Book Review: KILL CREEK by Scott Thomas

KILL CREEK by Scott Thomas (Inkshares, October 2017) 416 pages, paperback. 

Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .

At the end of a dark prairie road, nearly forgotten in the Kansas countryside, is the Finch House. For years it has remained empty, overgrown, abandoned. Soon the door will be opened for the first time in decades. But something is waiting, lurking in the shadows, anxious to meet its new guests…

When best-selling horror author Sam McGarver is invited to spend Halloween night in one of the country’s most infamous haunted houses, he reluctantly agrees. At least he won’t be alone; joining him are three other masters of the macabre, writers who have helped shape modern horror. But what begins as a simple publicity stunt will become a fight for survival. The entity they have awakened will follow them, torment them, threatening to make them a part of the bloody legacy of Kill Creek.

My Five-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     If you are a fan of the haunted house sub-genre of horror fiction, there is certainly a plethora of choices. But, out of all the haunted house tales I have read, there are just a handful that I consider truly frightening and/or truly remarkable and exceptional. Add KILL CREEK to that list. Even more notable is that this is the debut novel from Scott Thomas. He's certainly a writer to look forward to more.

     The premise is creative and original (as much as it can be) - - - four notable horror writers are persuaded to be interviewed by an online webcaster that involves spending the evening in a legendary haunted house. There's an even more original secondary premise that drives the second half of the novel. To say more would spoil this for other readers. Just take my word for it and read this so you can be surprised by the turns when they occur.

     Thomas really details the background of his characters and lets readers fully understand their mindset and motivations. His descriptions of the house, the settings, the action, the bloodshed and gore, are equally vivid. 

     Bravo, Scott Thomas . . . and welcome! Thanks to the Horror & Heaven reading community for bringing this to my attention and selecting it as a group read for January 2025.