Skip to main content

Review: Dark Halls - A Horror Novel

Dark Halls - A Horror Novel Dark Halls - A Horror Novel by Jeff Menapace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

No disrespect to Mr. King, but with this book, Jeff Menapace has cemented his status as my all time favorite supernatural horror author.

Dark Halls holds a few close personal ties for me. It takes place in Pennsylvania, where I grew up, and the protagonist is a male elementary teacher, which is how I began my career. Luckily, that is where the parallels between my life and Ryan's end... although Ryan is my middle name.

Ryan is a new hire at a "cursed" school, which has seen its fair share of murder, suicide, and other tragedies. Though he initially scoffs at the rumors, he quickly realizes there is more truth in these legends than most people realize.

The writing is fast-paced, succinct, and engaging, as has become customary in Menapace's work. While gory at times, it is not overtly so. The supernatural element makes sense in the context of the book, and even sets up a beautiful sequel opportunity. Though I do prefer Menapace to Stephen King now, I did draw some parallels between Pet Sematary and this book.

If you're a fan of Menapace's past work, definitely check this out. While this is in a different genre than his two best selling series (Bad Games and Wildlife), his writing still captured my attention from start to end. Fans of King, Koontz, and other supernatural thrillers will also enjoy this fun and creepy thriller.

Thank you to Jeff for a copy for me to read and review. All opinions are my own.

View all my reviews

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: A Christmas Carol Murder

A Christmas Carol Murder by Heather Redmond on Tour November 1 - December 31, 2020 Synopsis: The latest novel from Heather Redmond’s acclaimed mystery series finds young Charles Dickens suspecting a miser of pushing his partner out a window, but his fiancĂ©e Kate Hogarth takes a more charitable view of the old man's innocence . . . London, December 1835: Charles and Kate are out with friends and family for a chilly night of caroling and good cheer. But their blood truly runs cold when their singing is interrupted by a body plummeting from an upper window of a house. They soon learn the dead man at their feet, his neck strangely wrapped in chains, is Jacob Harley, the business partner of the resident of the house, an unpleasant codger who owns a counting house, one Emmanuel Screws. Ever the journalist, Charles dedicates himself to discovering who's behind the diabolical defenestration. But before he can investigate further, Harley's corpse is stolen. Followi...

Review: Mercy Creek

Mercy Creek by M.E. Browning October 11 - November 5, 2021 Tour Synopsis: In an idyllic Colorado town, a young girl goes missing—and the trail leads into the heart and mind of a remorseless killer. The late summer heat in Echo Valley, Colorado turns lush greenery into a tinder dry landscape. When a young girl mysteriously disappears, long buried grudges rekindle. Of the two Flores girls, Marisa was the one people pegged for trouble. Her younger sister, Lena, was the quiet daughter, dutiful and diligent—right until the moment she vanished. Detective Jo Wyatt is convinced the eleven-year-old girl didn’t run away and that a more sinister reason lurks behind her disappearance. For Jo, the case is personal, reaching far back into her past. But as she mines Lena’s fractured family life, she unearths a cache of secrets and half-lies that paints a darker picture. As the evidence mounts, so do the suspects, and when a witness steps forward with a shocking new revelation, Jo...

Review: Bird in Hand

Bird in Hand by Nikki Stern on Tour November 1-14, 2020 Synopsis: When the body of popular local guide Arley Fitchett washes up onto Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Lieutenant Sam Tate, just two months at her new job, is charged with investigating his death. She learns the dead man was searching for a carving he believed had been hidden in the area by pirates in 1718. He’s not the only one. Several others shared Fitchett’s obsession with the bird with the sapphire eye. But which one of them is the murderer—or the next victim? And how long does Sam have to catch a killer before her own past catches up with her? " The book... allows Tate to more fully come into herown as a formidable character on whose shoulders future procedurals could confidentially be placed. " ~ Kirkus Reviews " Bird in Hand will have prior Sam fans and newcomers thoroughly engrossed, all the way to the unexpected end. " ~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review " Eve...