REVIEW: The House By the Cemetery

The House By the Cemetery
Author: John Everson

Mike Kostner is having a rough time. His wife left him, he's lonely and going into the slow season for construction work. An offer from a friend for a construction job couldn't come at a better time. Perry wants him to strengthen the floors and stairs in the old Bremen House at Bachelor's Grove....an old house with many local legends told about murder, ritual sacrifice, witchcraft, satanism, ghosts.....  What a perfect place to construct a gruesome haunted house! Perry promises if the county makes money from the venture, then Mike's construction company will in turn get more work and more money. It seems a win-win situation...     Until Mike starts working on the house.  Then it seems.....  evil.

I love reading horror novels in the fall! This lovely, demented tale by John Everson is a perfect October release! The old Bremen House is creepy, evil and scary! I enjoyed this story! The suspense builds up nicely and it has just the right mix of creepy, scary, demented and just icky emotions. Nicely done! The ending is unusual....but completely fits with the story.

There is a bit of sex and gruesomeness in this book that leads me to say it probably shouldn't be read by teens younger than 14. Bit adult in places. Nothing too graphic, but not for kids.

All in all, an entertaining, very creepy read. I found myself having discussions with Mike in my head while I was reading. Kinda like when I catch myself yelling at the TVduring cheesy horror movies: "No! Don't go in the basement to check the fuses!''  I kept wanting to lecture ol' Mike about his choices in girlfriends, and his dedication to a job that he should have walked away from when the creepy stuff started. It reminded me of that old Eddie Murphy routine about white guys and haunted houses. When the house screams "get out!'' white guys move in with their kids, their elderly parents, etc. Anybody else sees S like that and they run back to their car and drive away, never looking back. Mike....dude.....you shoulda run while you had the chance.

Too Late.

Anybody who loves horror, haunted house, witchy or devilish tales will enjoy this book!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are completely my own.**