Andrew Harper (2)

Andrew Harper is the pseudonym for horror enthusiast Douglas Clegg. Harper’s novels may be labeled as more of a ‘thriller’ by Leisure books, and, while I have not yet red his other novel ‘Red Angel’ and unable to comment on it, Night Cage was, to me, held an utterly terrifying premise. The plot has to do with insane killers, the branch of psychiatry, what could go wrong with the human mind (particularly when the body is subjected to abuse), and old asylums ­ come on, what could be creepier??

The atmosphere of Night Cage was psychologically rich. All scenes within the hospital walls, particularly the underground section, were eerie. The moments of slaughter were cruel, the insanity of some characters disturbingly convincing, even with internal dialogue being the only thing to rely on. Creepy and intense.

Trey as the main character was excellent. I enjoyed seeing his own issues and how they counter acted with his job. I dug his sense of morality as well..not only was he the ‘nice guy’, he also seemed so real it was almost spooky. “Doc” Chilmark and his mother, “Bloody Mary”, are eerie as hell for the antagonists. Psychos almost tragic in nature. Jim as the best friend of Trey was adorably likeable with a sense of humor I enjoy characters having. Adequate mystery surrounded Dr. Brainard and others when it was needed ­ even less likeable characters, such as Victor, grew on me after awhile.

The pace was as it should be to make Night Cage worth ­ tight and well planned.
Style : Harper’s style is crisp and short at points to heighten suspense and action; he uses a lot of pauses in other sentences to draw scenes out. His writing is an ideal companion to this type of story.

I was excited to read a novel from the talented source of Clegg’s mind. His talent under the Harper handle did not disappoint. Night Cage was a haunting, dramatic, suspenseful, and fulfilling. Whether labeled as suspense, horror, or whatever, it put a smile on this readers face and I’m willing to bet it would do the same for you.… (more)

I think that I might have to change my opinion of Douglas Clegg; he occasionally writes under the pseudonym of Andrew Harper. I used to not like him because his stories kept having flashback within flashback and were a tad confusing. It seems that he has either changed his writing style or I like it more because the last couple of books I read by him were enjoyed.

NIGHT CAGE follows Trey Campbell who works at Darden State Hospital, a home for the criminally insane and a place with its own secrets. A young man accused of murder and called Doc is brought in and placed under Trey's care; what ends up happening is a revenge tale that is years in the making. Doc was actually conceived at Darden while his mother was placed there; the father is still unknown but someone at the hospital. The suspense builds as the mystery unravels and the mother's scheme comes to fruition. The story culminates in the abandoned ruins of the old hospital before it was remodeled, a place that is very creepy.

The novel is one that I enjoyed and would recommend. It's not "an instant classic" but it is a solid story and one that you will enjoy.… (more)

Andrew Harper is the pseudonym for horror enthusiast Douglas Clegg. Harper’s novels may be labeled as more of a ‘thriller’ by Leisure books, and, while I have not yet red his other novel ‘Red Angel’ and unable to comment on it, Night Cage was, to me, held an utterly terrifying premise.

The plot has to do with insane killers, the branch of psychiatry, what could go wrong with the human mind (particularly when the body is subjected to abuse), and old asylums – come on, what could be creepier??

Within the white walls of this novel, we have a rich atmosphere full of psychology, bizarre motivations, and twisted intentions. All the scenes beneath the asylum were eerie and claustrophobic.

The pace of Night Cage was laid out as well as the blueprints for Darden State; the ending had a nice, drawn out climax, leaving me a little reassured, but also disturbed as hell. Whatever this one ends up ‘labeled’ as, let’s just say it freaked the pants off of me, and that’s not always so easy to do!… (more)