Genre: Horror
Length: 338 Pages
Publisher: Bantam Books
Release date: October 25, 2022
Synopsis: A man returns to his home town to bury his mother only to find there are ghosts of his youth that must also be laid to rest in “Class Reunion”.
A group of urban explorers encounter more than an abandoned building in “One Night at the Grand Hotel”.
A mysterious visitor, obsessed with a house and its secrets, shatters the quiet life of a grieving woman in “Coleridge”.
A prank gone horribly wrong tears a family apart in “The Devil Comes to Edgewater”.
Welcome to Edgewater, Massachusetts, where nothing is as it seems in these four tales of terror by Bram Stoker Award-winning author Tom Deady.
Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review
Tom Deady, for those who have yet to read his work, is a master in the coming of age genre. He is also very masterful with suspense and thrillers. The Edgewater Chronicles is a four pack of novellas, which is a great length to craft a story. And, here Tom Deady stretches his muscles, and plays to his strengths.
The first novella, Coleridge, is a suspenseful coming of age tale. When a strange old man shows up this story kicks into another gear. The tension is thick and I was flipping pages frantically. I loved everything about this opening piece, up until the last two chapters. The ending felt lazy and abrupt. It was almost enough to ruin everything that happened before.
The second novella, Backwater, was a fantastic thriller and again a wonderful coming of age adventure. Tim returns home and on a whim and attends his high school reunion.Tom Deady does an incredible job with the characters and feel of a reunion that could be yours or mine. The joy, sadness, and nostalgia will transport you back in time.
The third novella, One Night at The Grand, we see Tom Deady at his best. He really pours his heart and soul into this tale of suspense. Our protagonist, Stan, we’ve seen mentioned in Backwater. The story is in the same world and I loved the connection. Stan and his three friends have the hobby of exploring old and defunct structures. This go around they decide on a decades old hotel, The Grand. Tom’s family has a history with this hotel, and is turns out to be more than Stan bargained for. To say I loved this story is understanding my feelings. The characters, the suspense, and the outcome all had my full attention. This is, as they say, a real page turner.
The final novella, while good, didn’t quite have the same level of intensity as the three before it. The Devil Comes to Edgewater is a story of a young child who becomes possessed after a séance. Stories about the devil or possession are my least favorite in the horror genre. This may have been why I didn’t think it was as good as the others. You’ll have to decide for yourself. Regardless, The Edgewater Chronicles is a great book and one well worth your time.
Link to purchase The Edgewater Chronicles
Tom Deady, Biography-
Tom Deady’s first novel, HAVEN, won the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. He has since published several novels and novellas. He has a Master’s Degree in English and Creative Writing and is a member of both the Horror Writers Association and the New England Horror Writers Association. He resides in Arizona where he is working on his next novel.
Be sure to follow Tom on BookBub for the latest on sales: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tom-d…
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