My Review (4 stars out of 5) This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and it gets off to a great start. Finding she’s been left a house in her birth-mother’s will, bookshop owner Grace sets off for a mysterious island. Before she even arrives, the creepiness sets in, establishing a sinister…
Category: Fantasy
‘The Great Dick – And the Dysfunctional Demon’ by Barry Maher
My Review (4 stars out of 5) Failed songwriter Steve Witowski needs somewhere to hide. On the run from the police, he stumbles upon a woman being attacked and soon finds himself hailed as a hero. The victim, Victoria, invites him to stay with her in a haunted church where Steve becomes embroiled in a…
‘K-PAX Omnibus’ by Gene Brewer
My Review (5 stars out of 5) A man claiming he comes from another planet is taken to the Manhattan Institute where psychiatrist Dr. Gene Brewer attempts to work out who he really is. Calling himself ‘prot’ (rhymes with goat), the ‘visitor’ from K-PAX talks about the amazingly perfect world where he lives – a…
‘The Trials of Arthur Whitty’ by Tim Walker
My Review (4 stars out of 5) Retired accountant Arthur Whitty is a fantasist, but his vivid imagination helps him deal with a series of challenging situations. Allowing his alter-ego to take over, he dreams up adventurous settings where he is the hero – Art the Racing Driver, Major Whitty of the Royal Dragons, intrepid…
‘The Day of the Triffids’ by John Wyndham
My Review (5 stars out of 5) (Audiobook) In hospital for an eye operation, Bill Masen misses an unusually bright meteorite shower during the night. The next morning, disturbed that no-one has come to remove the bandages, he takes them off himself and discovers everyone who witnessed the phenomenon is now unable to see. Meeting…
‘The Stepford Wives’ by Ira Levin
My Review (4 stars out of 5) In the town of Stepford, Connecticut, the population appears happy with their lot – satisfied husbands and beautiful house-proud wives. Moving to the town with her husband, Joanna Eberhart finds the perfect image projected by the women is a little too much to take. Along with her new…
‘Afua’ by Karl Drinkwater and Christoffer Petersen
My Review (4 stars out of 5) This is the second book I’ve read by Karl Drinkwater, though I’m not familiar with Christoffer Petersen’s work. Set in the Lost Solace universe, this is a sci-fi story featuring a strongminded heroine in the form of Afua. A fairly short read, the world of Lost Solace is…
‘Pet Sematary’ by Stephen King
My Review (5 stars out of 5) About to start a new job, Louis moves his family from Chicago to a rambling house in Maine, where his kids will have room to play and explore. The only downside is the main road between the house and the elderly neighbours across the street, where heavy trucks…
‘I Am Legend’ by Richard Matheson
My Review (3 stars out of 5) Robert Neville believes himself to be the last living man on Earth – except, he’s not alone. It seems that the only other inhabitants of the planet have become blood-hungry vampires. Spending his days hunting and his nights locked into his fortress-like house, Neville carries out experiments, trying…
‘Passageways’ by Lisa Fox
My Review (5 stars out of 5) This is a collection of twenty-seven speculative short stories exploring the idea of journeys. A mix of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, they are peopled by characters whose hoped-for destinations take them on a variety of strange and disturbing routes. With any collection of stories, there are always…
Colin Garrow 