The Dead Path

Good horror novels must be devilishly hard to write well. There has to be a proper balance between gore and straightforward exposition; between the supernatural and the real; between those who look askance at magic until it is too late, and those who embrace magic regardless of their previous disbelief. Stephen M. Irwin gets the balance just right in his debut novel, The Dead Path.

Nicholas Close becomes enmeshed in the plans of a very, very old witch very early in his life. She has her eye on him because he has a “gift” – one not realized until his beloved wife dies, but one he cannot escape thereafter. Nicholas can see ghosts. More precisely, he sees the ghosts of people who died violent deaths at precisely the moment of their show more deaths. And he sees these scenes replayed over and over and over. It’s a wonder he’s not completely insane. Certainly he’s at the end of his rope when he returns to his hometown of Tallong, Australia, soon after he has buried his wife in London.

His return seems to stir something up in the town, though, and odd things start happening very fast. A boy disappears in a crime almost identical to that committed against Nicholas’s best friend when he was a child. A man commits suicide on Nicholas’s front porch. And the woods that seemed so frightening when he was a child are even worse now. Now his “gift” enables him to see the ghosts of children hauled off into the woods by invisible hands, children whose bodies turned up with their throats slit.

Little more can be said about this novel without giving away important plot points. You should have the opportunity to confront the thrills and chills of this book for yourself, and I do recommend that you give it a try. Irwin is a fine new addition to the horror genre, and I look forward to whatever he writes next.

One cool point, something I’ve never seen on a book before: when you put this book down at night and switch off the lamp, the jacket glows. Spooky! show less

This novel was a huge surprise for me. I had never heard of Irwin before, much less read one of his novels. I must say, I am VERY glad my local library has finally gotten a copy of this novel, so I can sing its virtues.
Gorgeous prose and an easy "voice" made this novel a real treat to dip into. I was immediately spell-bound, and thirsty for more... And yes, I am a HUGE arachnophobe. It doesn't bother me, reading about so many spiders. I am confused as to why it bothered others as badly.
The minute I got done reading his novel, I wanted to start back over at the beginning yet again. I loved every twisty-turning of the plot, and the characters were believable, true-to-form, and comfortable to hang with. (Weirdly enough, I kept seeing Hugh show more Grant in the lead male character of Nicholas, because of his dry, sarcastic sense of humor, and sort-of-bumbling ways. But then things got very .....athletic, let's just say. So that stopped. If this ever becomes a movie, it's a thought....I guess...?)



Riveting, haunting, and beautiful. This novel is a must-read. I literally could not wait to get back to it. 5 stars, for a job very well done! show less

Much of the publicity for The Dead Path makes much comparison to Stephen King, and those comparisons are overstated, which is a pity, because they don't give this novel a chance to stand out as a creation in its own light.

The novel centers on recently-widowed Nicholas Close, who, after a fall, has begun to see ghosts: specifically, he sees people's final moments played out again and again in an ongoing "video loop" of their final moments. They are everywhere, and they are inescapable. Unable to bear it, he packs up and leaves London and returns to his native Australia to his childhood home, to stay with his mother. He is joined in short order by his visiting sister, a hard-nosed financial planner who also turns out to dabble in the show more occult. We find out that, as a boy, Stephen's best friend was murdered under mysterious circumstances, and, as the novel goes on, we find out that these mysterious circumstances are part of a pattern that has been playing out over the history of this area, and that this history is somehow connected to the nearby woods.

What Irwin does well: He creates the woods as an incredibly alive, vital force. As a setting, they are positively, absolutely teeming with life force, creeping off the page. Vivid descriptions of every kind of greenery imaginable fill the narrative; it's an absolute explosion. But Irwin casts a darkness over all this life that creates a positively creepy atmosphere that's a perfect setting for the occult goings-on described in the novel.

What else Irwin does well: When we get into the historical backstory of the paranormal happenings, it's a real treat, a real mystery. Unfortunately, this begins a little late in the novel; it's a little slow getting started. But when it does happen, you're instantly captivated by Stephen's research into the past and what happened there. The mystery sucks you in, and you want to know more, more, more. Irwin dabbles out details tantalizingly, never showing his full hand, and this part of the novel is definitely the strongest and most page-turning. The additional characters-- like the Reverend Arand-- who get involved during this section are a real bonus, too. We become invested in them as part of uncovering this mystery and invested in them as characters themselves. Irwin weaves mystery and the paranormal beautifully and to great effect.

Without giving anything away, another plus is the deliciously creepy ending.

As stated before, the novel is a bit slow to get started off, and it does bog down in some spots. And there are a few places where you do say to yourself, "well, yes, I saw that coming." But this is a debut novel, so I think we can expect polishing of Irwin's style in books to come, and I look forward to them. show less

Over the last couple years, The Dead Path has become one of my all time favorite horror novels. It has its flaws, but the story and the atmosphere it creates are simply top notch, and it's one of my go-to suggestions for anyone looking for a damn good horror novel without gimmicks or monsters.

Nicholas Close has been plagued by visions of ghosts ever since a tragic motorcycle accident, and after the death of his new wife, he moves back home to Australia. But he sees plenty of ghosts in Australia as well, including the ghost of his childhood friend, Tristam, who died under extremely mysterious circumstances in the nearby woods. Nicholas soon realizes that he is unknowingly at the heart of a very dark plan involving an ancient evil and the show more forbidding woods.

If you take the separate components of the story (an ancient witch living in modern times, a supernaturally large and intelligent spider, a pagan God, etc.), the premise sounds ridiculous. But the author does such a fantastic job of rooting the supernatural story in everyday details that the plot becomes not only plausible but probable.

In a way, the novel plays upon the dark fairy tales we heard as children (think Brothers Grimm), but modernizes it and ages it to make these stories more relatable and appropriate for an adult audience. It plays upon our childhood fears of black magic and the dark woods, but combines these fears with more adult concepts, like suicide, responsibility, and family. Plus, the army of intelligent spiders in this story will give Aragog from Harry Potter or Shelob from Lord of the Rings a run for their money.

The author's writing style might be a bit too pretentious and grating for some readers, as he tends to get caught up in the naming of plants that grow in the forest, but for me, this wasn't a major issue. The story is thoughtfully constructed without being predictable, and scary without being gratuitous. It's a shame that this book hasn't received more attention, but it's a great suggestion to make for horror readers who want something new.

Readalikes:

The Night Strangers - Chris Bohjalian. Both novels feature supernaturally gifted protagonists who must grapple with ghosts in a small town setting.

The Ridge - Michael Koryta. A subtle, creepy novel that features an ancient evil lurking on the edge of a small town. You might also try So Cold the River by the same author, which provides a fresh, engrossing take on the classic ghost story trope.

It - Stephen King. Both atmospheric novels feature protagonists who deal with supernatural, small town horrors and who must return to their home towns to face the evil once more.

In the Woods - Tana French. In the Woods is decidedly a dark police procedural, but the protagonist, Rob Ryan, encounters a case that bears distinct similarities to an unexplained, potentially supernatural experience he had as a child in the nearby Irish woods. Readers who enjoyed the authentic dialect and setting detail of The Dead Path will also find much to appreciate in Tana French's novel as well. show less

This will put you off walking in woods for life!

After the death of his wife in London Nicholas Close returns to his Australian home town and his mother's house, a haunted man in more ways than one. The town has changed very little since he left including The Woods. In his childhood they were the scene of the murder of his best friend Tristram.

The Woods have a bad reputation in the town, parents warn their children not to go near them and people deliberately go out of their way so as not to pass by them. It is this, hinted at, creeping malevolence that make this such an atmospheric downright creepy read.

Nicholas' return seems to stir the malignant force in the woods and as Nicholas arrives, a young boy is brutally murdered in the woods show more in similar circumstances to Tristram's death. The reader discovers that this mysterious co incidence is anything but...but is part of a pattern that has been playing out in area for generations.

“The woods were alive… Something inside the trees had sensed him, tasted him on the cold air. Recognised him.”

Brilliantly written with strong, well drawn characters and a interesting plot that draw you in but it is the descriptions of those deep, dark haunted woods and their denizens that deliver the shivers.

Having said that I did want to shake Nicholas more than once and tell him to pull himself together!

Loved the primordial/pagan spin on this one, Blair Witch and The Wickerman spring to mind and the twisty ending seriously caught me out...wasn't expecting that!

Suspend your disbelief and go into 'There are more things in heaven and earth' mode and you will be rewarded with a deliciously, creepy 'crawly' story. show less

Ever since his wife died, Nicholas Close sees ghosts. He sees them everywhere, on airplanes and railroad tracks and city streets, playing out an endless loop of their often gory deaths. He leaves England for his mother's house in Australia, but there's no relief--and worse, it brings back memories of his best friend, murdered in the woods when they were just children. These woods are not lovely, but they are dark and deep, haunted by memories and something far more sinister. Something has been taking children from Tallong for more than a hundred years, and Nicholas might be the only one who can stop it.

Overall, the book was extremely good--Nicholas and Suzette are good characters and believable adult siblings, bickering but still show more watching out for each other as everything they know falls apart around them. I am tempted to write a cranky feminist critique and use the word "agency" a lot--there's a scene towards the end where it looks like the ladies are going to start kicking some major evil butt...and then nothing happens, unfortunately.

And horror? Yeah, we've got plenty of that. The plot features past and present (fictional) child murders, which is hard to write in a way that is creepy but not exploitative, but Irwin walks the line well. And pages 133 to 136 were hands down the scariest I've ever read, and I'm a Stephen King fan. Without spoilers, let me just say: Arachnophobes beware. Read The Dead Path, but read it in a well-lighted room with locked doors, drawn curtains, and a big can of bug spray within reach. show less

Every year around this time, with the leaves turning and pumpkins making their way into stores, I find myself craving ghost stories. Stories that make you want to sleep with the lights on and double check the locks on the doors and windows when the slightest sound is heard. Irwin deftly accomplishes both in his debut novel.

Nicholas Close is living his dream life in London. He has a beautiful wife, they’re renovating their new home together, and he has a job he enjoys. When a sudden and tragic accident takes his wife’s life, he can’t get past the devastation, the collapse of their dreams, and the downward spiral of his life. One other problem he’s having that he would do anything to escape --- he’s seeing ghosts. Not just show more simple hauntings, like socks going missing and found in odd places, but what he’s seeing are the last violent moments of people’s lives over and over like a movie he can’t shut off. Everywhere he goes they appear making him wonder if he’s losing his mind.

Nicholas makes the decision to move back to his native Australia with the hope of starting fresh. His hometown doesn’t have much to offer but it was home many years ago and what he’s looking for is a clean slate which his small town can provide. His mother, never a very affectionate person, welcomes him home rather half-heartedly, but he’s fine with the reception not expecting much more than the cup of tea she offers. His sister, a mother and successful business woman, decides to visit him as well and Nicholas finds in her a kindred spirit of sorts. She understands about the ghosts, and reveals a small secret --- their long dead father believed in witchcraft and she herself is a follower.

When a child disappears into the woods that have long haunted Nicholas, he starts to see and hear things that he knows can’t be possible. He starts to research the woods and finds a long dead woman still alive and possibly the reason for the strange occurrences, disappearances, and murders around town.

There’s that old saying that writers should write what they know. Well, I sincerely hope Stephen Irwin is not writing what he knows because his life would be terrifying if that were the case. This book starts out with death and racks up the numbers quickly. At first, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to finish this book but then something happened, and without taking away any of the adrenalin-rush, Irwin brings on the creepy mystery and changes the story from one about child murders to a depraved witch on a hunt for blood. He doesn’t drop the intensity level one bit and you race through the pages wondering what’s going to happen next.

It’s dark, disturbing, and in places disgusting, but does what it’s supposed to do --- it scares you. It makes you want to turn on every light in your house and banish house plants for fear they could be communing with a witch in the woods to conspire your ending. What I liked about the evil in this book was that it was subtle in appearance and you have to wait for Nicholas to figure things out, which in some places was a little frustrating but all part of the story. By the end of the book, you stop feeling sorry for Nicholas and want to yell at him to fight.

While I found parts of the book slightly unpalatable, child murders are never an easy subject even when it is clearly fiction, the book delivered on the terror factor. If you’re looking for a book for Halloween, this might be the one to try. It will certainly leave you with the need for extra lighting and a creepy feeling about dark woods. show less