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A Demon Inside
Hunter Beaumont doesn't understand his grandmother's deathbed wish: "Destroy Beaumont House." He'd never even heard of the place. But after his grandmother passes and his first love betrays him, the family house in the Wisconsin woods looks like a tempting refuge. Going against his grandmother's wishes, Hunter flees to Beaumont House. But will the house be the sanctuary he had hoped for? Soon after moving in, Hunter realizes he may not be alone. And who---or what---he shares the house may plunge him into a nightmare from which he may never escape. Sparks fly when he meets his handsome neighbor, a caretaker for the estate next door, but is the man salvation...or is he the source of Hunter's terror?
284 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
12 people are currently reading
437 people want to read
About the author
Rick R. Reed
118 books1,047 followersReal Men. True Love.
Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than sixty works of published fiction, spanning genres such as horror, psychological suspense and love stories. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist and a multiple Rainbow Award winner.
Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…”
Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his two rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin.
Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than sixty works of published fiction, spanning genres such as horror, psychological suspense and love stories. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist and a multiple Rainbow Award winner.
Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…”
Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his two rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
September 3, 2015
Chilling thriller with a side of romance.
Hunter is the cosseted grandchild that never experienced the outside world until his grandmother's death. Suddenly faced with adult decisions, he makes some poor choices. Choices that lead him back to Beaumont House, the family heritage. Abandoned for decades, it sits in the woods of Wisconsin.
Several characters are suspiciously too nice. I'm all for the affirmation of life via sex after death passes by, but a doctor preying on newly bereaved grandson is creepy. The family lawyer who has opinions. And then, there's meddling and Hunter can't suss it out.
Money, it's a tool. Learn how to use it. I had a big issue with his ignorance and inability to handle to money. Hunter is going to blow through that inheritance faster that you can say, "Jack rabbit."
Poltergeists usually are bound to a location. My issue with the story is that is seems to be able to move, infecting minds rather than objects. As if the power is in the word than the thing--which can be true with very powerful entities--but... the events surrounding Ian were incongruent with the malevolent entity's power.
Not a fan of all the book title and author name dropping, and there was a lot. Somehow the story was diverting enough that it didn't drive me insane, but every time I felt my eyes roll. Nonetheless, I was rooting for the underdog, Hunter. I wanted him to come around and find a good place, and even with all the stifling of his upbringing he managed through sheer determination to carve it out. There was a convenience to the resolution, but after all he'd been through I was happy for it.
Overall, entertaining paranormal read when you just want to go with it.
3.5 Stars
~~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
~~~Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews~~~~
Hunter is the cosseted grandchild that never experienced the outside world until his grandmother's death. Suddenly faced with adult decisions, he makes some poor choices. Choices that lead him back to Beaumont House, the family heritage. Abandoned for decades, it sits in the woods of Wisconsin.
Several characters are suspiciously too nice. I'm all for the affirmation of life via sex after death passes by, but a doctor preying on newly bereaved grandson is creepy. The family lawyer who has opinions. And then, there's meddling and Hunter can't suss it out.
Money, it's a tool. Learn how to use it. I had a big issue with his ignorance and inability to handle to money. Hunter is going to blow through that inheritance faster that you can say, "Jack rabbit."
Poltergeists usually are bound to a location. My issue with the story is that is seems to be able to move, infecting minds rather than objects. As if the power is in the word than the thing--which can be true with very powerful entities--but... the events surrounding Ian were incongruent with the malevolent entity's power.
Not a fan of all the book title and author name dropping, and there was a lot. Somehow the story was diverting enough that it didn't drive me insane, but every time I felt my eyes roll. Nonetheless, I was rooting for the underdog, Hunter. I wanted him to come around and find a good place, and even with all the stifling of his upbringing he managed through sheer determination to carve it out. There was a convenience to the resolution, but after all he'd been through I was happy for it.
Overall, entertaining paranormal read when you just want to go with it.
3.5 Stars
~~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
~~~Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews~~~~
September 26, 2015
I received this book as an ARC though NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to like this book. I liked the scary aspects of this very much, and the idea of the house was interesting, but the characters didn't work for me at all. I found Hunter to be a very unlikeable character. Sheltered, and naïve, but also more than a bit petulant and childish. His mood swings seemed to come out of nowhere. I might have felt bad for him at first, but that quickly went away when I saw the way he treated pretty much everyone else in the book. I wasn't a big fan of Michael either, and found him to be a bit too pushy. I also didn't like the way he hid things from Hunter, but still treated him like he was crazy. I found their romance to be very unbelievable, and it felt very forced to me. The ending especially felt like it came a bit out of nowhere, and it left me feeling very satisfied. I think if Michael and Hunter had remained friends it would have worked better for me.
In the end I was probably the only one, but I was rooting for the demon and the house.
I really wanted to like this book. I liked the scary aspects of this very much, and the idea of the house was interesting, but the characters didn't work for me at all. I found Hunter to be a very unlikeable character. Sheltered, and naïve, but also more than a bit petulant and childish. His mood swings seemed to come out of nowhere. I might have felt bad for him at first, but that quickly went away when I saw the way he treated pretty much everyone else in the book. I wasn't a big fan of Michael either, and found him to be a bit too pushy. I also didn't like the way he hid things from Hunter, but still treated him like he was crazy. I found their romance to be very unbelievable, and it felt very forced to me. The ending especially felt like it came a bit out of nowhere, and it left me feeling very satisfied. I think if Michael and Hunter had remained friends it would have worked better for me.
In the end I was probably the only one, but I was rooting for the demon and the house.
September 7, 2010
Fantastic read with lots of chills.
The only thing that stopped me from rating this book a solid 5 stars was the main character, Hunter. Sometimes his action and reactions boggled my mind, cutting me from any connection I had with him. I was constantly asking myself why he was so driven to stay in the house. Not a bad question to ask if you weren't wondering if is was because he was selfishly immature, stupid or crazy. There were moments I thought that maybe there was a deeper drive, an almost instinctual need for him to stay in the house, but it never seemed to stick.
Also, his reaction to events in the house were very inconsistent. There were many moments in the book where you could feel the fear Hunter was experiencing, but other times I was shocked by how little he reacted to creepy events. One moment in particular was after his first evening in his new house he feels creeped out that someone or thing is watching him. Then he wakes up the next day to find something completely shocking and bizarre has happened in his house and he's strangely unconcerned, at least not as concerned as he should be.
Other than that, the story was interesting, the secondary characters were appropriately characterized to keep the focus on the story and the mood was spooky. Some really good chilling moments.
Definitely add this to your Halloween/ghost story reading list.
The only thing that stopped me from rating this book a solid 5 stars was the main character, Hunter. Sometimes his action and reactions boggled my mind, cutting me from any connection I had with him. I was constantly asking myself why he was so driven to stay in the house. Not a bad question to ask if you weren't wondering if is was because he was selfishly immature, stupid or crazy. There were moments I thought that maybe there was a deeper drive, an almost instinctual need for him to stay in the house, but it never seemed to stick.
Also, his reaction to events in the house were very inconsistent. There were many moments in the book where you could feel the fear Hunter was experiencing, but other times I was shocked by how little he reacted to creepy events. One moment in particular was after his first evening in his new house he feels creeped out that someone or thing is watching him. Then he wakes up the next day to find something completely shocking and bizarre has happened in his house and he's strangely unconcerned, at least not as concerned as he should be.
Other than that, the story was interesting, the secondary characters were appropriately characterized to keep the focus on the story and the mood was spooky. Some really good chilling moments.
Definitely add this to your Halloween/ghost story reading list.
May 17, 2017
I have been trying to review this book since I was a third of the way through it. My notes are a jumbled mess. I don’t even know how I finished this honestly.
I was totally intrigued by the premise of this story. It sounded like the perfect book for me. It could have been but it just wasn’t.
It’s impossible to like a book when you don’t like the MC. Impossible.
I don’t think I have ever read a book with such an unlikeable main character. Ever. Hunter was the worst kind of person and I disliked everything about him. Everything. He was not nice, actually, he was downright mean to everyone he came in contact with; to their face and in his own head. His thoughts were shocking to me. He seemed to put himself on some sort of pedestal where he just looked down on everyone else. He was spoiled. He was inconsiderate. He was naïve and really just plain stupid but acted like an asshole know it all. He was also a contradiction. He was not the same throughout the book and it was totally distracting. Needless to say I hated him.
This isn’t a romance. The romance that I feel the author was going for made zero sense to me. The blurb states “Sparks fly when he meets his handsome neighbor”. No, they really didn’t. There were no sparks. None. The love interest was treated like shit from the minute they met, which, really, was far into the book. This wasn’t even a case of hot and cold, Hunter treated Michael like crap every single time they encountered each other. There was no connection and the fact that Michael wanted him was wrong, unbelievable and just a case of this is how the book should end so let’s make it end that way.
Really, the only romance the book did have was what I would consider a side story that made no sense for the main story. It was like it was an extra that was thrown in that just didn’t fit. From the blurb it sounded as if this romance was the catalyst for the move to Beaumont House but it wasn’t. Hunter was going no matter what because he was told he shouldn’t. This betrayal was not needed. It took a lot of time and really only made Hunter even more unlikeable. I felt like he deserved it and I don’t think I was supposed to feel that way. I think he fell in love with Jay in like a day and was planning the rest of their lives together. The whole thing made me uncomfortable and I wish it had been cut from the story. It added nothing. I kept expecting it to come back at some point for there to feel like it had closure but it was just gone. I am still utterly confused by this. Like I said, the setup to get Hunter to Beaumont House was already in place.
The only thing that kept me reading was what drew me to the book in the first place. An ancient curse put upon a family and their ancestral home; a monster intent on revenge on the entire family until there none are left. I wish that this was the main focus of the story and so much time wasn’t spent on Hunter. I kept thinking it was going to happen but it just didn’t. Old journals were found but then nothing. M was writing about the curse and I expected him to have all this knowledge but it wasn’t discussed until way too late. It’s like every single time the focus would be switched to the house, curse and the monster, Hunter would open his mouth or have a thought and it would be back to Hunter, Hunter, Hunter. He ruined the whole book.
I was thinking I would give this two stars because of the house but I don’t know if I can. I disliked this book just way too much.
Sorry, I am not a fan of leaving bad reviews but this was just bad.
I was totally intrigued by the premise of this story. It sounded like the perfect book for me. It could have been but it just wasn’t.
It’s impossible to like a book when you don’t like the MC. Impossible.
I don’t think I have ever read a book with such an unlikeable main character. Ever. Hunter was the worst kind of person and I disliked everything about him. Everything. He was not nice, actually, he was downright mean to everyone he came in contact with; to their face and in his own head. His thoughts were shocking to me. He seemed to put himself on some sort of pedestal where he just looked down on everyone else. He was spoiled. He was inconsiderate. He was naïve and really just plain stupid but acted like an asshole know it all. He was also a contradiction. He was not the same throughout the book and it was totally distracting. Needless to say I hated him.
This isn’t a romance. The romance that I feel the author was going for made zero sense to me. The blurb states “Sparks fly when he meets his handsome neighbor”. No, they really didn’t. There were no sparks. None. The love interest was treated like shit from the minute they met, which, really, was far into the book. This wasn’t even a case of hot and cold, Hunter treated Michael like crap every single time they encountered each other. There was no connection and the fact that Michael wanted him was wrong, unbelievable and just a case of this is how the book should end so let’s make it end that way.
Really, the only romance the book did have was what I would consider a side story that made no sense for the main story. It was like it was an extra that was thrown in that just didn’t fit. From the blurb it sounded as if this romance was the catalyst for the move to Beaumont House but it wasn’t. Hunter was going no matter what because he was told he shouldn’t. This betrayal was not needed. It took a lot of time and really only made Hunter even more unlikeable. I felt like he deserved it and I don’t think I was supposed to feel that way. I think he fell in love with Jay in like a day and was planning the rest of their lives together. The whole thing made me uncomfortable and I wish it had been cut from the story. It added nothing. I kept expecting it to come back at some point for there to feel like it had closure but it was just gone. I am still utterly confused by this. Like I said, the setup to get Hunter to Beaumont House was already in place.
The only thing that kept me reading was what drew me to the book in the first place. An ancient curse put upon a family and their ancestral home; a monster intent on revenge on the entire family until there none are left. I wish that this was the main focus of the story and so much time wasn’t spent on Hunter. I kept thinking it was going to happen but it just didn’t. Old journals were found but then nothing. M was writing about the curse and I expected him to have all this knowledge but it wasn’t discussed until way too late. It’s like every single time the focus would be switched to the house, curse and the monster, Hunter would open his mouth or have a thought and it would be back to Hunter, Hunter, Hunter. He ruined the whole book.
I was thinking I would give this two stars because of the house but I don’t know if I can. I disliked this book just way too much.
Sorry, I am not a fan of leaving bad reviews but this was just bad.
August 28, 2015
This one was just ok. I was expecting more of a horror story. Hunter was a college graduate who was over pampered and protected by his wealthy grandmother. The one and only thing that she asked of him he refused to do. He was an idiot and deserved what he got. The sudden relationship with Michael seemed like a quick fix.
Read
October 22, 2010Since the first chapter I thought Hunter was not really up to his name; or maybe he was and for that reason he was also fated to experience a nightmare. A Demon Inside more than a paranormal novel is an horror: young and wealthy Hunter is all alone in the world; he is also heartbroken and of course he decides that he wants to detach himself from the world inside Beaumont House. Doesn’t matter that his parents died on the property, that his grandmother on her death bed told him to burn down the mansion, as soon as he is able to do that, he goes living there. And of course despite all the signs, and the proofs, that the mansion is haunted, he blindly searches for other reasons, almost driving off Michael, the one that probably is able to help him.
There is really no mystery on what is happening, even if the practical side of me wanted to find some other reason, but starting from the title, A Demon Inside, and the prologue, a creepy antecedent happened at the middle of the XIX century, the reason why Hunter should have been followed his grandmother’s advice was clear. But Hunter is also the typical hero/heroine of some Gothic romance of the ’70, those novels with a scared woman in flimsy dresses running away from a looming mansion, almost always by night of course: even if you take them by the hand and explain all the wrong reasons why they should not go into that house, they will do exactly that as soon as you will turn your shoulders.
Hunter shares also another trait with those women, he is innocent and the last of his family; those characteristics make him both easy prey of villains, but also easy to suspect when someone try to lend them an helping hand. More or less Michael is a good man (and of course he is not "simply" an handyman, the counterpart male hero of a gothic romance has always to be something more), and he is also very friendly with Hunter, two gay men more or less of the same age living near each other in a small town, they seem fated to be together, but of course Hunter is questioning everyone and everything, and the strange happenings in the mansion don’t help.
Sincerely if I was Michael, I would have probably less patient than him with Hunter; more or less until the last page, Hunter is questioning Michael’s real reason, even when it’s clear that he is only trying to be a good friend and possibly a lover. Don’t know if this is maybe a reaction from Hunter’s side having always lost anyone he has loved, his parents, his grandmother, even his first lover. It’s like he was taught a lesson, if you love someone you will lose him, so much better if you don’t.
And in any case it’s not that Hunter, in the end, will really learn his lesson; despite everything he is unable to completely detach himself from that place, it’s like he is double bond with the area, ready, and willing, to be possessed by “it”…
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608201651/?...
There is really no mystery on what is happening, even if the practical side of me wanted to find some other reason, but starting from the title, A Demon Inside, and the prologue, a creepy antecedent happened at the middle of the XIX century, the reason why Hunter should have been followed his grandmother’s advice was clear. But Hunter is also the typical hero/heroine of some Gothic romance of the ’70, those novels with a scared woman in flimsy dresses running away from a looming mansion, almost always by night of course: even if you take them by the hand and explain all the wrong reasons why they should not go into that house, they will do exactly that as soon as you will turn your shoulders.
Hunter shares also another trait with those women, he is innocent and the last of his family; those characteristics make him both easy prey of villains, but also easy to suspect when someone try to lend them an helping hand. More or less Michael is a good man (and of course he is not "simply" an handyman, the counterpart male hero of a gothic romance has always to be something more), and he is also very friendly with Hunter, two gay men more or less of the same age living near each other in a small town, they seem fated to be together, but of course Hunter is questioning everyone and everything, and the strange happenings in the mansion don’t help.
Sincerely if I was Michael, I would have probably less patient than him with Hunter; more or less until the last page, Hunter is questioning Michael’s real reason, even when it’s clear that he is only trying to be a good friend and possibly a lover. Don’t know if this is maybe a reaction from Hunter’s side having always lost anyone he has loved, his parents, his grandmother, even his first lover. It’s like he was taught a lesson, if you love someone you will lose him, so much better if you don’t.
And in any case it’s not that Hunter, in the end, will really learn his lesson; despite everything he is unable to completely detach himself from that place, it’s like he is double bond with the area, ready, and willing, to be possessed by “it”…
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608201651/?...
January 20, 2013
That story plot is really ridiculous.
May 5, 2018
Queer Horror!
Seriously. I was sold on this book from the moment I realized it was a gay horror novel written by Rick R Reed. I literally made a squealing noise and grabby hands. I'm not even gonna lie about it. #noshame
Haunted house books always have this kind of similar feel to them. They're atmospheric in the same way for the most part. I'd compare Beaumont House to Rose Red or The House of Seven Gables or even The Amityville House if I was going to try to give someone a head's up on the feeling of things. There's not a point in time where, as a reader, the house feels all cozy, comfortable, and comforting.
It's a creep fest. There's zero chance a sensible person would be all: Lemme stay there for the rest of my life!
But.
Hunter isn't sensible. He's profoundly sheltered which is expounded upon at length. I bought him being willing to live in the house because it's a quick, easy solution to his problem of wanting to leave Chicago after his grandmother's death. He has this air of someone so innocent they should have a keeper. That helps carry the feeling of dread along throughout the entire novel; I kept waiting for something to eat him or at the very least vivisect him alive.
I'm probably in the minority in that I didn't like the savior guy Michael who conveniently lives next door. I just couldn't see this guy finding Hunter attractive as a partner for more than a fun Friday night. I also couldn't see Hunter being able to relate to him for any length of time due to his own innocence and naivete. Don't get me wrong, all horror stories need a heavy to go with the horror; Michael is good as the guy who one would expect to show up with holy water, a flamethrower, and a Get-Thee-Behind-Me-Satan! bellow. I think the guy fit the part.
I just didn't particularly need the love interest angle or want much to do with it.
I was there for the evil house and the innocent it was all about corrupting/killing.
For classic horror fans, I'd recommend this without any hesitation. It's a 5 star horror read. I wouldn't recommend it so much for pure romance fans since there's a lot more of the horror than the romance. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to someone who doesn't like a good ghost story since this is the kind which can make the easily scared have trouble sleeping at night.
Seriously. I was sold on this book from the moment I realized it was a gay horror novel written by Rick R Reed. I literally made a squealing noise and grabby hands. I'm not even gonna lie about it. #noshame
Haunted house books always have this kind of similar feel to them. They're atmospheric in the same way for the most part. I'd compare Beaumont House to Rose Red or The House of Seven Gables or even The Amityville House if I was going to try to give someone a head's up on the feeling of things. There's not a point in time where, as a reader, the house feels all cozy, comfortable, and comforting.
It's a creep fest. There's zero chance a sensible person would be all: Lemme stay there for the rest of my life!
But.
Hunter isn't sensible. He's profoundly sheltered which is expounded upon at length. I bought him being willing to live in the house because it's a quick, easy solution to his problem of wanting to leave Chicago after his grandmother's death. He has this air of someone so innocent they should have a keeper. That helps carry the feeling of dread along throughout the entire novel; I kept waiting for something to eat him or at the very least vivisect him alive.
I'm probably in the minority in that I didn't like the savior guy Michael who conveniently lives next door. I just couldn't see this guy finding Hunter attractive as a partner for more than a fun Friday night. I also couldn't see Hunter being able to relate to him for any length of time due to his own innocence and naivete. Don't get me wrong, all horror stories need a heavy to go with the horror; Michael is good as the guy who one would expect to show up with holy water, a flamethrower, and a Get-Thee-Behind-Me-Satan! bellow. I think the guy fit the part.
I just didn't particularly need the love interest angle or want much to do with it.
I was there for the evil house and the innocent it was all about corrupting/killing.
For classic horror fans, I'd recommend this without any hesitation. It's a 5 star horror read. I wouldn't recommend it so much for pure romance fans since there's a lot more of the horror than the romance. I definitely wouldn't recommend it to someone who doesn't like a good ghost story since this is the kind which can make the easily scared have trouble sleeping at night.
February 6, 2025
I hate bad reviews, but I really did not like the main character at all. he was a whiny little...queen twink. mean to everyone who tried to be nice to him. I ended up rooting for the demon.
October 25, 2015
Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
No.
Just no.
Hunter, the main character made me so angry. He was so stupid and naive that it was painful. I kept hoping he'd pull his act together and smarten up. But no. After awhile I just started to hope that the author would kill him. You know it must be a good book when I keep hoping the main character dies.
Alas.
Shakes head.
I think that's what kept me reading to see if he would.
*I received this via NetGalley for review.
No.
Just no.
Hunter, the main character made me so angry. He was so stupid and naive that it was painful. I kept hoping he'd pull his act together and smarten up. But no. After awhile I just started to hope that the author would kill him. You know it must be a good book when I keep hoping the main character dies.
Alas.
Shakes head.
I think that's what kept me reading to see if he would.
*I received this via NetGalley for review.
September 17, 2010
Hunter Beaumont has led a sheltered life. When he was five years old, he witnessed his parents’ murders while on a camping trip, and was taken in by his grandmother to be raised. She protected Hunter from such horrors as long as she could, arranging for him to privately tutored and never leaving him alone. Now, she’s dead, and Hunter is forced to face life on his own, with all the wealth he’s inherited from her. She had only one request – for him to burn Beaumont House. He learns from her lawyer that it’s an abandoned family property in the middle of Nowhere, Wisconsin, but after viewing it, Hunter decides – in spite of the odd sensations of being watched and other occurrences while he’s there – that it’s perfect for him to live in, since he wants to leave Chicago. From that moment on, his life changes, and he starts to question his own sanity all too quickly.
I’ve known since I picked up my first Rick Reed novella that he wrote horror, but until this point, hadn’t read any of it. I’ve always been drawn to his vulnerable characters and vivid descriptions, and while those are definitely to be found in this, as a whole it never quite rose to the same level as other works I’ve read by him.
The fault doesn’t lie with the story itself. It starts out strong, with the reader introduced to Hunter as his grandmother is passing away from cancer. Right away, we know how protected he is. Ian, the lawyer, wants to take away all the responsibilities of the inheritance and just get Hunter set up in a nice Lake Shore property with a nice annual income to live out his life. Jay, the doctor, seems determined to introduce Hunter to what it means to have a social life, being there when he needs him only a little or a whole lot. Hunter is torn between two extremes. On one hand, he’s used to being taken care of. He doesn’t have a lot of exposure to the world without someone there to hold his hand, and having these crutches is both easy and helpful. On the other, he wants to assert his independence, and this same coddling can feel stifling more than once. It causes him to balk several times, especially with Ian and in regards to the Beaumont House. This dichotomy epitomizes Hunter’s actions throughout the entire novel. It creates a rather schizophrenic effect with him, making him appear flighty and capricious more than once when his conflicting drives struggle for dominance. At times, his reliability as a narrator – though not all of the book is told in his POV, the majority of it is – comes into question as a result. I found myself questioning whether or not I could trust his judgment at all, which only added to the tension the rest of the plot generated. You might think he’s fragile, and in some ways he is, but throughout it all, he surprises the reader with bursts of strength. It’s just not very inconsistent.
As for other characters, Beaumont House itself is the most driving force of the entire novel. Its creepy atmosphere and grotesqueries are on display from the prologue, into Hunter’s first visit, and then permeating every page and pore of the rest of the story. It slowly builds from the rather innocuous first encounter, to an explosive, horrifying ending. In many ways, it overshadows everyone else, including Michael, Hunter’s friendly neighbor. Michael suffers, not only because he’s a nice guy, but also because much of the reader’s perception of him is filtered through Hunter’s unreliable gaze. I’d like to say that he’s a fully rounded character, but I just can’t be sure, given the presentation.
My difficulties in rating this story as high as other work I’ve read by this author rests solely on the editing. Some of the most surefire ways to yank me out of a story are spelling mistakes, continuity errors, or typos. My brain trips on them, but if there’s only a couple, I can usually find my footing again and sink back into the experience. The more there are, the worse it gets, until I just can’t sink back in at all. Unfortunately, that was the case here. It started early. Mistakes like, "Hunter was moving up to kiss him, positioning himself between Hunter’s legs," and "I don’t thing I was all that standoffish," are typical, and happen too often. I didn’t find this with the author’s work at another publisher, so I’m assuming it has to do with whoever his editor is at MLR, but it effectively blunted my enjoyment of what could have been a really scary book. Other readers might not have the same problems with the errors as I did, especially those that might just skim. It’s still an incredibly atmospheric piece of work, and if you like graphic horror, this is definitely something to look at.
One word of warning. There is at least one scene of a sexual assault (I say at least, because I find myself waffling whether or not to include what happens with Hunter in his encounters at the house) that might disturb more sensitive readers. It is not carried through to completion, however, the psychological effects of it linger long into the book.
I’ve known since I picked up my first Rick Reed novella that he wrote horror, but until this point, hadn’t read any of it. I’ve always been drawn to his vulnerable characters and vivid descriptions, and while those are definitely to be found in this, as a whole it never quite rose to the same level as other works I’ve read by him.
The fault doesn’t lie with the story itself. It starts out strong, with the reader introduced to Hunter as his grandmother is passing away from cancer. Right away, we know how protected he is. Ian, the lawyer, wants to take away all the responsibilities of the inheritance and just get Hunter set up in a nice Lake Shore property with a nice annual income to live out his life. Jay, the doctor, seems determined to introduce Hunter to what it means to have a social life, being there when he needs him only a little or a whole lot. Hunter is torn between two extremes. On one hand, he’s used to being taken care of. He doesn’t have a lot of exposure to the world without someone there to hold his hand, and having these crutches is both easy and helpful. On the other, he wants to assert his independence, and this same coddling can feel stifling more than once. It causes him to balk several times, especially with Ian and in regards to the Beaumont House. This dichotomy epitomizes Hunter’s actions throughout the entire novel. It creates a rather schizophrenic effect with him, making him appear flighty and capricious more than once when his conflicting drives struggle for dominance. At times, his reliability as a narrator – though not all of the book is told in his POV, the majority of it is – comes into question as a result. I found myself questioning whether or not I could trust his judgment at all, which only added to the tension the rest of the plot generated. You might think he’s fragile, and in some ways he is, but throughout it all, he surprises the reader with bursts of strength. It’s just not very inconsistent.
As for other characters, Beaumont House itself is the most driving force of the entire novel. Its creepy atmosphere and grotesqueries are on display from the prologue, into Hunter’s first visit, and then permeating every page and pore of the rest of the story. It slowly builds from the rather innocuous first encounter, to an explosive, horrifying ending. In many ways, it overshadows everyone else, including Michael, Hunter’s friendly neighbor. Michael suffers, not only because he’s a nice guy, but also because much of the reader’s perception of him is filtered through Hunter’s unreliable gaze. I’d like to say that he’s a fully rounded character, but I just can’t be sure, given the presentation.
My difficulties in rating this story as high as other work I’ve read by this author rests solely on the editing. Some of the most surefire ways to yank me out of a story are spelling mistakes, continuity errors, or typos. My brain trips on them, but if there’s only a couple, I can usually find my footing again and sink back into the experience. The more there are, the worse it gets, until I just can’t sink back in at all. Unfortunately, that was the case here. It started early. Mistakes like, "Hunter was moving up to kiss him, positioning himself between Hunter’s legs," and "I don’t thing I was all that standoffish," are typical, and happen too often. I didn’t find this with the author’s work at another publisher, so I’m assuming it has to do with whoever his editor is at MLR, but it effectively blunted my enjoyment of what could have been a really scary book. Other readers might not have the same problems with the errors as I did, especially those that might just skim. It’s still an incredibly atmospheric piece of work, and if you like graphic horror, this is definitely something to look at.
One word of warning. There is at least one scene of a sexual assault (I say at least, because I find myself waffling whether or not to include what happens with Hunter in his encounters at the house) that might disturb more sensitive readers. It is not carried through to completion, however, the psychological effects of it linger long into the book.
May 22, 2018
This book left me with a strange aftertaste. It actually compelled me to write a review. I find that a couple of spooks and a darker setting give a romance than little bit of spice that makes it hard to step away. That is the reason I picked up this book after reading the blurb here on Goodreads. However, this time I was left wanting more, but not in a good way...
My first issue with the book was the pacing especially at the beginning. I expect a horror novel to have some sort intro, to set the scene and introduce the main character, however the quarter of this book felt like an extended backstory of the MC. Now I have no issue with backstories, a good cut-away to a character's past to reveal the forces driving him makes him more believable and intriguing. It's like with clothes - a nice reveal spurns the imagination, even if there is not that much going underneath. Putting it all at the beginning just did away with any suspense of learning about the MC and trying to figure out his determination to stay in the house. Another quirk of writing that did away with the suspense was the seemingly sporadic cutaways from the MC point-of-view to the supporting cast, which in some cases felt as though their whole point was to highlight which of them are the "good guys" and which are the "bad guys" and how naive the MC is.
That brings us around my second issue with this book - the MC's personality. Now I quite liked his determination to protect the lifestyle he built up in the house, and understood him wanting to get away from the big city and it's people. However, once more the begging of the book did him an injustice, and starts him off as a character that I was rather frustrated with. I understand that he led a sheltered life with his Grandma, but "sheltered" does not equal "naive". It's not like Grandma forbade or took an active stance against him learning about the ways of the world and what goes on "around the block". The author keeps mentioning contemporary artists, authors and suchlike, so it's quite probable that he, living quite wealthy in Chicago, had access to the internet, television or at least a newspaper. It beggars belief when he starts acting like a virgin lady-in-waiting from a Victorian period drama, or worse yet a Mexican melodrama - all doe-eyed, innocent, and spouting about love after some nice words and a touch. While he does get more sensible as the story moves along, his predisposition to cry every few chapters annoyed me throughout the book. I know men cry, but the amount of waterworks that the MC displayed was just silly.
My final slight with this book was that at times the plot felt just too generic. A good horror should keep you guessing about what happens next, but this book sometimes felt like it took its cues from a typical American horror film, where only the MC is oblivious of how events are going to take place. Worse yet, a few events in the backstory-beginning felt a bit contrived just to put the MC in the mood to go live alone in the secluded mansion. Even the love interest felt a bit forced, what with being the only person in viewing distance of the mansion, and conveniently gay.
To sum up "A Demon Inside" is a nice read for a few evenings, and it has quite a few moments of genuine suspense, however character development and some of the plot left me wanting.
My first issue with the book was the pacing especially at the beginning. I expect a horror novel to have some sort intro, to set the scene and introduce the main character, however the quarter of this book felt like an extended backstory of the MC. Now I have no issue with backstories, a good cut-away to a character's past to reveal the forces driving him makes him more believable and intriguing. It's like with clothes - a nice reveal spurns the imagination, even if there is not that much going underneath. Putting it all at the beginning just did away with any suspense of learning about the MC and trying to figure out his determination to stay in the house. Another quirk of writing that did away with the suspense was the seemingly sporadic cutaways from the MC point-of-view to the supporting cast, which in some cases felt as though their whole point was to highlight which of them are the "good guys" and which are the "bad guys" and how naive the MC is.
That brings us around my second issue with this book - the MC's personality. Now I quite liked his determination to protect the lifestyle he built up in the house, and understood him wanting to get away from the big city and it's people. However, once more the begging of the book did him an injustice, and starts him off as a character that I was rather frustrated with. I understand that he led a sheltered life with his Grandma, but "sheltered" does not equal "naive". It's not like Grandma forbade or took an active stance against him learning about the ways of the world and what goes on "around the block". The author keeps mentioning contemporary artists, authors and suchlike, so it's quite probable that he, living quite wealthy in Chicago, had access to the internet, television or at least a newspaper. It beggars belief when he starts acting like a virgin lady-in-waiting from a Victorian period drama, or worse yet a Mexican melodrama - all doe-eyed, innocent, and spouting about love after some nice words and a touch. While he does get more sensible as the story moves along, his predisposition to cry every few chapters annoyed me throughout the book. I know men cry, but the amount of waterworks that the MC displayed was just silly.
My final slight with this book was that at times the plot felt just too generic. A good horror should keep you guessing about what happens next, but this book sometimes felt like it took its cues from a typical American horror film, where only the MC is oblivious of how events are going to take place. Worse yet, a few events in the backstory-beginning felt a bit contrived just to put the MC in the mood to go live alone in the secluded mansion. Even the love interest felt a bit forced, what with being the only person in viewing distance of the mansion, and conveniently gay.
To sum up "A Demon Inside" is a nice read for a few evenings, and it has quite a few moments of genuine suspense, however character development and some of the plot left me wanting.
July 7, 2017
A Demon Inside…once again Rick R. Reed demonstrates how he is much more than just a simple romance writer. This hair-raising tale of horror and folklore will most assuredly leave you loathe to turn off the lights at bedtime and find you starting at every telltale noise your house makes as it settles every night. Now a second edition, re-released by DSP Publications, this is not your typical m/m romance—far from it, in fact. Instead you are lured into a tale of murder and mayhem that features a foul creature rising up against an innocent and slightly deluded young man.
Hunter Beaumont is the last of his line. Behind him is a family history of violence and mystery. Losing his own parents at the age of five while on a camping trip, Hunter barely recalls the circumstances behind his parent’s brutal murder. Raised by his elderly grandmother, Hunter is indulged and given every comfort money can by except his freedom.
Raised at home, with tutors and a somewhat cloistered lifestyle, Hunter, now in his early twenties, is faced with a lonely life and a naïve outlook that will find him at the mercy of con artists. Having been burned and scorned by his first lover, Hunter goes directly against the dying wish of his grandmother and moves out of the city to the remote Beaumont estate. Rather than destroying the home as she asked him to do, Hunter sinks a good portion of his trust fund into renovating the place in order to move in and live what he fancies will be the quiet life that suits him best.
Once settled in, Hunter meets the man who lives on the edge of the adjoining estate, Michael Burt. It just so happens that Michael is writing a fiction tale based loosely on the “curse” that supposedly plagues the Beaumont House. Before long, Hunter is visited by a chilling presence, one that is most assuredly both violent and deadly. Determined, Hunter remains at the house, even when he realizes that the ghostly apparition that haunts his waking and sleeping hours means to do him harm.
A Demon Inside was a horror story worthy of standing toe to toe with the greats like Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Macabre and horrifying, the “demon” that haunts Hunter’s family line is determined to see its destruction before it leaves the earthly realm for good. Hunter could have so easily come off as both whiny and remarkably naive to the point of stupidity were it not for the deft handling by author Rick R. Reed. His extraordinary ability to write characters that are wholly believable and grounded in reality created a heartbreaking innocence in Hunter that made Michael’s tenderness toward the young man inevitable.
However the true main character in this story was the house itself and the demon that resided within its walls. Honestly I would have never stepped foot inside the place. Still in pristine condition after more than 50 years being empty, the level of malevolence and gut clenching terror the house evoked was staggering. This was one scary place and the brilliant Mr. Reed played on every dark emotion the worst of creatures could have when it came to creating this macabre home. Quite frankly, there were times when I had to stop reading at night and finish in the daylight—yes it was that good and that bone chilling a story!
Hunter Beaumont is the last of his line. Behind him is a family history of violence and mystery. Losing his own parents at the age of five while on a camping trip, Hunter barely recalls the circumstances behind his parent’s brutal murder. Raised by his elderly grandmother, Hunter is indulged and given every comfort money can by except his freedom.
Raised at home, with tutors and a somewhat cloistered lifestyle, Hunter, now in his early twenties, is faced with a lonely life and a naïve outlook that will find him at the mercy of con artists. Having been burned and scorned by his first lover, Hunter goes directly against the dying wish of his grandmother and moves out of the city to the remote Beaumont estate. Rather than destroying the home as she asked him to do, Hunter sinks a good portion of his trust fund into renovating the place in order to move in and live what he fancies will be the quiet life that suits him best.
Once settled in, Hunter meets the man who lives on the edge of the adjoining estate, Michael Burt. It just so happens that Michael is writing a fiction tale based loosely on the “curse” that supposedly plagues the Beaumont House. Before long, Hunter is visited by a chilling presence, one that is most assuredly both violent and deadly. Determined, Hunter remains at the house, even when he realizes that the ghostly apparition that haunts his waking and sleeping hours means to do him harm.
A Demon Inside was a horror story worthy of standing toe to toe with the greats like Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Macabre and horrifying, the “demon” that haunts Hunter’s family line is determined to see its destruction before it leaves the earthly realm for good. Hunter could have so easily come off as both whiny and remarkably naive to the point of stupidity were it not for the deft handling by author Rick R. Reed. His extraordinary ability to write characters that are wholly believable and grounded in reality created a heartbreaking innocence in Hunter that made Michael’s tenderness toward the young man inevitable.
However the true main character in this story was the house itself and the demon that resided within its walls. Honestly I would have never stepped foot inside the place. Still in pristine condition after more than 50 years being empty, the level of malevolence and gut clenching terror the house evoked was staggering. This was one scary place and the brilliant Mr. Reed played on every dark emotion the worst of creatures could have when it came to creating this macabre home. Quite frankly, there were times when I had to stop reading at night and finish in the daylight—yes it was that good and that bone chilling a story!
August 31, 2015
Hunter is the last of the Beaumont line. They are an old money family with a strange history. Hunter has been sheltered all of his life. He never went to school, work or anywhere without his grandmother. Although in his early 20's, his emotional maturity and street smarts are very stunted.
Situations happen which lead to Hunter deciding to move away from the city. Despite it being vacant for several generations and him being heavily warned against it, Hunter decides to move to Beaumont House. I would have ran after the first visit, but his fear of society overshadows his response to this haunted house.
Just right off, I have to say, Hunter is crazy. I like to read on my kindle late at night and early in the morning while it's still dark and my kids are asleep, but I got so creeped out, I had to get up and cut all the lights on. Hunter is living there and still manages to sleep at night! I was unable to understand much of Hunter's behavior so I didn't get into the characters as much as the scare factor of the book. The author does an excellent job of bringing the creepy.
This novel gave me a good dose of fright, and I plan to read more from the author.
FULL REVIEW CAN BE FOUND AT http://fangirlmomentsandmytwocents.bl...
Situations happen which lead to Hunter deciding to move away from the city. Despite it being vacant for several generations and him being heavily warned against it, Hunter decides to move to Beaumont House. I would have ran after the first visit, but his fear of society overshadows his response to this haunted house.
Just right off, I have to say, Hunter is crazy. I like to read on my kindle late at night and early in the morning while it's still dark and my kids are asleep, but I got so creeped out, I had to get up and cut all the lights on. Hunter is living there and still manages to sleep at night! I was unable to understand much of Hunter's behavior so I didn't get into the characters as much as the scare factor of the book. The author does an excellent job of bringing the creepy.
This novel gave me a good dose of fright, and I plan to read more from the author.
FULL REVIEW CAN BE FOUND AT http://fangirlmomentsandmytwocents.bl...
August 30, 2015
A Demon Inside by Rick R. Reed
Gosh that title could be taken a few different ways. Did I just write taken?
Hunter, a wealthy, naive, young man (throw fragile in there too) finds himself almost taken hostage by his own terrors in a mansion he inherited. As the last of his family line will he survive his own personal demon?
There were many things I liked about this book. I liked the setting, a secluded mansion in the woods with a hot man living nearby in a small cottage. Said hot man, Michael, was so kind and, of course, handsome and, of course, hot after Hunter so naturally I liked, okay, loved Michael. Even the nice nurse, John, who we got a very brief intro to seemed like I person I’d really like too. I kind of even liked . Is that wrong?
I also like that this book had an actual story and not just a string of hot sexy times thrown together that moved from room to room or appliance to appliance. Also readers should be warned about a near rape, make that 2 .
But I did have a problem with this book. I almost felt like I sympathized more with Hunter’s demon. Again, is that wrong? I found Hunter a bit too naive though the author carefully helped illustrate why the early twenties aged Hunter was in that state. I really didn’t like Hunter that much.
Growing up rather naive myself maybe Hunter’s state just seemed so wrong to me especially what with the wonders of the internet that I lacked in my childhood. And this novel was set in the age of the internet so my only question is when do we get to read Michael’s story? Hmm?
Overall I thought the book was okay (I enjoyed Rick R. Reed’s Caregiver a lot more than A Demon Inside) and will probably recommend it to some of my friends but not to others. I’d give this 3 out of 5 stars, a liked but not loved book for me.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Gosh that title could be taken a few different ways. Did I just write taken?
Hunter, a wealthy, naive, young man (throw fragile in there too) finds himself almost taken hostage by his own terrors in a mansion he inherited. As the last of his family line will he survive his own personal demon?
There were many things I liked about this book. I liked the setting, a secluded mansion in the woods with a hot man living nearby in a small cottage. Said hot man, Michael, was so kind and, of course, handsome and, of course, hot after Hunter so naturally I liked, okay, loved Michael. Even the nice nurse, John, who we got a very brief intro to seemed like I person I’d really like too. I kind of even liked . Is that wrong?
I also like that this book had an actual story and not just a string of hot sexy times thrown together that moved from room to room or appliance to appliance. Also readers should be warned about a near rape, make that 2 .
But I did have a problem with this book. I almost felt like I sympathized more with Hunter’s demon. Again, is that wrong? I found Hunter a bit too naive though the author carefully helped illustrate why the early twenties aged Hunter was in that state. I really didn’t like Hunter that much.
Growing up rather naive myself maybe Hunter’s state just seemed so wrong to me especially what with the wonders of the internet that I lacked in my childhood. And this novel was set in the age of the internet so my only question is when do we get to read Michael’s story? Hmm?
Overall I thought the book was okay (I enjoyed Rick R. Reed’s Caregiver a lot more than A Demon Inside) and will probably recommend it to some of my friends but not to others. I’d give this 3 out of 5 stars, a liked but not loved book for me.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
October 7, 2020
Re-Read Review September 2020:
OMG! A Demon Inside is just as, if not more so, creepy as it was 4 years ago. I'm really not going to say anymore than I did in my original review, I don't want to give anything away to any new readers. I'll say this, Demon was my first Rick R Reed book and it was not my last, he has a way of blending heart and creep with just the right flavor of mystery to create not only a great story but a world you get sucked into. You feel every bump in the night, hear every body-less whisper, think every did-I-see-that, did-I-hear-that, did-that-happen? moment. If you love being scared then A Demon Inside is definitely a read for you.
Original Review October 2016:
First off, the fact that most of this story is set in Wisconsin was a real upside for me. As a Wisconsinite, it's always a thrill to read stories set in my state, it's not one often used and on top of that, one of my college advisors has written many books about haunted Wisconsin, we even have one here in my hometown. Now, back to A Demon Inside, this is the first book by Rick R Reed that I have read and well, let's just say it won't be the last. To say Hunter Beaumont's life will never be the same when he doesn't follow his grandmother's dying wish to destroy Beaumont House is an understatement. A Demon Inside is creepy, weird, and just plain scary but there's also a little romance which may seem out of place in such a dark story but truthfully, it only heightens the freak out factor. Along with the Wisconsin connection, I'm a bit of an introvert myself so I felt for Hunter immediately and understood so much of what his inner monologue was saying. A great addition to my Halloween/paranormal shelf.
OMG! A Demon Inside is just as, if not more so, creepy as it was 4 years ago. I'm really not going to say anymore than I did in my original review, I don't want to give anything away to any new readers. I'll say this, Demon was my first Rick R Reed book and it was not my last, he has a way of blending heart and creep with just the right flavor of mystery to create not only a great story but a world you get sucked into. You feel every bump in the night, hear every body-less whisper, think every did-I-see-that, did-I-hear-that, did-that-happen? moment. If you love being scared then A Demon Inside is definitely a read for you.
Original Review October 2016:
First off, the fact that most of this story is set in Wisconsin was a real upside for me. As a Wisconsinite, it's always a thrill to read stories set in my state, it's not one often used and on top of that, one of my college advisors has written many books about haunted Wisconsin, we even have one here in my hometown. Now, back to A Demon Inside, this is the first book by Rick R Reed that I have read and well, let's just say it won't be the last. To say Hunter Beaumont's life will never be the same when he doesn't follow his grandmother's dying wish to destroy Beaumont House is an understatement. A Demon Inside is creepy, weird, and just plain scary but there's also a little romance which may seem out of place in such a dark story but truthfully, it only heightens the freak out factor. Along with the Wisconsin connection, I'm a bit of an introvert myself so I felt for Hunter immediately and understood so much of what his inner monologue was saying. A great addition to my Halloween/paranormal shelf.
December 22, 2010
It has been some time since I've read a recent horror/occult novel. I grew up on Poe and Lovecraft, but this is certainly not in the same league. I found the protagonist rather unpleasant, not unexpected considering his background, but I really had difficulty identifying with him. The horror elements were common—nothing really new and the climax was not that interesting. Seemingly all gay novels have to end on a positive note these days and this one did. But the positive note was anticlimactic and too pat. It would have been much better if there had been ambiguity to the ending, especially concerning the demon. I missed a "gotcha".
Being a professional rescuer, I most identified with Michael. But, I did find Hunter an interesting enough character to really want to rescue him. His only attributes were being pretty and rich.
Being a professional rescuer, I most identified with Michael. But, I did find Hunter an interesting enough character to really want to rescue him. His only attributes were being pretty and rich.
November 15, 2011
I wanted to like this. I want to support queer-themed horror. But the protagonist was just plain irritating, the suspense factor was nil, and I just didn't feel the prose was elegant enough to chill my blood.
May 31, 2022
Highly NOT recommended. Spoilers to follow.
I originally discovered this author through a short story. The story was clever, engaging, and although brief, I loved the characters. Thinking I’d discovered a new favorite author, I sought out his other works. Luckily for me, I was able to get this from my library, because if I’d paid for this book, I’d be jacked.
The basic premise. Rich young kid moves to haunted house, shenanigans ensue, he lives. The end. The main character is Hunter, an incredibly whiny, privileged rich kid who was raised by an overly indulgent elderly relative after his parents are murdered. After the relative dies, Hunter finds that he’s inherited a million dollars, and mansion in the middle of rural Wisconsin. He proceeds to be swindled by a love interest, loses half his money and decides to live in the mansion anyway, despite dwindling resources and no apparent higher education or vocation. He meets a hot manly neighbor. Hunter is harassed by an entity in the house. Refuses to leave. And ultimately the house burns to the ground, with Hunter barely escaping.
Ok. You can probably see from the synopsis why this was nearly a DNF. To give a point of reference, I usually finish a 200 page book in about 2 to 3 days. It took me 11 to finish this one. It was a slog. I finished several other books while trying to get this one done as I could only stand to read a chapter or so at a time. Now for the characters.
Hunter – rich , whiny, and stupid as all get out. He made cringe worthy decisions so many times I lost count
Jay – manipulative doctor, who scammed Hunter out of half his inheritance as well as his virginity. Actually, this was the character I liked the best, but he seemed extraneous and was only in the first 1/3 of the story
Michael – the hot writer neighbor who runs so hot and cold my head spun. First he accuses Hunter of mental illness, then he does an about face and thinks the entity is real. His first introduction to Hunter he says “Yeah, what are the odds? Two homos ending up out here.” Yes, that’s right people. He referred to himself and Hunter as homos. This character was as unlikeable as Hunter.
Finally, and probably my biggest complaint. No trigger warnings anywhere to be found. There is an attempted sexual assault and a rape. I went back to the Amazon description as well as the library blurb. No mention of triggering sexual content.
What chaps my @ss is that the actual writing it good. That’s the only thing that kept me reading. The actual prose. So disappointing. Again peeps. Don’t bother with this one. I may try out this author again. But not anytime soon.
I originally discovered this author through a short story. The story was clever, engaging, and although brief, I loved the characters. Thinking I’d discovered a new favorite author, I sought out his other works. Luckily for me, I was able to get this from my library, because if I’d paid for this book, I’d be jacked.
The basic premise. Rich young kid moves to haunted house, shenanigans ensue, he lives. The end. The main character is Hunter, an incredibly whiny, privileged rich kid who was raised by an overly indulgent elderly relative after his parents are murdered. After the relative dies, Hunter finds that he’s inherited a million dollars, and mansion in the middle of rural Wisconsin. He proceeds to be swindled by a love interest, loses half his money and decides to live in the mansion anyway, despite dwindling resources and no apparent higher education or vocation. He meets a hot manly neighbor. Hunter is harassed by an entity in the house. Refuses to leave. And ultimately the house burns to the ground, with Hunter barely escaping.
Ok. You can probably see from the synopsis why this was nearly a DNF. To give a point of reference, I usually finish a 200 page book in about 2 to 3 days. It took me 11 to finish this one. It was a slog. I finished several other books while trying to get this one done as I could only stand to read a chapter or so at a time. Now for the characters.
Hunter – rich , whiny, and stupid as all get out. He made cringe worthy decisions so many times I lost count
Jay – manipulative doctor, who scammed Hunter out of half his inheritance as well as his virginity. Actually, this was the character I liked the best, but he seemed extraneous and was only in the first 1/3 of the story
Michael – the hot writer neighbor who runs so hot and cold my head spun. First he accuses Hunter of mental illness, then he does an about face and thinks the entity is real. His first introduction to Hunter he says “Yeah, what are the odds? Two homos ending up out here.” Yes, that’s right people. He referred to himself and Hunter as homos. This character was as unlikeable as Hunter.
Finally, and probably my biggest complaint. No trigger warnings anywhere to be found. There is an attempted sexual assault and a rape. I went back to the Amazon description as well as the library blurb. No mention of triggering sexual content.
What chaps my @ss is that the actual writing it good. That’s the only thing that kept me reading. The actual prose. So disappointing. Again peeps. Don’t bother with this one. I may try out this author again. But not anytime soon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2020
3 💖💖💖 Hearts Reviewed by Prime for MM Good Book Reviews
A Demon Inside by Rick R. Reed is a rather spooky novel and not for the faint of heart. For anyone who has read the first edition of this book, I have to admit that I never read the first edition, so I’m not entirely sure what has changed since.
The story itself has left me with some rather mixed feelings. This book isn't a romance, means that any romance is not front and centre of the plot, and what romance there was throughout the story was really nicely done. However, it is not that aspect that has bothered me. The horror was fantastically written and I really enjoyed it. In hindsight, though, I think that there was some sort of spark missing with the horror that connected all the dots for me in my head. But mostly, I found that after the build up in the horror and the terror felt by Hunter, the ending was a little too flat and a little too quick for my liking.
Nonetheless, this book does the creepy and poltergeist things perfectly, so on the surface this is a fantastic horror story which may well leave you with chills running down your spine.
The story follows Hunter Beaumont and finds his life at loose ends when in a tumultuous short period of time his beloved grandmother dies and his boyfriend dumps him. In a move that is something like a classical gothic horror, Hunter decides to live in Beaumont House after being told by his grandmother on her death bed to burn it down. Beaumont House has no end of secrets (which leads Hunter to uncover the memory of when his parents had died when he was a child) and some of them are quite deadly (this is one house with a bad history).
The subplot featuring the neighbour of Beaumont House, Michael, is where the romance comes in. Michael is a sweet guy and matches well with Hunter. However, Hunter seems to spend a lot of time doubting his new relationship and I’m not entirely sure whether or not this is actually to do with the “demon” of Beaumont House or just Hunter being insecure. This adds a nice, lighter plot to the otherwise dark/horror we otherwise get.
Despite my conflicted feelings, this is a good book and anyone into horror and anything that is generally just creepifying (in the words of Joss Whedon) stories will at least enjoy this read.
A Demon Inside by Rick R. Reed is a rather spooky novel and not for the faint of heart. For anyone who has read the first edition of this book, I have to admit that I never read the first edition, so I’m not entirely sure what has changed since.
The story itself has left me with some rather mixed feelings. This book isn't a romance, means that any romance is not front and centre of the plot, and what romance there was throughout the story was really nicely done. However, it is not that aspect that has bothered me. The horror was fantastically written and I really enjoyed it. In hindsight, though, I think that there was some sort of spark missing with the horror that connected all the dots for me in my head. But mostly, I found that after the build up in the horror and the terror felt by Hunter, the ending was a little too flat and a little too quick for my liking.
Nonetheless, this book does the creepy and poltergeist things perfectly, so on the surface this is a fantastic horror story which may well leave you with chills running down your spine.
The story follows Hunter Beaumont and finds his life at loose ends when in a tumultuous short period of time his beloved grandmother dies and his boyfriend dumps him. In a move that is something like a classical gothic horror, Hunter decides to live in Beaumont House after being told by his grandmother on her death bed to burn it down. Beaumont House has no end of secrets (which leads Hunter to uncover the memory of when his parents had died when he was a child) and some of them are quite deadly (this is one house with a bad history).
The subplot featuring the neighbour of Beaumont House, Michael, is where the romance comes in. Michael is a sweet guy and matches well with Hunter. However, Hunter seems to spend a lot of time doubting his new relationship and I’m not entirely sure whether or not this is actually to do with the “demon” of Beaumont House or just Hunter being insecure. This adds a nice, lighter plot to the otherwise dark/horror we otherwise get.
Despite my conflicted feelings, this is a good book and anyone into horror and anything that is generally just creepifying (in the words of Joss Whedon) stories will at least enjoy this read.
August 7, 2019
While this certainly marches to the well established horror tropes, it was still a compelling read. Hunter Beaumont is a sheltered naïve gay man in his early twenties (something I needed to remind myself of as he makes some very dumb choices and I'd have to think, yep adult brain hasn't quite developed yet). the story opens with his grandmother's last day in hospice and her funeral. She was everything to him as his parents were murdered years ago and she left him well off financially. Her last request was to destroy Beaumont House.
Hunter is surprised because he didn't even know they had a house in rural Wisconsin (sounds like it was up where I used to live). In spite of Ian, his grandmother's lawyer's, insistence he isn't ready to destroy the house. He's understandably curious. Unfortunately Grandma had sheltered him too much. He doesn't recognize how predatory Jay, her former doctor is. Also he doesn't have people skills or any control over his mood swings.
When he beholds Beaumont House, Hunter is compelled to ignore his grandma's wishes. And I couldn't blame him. The description is beautiful in spite of the weirdness, it's in perfect and clean condition even though it was abandoned for decades. He sinks all his money into it after his life falls apart and moves to very rural Beaumont House. HIs only companion is the nearby Michael who is caretaker/handyman to an elderly man.
Bad scary stuff started happening almost at once. Hunter and Michael dance around each other but honestly Hunter takes the once bitten, twice shy thing to the extreme. He can be rather unlikeable at times with this so it makes why Michael puts up with it mysterious. And Michael is hiding things so for me this was the most problematic and least enjoyable part of the story. The reason for the haunting was well set up.
I did however like this book a lot. I think it would make a good horror flick. A word of warning, rape themes are in this horror.
Hunter is surprised because he didn't even know they had a house in rural Wisconsin (sounds like it was up where I used to live). In spite of Ian, his grandmother's lawyer's, insistence he isn't ready to destroy the house. He's understandably curious. Unfortunately Grandma had sheltered him too much. He doesn't recognize how predatory Jay, her former doctor is. Also he doesn't have people skills or any control over his mood swings.
When he beholds Beaumont House, Hunter is compelled to ignore his grandma's wishes. And I couldn't blame him. The description is beautiful in spite of the weirdness, it's in perfect and clean condition even though it was abandoned for decades. He sinks all his money into it after his life falls apart and moves to very rural Beaumont House. HIs only companion is the nearby Michael who is caretaker/handyman to an elderly man.
Bad scary stuff started happening almost at once. Hunter and Michael dance around each other but honestly Hunter takes the once bitten, twice shy thing to the extreme. He can be rather unlikeable at times with this so it makes why Michael puts up with it mysterious. And Michael is hiding things so for me this was the most problematic and least enjoyable part of the story. The reason for the haunting was well set up.
I did however like this book a lot. I think it would make a good horror flick. A word of warning, rape themes are in this horror.
January 1, 2019
I usually really like the combination of m/m romance and horror. However, this book just does not work for me. It's predictable and I don't like even one of the MCs. Hunter is definitely the worst though. I couldn't care less. He's an ass and very rude to the other characters and I can't see what other people see in him.
Well, I guess this author is just not for me.
I prefer John Inman.
Well, I guess this author is just not for me.
I prefer John Inman.
November 2, 2020
I really liked this horror novel. It was scary and I could not put it down. Hunter is a naïve, sheltered, and stubborn young man. However, this does not take away or ruin the story with his young twenties attitude. This was a great book for me to read during this Halloween season!
November 20, 2022
Nope. the main character is supposed to be sheltered/naïve, but comes across as mentally deficit. I found it nearly impossible to invest any interest in him and found myself rooting for the sleazy doctor instead.
November 6, 2010
In this sixteenth novel and fifth with MLR Press, Rick R. Reed gives the traditional ghost story a non-traditional twist with mixed results. Hunter Beaumont makes a deathbed promise to his dying grandmother, the wealthy matriarch of a troubled family line. That promise involves destroying part of his sizable inheritance – a looming old mansion known as Beaumont House buried deep within the Wisconsin woods and sporting a serious gypsy curse. Before you can even conjure the name Shirley Jackson, young master Beaumont – faced with financial problems when the sheltered orphan naively gives away half of his inheritance to a sexy swindler – breaks his promise to dear, deceased Granny Beaumont and sets up shop in the accursed dwelling.
Reed proceeds to throw every haunted house cliché at his hopelessly clueless protagonist — creaking floorboards, opening windows, feelings of being watched, sudden drops in room temperature, levitating furniture, otherworldly laughter, and apparitions. There are ghostly nocturnal visits of the licentious variety to spice things up, as well as a hunky caretaker from a neighboring property who may or may not have something to do with the spookfest that Hunter’s life becomes soon after moving into Beaumont House.
In attempting to fashion Hunter as a compelling gay male version of the classic femme fatale, Reed misfires and ends up with a feeble momma’s boy character who acts more like one of the interchangeable orphan girls from a V.C. Andrews novel. Missed opportunities abound when supporting characters are introduced and developed nicely, only to be unceremoniously dismissed from the narrative early. Only the character of Michael Burt, the aforementioned caretaker and requisite hunk, has any hint of depth as a character, albeit only when Reed pulls back from painting him with broad Marlboro Man strokes.
Structurally, Reed knows his way around a tight-knit suspense tale. His pacing is spot-on 99% of the time (with a deduction of a percentage point for a vexing repetition of meals-that-make-themselves plot device used here) and the action moves along at a decent clip. The explosive finale possesses all of the expected pizzazz of a respectable supernatural thriller.
Reading A Demon Inside is like arriving at the same destination you’ve visited countless times over but approaching it from a slightly different route, and therein lies its ultimate appeal. By all counts, there’s not a shred of innovation to be found in this seemingly by-the-numbers haunted house tale, yet somehow Reed makes it all work and keeps the reader turning the pages. That he can do this even when the material is mediocre is a testament to his skill as a writer. It’s that skill as a writer, though, that has this reviewer wanting more from Reed – something far edgier, something less sanitized, something less safe.
A Demon Inside is more homage than groundbreaking original, with the added appeal of letting all that repressed gay subtext at work in classics like Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House out to play in full view. Taken as a re-telling of the classic haunted house story, A Demon Inside definitely hits its target, even if it overshoots the bull’s-eye.
Reed proceeds to throw every haunted house cliché at his hopelessly clueless protagonist — creaking floorboards, opening windows, feelings of being watched, sudden drops in room temperature, levitating furniture, otherworldly laughter, and apparitions. There are ghostly nocturnal visits of the licentious variety to spice things up, as well as a hunky caretaker from a neighboring property who may or may not have something to do with the spookfest that Hunter’s life becomes soon after moving into Beaumont House.
In attempting to fashion Hunter as a compelling gay male version of the classic femme fatale, Reed misfires and ends up with a feeble momma’s boy character who acts more like one of the interchangeable orphan girls from a V.C. Andrews novel. Missed opportunities abound when supporting characters are introduced and developed nicely, only to be unceremoniously dismissed from the narrative early. Only the character of Michael Burt, the aforementioned caretaker and requisite hunk, has any hint of depth as a character, albeit only when Reed pulls back from painting him with broad Marlboro Man strokes.
Structurally, Reed knows his way around a tight-knit suspense tale. His pacing is spot-on 99% of the time (with a deduction of a percentage point for a vexing repetition of meals-that-make-themselves plot device used here) and the action moves along at a decent clip. The explosive finale possesses all of the expected pizzazz of a respectable supernatural thriller.
Reading A Demon Inside is like arriving at the same destination you’ve visited countless times over but approaching it from a slightly different route, and therein lies its ultimate appeal. By all counts, there’s not a shred of innovation to be found in this seemingly by-the-numbers haunted house tale, yet somehow Reed makes it all work and keeps the reader turning the pages. That he can do this even when the material is mediocre is a testament to his skill as a writer. It’s that skill as a writer, though, that has this reviewer wanting more from Reed – something far edgier, something less sanitized, something less safe.
A Demon Inside is more homage than groundbreaking original, with the added appeal of letting all that repressed gay subtext at work in classics like Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House out to play in full view. Taken as a re-telling of the classic haunted house story, A Demon Inside definitely hits its target, even if it overshoots the bull’s-eye.
Read
October 25, 2010I have to admit to approaching A Demon Inside by Rick Reed with some apprehension; when it comes to horror I’m an out-and-out wuss… truly! But I’ve also read quite a few of Rick’s other books and been totally drawn into the story regardless of the genre. And in A Demon Inside Mr. Reed’s done himself proud. We’ll just leave it at me being a cringing coward okay? *eyeroll*
While I liked Hunter Beaumont I must say that I couldn’t relate to him all that well, especially at the beginning of the story. The macabre murder of his parents when he was but a young boy was horrible and I can somewhat understand his from-then very sheltered upbringing. Poor Hunter; he really wasn’t equipped to dealing with much of anything, but I do have to say that as the book continued he underwent a huge growth spurt, so to speak, as far as becoming an independent adult. But it was definitely NOT an easy one; it certainly showed his mettle and my respect for him went ever higher.
The story opens up on a sad yet somewhat disturbing scene and you just know that things are NOT going to be going well for anyone so cursed. Rick sure sets the scene in a hurry and he does it so eerily to the point where I felt I should be looking over my shoulder… but THAT wasn’t going to happen. By the way, if you’re going to read this book, make sure you start early in the morning so that you’ll be done well before nightfall… unless, of course, you’re a horror aficionado and you laugh at eerie and evil happenings. *shudder*
There is definitely evil abroad in Beaumont House, and seriously you just know that Hunter should have done as his grandmother asked on her deathbed. But I could quite easily understand Hunter’s motives for not doing so. Although I did, once or twice, feel that things were a little too scripted without giving us much information. In other words, things happened—things I expected would because it’s how a horror story should go—but at the same time I was wondering just why and not getting any answers. That could just be me liking all my is dotted and ts crossed; and, in the end, really it’s not really a big deal.
A Demon Inside is, without a doubt, a scary story… chillingly so I might add, but I found it to be more than that. It’s a case of the whole being bigger than the parts that comprise it. Added to the element of horror is that of self-discovery, of coming to terms with the crap that we’re all dealt and still moving ahead… and it’s a romance. The romance is somewhat underplayed, but it is there and I would have loved to have a more complete look at Hunter’s future. But at the same time, while A Demon Inside is a horror story, it’s also a look at the dark side of humanity and how twisted some people can be when they focus too much on their pain, their wants… their, their their.
Okay, what I meant to say in fewer words is that the Rick Reed has, with A Demon Inside, given us the past and Hunter’s present because with the understanding that if Hunter could survive all that then his future can only be brighter. And it’s one excellent story all the way through…even for those who shudder at the idea of horror!
Kathy K.
While I liked Hunter Beaumont I must say that I couldn’t relate to him all that well, especially at the beginning of the story. The macabre murder of his parents when he was but a young boy was horrible and I can somewhat understand his from-then very sheltered upbringing. Poor Hunter; he really wasn’t equipped to dealing with much of anything, but I do have to say that as the book continued he underwent a huge growth spurt, so to speak, as far as becoming an independent adult. But it was definitely NOT an easy one; it certainly showed his mettle and my respect for him went ever higher.
The story opens up on a sad yet somewhat disturbing scene and you just know that things are NOT going to be going well for anyone so cursed. Rick sure sets the scene in a hurry and he does it so eerily to the point where I felt I should be looking over my shoulder… but THAT wasn’t going to happen. By the way, if you’re going to read this book, make sure you start early in the morning so that you’ll be done well before nightfall… unless, of course, you’re a horror aficionado and you laugh at eerie and evil happenings. *shudder*
There is definitely evil abroad in Beaumont House, and seriously you just know that Hunter should have done as his grandmother asked on her deathbed. But I could quite easily understand Hunter’s motives for not doing so. Although I did, once or twice, feel that things were a little too scripted without giving us much information. In other words, things happened—things I expected would because it’s how a horror story should go—but at the same time I was wondering just why and not getting any answers. That could just be me liking all my is dotted and ts crossed; and, in the end, really it’s not really a big deal.
A Demon Inside is, without a doubt, a scary story… chillingly so I might add, but I found it to be more than that. It’s a case of the whole being bigger than the parts that comprise it. Added to the element of horror is that of self-discovery, of coming to terms with the crap that we’re all dealt and still moving ahead… and it’s a romance. The romance is somewhat underplayed, but it is there and I would have loved to have a more complete look at Hunter’s future. But at the same time, while A Demon Inside is a horror story, it’s also a look at the dark side of humanity and how twisted some people can be when they focus too much on their pain, their wants… their, their their.
Okay, what I meant to say in fewer words is that the Rick Reed has, with A Demon Inside, given us the past and Hunter’s present because with the understanding that if Hunter could survive all that then his future can only be brighter. And it’s one excellent story all the way through…even for those who shudder at the idea of horror!
Kathy K.
August 26, 2015
5 Heart Review by Dan
I would say I loved this book, but that would be an understatement. I love scary books. Stephen King has always been one of my favorite authors, and I’ve got to say that Mr. Reed has written a creepy ghost story that really reminded me of some of Mr. King’s scarier works. It had me on edge the whole way through, and I couldn’t put it down until I hit that last page. From the first page, and the mysterious grave scene in 1845, I was hooked!
Hunter Beaumont has been raised by his grandmother following the mysterious death of his parents when he was a young boy. They were brutally murdered and torn apart, right in front of Hunter, but he doesn’t remember much about it due to the trauma and shock of the horrific incident. Hunter’s grandmother has raised him in seclusion. He never went to school, instead being home schooled by tutors. He never had contact with undesirables. All that is about to change.
Now Hunter’s grandmother has passed away. Her dying request is that he destroy “Beaumont House.” But what is Beaumont House? Hunter has never heard of it. When he and his grandmother’s attorney meet though, he discovers that he has inherited the family estate in Wisconsin. A house with a past. A deadly past. And something is reaching out from the dead past for Hunter. But who, or what, is it?
I would honestly rather read books like this all day long than to read the bubblegum romance novels that so dominate m/m fiction. One of my favorite movies of all time is Ghost Story. In A Demon Within, Mr. Reed brought me the same feeling I had watching that movie way back in the olden days when it came out. Neither that movie, nor this book, depended on a character with a mask jumping out at you with a butcher knife. They are both about a good old fashioned ghost story.
I can’t more highly recommend a book than I do this one. As I said at the top, saying I loved it would be an understatement. It is great suspense. If you, like me, enjoy being a little scared while reading, hit one click now. I’m positive you will enjoy it. If you’re looking for bubblegum? Look elsewhere, this book isn’t for you!
As for me? I’m off to peruse the list of upcoming DSP Publication books. They seem to be hitting exactly where my reading tastes lie!
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
I would say I loved this book, but that would be an understatement. I love scary books. Stephen King has always been one of my favorite authors, and I’ve got to say that Mr. Reed has written a creepy ghost story that really reminded me of some of Mr. King’s scarier works. It had me on edge the whole way through, and I couldn’t put it down until I hit that last page. From the first page, and the mysterious grave scene in 1845, I was hooked!
Hunter Beaumont has been raised by his grandmother following the mysterious death of his parents when he was a young boy. They were brutally murdered and torn apart, right in front of Hunter, but he doesn’t remember much about it due to the trauma and shock of the horrific incident. Hunter’s grandmother has raised him in seclusion. He never went to school, instead being home schooled by tutors. He never had contact with undesirables. All that is about to change.
Now Hunter’s grandmother has passed away. Her dying request is that he destroy “Beaumont House.” But what is Beaumont House? Hunter has never heard of it. When he and his grandmother’s attorney meet though, he discovers that he has inherited the family estate in Wisconsin. A house with a past. A deadly past. And something is reaching out from the dead past for Hunter. But who, or what, is it?
I would honestly rather read books like this all day long than to read the bubblegum romance novels that so dominate m/m fiction. One of my favorite movies of all time is Ghost Story. In A Demon Within, Mr. Reed brought me the same feeling I had watching that movie way back in the olden days when it came out. Neither that movie, nor this book, depended on a character with a mask jumping out at you with a butcher knife. They are both about a good old fashioned ghost story.
I can’t more highly recommend a book than I do this one. As I said at the top, saying I loved it would be an understatement. It is great suspense. If you, like me, enjoy being a little scared while reading, hit one click now. I’m positive you will enjoy it. If you’re looking for bubblegum? Look elsewhere, this book isn’t for you!
As for me? I’m off to peruse the list of upcoming DSP Publication books. They seem to be hitting exactly where my reading tastes lie!
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
September 6, 2010
I've been a sucker for haunted house stories my entire life, I can never get enough of them. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson and Drawing Blood by Poppy Z. Brite are two of my all time favorite books, and while A Demon Inside may not be comparable to the first, it definitely fits in with the second book. Both books take a young gay man and force him to deal with family secrets in such a way that they put their lives in jeopardy. The difference though is that while Trevor in Drawing Blood knows what he is getting himself into, Hunter doesn't, which makes the story even more compelling.
Hunter is a shy, naive young man who was raised by his grandmother after his parents were brutally murdered, an event that Hunter was present for. He grows up sheltered and hidden away from most of the world, a move that his grandmother took to try and protect him, but left him a little vulnerable and easily influenced.
Once his grandmother passes and asks him to destroy Beaumont House, that vulnerability and naiveness gets quickly tested. His first love affair ends horribly but it was one that if Hunter had been less trusting and more socially developed, he could have avoided it all together. This is what send him packing to Beaumont House despite the misgivings he felt the first time he was there.
This is where the book really takes off and the action starts. I won't go into too much detail of what Hunter has to deal with while living in the house, though I will say if I woke up the first morning in a new house and had the same experience Hunter did, I wouldn't bother packing, I would walk right out the front door and never look back.
The author does a wonderful job of setting the right notes of fear and stubbornness that Hunter feels throughout the book. There aren't a lot of authors who can write a convincingly haunted house story without coming across as cheesy or trying to hard. This author has it nailed down. The atmosphere he invokes works perfectly with the storyline and never gets in the way of the plot. He methodically creates the perfect sense of terror that leads to a wonderful thought out climax that left me wishing there was more to the story.
The other aspect I loved was the lack of sex, though there was a strong desire for it, between Hunter and his quite attractive neighbor. The author lets their friendship and trust build first and it's only towards the end that you realize they may have something real they can fall back on once the horror of the house is finally over.
This was my second book from this author and I'm falling more in love with his writing style. I can't wait to read the next one.
Hunter is a shy, naive young man who was raised by his grandmother after his parents were brutally murdered, an event that Hunter was present for. He grows up sheltered and hidden away from most of the world, a move that his grandmother took to try and protect him, but left him a little vulnerable and easily influenced.
Once his grandmother passes and asks him to destroy Beaumont House, that vulnerability and naiveness gets quickly tested. His first love affair ends horribly but it was one that if Hunter had been less trusting and more socially developed, he could have avoided it all together. This is what send him packing to Beaumont House despite the misgivings he felt the first time he was there.
This is where the book really takes off and the action starts. I won't go into too much detail of what Hunter has to deal with while living in the house, though I will say if I woke up the first morning in a new house and had the same experience Hunter did, I wouldn't bother packing, I would walk right out the front door and never look back.
The author does a wonderful job of setting the right notes of fear and stubbornness that Hunter feels throughout the book. There aren't a lot of authors who can write a convincingly haunted house story without coming across as cheesy or trying to hard. This author has it nailed down. The atmosphere he invokes works perfectly with the storyline and never gets in the way of the plot. He methodically creates the perfect sense of terror that leads to a wonderful thought out climax that left me wishing there was more to the story.
The other aspect I loved was the lack of sex, though there was a strong desire for it, between Hunter and his quite attractive neighbor. The author lets their friendship and trust build first and it's only towards the end that you realize they may have something real they can fall back on once the horror of the house is finally over.
This was my second book from this author and I'm falling more in love with his writing style. I can't wait to read the next one.
May 1, 2017
This started out strong enough even though very trite with common tropes. The suspense was good and the story interesting. But the story didn't hold up. It remained trite and predictable. I didn't like the omniscient POV. I don't mean being in the mind of the crazy thing because that's pretty standard and was at least a subjective POV, but just overall when the narrative jumped from third person to omniscient and back again.
I ended up not caring for either MC, especially Hunter, so I didn't really care what happened to him. He was an ass over and over again and I never saw what anyone would see in him, especially the main character to whom he was mean over and over again. I felt that everyone--including Hunter--was way too pushy, forward, and inappropriately familiar with others, except when it came to sex and in that he was inconsistent. His reactions were often bizarre but not in the way they should have been considering how isolated he had been his whole life. The relationship just wasn't a relationship and then suddenly it was all intense for no apparent reason and no provocation to make it so. You have to read it to get what I mean and I don't recommend the book. I got my hospital scene and I didn't even care.
The one thing the story did well was the suspense, and when I read alone in the dark, it had its scary moments. But that wasn't enough to save the story for me. Reed can write well and he comes up with interesting plots with great suspense and dramatic moments, but his characterization is terrible and his narrative inconsistent.
Nitpicks:
I ended up not caring for either MC, especially Hunter, so I didn't really care what happened to him. He was an ass over and over again and I never saw what anyone would see in him, especially the main character to whom he was mean over and over again. I felt that everyone--including Hunter--was way too pushy, forward, and inappropriately familiar with others, except when it came to sex and in that he was inconsistent. His reactions were often bizarre but not in the way they should have been considering how isolated he had been his whole life. The relationship just wasn't a relationship and then suddenly it was all intense for no apparent reason and no provocation to make it so. You have to read it to get what I mean and I don't recommend the book. I got my hospital scene and I didn't even care.
The one thing the story did well was the suspense, and when I read alone in the dark, it had its scary moments. But that wasn't enough to save the story for me. Reed can write well and he comes up with interesting plots with great suspense and dramatic moments, but his characterization is terrible and his narrative inconsistent.
Nitpicks:
They're in the dark but he looks good?
If Beaumont House was pristine, why did he need to do do much work in it? I'm glad it takes time, though, and the work wasn't done overnight.
If the other house is two football fields away and they're both at their houses, how is he seeing the other guy's expression and the muscles bunching under his skin?
Why is Michael out there alone if he thinks it's weird to be out there alone?
He put almost 2 million dollars into that house??No, just no.
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