Review: STONE HILL: LEVIATHAN WAKES

5 Stars

This Series is like a mandala, with themes and locations circling, circling,  characters ever-evolving to yet higher levels.  Nonstop action continues,  once our protagonists have enjoyed a very brief hiatus to catch their breath after the deaths of both the evil Pastor John and his equally evil second-in-command. With new, seemingly friendly,  acquaintances, new trips into the ancient tunnels below the once quiet community of Stone Hill reveal untold treasures and unspeakable terrors,  culminating in a mind-boggling conclusion.  I truly hope the Story will continue on!

Review: THE HOUSE ON WIDOW'S HILL by Simon R. Green

5 Spooky Stars 

This installment of the Ishmael Jones Mysteries relies heavily on Science Fiction rather than Horror as did some of the earlier novels.  Going in, one expects supernatural horror,  as Ishmael and partner Penny are tasked by a previously unknown member of the Organization (identified only as Whisper) to spend one night in a reputedly haunted Victorian house in Bath, England. Accompanying are a psychic,a journalist who is a member of the family owning the derelict property,  and a local historian who is also a White Witch. As the story unfolds,  we learn more about Ishmael Jones' background, and encounter some seriously Spooky moments and unexpecte56d events.  This one is also noted for its humour: despite all the serious issues,  I frequently chuckled,  even laughed aloud [rare for me].

Review: STONE HILL: SHADOWS RISING by Dean Rasmussen

4 Spooky Stars

The horrors that have overtaken the small, gentle, community of Stone Hill, Minnesota,  make my skin crawl, and I refer to both the otherworldly elements and the sheer unadulterated human evil. A formerly "normal" small mostly-farming community has become--well, at the risk of trope, a portal to Hades. Or, not exactly that specific location,  but somewhere in another dimension, allowing horrific entities to cross over, abduct, terrorize, feed. What is under the apple orchard [shudder] boggles the mind....but does create a far-reaching territory for our "heroes" to explore in future installments. Meanwhile,  the fascist totalitarian control of Stone Hill (monstrously in the name of religion) seems to be reminiscent of Nazi Germany,  specifically how the non-combatant civilians were terrorized into submission by the controlling government run by the demagogue Adolf Hitler.  But even Hitler couldn't match the Denouement of STONE HILL: SHADOWS RISING, an event of jaw-dropping terror,  a real cliffhanger...