Mark Onspaugh

I love short horror stories and these 22 dark tales will make you wonder whether abandoned places are really as empty as they appear.
My favorites were The Storybook Forest by Norman Prentiss in which a small group of friends gather in an abandoned children's theme park for a few beers and a night of terror. Along that same theme was Lullaby Land by Mark Onspaugh. A once crowded theme park long since closed after a tragedy... but children still manage to find their way there as kidnappers Mitch and Del are about to discover. The Theater by Dennis Copelan finds Leonard Brown, taking a bittersweet final walk through of his movie theater before signing the final sale papers.
Drive-In of the Damned by Michael Arruda was another of my favorites. Three paranormal investigators stake out a haunted drive in hoping to gain enough popularity on their YouTube channel to get a tv show. Bodies Without Souls by L.L. Soares finds Michael about to give a beach party while his parents are away, when an empty yacht mysteriously floats into easy reach. What's the worst that could happen if he turns his beach party into a boat party? Emily by JW Schnarr is the story of a missing girl and what happens to two friends who joined her search party in the woods.
High Desert by Lisa Morton finds Kara seeking shelter from the heat when Tadd goes off for help after they have car trouble in the desert while checking out an area where a religious cult mysteriously disappeared. Dream Home by D.L. Snell is not exactly about a haunted house, but a house that will haunt you. The Pressboard Factory by Peter N. Dudar was my absolute favorite. Billy and Ryan grew up together, but were not much alike. Ryan was picked on, belittled and bullied not just at school but abused at home right up until the day he just couldn't take it anymore.
All of the above, for me were the 5 star stories in this collection.

I received a complimentary copy for review.… (meer)

The Faceless One is an ancient evil, a "cruel and vengeful god called T-Nathluk." The shamans of the Tlingit tribe in Alaska have always watched over this evil and made sure it stayed buried and encased in ice. Unfortunately, there are no more shamans in the village and a couple of anthropologists have unearthed the mask that imprisoned this evil god, and all hell is about to be unleashed on the world, unless a group of strangers can work together to reimprison it.

I thought this book was a great horror story, written by a new name in the world of horror, Mark Onspaugh. This was a great debut novel that introduced a unique evil and a group of very likeable characters, with a delicious amount of sit on the edge of your seat possession and torture thrown in for good measure. Because this book was well written, it was a really quick read, with good even pacing that moved along quite nicely. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, it would take a turn and go off in a whole new direction, and the ending was a nice twist.

In summary, I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading the second book in the series.

5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.… (meer)

Deadlight Jack by Mark Onspaugh is a follow up to his 2013 novel The Faceless One. Jimmy Kalmaku and George Watters are back for another battle against the paranormal. Although those two characters are the same, this can be read as a stand alone novel. You do not need to have read the first one to enjoy the second.

George's grandson Donny vanishes while on a family vacations to Louisiana. He has been taken by Deadlight Jack, aka Professor Foxfire, a supernatural being who feeds off the pain and suffering of others. When George hears his grandson is missing, he and his friend Jimmy head across the country to help.

Jimmy is a Tlingit Shaman, and both he and George have a link to the mystical world. George does not know at first that Donny has been taken by Deadlight Jack, the same creature who tried to kidnap George when he was a little boy. But as he aids in the hunt for Donny, George is soon remembering his own past, and must prepare for a battle against Deadlight Jack for his grandson's life.

The action in the book moves at a steady pace. We get alternate views from George and Donny. The chapters from Donny's viewpoint are the most horrific. Some of the descriptions are disturbing, and several people are killed throughout the book.

A lot of time is spent on George's relationship with Jimmy. He constantly calls him by various Native American names, in an attempt to "tease" him. This gets a little annoying after awhile. The two men seem to have a true friendship going on, and are both willing to do whatever is needed to help each other.

I enjoyed this book and would give it 4 out of 5 stars. I received a free review copy from the publisher and NetGalley.… (meer)