The Haunting of Sam Cabot

by Mark Edward Hall

There are places that hold evil, houses so vile, so tainted, that people refuse to live in them. Farnham House is one of those places. Once an inn, this majestic old New England manor house is back on the market, and the price is very reasonable. Sam Cabot is a man tired of moving. Now he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life in the country with his wife and young son. Little does he know that he will soon begin a long, slow descent into madness and that he will spend his summer living with dead things.

Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Fiction, Amazon, Supernatural

98 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Mark Edward Hall is the author of the bestselling fantasy and science fiction Blue Light Series. He’s written more than twenty novels and numerous short stories.

Apocalypse Island — In Book 1 of The Blue Light Series we meet Danny Wolf, Laura Higgins and Police Lieutenant Rick Jennings.
Their city has turned into a killing ground. Is it a serial killer, someone with a penchant for the macabre and a need to destroy? Or is it a darker force, an ancient legend from a mysterious Island come ashore to wreak havoc upon the unsuspecting?
In a desperate search for answers they discover a government conspiracy involving the Catholic Church, and a cold war CIA mind control program known as MK-Ultra where children were used as test subjects.
Danny Wolf, a local musician becomes the number one suspect in the murders, but no one, not even Wolf, is prepared for what they discover on Apocalypse Island, a mind blowing secret that was supposed to stay hidden forever.


Soul Thief — In Book 2 of the Blue Light Series we meet Doug and Annie McArthur. Doug McArthur, hit in the face by a young friend at the age of seven, is suddenly able to see a supernatural creature who calls itself Collector. Doug’s life is turned upside down when he realizes that it’s not just the creature he sees, but the atrocities it commits.
Since marrying Annie his visions have been quiet and Doug is grateful. Now Annie is pregnant with their first child—a child that promises to be special—and their world is in the process of coming apart, beginning with the destruction of their home and forcing them to run for their lives, back into the world of Annie’s childhood, the De Roché dynasty, to a murdered mother and a cruel and enigmatic father.


Song of Ariel — Book 3 of the Blue Light Series begins four years after Doug and Annie McArthur are forced to take refuge in the Maine Wilderness. Ariel has grown into a beautiful and gifted child wise beyond her years. Their life, although hard, has been peaceful and relatively quiet.
But the tide is about to turn. When they sense something isn't right in the world Doug leaves the shelter of their wilderness cabin to investigate. In a heartbeat their quiet life is shattered by an unspeakable violence, and once again they are forced to run for their lives, this time to a place where they will encounter a truth more fantastic than anything they could ever have imagined.

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Reviews

[Peter]

Sam Cabot and his family are buying a new home, Farnham House. Things are starting to get strange when Mr Carlisle, the vendor, agrees to repair the old furnace in the basement. He's a strange shadowy man nobody seems to know or have seen in the last 50 years (great character, absolutely spooky). Sam who retired from the army after his helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan is having bad dreams every night now in their new home. He sees 'shadow people' and something seems to be lurking in the well next to the house (an inspector of the water authorities dies on the attempt to take a sample of the water). Is there a connection between the going-ons in the the house and why Sam survived Afghanistan? Compelling, partly nailbiting horror story about a haunted house (very well done) and a great evil character (Mr Carlisle). The denouement at the end is also very interesting and surprising. Overall a nice 'cocktail' for every horror fan. Some parts reminded me on 'Amityville' (the furnace) and how Sam falls deeper and deeper into madness. I can only recommend the book. It's a quick read and very haunting!

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

This one started off wonderfully and was very engaging....then, as the book continued, it became very disjointed and hard to follow and then BAM- a very very sudden ending that didn't really match the vibe of the rest of the book. This was a very uneven read. Great premise, though...--Jen from Quebec :0)

[J.C. Brennan]

In the world of terrifying, ghoulish, and bizarre ghost stories, haunted house, and haunted people. This creepy story takes its reader on a psychological whirlwind of terror.
Lock your doors, wrap your shawl around you tight, and take hold of a love one’s hand if you must, but steady yourself for a twisted, terrifying read.
The well-written author, Mark Edward Hall, takes his readers a wicked ride. The main character Sam Cabot, whose life quickly, spirals downward and out of control when you moves his family into the old Farnham House. Stories have gone around the Davenport community for years about the house, those associated with the home, and the death that has taken place over the years. However, Sam’s wife Linda and he find the home charming and just the fixer-upper they have been dreaming of. At the time, the two, let along their young son, could ever imagine the evil waiting to unfold turning their dream into a depraved nightmare.
To say I like, The Haunting of Sam Cabot would be a gross understatement. I live for this kind of stories. What I liked most about the story is the mounting tension and suspense the author build in his reader. Very well written, to be a horror/ghost story lovers delight.

[Bob]

i should start a shelf here for half-read books. i'm trying real hard not to waste my time reading crappy books. that means abandoning them in various places once i've decided there's little chance of them improving. this is one of those books. two major things bothered me about this book. one, the main character, sam, acts, reacts and feels emotions that simply don't make any sense in any world i've lived in. granted, in the book he's supposed to have been influenced by this nebulous evilness that resides in the house. but things didn't even make sense in that context. his anger, fear, restlessness, alienation from wife and family, etc. just did not in any way make sense. even in the most bizarre stories, some credibility must be maintained. not in this book. the other thing that bothered me is a growing prejudice i'm developing against a plot device i'm seeing in more and more books, that being, dream sequences. it seems if a writer can''t think of any other way to give away plot points and explain things, they throw in some dream sequence that is supposed to enlighten us. in rare occasions, this works. i have to go back to the book Rosemary's Baby to think of the last time i thought it really worked well. i just don't find dreams all that interesting. or enlightening. after the second chapter-long dream sequence in this book, i decided i'd had enough. i gave up. chalk this one up as another freebie that wasn't worth the price.

[Tommy Smith]

At first unfamiliar with this author, I didn't know what to expect. It was a haunting story, and I've read a lot of those, but I heard about this title recently and noticed that it's been getting some good reviews. So I checked it out for myself.

This is really good. Much of the story's focus remains around the main character, Sam Cabot, and the story is told in first person, which, for this particular type of story, works well. The character's voice drew me into the story from the beginning. There was a bit at the very end that didn't seem to "fit in" with the rest of the story's logic(or illogic, if you prefer), but it didn't detract from the story. By the conclusion, I was left thinking, "Ahhh. Now THIS is horror."

It's one of the best horror stories I've read lately, and I'll have to check out more of this author's work in the future.

[Wendy Unsworth]

This is the classic storyline - family see old house and fall in love with it, family move in, things start to go bump in the night. It's a short book and easy to read. There were a couple of twists that I liked but there were also, for me, some unlikely reactions to things that were going wrong. All in all, though an enjoyable read.

[Terri]

A family moves to an old home which they plan on restoring. Only strange things happen to Sam the longer they are there. He slowly deteriorates mentally and emotionally as he becomes more and more obsessed with the house's massive furnace.

I liked the way the horror was slow and dark but it reminded me too much of Jack Torrence in the Shining and that kind of took away for me.

[Shelley]

Its not an original story.
Young couple falls in love with the old run down house and must have it.
Creepy things start to happen, but with a twist, this was a fun novella that kept me turning pages. With our stormy weather I guess I was just in the mood for a scary story. . .

[Don Bradshaw]

A good creepy Halloween story. A little slow in the middle but worth reading.

[Alex]

Short but exciting! This author definitely takes inspiration from Stephen King. I love a good haunted house story and this one has a nice little twist that I didn't expect!

[reni]

IF FURNACE BAD, WHY SEXC

Garbage writing, garbage storytelling, it's jan 9th and i already know this is going to be one of the worst books i read all year. God, where do i even start??

Spoilers for the entire book because 1. i can't yell comfortably without spoilers 2. trust me it's not worth reading anyway so save yourself the time and the trouble.

The premise and the story idea itself was semi-decent, although it was every single horror trope/cliché packed into one: haunted house, writer MC, kid with special needs, a mysterious and suspicious old man, house burning down, and a cheap plot twist that was done about a hundred times before. The only thing that stood out to me in the entire plot is that the main character lowkey wants to fuck the furnace.

The main character was supposed to be a war veteran with PTSD, but the PTSD was only mentioned so it could be used against the character when strange things started happening to him, it was an easy way to dismiss all his troubles by saying "oh no your nightmares came back, it's because of your past issues, that's all".

The writing was all tell, no show, the writer went on and on for pages telling us what happened and who acted like what, and what was his wife like, and what he noticed about the people around him, instead of showing us through character interactions, which 1. made the book very boring 2. made the characters feel empty. No one had an actual personality and no one ever did or said anything interesting and everything we find out, we do so because the character said that it happened.

The writing is FULL of filler words and expressions like "to tell you the truth" and "if you want the truth" and "i'm not going to lie to you", it's annoying and repetitive and simply bad writing. Expressions are repeated within one or two pages (like the sexy furnace "whispering in its alien language").

Here is an actual quote from the book:
"This is the monster that lives in your basement, not the one that lives in your pants. The monster you named the Hulk." - i would like to clarify though, that the hulk is the sexy furnace, not his dick.

or another one, a personal favourite of mine:
"I came awake with a sudden wrenching jolt, as if i had just been shat from the bowels of Satan."

For the first half of the book, barely anything happens, except the main character has a bad dream which is described longer than any other thing that happens in the book. Throw in some "oh look at me i'm so smart" quotes, e.g. when the character (in his dream!) looks at the dead bodies of his parents and sees blood in the coffins and goes "but that's not right!! the mortician would have drained all the blood and filled them up with formaldehyde which the liquid they always use to preserve the bodies!!" wow thanks, never would have known if you don't tell me that.

The book, like I said, ends with a cheap plot twist and then we all get to find out what happened and uuuh yeah, the literal devil appears completely out of nowhere, which wasn't set up in any way, because the story started as a haunted house but then somehow turned into "satan feeds dead bodies to the sexy furnace and also there is a weird well in the backyard".

I'm so tired. This rant review is already longer than the book should be. Ugh.

[Michele Lee]

Reviewed for Monster Librarian

Sam, his wife and son have just bought a dilapidated monster of house in the countryside, determined to see the old hulk rehabilitated and livable for the first time in over forty years. But things aren't adding up, like the previous owner, who keeps visiting despite having already replaced the bits he agreed to, and the creepy old heater in the basement. Then one of the roofers tells Sam about the strange murders that took place in the basement long ago, and hints about ghostly visions and occurrences that have scared off the town folk since. Not even these disturbing tales touch the surface of what really lives in Farnham House.
The Haunting of Sam Cabot is holds reader attention very well. It's a classic haunted house tale with a heavy dose of foreshadowing and an abbreviated length to keep eyes glued to the pages. Some of the events will be familiar to the well-read. Also, this books uses a method of storytelling wherein the author withholds information from the reader to aid in the final reveal, which will aggravate some readers. However, the book is solid and readable and in this age of so many ghost investigation and haunted house shows, it deserves a place in public collections. Private collectors should adjust their buying decision to their own taste.

[Carol Tilson]

Very Scary!

The main character of this book, Sam Cabot, stuffers greatly with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Besides the nightmares, things are not as they should be. The question poised here is could Sam be hallucinating or is he being manipulated by a possible malevolent being. All Sam wanted to do, was to fix up an old abandoned house with his wife and son and become the author he always dreamt he could be. Life does not always allow us to have what we want.

Even though this book is very scary, it is a quick easy read. I was impressed with the authors familiarity and description of some issues associated with PTSD, as they were spot on. This is the first book I have read by this author but it is likely I would be open to read his other works. However, I will leave the lights on when I do so.

[Greg Chapman]

Some might say that haunted houses have become a cliche in dark fiction, but in the end it's how you tell the story that gives it its originality.

The same can be said for Mark Edward Hall's "The Haunting of Sam Cabot" by Damnation Books.

Once you start reading, Hall just won't let you go. It's like being caught in quicksand.

His prose has a hypnotic quality, taking you deeper into Sam's head and the horrors that affect him.

Although you know very early that there's something wrong with the house the plot keeps you guessing and the dread and atmosphere builds to a climax you would never have seen coming.

Hall is definitely an author to watch.

[Lori Mills]

Read this in one day

I liked this book so much, ended up reading it in one day! I love the paranormal and this filled the bill. Sam and his wife and so wanted to move closer to her parents. The house they found was huge and needed work done on it....inside and out. Something started to take over Sam's body. He was having a lot of nightmares. This is the first book by this author I have read and won't be the last!!

[Barb]

Liked it at first, but got sick of it because of all his dreams.

[Lori]

I received "The Haunting of Sam Cabot" for free or a reduced price on Amazon.com. In return I am giving this honest review. This is one of the books read during the "Dewey Read-A-Thon."

The positives of this book are the hooks; The cover, the title, and the plot line. Also, Sam Cabot is a writer / veteran who gets haunted.

Another thing I appreciated is that Mark Edward Hall knows his trades people. He understands the kinds of jobs that they do. Author Hall knows what they need for the job. It boosted the most interesting aspects of the book.

I loved the generational or historical threads. They were too short, but had they continued, it could have made this a five star book.

The negatives were that I felt like I missed a first book and came in at the middle of the haunting. There was too much left not addressed. Why was the "Farnam House" after a Cabot? There seemed to be no tie in.

The Haunting of Sam Cabot is a creepy and supernatural book that will give a little thrill. It was a fast read.

[Mia Jo Celeste]

The Haunting of Sam Cabot: A Novel
This is a cautionary tale. When you’re a less-than-stable main character and you’re driving through the country and you see a huge, but lovely fixer-upper in the middle of nowhere that is for sale, don’t stop. When there’s a creepy old caretaker who gives you a tour and everything from the overgrown lawn to the monster of a heating system gives you the heebie-jeebies, don’t offer to buy the place. Don’t move in. Nightmares, anxiety, murders, and ghostly visitations are sure to follow.
However, if you’re a reader and you like the shivers that run up the back of her neck as you turn the page, this is worth your time.
I’d like to tell you more, but I’ve been warned to never tell what’s in the well. Yes, there is a bad-smelling, boarded-up well that, sure enough, the main character opens. It’s almost certain, any number of innocent geeks are going to get dragged in, chewed up and spit out, but I’m not telling.
Then the story gets even more scary. It reads like a Stephen King or Peter Straub thriller. My one complaint might be that the ending wasn’t the payoff I’d hoped for. Yet, for the twists and chills in the middle I recommend this read.

[Allan Krummenacker]

This story began strong and continued growing stronger for me. I found myself drawn into the mystery of Farnham House and Carlisle its owner/caretaker. The air of menace and danger was so tangible I couldn't wait to see what came next. Then the author introduced the strange old furnace nicknamed 'the Hulk', and the abandoned well on the grounds, which just added to my excitement. I was finding shades of Stephen King, and Peter Straub, in this tale and was finding it harder to put down.

Unfortunately, the payoff was not what I expected. Mr. Hall is a wonderful writer, but for me, the finish was less than I'd hoped for. Especially the knowledge that the evil was simply going to continue through the protagonist.

Mind you, I speak only for myself and my tastes when it comes to this book. It is well written and really had me enthralled, the ending was just not my cup of tea. However it could be someone else's so by all means check this one out of you like spooky places with an air of menace and mystery.

[Brenda Roberson]

Sam, his wife and son have just bought a dilapidated monster of house in Maine from Francis Carlisle. They are determined to see the old house renovated and livable for the first time in over forty years. One of the roofers tells Sam about some strange murders that took place in the basement long ago. He also hints about ghostly visions and other odd happenings that have scared off people ever since. Not even these disturbing tales touch the surface of what really happens in Farnham House.

THE HAUNTING OF SAM CABOT holds the readers attention from the very start. It's a classic haunted house tale with a heavy dose of foreshadowing. Some of the events will seem familiar to the well-read. Also, the author uses a method of withholding information from the reader to aid in the final reveal. This could aggravate some readers. The book however is very readable and will hold your attention from the first page to the last. It will strongly remind you of Stephen King's "The Shining".

[Nancy]

This is an interesting little story, only 90 pages...I was able to read it in less than a day. I thought that the premise was fresh and kept me turning the pages. It's about a man and his wife and son who move into an old house that needs a little sprucing up. Only of course this is a horror novella and everything is not as it seems. I have two problems with this book: the first being that the author violates all rules of creative writing by writing every sentence in tried and true cliches. It just got a little old after the first five pages or so. The other thing was that there were numerous misspellings on almost every page. It made me have to stop and re-read a given selection. As mentioned, I think that the idea was a great one, it could have just been implemented better, perhaps with proofreading this time.

[Amy]

Even once I got to the end and understood the events, I found the main character, Sam, to be a very frustrating individual. Reading the book, you see him, time after time ignore the feeling that Something Is Very Wrong and proceed with his descent into crazy. It's a classic tale of a family who buys a house and it turns out to be haunted, but you have it figured out very quickly. There is little suspense, beyond wrapping up a few loose ends. Doesn't really keep you guessing, and the melodramatic and cliche-narrating Sam does not inspire much sympathy. It was an enjoyable read nonetheless. I wanted to see the end, and as a novella, it is not a huge commitment.

[Pat Gerber-Relf]

I quite like a good haunt, but this was not a good haunt. It had a bit of everything, too much for my liking. A haunted house with a supernatural furnace needing bodies for food. A slimy monster living in the well in the garden eating a young man sent to test the quality of the water who "accidentally" fell into the well and an ex owner killed in the war years, but still alive and feeding the furnace. These are not spoilers, I could not spoil more than was already spoilt. And Sam Cabot? He was having bad dreams most of the time. Now and again he woke up to hug the furnace in the cellar.

[Kathy Pero]

This is a relatively good book - one you can read in a couple of days. It has the makings of being an even better book, but doesn't quite get there. I believe the choice of having a first-person narrator may be the reason it struggles a bit. I understand the reasoning behind making that choice, but, because of it, there appears to be some awkwardness in transition, which could easily cause confusion in some readers. It's a formulaic plot, but still works for what it is - a fun, scary story for Halloween.

[Dana Sullivan]

This was an OK horror story. I enjoyed the author's writing style and I liked the twist at the end (although I did figure something like that was going to happen about halfway through the story). This is a pretty quick read if you're looking for something short.

This is most likely just me, but when they were describing the heating system for the house, I just kept picturing Kevin from Home Alone and his mental battles with their furnace lol. I think it made it a bit less scary for me :)

[Mike]

At 90 pages, this was a short page-turner. But it was far from unique. A man and his family move into a house, only to find it haunted. I won't give anything away, but the other twists are predictable, too. Hall also over-details everything. But he somehow makes it work.

Maybe because it's so short, but I found it hard to put down.

[Robbie]

This book was frightening. I made myself finish it, even though I don't like this genre. I'll have to admit it was well written, in that it was tough to put it down. I'm just glad I finished it during the daytime. I rated this one 3.5 stars.

[Susan Mills]

FRIGHTENING STORY

This is a well-written horror novel with all of the trimming a horror novel should have. Not too much is new in its plot that has not be used before, yet the story reads smoothly.

[Lisa C.]

I didn't like this book at all. It wasn't that horrifying and it was far too unbelievable. Fortunately I got it free or I would have been really upset considering it ended at 75% and the rest was a preview of another book

[Josette Thomas]

While reading this novel, I soon became so involved with SAm that I did not see what was coming. This is a truly disturbing look into what happens when we ignore our instincts. I believe in paranormal and feel that a house could draw you in and you could begin to lose your sanity.