REVIEW: John C. Foster - Mister White: A Dark Thriller

Genre: Horror / Thriller

Publisher: Grey Matter Press

Publication Date: 5^th April 2016

Pages: 278

MY REVIEW:

A copy of Mister White: A Dark Thriller, by John C Foster, was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the publisher, Grey Matter Press, in exchange for an honest review. This is said review.

So a week or two ago I read Mister White – The Short Story. I loved it. Absolutely loved it. Shortly after I finished it I was contacted by Anthony Rivera over at Grey Matter Press and asked if I fancied a read of the full novel. How could I refuse this one?

I was filled with a little trepidation though. I had heard all the rants and raves about it but I was concerned that it might not hold up in a novel length story. This is what I thought.

Lewis is on the run. He doesn’t know from what though. He only knows from whom. Someone has mentioned His name and He has Lewis in His sights. Lewis must warn his wife and daughter to disappear. As quickly as they can. He needs to get to them before He does.

Flintlock is gripped by fear. Strange things are happening that no one can explain. Gerard is tasked with protecting his niece and her daughter. He has no idea what from, but knows the strange happenings are connected to them.

Mister White travels fast when someone speaks his name.

There are so many characters of significance in this story I can’t possibly mention them all. I wouldn’t want to either because I’m not a spoiler type of guy. The main ones you need to know about are of course Lewis, his wife Cat and their daughter Hedde. Lewis is a man with a lot of regrets and secrets where his family is concerned. Now the chips are down, he knows exactly what he has to do. Cat is not totally innocent in things. She has secrets of her own that she believes no one knows. Hedde knows it all. Well she thinks she does. She certainly knows the pain of watching her family implode.

Gerard is the strong redneck type. Quiet, with his own sorrows to bear but loyal to the very end. Especially where protecting his family is concerned.

On the bad side of things, we have a plethora of people either on the run, or chasing, or hiding. Double crossing is the name of the game in a lot of this. That’s what you get with espionage.

Then there is Mister White. Nope. Not giving you nothing.

This type of story is hard to write characters that are believable in my opinion. You have the make believe world of spies, and the make believe world of the dark, supernatural. Combining those two elements could make a story doubly unbelievable so your characters have to shine through. John C Foster has it licked. There is not one person in this story, no matter how long they may survive, that is not believable. From the very first second a new character is described, you are sucked into their lives and get to know them very fast. You don’t need a huge, long back story to get into their heads and understand them. For a story that moves as fast as this one does, that is very important.

The plot? Nope. Not going there. I cannot possibly tell you anything to do with it. OK, just a little bit. There is someone, or something, called Mister White. When someone mentions his name bad things happen. No one knows when or how, but they do. No one knows where he comes from or how he gets to where he is going but he does. That’s it.

The one thing I can tell you with certainty is that this story is one of the creepiest things I have read in years. Do you know what astounded me about it though? It was effortless. You know sometimes when you read a story and you know that the author is pushing and doing all he can to make you scared, and raise the tension as much as possible? John C Foster just tells a story. The way he tells it though will make you poop your pants. I could just imagine him sitting in a rocking chair, totally chilled out, reading this book as if it was a fairy tale and it would still scare you.

From the very first sentence there is an atmosphere in this story that enshrouds you. It makes you feel like you are surrounded by a mysterious fog that won’t clear until you put the book down. You know what though? It doesn’t go away. It stays with you until you have completely finished the book then hangs around for a little longer just to ensure you get creeped out to the max.

This is a quote from my review of the short story:

“Fear. That is the word that I think most describes my mood while reading this. You can feel it. Smell it. Almost taste it. When you see the character’s jump and look behind them to see who is there, you do it yourself. When you see them run, you feel like getting up and running yourself. You know when they are caught, they have no chance.”

Multiply that by one hundred for the full novel. I honestly haven’t felt this creeped out reading a story in a long time.

Mr Foster has combined the thriller with the dark, the horror, the supernatural. Not an easy combination. I have seen some writers totally destroy it. This is superb though. If you like any of these genres you will love this. Be prepared to poop your pants though.

To summarise: superbly written, dark, horrific story that is full of tension and suspense and leaves you with an absolute hunger for more of the same. I want much much more of this!

General rating:

★★★★★ super stuff!

Thriller / Horror rating:

★★★★★ and again!

If you would like to help support Confessions of a Reviewer, then please consider using the links below to buy Mister White: A Dark Thriller or any other books from John. This not only supports me but also lets me know how many people actually like to buy books after reading my reviews.

Thanks.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Book Synopsis:

In the shadowy world of international espionage and governmental black ops, when a group of American spies go bad and inadvertently unleash an ancient malevolent force that feeds on the fears of mankind, a young family finds themselves in the crosshairs of a frantic supernatural mystery of global proportions with only one man to turn for their salvation.

Combine the intricate, plot-driven stylings of suspense masters Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum, add a healthy dose of Clive Barker’s dark and brooding occult horror themes, and you get a glimpse into the supernatural world of international espionage that the chilling new horror novel MISTER WHITE is about to reveal.

John C. Foster’s MISTER WHITE is a terrifying genre-busting suspense shocker it was meant to be and will, once and for all, answer the question you dare not ask: “Who is Mister White?”

John C. Foster was born in Sleepy Hollow, NY, and has been afraid of the dark for as long as he can remember.

A writer of thrillers and dark fiction, Foster lives in New York City with his lady, Linda, and their dog, Coraline. Dead Men is his first novel and his newest, Mr White, has just been released.

And for more about John, visit his site or find him on social media:

Website – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – Amazon Page

Three A Day?

On the back page of this month's Cycle World I learned that Allstate and a few other insurance companies have joined forces with something called the "Rider Protection Project" to let us know that motorcycling is dangerous. Their "shock notice" is that "three riders die at intersections every day." My first reaction was a little surprise that there are that many riders on the road every day. I know, "shame on me."

Allstate is putting a little money into "Watch for Motorcycles" signs at particularly hazardous intersections. They've also created a Facebook page called the "Rider Risk Map" where riders can submit a vote for particularly dangerous intersections.

I honestly do not know what to think about this project.

Three motorcyclists die at intersections every day.
- See more at: http://www.allstateridernews.com/default-culture-topics/safety-initiatives#sthash.UIuK0Xmk.dpuf

Three motorcyclists die at intersections every day.
- See more at: http://www.allstateridernews.com/default-culture-topics/safety-initiatives#sthash.UIuK0Xmk.dpuf

Three motorcyclists die at intersections every day.
- See more at: http://www.allstateridernews.com/default-culture-topics/safety-initiatives#sthash.UIuK0Xmk.dpuf

CALLING ALL WRITERS: FANCY CONFESSING YOUR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE?

I'm running a bit short on these so this is your chance to get yours published soon!

Notice how I didn’t say authors in the title?

Yes. That’s right. I am after anyone who would like to participate now! Let’s face it, there is a writer inside all of us just begging to get out.

If you have no idea what I am talking about then visit the Past, Present and Future page here.

It is a section full of guest posts where the writer in question talks about books in their, you guessed it, Past, Present and Future.

This has proved to be a very popular feature over this past twelve months on the blog and I want to see if I can spice things up a little bit by giving you, the readers, an opportunity to be included.

What I am after is a guest post where you would talk about your influences, likes and dislikes in the world of books from your earliest memory, right through to the future that none of us know about yet.

If you fancy sharing your life experiences of books with loads of other like-minded people, and maybe help them with suggestions of some of your favourites then please get in touch at confessionsofareviewer@gmail.com

This is still, of course, open to authors as well and I am running a bit short on entries so if any of you lovely lot would like something posted soon, give me a shout!

Thanks.

Nev.

SHOW-OFF AND TELL #29 - Ken Preston - Joe Coffin: Season One

#29 in the Show-Off and Tell is another recent one that sort of came to me out of the blue and I was absolutely delighted that it did.

It’s Joe Coffin: Season One by the wonderful Ken Preston.

I had seen this book all over the internet in the social media world and was intrigued as to how it would work with it being in the style of a TeeVee series. Also after hosting a guest review of it from Mr Kit Power a few months back, I couldn’t wait to give it a go and see what all the hype was about. You can read Kit’s review here by the way. Just in case you missed it.

At the time of this post going live, Joe Coffin: Season One is currently free for your Kindle.

This is my copy:

After getting to know Ken a little better over this past few months, I was delighted when this signed copy arrived for me. It is an absolute pleasure to add it to my shelf with all the other signed beauties.

There was another surpriseaddition included with Season One when it arrived, but that is a post for another day.

You can read my review of Joe Coffin: Season One, here.

To buy Joe Coffin: Season One, or indeed any of Ken’s books, visit here:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Growing up, Ken Preston never wanted a proper job, and now he sits in his converted cellar, telling lies for a living, whilst being distracted by his two cats, Lily and Luther.

He is the author of a wide range of genre novels, from zombie/cowboy mash-up Population:DEAD! to his YA pirate adventure, The Devil and Edward Teach, and contemporary horror serial, Joe Coffin.

He also writes a series of romantic thrillers, but don't tell anyone.

Pop over to his website to check out more books and for news on the latest releases, or just to say "Hi!", and find out how you could be getting free short stories delivered to your inbox every month.

And for about Ken, visit his site, or find him on social media:

Website – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – Amazon Page

CALLING ALL REVIEWERS. FANCY WORKING AT CONFESSIONS?

This message goes out to all of you reviewers all over the world. It’s a simple one really:

How would you like to review for Confessions of a Reviewer?

Told you it was simple. Confessions has gotten so busy of late that we need help with the amount of books we have coming in now. The to be reviewed pile is constantly growing and I haven’t got time to do them all myself.

What I am looking for is people who can either commit to a long term deal where they would continually pick up books from the submissions pile and read and review. Alternatively, if you cannot commit to something long term, if you are interested in picking something up to review once and a while and feel that Confessions is the place to host it, then give me a shout also.

This isn’t a paying gig. I wish it was. What you will have though is access to a lot of books long before they hit the shelves which is a pretty cool thing to have.

I won’t be a hard taskmaster either. Unlike some places to review, I won’t stand behind you with a big stick, shouting and demanding that you work till your fingers bleed. There will be certain guidelines to work by but that is all they will be, guidelines, not rules.

I also don’t mind if you review for another site or blog either. As long as it is cool with whoever you write for then jump aboard. I have associations with a few publishers and presses that constantly send me books to review so I may have something to read that your current site doesn’t.

Anyhow if you fancy it or know someone that will fancy it, give me a shout at confessionsofareviewer@gmail.comand I will have a look at what you do and hopefully we can work together.

By the way this is also open to you author types if you fancy a guest read and review some time.

Thanks.

Nev.

REVIEW: Ken Preston - Joe Coffin: Season One

Genre: Horror

Publisher: Ken Preston

Publication Date: 31^st Oct 2014

Pages: 470

MY REVIEW:

A copy of Joe Coffin: Season One, was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the author Ken Preston, in exchange for an honest review. This is said review. This book is self-published.

So, I have heard a lot about this book and about Mr Preston as well. We have been “friends” on Facebook for a while and interact a little but I have never read anything by him. I felt like I was missing out because I see a lot of people talking about this Joe Coffin fella, so felt it was about time I checked him out.

I had Season One on my Kindle but was delighted to recently take delivery of Season One andSeason Two from Mr Preston directly.

As ever, everyone knows this does not garner any favours from me in the reviewing game, even if it was stuffed with cash! Which it wasn’t by the way.

Very disappointing.

This is what I thought.

Joe Coffin is part of the Slaughterhouse Mob, a notorious gang, some would say the biggest, most successful, in Birmingham. He has just been released from prison. While he was in there, someone killed his wife and young son. Joe has only one thing on his mind. Revenge.

What Joe doesn’t realise is that the killers aren’t your average gangland killers. They weren’t in it for revenge or indeed any easy to fathom reason.

In fact, they aren’t your average anything. Joe has a battle on his hands that he could never have foreseen. It’s going to get bloody.

So, we have a hell of a lot of characters in this. The main ones are not what you might think. Joe Coffin is a gangster. He is a killer. You know what though? I defy any of you reading this book to dislike him. Not the brightest spark, he has qualities that a lot of decent people could learn from. Massive in stature and attitude, he is a perfect leading man in this. Tom is his main adversary in this tale. He is cut from the same cloth but has none of the endearing qualities that Joe has. I just wanted to take a cheese grater to his face. Craggs is the old mob boss. Again, he is a very likeable character. Giving his history, this is strange but you just can’t help it. Emma is a reporter. She is the normal run of the mill despicable reporter out for the killer story but her moods and intentions change throughout the story. She has a conscience that she is wrestling with a lot.

On the nasty side of the fence you have Able. Not going to tell you much about him other than to say you will dislike him immediately. He needs a bigger cheese grater.

There are a host of others involved in this including Steffani, Joe’s wife, beautiful in life and it seems also in death. Laura is Tom’s wife. She is also Joe’s ex-wife. She is totally different to most of the people in this story. She shouldn’t be wrapped up with the mob. She is too decent. There are others involved that I am not going to tell you about because that would lead to spoilers and I don’t do spoilers.

The plot? A man from the mob has been wronged. He is out for revenge. Sounds pretty simple and in essence it is. But – and this is a huge but – the enemy aren’t your standard mobsters. They have some uniquequalities that set them aside from everyone else.

Basically Joe wants to get the killers of his family. It’s not that easy though because of double crossing friends and an enemy that is as elusive as it is frightening. Add to that mix the fact that Joe is the most easily recognised person in the world, and the police are looking for him, he doesn’t have an easy time of it.

In terms of a book? This is just superb. It’s written in the style of being a Teevee series. Each chapter has its own title that make them unique and quirky. Some of them will make you laugh out loud at what you think might be in them before you even read them. Each chapter is like an episode of the series. Each one ends with its own little cliff hanger and forces you into turning the page immediately to see what’s on the other side. This is very clever writing.

Even though it is categorised as horror it is a mixture of genres that would make it an enjoyable read for many a person regardless of their favourite genre. It has horror, it has blood and guts, it has dark humour in abundance but the overriding element in it that made the book for me is the whole noir thing. Joe Coffin could have been transported directly from the old smoky backroom bars of the old black and white films of years ago. As a main character he is superb. He is in the thick of everything and you cannot help but root for him and cringe when things go wrong for him. He is the typical bad guy that everyone loves and would go out of their way to help him if he needed it.

Ken Preston writes in a style that is not just easy to read. It grips you and will not let you go until you have read a couple more chapters than you were intending to. I missed out on a few things because I couldn’t put this down at times. It’s the old cliché but the words just flow across the page and the pacing, for me, was absolutely perfect. It does get bloody at times and pretty gruesome but then it is a horror book. One I think you should go out of your way to pick up.

To summarise: a story about a likeable rogue out to avenge his family. Combining horror and noir and humour in a masterfully written story, if you like any of these genres, you will love this book. I’m already looking forward to Season Two!

General rating:

★★★★★ superbly written.

Horror rating:

★★★★★ perfect.

If you would like to help support Confessions of a Reviewer, then please consider using the links below to buy Joe Coffin: Season One or any other books from Ken. This not only supports me but also lets me know how many people actually like to buy books after reading my reviews.

Thanks.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Book Synopsis:

Get ready. Joe Coffin is on his way. And he's mad as hell.

Joe Coffin is fresh out of jail, but going straight is the last thing on his mind. The sickos who murdered his wife and child are still out there, and he’s going to get revenge.

The problem is, Joe Coffin is in much deeper than he realizes, and his wife might not be as dead as he believes.

Violent, gory, profane and explicit, Joe Coffin is for mature readers only.

Written in serial form, there are four episodes in Season One, each available individually or as a complete set at a significant price saving.

Growing up, Ken Preston never wanted a proper job, and now he sits in his converted cellar, telling lies for a living, whilst being distracted by his two cats, Lily and Luther.

He is the author of a wide range of genre novels, from zombie/cowboy mash-up Population:DEAD! to his YA pirate adventure, The Devil and Edward Teach, and contemporary horror serial, Joe Coffin.

He also writes a series of romantic thrillers, but don't tell anyone.

Pop over to his website to check out more books and for news on the latest releases, or just to say "Hi!", and find out how you could be getting free short stories delivered to your inbox every month.

And for about Ken, visit his site, or find him on social media:

Website – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – Amazon Page

GUEST POST: Confessions of my Past, Present and Future #31 - Ken Preston

Confessions of my Past, Present and Future

by

Ken Preston

The Past

As a youngster I lived very much inside my own imagination. I was an only child of two parents who argued a lot, and most days it just seemed preferable to me that I stay in my bedroom and read, or invent imaginative and terrible predicaments for my Action Men to get themselves out of. Many, many years later when I reached the grand old age of forty-eight, I finally found out the reason for all of my parents’ arguments, but that’s a story for another time.

This being back in the days when dinosaurs still ruled the earth and the wheel was little more than an unformed idea in the head of somebody cleverer than myself, there was no Xbox, no internet, no video games and only one television in the house with three channels on it. On some days, when the wind was blowing in the wrong direction we only had two channels.

So, especially during the long school summer holidays I would quite often spend the day exploring our local area. I was lucky, and we lived in an area which seemed uniquely set up to fire my imagination. There were abandoned, crumbling farmhouses to explore, paths to follow alongside gurgling streams of water, a disused quarry, even a couple of caves to nervously enter. Looking back now it was all a health and safety nightmare, obviously.

Add to that the history of witchcraft in the local area, and I was all set up to be a fan of the supernatural and horror from a young age.

When I wasn’t outside I was in my bedroom reading.

And I read pretty much whatever I could get my hands on.

I read comics, books, telephone directories, cereal packets, hell if there was nothing else in the house I might even read my homework questions. Everything took second place to reading, especially school. (Years later when I finished secondary school I left with one O Level in Art. My hero, David Bowie, also left school with one O level in Art, but it seems our careers then took vastly different trajectories.)

So, books. I started with the ‘classics’ at an early age, working my way through the cannon of Stevenson, Wells and, um, Biggles. Oh, and Enid Blyton too. Once past The Lord of the Rings, which I have to say defeated me on my first couple of attempts (I always stalled at Rivendell for some reason) I then ‘graduated’ onto James Herbert, Guy N Smith and Stephen King.

Before I knew it I found out all I needed to know (and a whole lot more I didn’t at such a tender age) about sex, courtesy of James Herbert. The scene from The Fog involving the headmaster, the school gym and a pair of garden shears shall forever be burned into my psyche.

My mother never paid attention to what I was reading, but my dad borrowed all my books once I had read them. I did wonder if, once he had discovered the ‘smutty’ parts, he might take them from me, but no. To be honest he just seemed rather relieved he didn’t have to explain the whole sordid business to me himself.

Although Herbert was my favourite, Guy N Smith retains to this day the dubious honour of being the only horror author to make me cry out of fear, and Stephen King cultivated a fear of looking into mirrors so intense it lasted well into my twenties.

As I grew up I left James Herbert and Guy N Smith behind and moved onto other authors, but I still read Stephen King.

The Present

These days my reading habits are varied. I still love genre fiction. I’ve just been through a long splurge on crime books, especially the work of Lawrence Block, Michael Connelly and Joe R Lansdale. I have just read The Black Country by Kerry Hadley-Price, a dark, puzzling mystery which the further I delved into it the more it seemed to me to be a horror novel in all but name.

My writing is varied too. Reflecting my love of genre fiction my flagship series of books, Joe Coffin, is a combination of horror and crime. Set in my local city of Birmingham the Joe Coffin series of books are written episodic style in the TV format. Violent, profane, explicit, funny and fast paced, my aim was to write a book I would love to sit down and watch on television.

But I also write romances and young adult, and I have even written a Western.

The Future

What does the future hold in terms of reading and writing? I am constantly looking for new books to read that will excite me and spark my interest, engage me with the characters and in the narrative. The independent world of writing and publishing is on a boom right now and beginning to seriously mature. No more do we need to depend on the big publishing houses for our next favourite book, the field has been blown wide open.

And there’s nothing wrong with that, is there?

As for writing, there will be more Joe Coffin, more Planet of the Dinosaurs(a young adult series), more romance books and probably a few mashups of genres as well.

It’s funny, but as I sit here in my cellar writing this, and surrounded by books, it seems to me very little has changed since my childhood. I’m a married man now, with two boys and the many busy days that go with family life. But I still find time to be on my own and read or write.

Just like that young boy I once was, I still love to escape into my own imagination.

And I know I always will.

You can buy Joe Coffin here:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

You can buy any of Ken’s other books here:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

If you would like to help support Confessions of a Reviewer, then please consider using the links below to buy any of the books mentioned in this feature. This not only supports me but also lets me know how many people actually like to buy books after reading my reviews.

Thanks.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Growing up, Ken Preston never wanted a proper job, and now he sits in his converted cellar, telling lies for a living, whilst being distracted by his two cats, Lily and Luther.

He is the author of a wide range of genre novels, from zombie/cowboy mash-up Population:DEAD! to his YA pirate adventure, The Devil and Edward Teach, and contemporary horror serial, Joe Coffin.

He also writes a series of romantic thrillers, but don't tell anyone.

Pop over to his website to check out more books and for news on the latest releases, or just to say "Hi!", and find out how you could be getting free short stories delivered to your inbox every month.

And for about Ken, visit his site, or find him on social media:

Website – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – Amazon Page

REVIEW: Adam Millard - The Bad Game

Genre: Horror

Publisher: The Sinister Horror Company

Publication Date: 2^nd May 2016

Pages: 236

MY REVIEW:

A copy of The Bad Game, by Adam Millard, was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the publishers, The Sinister Horror Company, in exchange for an honest review. This is said review.

One thing you will know about me is my love and affection for the guys at The Sinister Horror Company, and the work they do. They produce some wonderful books, both in their presentation and how they read. It is very clear that they put every ounce of effort they have into doing the very best they can for any author they publish.

This is highly commendable in today’s world where you hear so many horror stories about how some presses behave.

One thing you won’t know about me is a fact that I am, quite frankly, ashamed of. This is the first time I have read anything by Adam Millard. No need to send the peasants round with the torches and pitchforks. I have put myself through two days of self-flagellation as punishment and I swear it will never happen again. Want to know how I can be so sure of that? Read on!

This hasn’t happened in a while! It’s two for one time!

Review One:

Like easy to read horror? Fun Horror? Horror in the classic style of Richard Laymon? Horror that will make you cringe, squirm and squeak? Just buy this and thank me later.

Review Two:

Jamie lives in the mostly quiet seaside town of Hemsby. Not much for a fifteen-year-old to do during the summer other than spend the days in the local arcade playing video games. Jamie likes a particular type of game though. He is a retro expert and is close to completing every single level on Pac Man in one sitting!

Scottie runs the arcade and has a soft spot for Jamie and helps him out with his problem with bullies.

When Scottie takes delivery of a new game, dealing with bullies for Jamie is going to be a walk in the park compared to what is coming.

The game proves to be a huge hit with the kids even though no one can understand it. There is evil at work though, and what happens next turns Hemsby from a quite seaside town into a town of unknown horrors and bloodshed.

OK, straight to it. Characters. Jamie and Scottie are the main ones. Jamie is a typical fifteen-year-old. He is quiet in one sense but not so in another. He is an all-round decent lad but can still get himself into bother now and again. Scottie is a man with more than one problem and a past he would rather not talk about. He likes the booze but doesn’t turn into a nasty person with it. He just wants to work, drink, sleep. Put them together and there is a definite connection that is quite endearing. Other people that would play main roles would be Liza, a girl visiting Hemsby that has caught Jamie’s eye. Barry, a quite unassuming lad that is going to explode onto the scene. Angela, the local barmaid with more to offer than she believes herself.

Then we have a host of other kids that all come to the fore as the story progresses and the evil breaks out.

The most stand out thing about every single character in this book is that they could be you. They could be the boy or girl next door or the man or woman down the street. They are so natural that they do not read as made up characters in a book. It’s almost like this is a biography of real people going through real stuff.

The plot? This is where my comparison with Richard Laymon comes in. This has that distinct 80’s feel to it. That easy to read style that Laymon was so good at in all his tales set in America. The fact that Mr Millard has so successfully transferred this style to a small seaside town in England, to me, is superbly fantastic. I don’t think I have read anyone else recently who has managed to do that. It’s sort of B movie style but on a big budget if that makes sense.

Given the title there is no doubt that the story centres around the game. The Bad Game. I am telling no more though about what happens or how it happens. When it does though, this story kicks off in the biggest possible style. It is two hundred miles an hour with blood and guts and flying eyeballs galore. But it isn’t over exaggerated. If it was a movie there wouldn’t be huge, slow motion explosions and lots of CGI used in the death scenes to make it look as gruesome as possible. It’s just told in a way that gets the point across with no frills but still gives you the huge effect and makes you cringe all the same.

Adam Millard has a writing style that I fell in love with after about ten percent of this story. People talk about the words flowing across the page. These words don’t flow across the page. It’s more like the laziest day you could ever think of, lying on an inflatable bed on a swimming pool with your eyes closed, feeling the sun beat down on you as you just gently float along. Not a care in the world and giving you the most wonderful settled feeling. But then when it needs to kick off it does it at a speed, and ferocity, that would be like one of your damn kids jumping in the pool and knocking you flying off the inflatable, sinking and gasping for breath. The run to the finale will leave you floundering in the water for ages until you finally drag yourself to the edge of the pool and catch your breath.

His characters are superb. His story is superb. The idea behind the story will have every person who loves horror of old smiling from ear to ear while reading this and for hours after finishing it. It’s horror that is frightening and sickening but at the same time horror that is fun to read and the sort of story that, when you finish it, you feel deflated, because you wanted it to be much much longer.

But then you smile again because it was so much damn fun.

I absolutely loved this book so much, I am going to invent my own category for it in my end of year round up so it definitely wins!

To summarise: just read the above and buy it. Or if you come to the end first, don’t bother reading the above, just buy it.

Highest possible recommendation.

General rating:

★★★★★ couldn't possibly get any less!

Horror rating:

★★★★★ and again!

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Book Synopsis:

YOU DON'T PLAY IT... IT PLAYS YOU.

Hemsby is thriving; a seaside town on the up. The holidaymakers are flooding in, and so is the money. For the majority of those who live there, the resort is idyllic. But not for Jamie Garrett. Fifteen years old and bored to tears, Hemsby is the last place he wants to be. Aside from the occasional sea rescue, nothing exciting ever happens. That's about to change as a mysterious new game arrives at the beach-front arcade. No one knows of its origin, or the rules of the game, but soon it is the talk of the resort, attracting children far and wide with its complex gameplay and surreal graphics. When the children of the resort become the perpetrators of uncharacteristic and brutal violence, Jamie realises that it is a side-effect of the game, and sets out to pull the plug on the machine before it is too late.

Dare you play THE BAD GAME?

Adam Millard is the author of twenty novels, ten novellas, and more than a hundred short stories, which can be found in various collections and anthologies. Probably best known for his post-apocalyptic fiction, Adam also writes fantasy/horror for children. He created the character Peter Crombie, Teenage Zombie just so he had something decent to read to his son at bedtime. Adam also writes Bizarro fiction for several publishers, who enjoy his tales of flesh-eating clown-beetles and rabies-infected derrieres so much that they keep printing them. His "Dead" series has recently been the filling in a Stephen King/Bram Stoker sandwich on Amazon's bestsellers chart. When he's not writing about the nightmarish creatures battling for supremacy in his head, Adam writes for This Is Horror, whose columnists include Simon Bestwick and Simon Marshall-Jones.

And for more about Adam, visit his site or find him on social media:

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