New from Fracassi

Philip Fracassi’s Gothic is a desperate tale of madness and suffering for aging horror author, Tyson Parks. He has lost his place at the top and is desperate to write anything. This leads him to succumb to the lure of possession and not-so-empty promises. It is the story of a writer who is both cursed and possessed, but it goes beyond whatever makes the arcane desk tick. There is more, some of which is only hinted at. One can’t help but think about Stephen King’s own tormented writer, Jack Torrance. And like that doomed writer, Tyson’s loved ones are also caught up in the madness. Fracassi puts his own twist on an evil object story. 

If you like weird horror with hints of an unseen cosmic ‘other’ that is too twisted to comprehend, this is a good read for you. I wanted more. I’m hoping that this tale from Fracassi gets to make the leap to film. I’d love to see and feel the tension.

The release date for this one is February 3, 2023. I recommend that you pre-order this one from Cemetery Dance. I have a feeling that this one could quickly go into a second printing.  

Gothic

by Philip Fracassi

Published by Cemetery Dance Publications

February 3, 2023 | 408 Pages | ISBN 9781587678400

I would like to thank the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this novel.

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On a side note, if you like horror or are interested in what makes a horror writer tick, do check out Fracassi's podcast, The Dark Word. Season One guests include Laird Barron, Joe Lansdale, Paul Tremblay, Alma Katsu, S.A. Cosby, Stephen Graham Jones, Victor LaValle, and many more. Season Two is out now!

Snap!

I went into this story knowing nothing about JACKAL or its author. The story started a bit slow for me, but the pace intensified as the time ran out. In the end, I was hooked. This was Adams's debut novel. She filled her story with pain, frustration, fear, and rage—a flood of emotions. And they are all expected with a story about an abducted child—one of far too many. I also found the author’s voice to have an undeniable hope in the future. In better things. In a better life. “Nothing good comes from being hateful and hollow.” Words to live by in today’s divisive times.

Snap!

Amidst this pain and loss is a fierceness of determination to get to the truth. And the truth that her protagonist, Liz, is looking for should rip your heart out. The setting is the mostly-white, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, but this is an American story. It is one equal parts thriller and whodunit—splashed with horror. While some of that horror is of the paranormal/supernatural variety, be forewarned, much of it, sadly, is all too real. Violence. Racism. Child death. Body Horror. Domestic violence. Gore. Alcohol abuse. Eating disorder. Animal death. Kidnapping. Off-page rape. Off-page violence against children.

JACKAL, by Erin E. Adams
Published by Bantam | Oct 04, 2022
336 Pages | ISBN 978-0593499306

Thank you to #NetGalley, Bantam/Random House Publishing, and the author in exchange for my honest review. I am thrilled to have been able to get a sneak peek. I look forward to whatever is next from Erin E. Adams.