only 14 when a demon possessed a neighbor to poison children on Halloween. What happens then? Here is that tale.

[Rosalinda Sepeda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is from the ghost side of how it lives. It kinda reminded me of the movie "the others". To me it was confusing of who was talking. I got it was Timothy then it was other ghost then it was the human. Otherwise, it could be a good movie or a series for television.

[Micky Parise · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading Kevan Dale and was rather impressed. Different kind of ghost/demon story and it worked nicely. Characters were top notch and story just flowed nicely. Enjoyed his writing style. Recommend.

[Anne-Liis Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book ever! ❤❤❤ Not some regular ghost story! This book was giving me chills til very end. Absolutely love it! REAL MASTERPIECE! Im very happy l was able to find a paperback for it. Just out of this world amazing author! 5+++ stars!

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Coming Soon.

[Lanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read!

Thoroughly enjoyed this unique ghost story! Plot kept me totally engaged all the way through and couldn't put it down til I knew the whole truth.

[Newsfoia · Rating 5 out of 5]

very satisfying

Actually, it’s well written and flows easily. It creates a world of kindness. It’s a feel good read, well paced, and no wasted exposition.