The Twilight Pariah

Isn't the cover absolutely ominously stunning? I have to admit that part of the reasons for me to want to read this book was the cover and of course the fascinating blurb. Who doesn't love a devil child, and brutally murders? Well, not everyone perhaps, but I love horror books like this.

I especially liked the historical part of this story, when Maggie, Russell, and Henry learn more about the horned child skeleton that they found when they started to dig around the house in the woods. What I felt the story lacked, however, was a chilling vibe. The story is definitely interesting and well-written. I just felt that it never really hooked me or got my pulse racing, in the way I want when I read a horror tale. I was fascinated, but I also show more felt a bit disconnected with the characters, which can be because of the shortness of the tale. I was never really worried about them, they never got under my skin. They are not flat, but neither do they flesh out properly. The same problem did I have with the victims in this story if there had been more interactions, then I would have felt more for them. With other words, if the story had been longer, then perhaps it would have gotten to me more.

Nevertheless, it's definitely is a story I would recommend and I do want to read more books by Jeffrey Ford.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Netgalley for an honest review! show less

Everyone knows that you don't disturb buried skeletons. Everyone except Henry, Maggie and Russell, that is. With the summer off from college, three high school pals get together as Maggie has convinced the other two to help her with her amateur archaeology project. They're going to dig up an old outhouse pit and see what they can find. Not only do they find a buried skeleton, the skeleton is very small and it has horns. Anyone sane of mind would leave that thing alone, fill the hole back up and take off-but that wouldn't make for a very good horror story now would it? And this is definitely a good horror story! So what happens to the demon baby skeleton? What happens to this trio of friends almost immediately after disturbing said show more skeleton? You'll have to read this to find out!

Digging up an outhouse pit , (at night of course), near an old abandoned mansion is a creepy endeavor to start with, and when odd things started happening it got very creepy indeed. I especially loved the portions about the mansion and the Prewitts, the people that used to live there. Actually, I would have loved to have learned more about them and the history of the family. Still, what happened to Marlby Prewitt and what resulted from that incident, was a unique and new idea, (at least to me), and I loved what Mr. Ford did with his creation.

The Twilight Pariah was a LOT of fun! I read it in just two sittings and when I finished, I was sorry that it was over. There is a lot to be said for lean storytelling and tight prose, but let me be clear, I would have delighted in more! More of the Prewitts, more of the trio and their friendship, more, more, more! In such a tight space, Mr. Ford brought these characters alive, made me care for them, and then boom! It was over and he took them away!

I'm embarrassed to say that this was my first book from Jeffrey Ford, but it will not be my last. I HIGHLY recommend The Twilight Pariah!

You can pre-order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Pariah-Jeffrey-Ford-ebook/dp/B071KZ1CY5/chashorc...

*I received this paperback ARC free of charge by responding to a Tweet from Mr. Ford. This did not affect my opinion of this awesome story.*

Find this review and others like it at: Horrorafterdark.com show less

Summer vacation has come to an end in Arbenville. Soon friends Henry, Maggie, and Russell will return to their prospective colleges as seniors. Currently, Henry is working as caretaker for the historical Humboldt House, a job as exciting as watching grass grow. When Maggie, now into archaeology, enlists his aid in an amateur dig, his reluctance is only half-hearted.

Maggie wants to hone her budding skills by excavating the outhouse of the Prewitt mansion, a deserted home on the outskirts of town. Since they don’t have a permit, this has to be done at night.

With Russell in tow, the three find nothing of value, until Maggie digs up an ornamental apothecary bottle and eventually the intact skeleton of a baby – but with tiny horns. show more Meanwhile, strange noises seem to emanate from the empty house, Henry’s dad tells him of being chased away from the mansion decades earlier by “something,” and their research – aided by a part-time college professor of dubious authority – begins to turn up connections between the Prewitt family, that patent medicine, the house museum where Henry works, and possibly an unsolved series of violent 1920s murders ascribed to a killer dubbed the Twilight Pariah.

Disturbing the skeleton throws each of their lives into a living hell. Can Henry, Maggie, Russell & the rest of their crew put the past to rest before the Twilight Pariah kills again? Well, you must read to find out...

The Twilight Pariah is a wonderful horror novella that is creepy, funny, and poignant. A great mix of Indiana Jones, Grady Hendrix, and Stephen King and would easily make a wonderful film. show less

Three friends do some slightly illegal night-time archaeology at an old house and find a strange disfigured skeleton of a baby. Weird stuff starts to happen, including a few random dismemberments. What, exactly have they stumbled on? The Twilight Pariah is a sort of slacker horror. The three friends are college students still stuck in their home town for the summers with dead-end jobs and there isn't much going on except hanging out and drinking and smoking pot, so this novella feels like a twilight world all its own, just within waving distance of YA and pulp but wandering through a more literary and listless coming-of-age story. I thought it lost this twilight charm a bit as it went full pulp in order to tie up the plot and execute show more the showdown, and the horrible murders seemed a little distant, as if they should have been a more visceral part of the story but wouldn;t have suited the tone. So not entirely successful but a quick fun read. show less

A group of college kids home for summer vacation drink way too much and investigate long-buried town secrets. This one started out pretty creepy but quickly evolved into more of a Scooby Doo-type adventure. Not deep, but fun. The hanging ending leads me to believe there might be a sequel.

This novel wasn't a horror story as much as it was a horror-comedy. The tone of the story is very jovial, and it is told from Henry's perspective. There's a fair amount of cussing and joking around even in the midst of danger. I didn't actually mind the humor because it made for a fun ride. However, the thrill I was looking for was never there. Since this was a short book, everything happened too quickly for me and there was no time for that creepy chill to set in. The humor, while fun, also impeded the ability of the story to amp up the tension. Even though there was murder and a scary creature thrown into the mix, nothing was actually scary. This was an interesting story that had a good overall plot. But the novel suffered because it show more was just too quick and funny to be chilling. I would recommend this to someone looking for a quick and interesting read, but horror enthusiasts might find themselves disappointed with this one. I'm giving it a 2/5 stars; while it was an interesting read, it wasn't the horror it was made out to be.

For more reviews, visit: www.veereading.wordpress.com show less

Three college students home for the summer get involved in an old mystery and a haunted house, when one of them wants to practice her archeology skills. Good characterizations, some excellent scary scenes, and the resolution works well.