Horror Books

Clever, witty and one of my favorite charming duos. Long live Hal and Mary-Ann!

A funny book that actually will make you laugh out loud. Beautifully written with engaging and unexpected characters. Peter J Smith is a wonderful writer. Do yourself a favour and buy this book today!

This book is conceivably the funniest book that I have ever read! A must-read for anyone with a quirky and creative sense of humor!

I love this book. Even after several readings, it still causes me to laugh aloud. "Make Believe Ballrooms" has seriously affected the way I look at Maxfield Parrish paintings, and that is probably a good thing. If only there were more . . . .

We have here what we may term the Seinfield of fiction. A story about so much, yet when trying to put it into words one comes up with "it's sort of a story about...nothing." However, among the barrage of "meaningful" fiction loitering pretentiously on bookstore fiction shelves, this novel says infinitely more about life, with its simple and effecting prose and utterly laugh at loud situations and characters, than any torturous "story with a moral" that you'll find on the best seller list. You will laugh out loud...I am not being figurative. You will laugh out loud often and with the unembarassed intensity that usually only a witty best friend can inspire. You will also feel strangely touched by this book. I say "strangely" because, perhaps like me, you won't be able to quite put your finger on why. Perhaps it is because life consists of a series of "nothing" events and coincidences, challenges and changes, silly as they may be. You will see the absurdity of life in this book and, upon closing it, realize how beautiful that absurdity is. Risk your life to find a copy of this amazing book...it is difficult to find, but then again, so are most worthwhile things. Find it, read it, and then write Mr. Smith a thank you letter for writing it. It is a rare gem in a slough of mediocrity.

Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc's A Man of Two Worlds is another beautiful book that the Mistress of Macabre has written. It's a story about a man who's becoming bankrupt during the production of a movie, bankrupt because of a pesky ghost. The main character, Robyne, meets a friend at a local gothic nightclub, and when the friend asks if he wants some help . . . The help isn't exactly what he was looking for, especially when they end up being of the supernatural.

I am amazed with Andrea's way to write a good story. Usually you find the supernatural books of today to be boring, dull, or with such a slow start that you can't even get through them. But Andrea's books are not like that, not at all. Andrea is very good at writing what she writes, which is chilling horror, beautiful romance and dramatic suspense. I don't think there's any other way to describe A Man of Two Worlds. It's a book that you pick up and you don't want to put down until you finish, it's really that good.

For those of you who haven't heard or read anything of Andrea's, you need to go pick something up. A Man of Two Worlds is the Preditors and Editors award-winning novel, now do you want to go buy it? Even if it wasn't an award winner, it still should be bought. It's a beautiful, chilling story of what happens through curses and the supernatural, and if you don't pick it up you're cheating yourself out of a real good read.

I just finished weeping as I completed the reading of this book. I am not sure which character I am more in love with. I couldn't help but feel compassion and a deepened love for each character as their stories unfolded and their beginnings learned. While some of their realities were harsh, I never once saw evil or gore in any of them. All of the characters did what they had to and as a survivor of a similiar reality myself, I completely understood. Not one time have I read a horror book and not come away without having the creeps but with A Man of Two Worlds, I came away feeling a deep understanding, compassion and an almost kinship with every character. I keep saying characters, although to me, they were all larger than life.

`Man of Two Worlds' is an exciting and in depth journey through the lives of the undead, guided by the detailed pasts of over a dozen characters. Some of the characters you will love, others you will hate, but with each one you will be drawn further into the recesses of the author's crazed mind. This is a tale of an unlikely love match between a mortal man and an immortal, beautiful and cool zombie man who first met in a chance encounter along the roadside. Though the main plot of the story takes place in today's time, this story still has plenty of `old world' appeal through flash backs and even a surprising new-meets-old twist that the author plays upon with practiced flare. The end of the story is `all wrong' in all of the right ways, leaving the reader yearning for a sequel. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys creatures of the undead, character driven stories, and twisted tales of love.

A Man of Two Worlds is an interesting story about young movie producer/director that falls into the dark underworld of mythical creatures and ghosts.

Have you ever believed in things that go bump in the night? They all live in the worlds created between the pages of Mrs. Van Scoyoc's newest novel... characters with such vivid backgrounds, and personalities that jump off the page

From the first page, I found myself enjoying this story. The theme of this book intrigued me and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I enjoyed both the vampire and zombie characters, but wished I'd heard more about the ghost that is terrorizing the film stage. The story is well-told and moved along at a good pace. The characters are appealing and the concept is absorbing.

There are more than a few errors either in spelling or punctuation, but don't let that dissuade you from reading this story. It is well worth the time spent and I didn't put it down till I was done!

I gave it a 5 / 5 stars :)

I recently finished reading "A Man of Two Worlds" and must say if Andrea has proven anything to me after her widely acclaimed novel "The Two", it's that lightning can strike in the same place twice, but the only thing comparable between the two stories is that when you begin reading, you are "in the story".
There isn't ten pages of introduction or backstory to go through before you get in the thick of it.

After the first ten pages, I had a voice in my head saying, "This concept has been done to death in books and movies." Thank God I didn't listen to that narrow minded voice and stop reading, plus, I was already hooked! Then later, I couldn't put it down if I had wanted to.

I love the way this lady tells a story, and am sure in time she will be able to make her grocery list into a #1 best seller!

This book, in my opinion, was money well spent,and I would recomend it to any adult reader as it runs the gamut of emotions, just make sure and strap yourselves in tight.....it's a wild ride to the end!

One of the best short story collections I've ever read. Partrige, who usually gets unfairly overlooked because he is lumped under "Horror", is one of the best writers that genre has ever seen. His prose and dialect far outweigh anything that Stephen King has ever put down on paper and the brutality and penchant for glorious violance will appeal to mainstream readers of say, Chuck Palahniuk. I just thoroughly enjoyed this book and was upset when it ended. I will never trade it. It sits on my shelf waiting to be re-read in a few years. the introduction alone is worth the price of the book and gives glimpses that Partridge could write humor just as good as "horror" if he wanted too

Hey, it's Norman Partridge. What else you need to know? If you've ever read so much as one story by this guy then you know how great and original a storyteller he is. Buy this sucker now. Norman needs your money and attention.

I just finished TMWTBWF and I'm completely amazed. Norm twists reality in a very personal way and shows to his readers how much an inventive writer he can be. Melding noirish language, lots of references to pop culture ( golden age hollywood, Drive-in movies, Spagetthi Western and 50's and 60's culture in general etc ), strong literary metaphors ( some passages borders on prose poetry ) in stories that are at the same time disturbing, blackly humorours, poignant,stupendously entertaining and original.
Mr Partridge has a special knack to tackle famililar themes ( Frankenstein, Vampires, Werewolves ) and gives entirely new twists, he always takes his stories to such unexpected directions so that the reader never knows what expect from them.

Norman Partridge is a truly one-of-kind and a HELL OF A WRITER.

1 * Seeing Past the Corners
23 * Red Right Hand ======================== ***1/2
47 * Coyotes =============================== ***1/2
67 * Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu ========= *****
87 * The Man with the Barbed-Wire Fists ==== ****1/2
99 * The Pack ============================== ***1/2
117 * Blood Money ========================== ****1/2
141 * Last Kiss ============================ ****
153 * Blackbirds =========================== -
167 * Wrong Turn =========================== ****
183 * Spyder =============================== ****1/2
199 * In Beauty, Like the Night ============ ***
219 * Minutes ============================== **
227 * Where the Woodbine Twineth =========== ****
235 * Mr. Fox ============================== *****
255 * The Hollow Man ======================= -
263 * Return of the Shroud =================
287 * Tombstone Moon ======================== ****
297 * The Mojave Two-Step =================== ****
311 * ¡Cuidado! ============================= ****
323 * Carne Muerta ========================== ***1/2
335 * Bucket of Blood ======================= ***1/2
353 * Undead Origami ========================
375 * Harvest ================================ ****1/2
385 * The Bars on Satan's Jailhouse ========== *****
417 * Bibliography

Once in awhile a new collection of stories by a single author comes along that grabs the reader and forces him to take notice. Karl Wagner's posthamous "Exorisms and Ecstasies" was one and Harlan Ellison's "Love ain't nothing but sex mispelled" was another. Norman Partridge comes along and takes us for a spin along a gravel track with motor's spiting fire and both carbs blazing. This is a major contender for a World Fantasy Award, produced by Night Shade Books with a real cloth binding, a killer cover painting and an attention do detail that will leave you breathless. This collection offers 24 stories from Partridge that turned this reader into an instant fan. Be warned, if your idea of literature is a safe escape from the mundane world, don't get this book. Nothing is safe about it, it will grab you, hit you low and hard - but you won't look back and nothing will ever be safe again.

Norman Partridge has been doing some of the best work in horror over the past decade. A fan favorite, he also draws high praise from critics and peers, and his work is frequently included in various "Year's Best" collections. In fact, of the twenty-four stories included in The Man With the Barbed Wire Fists, four, "Blackbirds," "Bucket of Blood," "Harvest," and "The Bars on Satan's Jailhouse," found places in such volumes (The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror 11 & 12, and The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 6 & 7, respectively).

What stands out in this collection is Partridge's consummate professionalism, particularly his ability to give familiar archetypes a new twist. Thus, he does intriguing work even when constrained by the boundaries of theme anthologies. This is especially evident in the title story (Partridge's take on the Frankenstein mythology), and in tales like "Undead Origami" (featuring Howard Hughes as a vampire), "Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu" (a deconstruction of and epilogue to Stoker's Dracula), "In Beauty, Like the Night (where he uses zombies to make a point about the porno industry), and "The Pack" (a clever mixture of werewolves, bikers, and Mayberry).

Another talent on display is Partridge's ability to grab his audience's attention from the first sentence. Witness this, from "Red Right Hand":

"Claire held the gun in her left hand, the blood in her right."

This, from "Coyotes":

"I was out past the dump, digging a grave for the coyote, when I spotted the van with the naked Mexican chained to the bumper heading my way."

Finally, this, from "Tombstone Moon":

"Black entered the cemetery shack and tossed the severed ear onto the desk, between a can of Brown Derby and a salami sandwich missing a bite."

Not everything in the Partridge universe is this straightforward, however. Tales like "Blood Money," `Wrong Turn," Minutes," "Where the Woodbine Twineth," and "Mr. Fox" are less accessible, more exercises in style than in linear storytelling. Their often surreal qualities require more work on the part of the reader, an investment of time and effort that is ultimately rewarding.

Despite the obvious craftsmanship behind his work, there is nothing self-conscious or mannered about Norman Partridge's writing. There's an urgency about almost everything he writes, as if, to quote Peter Straub, Partridge is writing "as though his life depends on the words he sets down on the page." This urgency has served him well thus far (pick up previous collections, Mr. Fox and Other Feral Tales and Bad Intentions for further proof), and, by all indications, should exert a positive influence on his work for years to come.

"No writer working today comes close to Jeff Strand's perfect mixture of comedy and terror. If you don't enjoy Mandibles, you obviously take your horror way too seriously."
--Cemetery Dance

"Jeff Strand is renowned for writing some extremely warped and twisted novels and Mandibles is no exception."
--Eternal Night

"A hugely enjoyable read and one that I would wholeheartedly recommend."
--Terror Australis

"Author Jeff Strand has a sharp wit and knows how to pace a story. His wicked humor had me chuckling out loud several times as the book's characters think of creative ways to outwit the giant ants. Not that it's all joking around here; there's plenty of unsettling violence, blood, and bug guts to leave you cringing and creeping out."
--Page Horrific

"[A] funny, loopy, and extremely readable giant ant horror extravaganza. Grab yourself a giant bag of Cheetos and settle down for some plus-size laughs. (But be sure to clean up any crumbs. Ants, you know...)"
--Creature Feature Tomb of Horror

"An awesome book...Strand is one sick cookie."
--Huntress Reviews

"If you're looking for high art and deep insight into the human condition, this is not the book for you. Go read Shakespeare or Tolstoy or Hemingway. But if you're in the mood for a light, entertaining read filled with giant insects and plenty of carnage, then pick up a copy of Jeff Strand's Mandibles."
--Chizine

"A very enjoyable, if not a little skin-scratching, read."
--The Film Asylum

"You'll want to take a deep breath before opening these pages, because they'll swallow you faster than a sixteen legged spider. It's fast, fun, and accessible. Horror fans and science fiction fans will love it."
--Steve Vernon, author of A Fine Sacrifice.

"Rather like a B-pic horror movie. Don't take it too seriously or you'll miss out on the fun."
--Word Weaving

"Mandibles is a great deal of fun! Author Jeff Strand has created a cast of characters who are each individual, interesting, and gripping in their own ways. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary and need a good laugh this is the book for you.
--eBook Reviews Weekly

It is getting harder and harder to find good icky bug out there and I am glad I ran across this one. Giant ants, high body count, and a sense of humor make for a fun read. I really don't have much more to say except if you like icky bug stories, this one's for you! Highly recommended.

I used to read Stephen King. His stories held a wit which came from the mundane observations of everyday life. Jeff Strand has managed to combine the best horror elements of early (not too early) classic King with the gently goofy humor of Christopher Moore and sharper, more twisted wit of fellow Florida author Tim Dorsey. Mandibles weaves the stories of a handful of hapless everyday folk (plus two psychopaths and an unfortunate entemologist) caught in the midst of a mad scientific experiment gone awry one otherwise run of the mill summer day in Tampa. As our heroes get wittled down to a meagre few (plus two psychopaths and an entemologist), beaten, battered, bruised, and bloody, they finally come together at what they think is the nexus of their giant ant problem when Strand turns up the heat and whips everything up into a frothy bug-filled nightmare! A shade darker than his Andrew Mayhem series, the laughs still come quick in this entertaining, near cinematic-like romp. Try not to get too attached to your favorite characters--you never know who's gonna get bumped off next! Bizarre, creepy, witty fun. Strand delivers more bang for the buck than many other authors. I have yet to read a book of his I haven't liked.

by David Wilbanks

This is the best giant ant novel I've ever read!

OK. Big deal. So I've never read any other giant ant novels (are there any?). But there are giant bug movies, and that's how MANDIBLES by Jeff Strand reads, only it's much funnier and better written than the giant bug movies that I've seen. To tell the truth, I'm not a huge fan of this type of movie, but I am a fan of this novel.

Tampa, Florida has a problem: the fire ant population has decided to attack its citizens. Not only that, but these fire ants are much larger than normal, and they're all over the place. The ants carry a deadly sting and they are vicious. And, as if that wasn't perilous enough, there's also a couple psychopaths on the loose named Hack and Slash. Needless to say, this keeps things moving for our protagonists: an entomologist, a dentist, his assistant, some office workers, among others.

Author Jeff Strand has a sharp wit and knows how to pace a story. His wicked humor had me chuckling out loud several times as the book's characters think of creative ways to outwit the giant ants and killer psychos. Not that it's all joking around here; there's plenty of unsettling violence, blood, and bug guts to leave you cringing and creeping out.

So if the dark literature is getting a bit heavy for you lately, try this one for a bit of fun. Recommended.

Giant Red Imported Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta) invade Tampa, Florida in a killing spree.

***** How was THAT for a synopsis? I have had the privilege of previewing/reviewing many other books by Author Jeff Strand. I am quoted as stating that Strand is warped and one sick cookie. I still stand by those words! This book is just more proof that I am right!

Be warned that I give this awesome book a "Rated R" heading due to a lot of blood and gore! I cannot stress that enough so I'll repeat ... "A lot of blood and gore!" Got that? Okay.

Even the book's "Author's Note" and "Another Author's Note" at the beginning of the story is warped. This strangeness has come to be known, by me and all Jeff Strand fans, as the author's personal signature. If it's horror, warped, and funny, then it has to be by Strand! *****

I have to say that I did not think I would like this book. But I was very wrong. I received it in the mail at 4:00 p.m. and had read it all the way through by 11:00 p.m. You have to read it very carefully. Several stories are about people who die and don't know it. The author is very skilled at making you feel they way they do. You're reading and suddenly you say. "Wait, is this person dead?" And then you go back and find the point where it happened. It's not a long book and really not very scary. But it is a book for people who admire the art of story telling.

This is the first book I've read by Sherry Austin. I try to read a lot of the authentic old-style Southern writing, done by regional authors, not by someone from New Hampshire imitating Southerners. I was really pleased to read this book and I believe the author deserves all the accolades she has received.

Mariah is fun to read, in the same way that X-Files is fun to watch. The stories have unexpected endings and range from haunting to humorous. Nonetheless, the stories are literature. There is meat (biblical allusions, foreshadowing, irony, etc.) enough to keep English teachers feasting for hours. Plus, lots of the stories take place locally, and my students found that a plus.

The reviewer who compared these stories to Rod Serling's Twilight Zone was right on the mark, although I would add that they resemble the BEST of that series. They also bring to mind the classic show "One Step Beyond." Most of the tales are ghost stories, but others are about subjects as varied as tree spirits and angels. Some of the stories have unpredictable, often puzzling, O. Henry endings. There is an amazing variety: the stories range from poignant to whimisical, though all have an overall point, and all are thought-provoking in one way or another. Wherever the stories are set-- the Southern Appalachian mountains, the Carolina coast, or the old plantation-era South-- the author conveys the geography, the mood, the atmosphere of the place with amazing feeling. She "puts you there." Most people I have talked to who have read it say the same thing---that they either have read it a second time, or plan to. This author captures the mood of the borderland "between light and shadow, between science and superstition" unlike any other I have read.

The stories in this book really drew me in making me want to read the book again. Some of the stories reminded me of the old Twilight Zone series. Others are actually very spiritual, and two of them, the ones that take place in the Appalachian mountains, actually made me feel better about death. The title story "Mariah of the Spirits" has multi-levels-- an interesting twist on the phantom hitchhiker legend for one--though the allusions to Biblical figures such as Mary, Jesus and Moses might be lost on those who are Biblically illiterate. "Angel Unawares," is one of several brain knotter/teasers, and right spooky. "The Dressmaker's Mannequin" is a whimsical story, more of a wonder tale that makes belief in tree spirits seem almost plausible. Titles like "At the Clothesline," "Strange Things Happen," and "Lost Soul" give you a hint of the flavor of these stories as does the author's picture on her website where she is shown standing in an old graveyard, beside a Celtic cross with its many possible meanings.

All of the Abbie girl Spy books are great, but The Masterpiece is FANTASTIC!!!!! It is seriously the best book I have EVER read in my life! I strongly recommend this book. It AWESOME!!!

Darren J. Buttler is a very talented writer! He relates to teenaged kids in his books so well! the Masterpiece is the best one yet! Abby Walker is at her grandparents house sulking about not getting to go out with Tyler , a really popular guy. Her aunt who she has only seen a few times in her life comes in the attic and steals a key. When Abby takes the leading role in a play at the Princess Theatur she begins to hear something that no one else does-the voice of a ghost that has been haunting the theatur for 57 years! Abby and her buds get caught up in an adventure that involves a huge mystery! Its soo good I couldn't put it down!

All of the Abby Girl Spy books are fantastic, but this one is the best! It's fun to read The Masterpiece and I couldn't get my eyes off it until I was done. The reference to Harry Potter was brilliant also! If you want to read a great ghost story that isn't cheesy you definitly need to read The Masterpiece!

Darren Butler's 4th novel is a refreshing ghost story. Unlike the cheesy modern day ghost stories, this one is actually entertaining. Not only does it combine mystery and the paranormal, it makes references to Harry Potter, another of my favorites.

If you like mysteries and ghosts, the new Abbie book is fantastic! If you're a Harry Potter fan look for the reference to Harry in the book! Evidently, Abbie is a huge Harry Potter fan too!

These novels take you, grip you tightly, and refuse to release you until the last page is turned. Then, they leave you wishing that you were a Mayfair or wanting to get away from anything Mayfair. Anne Rice is to be commended for her descriptive ability--- she leaves me breathless...

If your a Big Anne Rice fan like I am, then you should definately read these books! Anne goes so deep into the lives of this family of whiches that you allmost begin to feel as if you were one of them. And Anne's books are never creepy or full of spells or any of that, her books tell what it might be like in her mind to be one of them and to go through their every day routines as we do.

These books are some of the most realistic books I have ever read. Anne really out did herself. As always she moved me like no other auther can.

I read these three books after reading The Vampire Chronicles. Never has a writer captured me so much as Rice with her tale of the Mayfairs. A must for readers everywhere. Not just horror enthusiast or Rice readers, this tale is great for everyone.

The Mayfair series are my very favourite Anne Rice books. I have never loved a set of books as much as I love these.
The Mayfairs are a curious bunch. Not every one will like them as much as I do.
The characters are wonderful. I love Rowan and Michael (the two predominant characters) but there are so many others that you meet in the second and third books that I love also.
The family history, written by the Talamasca, always fascinates me. I love reading about the 13 witches, from Suzanne to Rowan.

If you are someone looking for a book about witches casting spells and riding broomsticks, you're in the wrong place.
If you like Anne Rice, I highly recommend these books!

I think that is the ultimate question that must be asked about this serial novel. It is a work extraordinary for its characters and subtlety, as well as a plot that engages readers through the end of book 6 and leaves them wanting more.

I read horror fiction occassionally, but I believe this is more Southern Gothic than horror. While Elinor is a disturbing beast/creature, the reader identifies with her much better than with the human matriarch, Mary-Love. Likewise, the love that is described between Oscar and Elinor is touching and, other than his ghastly death, is rather sedate in its course.

Truthfully, when the last book is done, you don't long for another grisly death, but merely another window into the the lives of this family. When I closed book 6, I missed Elinor, I missed her family, and I wanted to know what was next for Lilah, Billy Bronze, Tommy Lee, and all the others.

Their story is haunting, and it stays with you. Ask around - those who have read this series will remember the characters, and will recall them fondly, even if they'd rather not meet up with them in the water . . .

'The House' is the third installment of Michael McDowell's southern gothic novel series. Actually, it seems to me all these books are literally part of the same book but for whatever reason the publisher divides them into small chunks. There is literally a seamless transition moving between books.

If you are reading this review I trust you have read the preceding two books in the series. If not, go directly to the first in the series ('The Flood') and get started! Otherwise ... what can I say? 'The House' is exactly what you'd expect. Great characterizations, atmospheric, with a slow but infectious story. It seems that women wear the pants in this series; perhaps this is a statement of life in the old South?


Bottom line: Blackwater III doesn't disappoint. Recommended.

this is truly it-the great american novel. simultaneously terrifying and heartbreaking. elinor caskey is the greatest female character in american literature. the book is a miracle.

For those who are tired of horror novels and stories that are nothing but superflous sex, spewing entrails and heads lopped off, this is your horror novel. It's subtle, thought provoking, emotionally compelling and still a wonderful horror read full of ghosts and nonhuman creatures. It follows a family through several generations, and often reads like a daytime soap opera, then, seemingly out of nowhere, the horror or supernatural enters. This a a wonderful read.

In book 3 of this 6 book series, Miriam is growing up completely spoiled by Mary-Love, while Frances develops an overwhelming fear of the closet in the spare room. Carl Strickland returns to Queenie and beats her, whereas Elinor takes it upon herself to dispose of Carl in her own way. The depression hits, and when Oscar asks his mother for the money to save him from default, she refuses in an attempt to control him and bring him back from the influence of Elinor. But Oscar severs his ties with her, borrowing the money from his uncle instead, leaving Mary-Love out of favor. James' daughter Grace returns from college in defeat, and takes little Frances on a trip up the Perdido river to its source, where Frances falls deathly ill. Only Elinors baths help her through her crippling illness.
When she is better, the family decides to take a vacation all together, but just before leaving Elinor and Mary-Love have a final show down; Elinor confronting Mary-Love with all of her underhanded and mean tricks.
Just as they are ready to leave at the train station, Mary-Love falls quite ill, and Elinor stays home to care for her. But Mary-Love dies mysteriously anyway, and Sister returns home, abandoning her marriage to take care of Miriam.
Don't miss this series, you will have to find them in the used book stores but they are worth the search. Creepy, languid tales of the old south told in such flowing prose that you feel the heat and humidity, along with becoming a part of the small town and its gossip.

This is the fifth book in the Watcher Series by Lilith Saintcrow and I think it is one of the best. I love this series and I am so glad she is continuing to write it.

Caroline Robbins is a Mindhealer, she heals normal and witch minds that have been disturbed or destroyed by the Dark. She has had one Watcher killed in front of her and doesn't want to have it happen again. She is adamant that she will not have a Watcher. She and her brother are both in Circle Lightfall, they were orphans when they were discovered by a Watcher. She is much more powerful than her brother. But they are devoted to each other.

Merrick is a Watcher, he keeps his secrets deep and darkly hidden, like most Watchers he knows his life had no value until he became a watcher. Now he is at a point of despair, when Watchers reach that point they usually take one to many chances and wind up dead. He is on patrol when he sees a bunch of dark koroi, they are after a Lightbringer in a small car, he rushes to her aid and finds Caro. He also finds his witch. The one who takes away his pain. Only a few lucky Watchers have found their witch and bonded to her. The only problem is that Caro doesn't want him.

However, there is a new element rising in the world, the Crusade has joined with another group and they are experimenting on people and psychics. Only Caro has a chance to understand and defeat the danger, and Merrick is determined that she will not die.

I love this book and it expands the world and the dangers of the witches who make up Circle Lightfall. Can hardly wait for the next one.

Another home run for a very talented author who ranks right in there with Laurell K Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, and a number of other best selling authors. Once again characters that are believable and likable spun into a tale that is totally engrossing and leaves one flipping the pages until the wee small hours of the morning. Less graphically violent than the Dante Valentine series but every but as addictive!

An excellent addition to the Watcher series, Mindhealer deals with young witch Caro who meets her watcher, the British, Merrick, and helps solve the mystery of the normals and paranormals who are being made into an army for the Dark side.

Though the witch and watcher have similar personality traits to previous characters in the series (that is a must when dealing with how Saintcrow's watcher-world works), this book has a well-rounded cast of other paranormal characters. Saintcrow's beautiful language and movie-worthy fight scenes do not disappoint.

Mindhealer takes Saintcrow's Watcher series in a slightly different direction, but don't fear at the core of the book is still the bonding of the Lightbringer Witch and Watcher pair. Unlike the previous Watcher books, in Mindhealer we are at last are brought into the world of the Lightbringers. In the previous books the four witches and their Watchers stood outside of this society, but here we get a glimpse of the community with both Witches and a garrison of Watchers as it is under attack by the Dark. There also is more of a sense of a larger background plot than the previous books with new and more challenging elements of the Dark for the Watchers to combat.

If you've read the previous books you'll remember that the innately compassionate Witches' souls shine so brightly that they attract evil dark monstrous creatures bent on the Witches' destruction or enslavement. Standing at a Witch's side to keep her safe from the 'Dark' is a Watcher with his vow to 'duty, honor and obedience', equipped to fight the Dark because of his own stained soul and the dark symbiant he carries within himself. The powerful symbiant gives the Watcher strength and healing power, but at a price since the darkness of the symbiant means that the Watcher endures great pain in the presence of the Witch's lightness. But even as he suffers to earn his redemption there is hope for a Watcher, there is the promise that one day he will find the 'one Witch just for him', the one that brings him pleasure instead of pain, the one Witch who will bring him peace.

In Mindhealer witch Caro, who is in denial about her vulnerability to the Dark, has refused to have a Watcher of her own. Her first and only Watcher having sacrificed his life to protect her, she can't stay the thought of endangering another protector. Watcher/Tracker Merrick is walking the edge of Watcher despair, and no longer acts as personal guard to individual Witches instead he patrols the city to keep the Dark at bay. But when Caro stumbles into danger on Merrick's watch, Merrick discovers that Caro is `his Witch' and is released from his other duties to stay at her side and protect her. But keeping Caro safe is going to be no easy job. With new more powerful elements of the Dark targeting Caro's rare mindhealing powers there is more danger for Caro and Caro's own determination to keep Merrick from danger, makes it even more difficult to do his job.

Many of the elements that made the previous books enjoyable are here in Mindhealer, the strong minded heroine and the dark powerful self-sacrificing hero who struggles to accept the 'undeserved' salvation to be gained through the bond with his Witch. This is starting to feel pretty familiar, but I am still not tired of it yet. Like the previous books there is a physical connection between the pair, which doesn't necessarily result in a love scene in all of the previous books, here we did get to see the culmination Watcher/Witch bond but Saintcrow's love scenes are very understated. If you are familiar with Saintcrow's Dante Valentine series, the Witches and Watchers inhabit the same world and if you enjoy Saintcrow's writing you will likely enjoy the Watchers -- they are great dark and tortured warriors -- even though the books in Saintcrow's Watcher series are much more single threaded and shorter than her mainstream novels.

Dark Watcher (The Watcher Series, Book 1)
Storm Watcher (The Watcher Series, Book 2)
Fire Watcher (The Watcher Series, Book 3)
Cloud Watcher (The Watcher Series, Book 4)

Another entertaining dark fantasy series by Saintcrow
The Society (The Society Series, Book 1)
Hunter, Healer (The Society Series)

Saintcrow's dark fantasy mercenary Dante Valentine
Working for the Devil (Dante Valentine, Book 1)
Dead Man Rising (Dante Valentine, Book 2)
The Devil's Right Hand (Dante Valentine, Book 3)
Saint City Sinners (Dante Valentine, Book 4)
To Hell and Back (Dante Valentine, Book 5)

The Circle Lightfall is stunned by the brutal assaults as they are clueless who is behind these horrific attacks that leave the victims body and soul broken. The Watcher/Tracker patrol the perimeter and more expanding their protective role from individual witches to the city, but have failed to prevent the vicious muggings.

The Circle Lightfall chooses Mindhealer Caro Robbins to investigate though they are concerned as she refuses to have a Watcher at her side; she has suffered survivor guilt ever since a Watcher sacrificed himself to save her life. When the Dark minion attacks her, Merrick the patrol Watcher rescues Caro. He realizes she is his Witch, which means he is to personally protect his beloved, but the Mindhealer rejects his protection. Frustrated as Caro enters dangerous scenarios, Merrick proves as obstinate as she is; going where she goes even though she objects. Love is a dangerous thing when two stubborn people insist on keeping the other safe while facing deadly encounters.

The latest Dark and Light war is a fascinating tale with the added twist of a Watcher who finally finds his redemption only to have his one decline. The story line is action-packed from the onset and never slows down, a trademark of Lilith Saintcrow's Dante Valentine tales as well as this terrific saga. The lead couple is a wonderful pairing as each needs to keep the other safe for differing motives; her because of watching a Watcher die for her and him because it is part of his "DNA". Fans will enjoy MINDHEALER, a delightful "Watcher" romantic fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

Yes, It is excellent - stunning art and stunning story. My only quibble is...
Why are only women explicitly cut up into erotic pieces? I will speek for women in saying : Let's see some naked men!

When I watched the DVD discs of Takashi Miike's "MPD Psycho," I thought the mini-series was pretty good at the time. However, I learned afterwards that those 6 episodes merely scratched the surface when it came to unveiling the intricate plotlines of this notorious and controversial manga series. Written by Eiji Otsuka and drawn by Shou Tajima, "MPD Psycho" is a twisted psychological and emotional crime thriller with heaping spoonfuls of gore horror and science fiction. Despite the fact that the series offers gratuitous scenes of violence and female nudity, it's anything but cheap exploitation. On the contrary, the dialogue-driven chapters are just as well executed as the ones on "Death Note," if not better! Not only are the characters illustrated with really fine lines and realistic contrasts of light and shadow, but the simplified use of rectangular panels makes the pages surprisingly easy to read.
Volume #1 introduces readers to Kazuhiko Amamiya, a cool-headed homicide detective who gets hired by Machi Isono (a female criminologist) to work in a private research headquarters built within the confines of her apartment. Amamiya has multiple personality disorder, an illness which started several years ago when he lived under the name Yosuke Kobayashi (a sensitive police officer who got squeamish at the sight of chalk-lined cadavers). Back then, after his girlfriend was raped and left limbless by a lunatic aroused by decapitated bodies, Amamiya's third personality emerged in retaliation: Shinji Nishizono, a cold blood killer who doesn't hesitate to pull the trigger upon anyone. It's later on revealed that Kazuhiko possesses within him a fourth personality named Kiyoshi Murata. Finally, like several other crazed perpetrators of mass murder, cannibalism and sexual assault, Amamiya has a strange bar code tattooed on his left eye, and his name is registered on a mysterious organ bank's patient list.
The first major case assigned to Kazuhiko, Machi and Tooru Sasayama (a clueless and bumbling profiler) involves Suguru Ueno, an architect who gets blood on his hands by cutting open the skulls of pretty young women and turning them into brain-dead flowerpots. During one televised interview arranged by Kikuo Toguchi (an ambitious free lance cameraman), Ueno reveals how he gained passionate but morbid inspiration from a counter-culture folk rock singer and psychedelic terrorist named Lucy Monostone (a Japanese equivalent to Charles Manson). But when Ueno goes missing and his corpse is eventually found planted near one of his own buildings, Machi is disturbed to learn that Kazuhiko's Nishizono personality may have murdered him...or has he??

Not usually a manga fan, this is easily the most interesting book I've ever read, starting with the very last page. Literally. This book reads in the original Japanese way, reading from the back to the front, right to the left. Once you get the hang of that, it's an easy, and entertaining read. Very twisted, and not for the faint of heart though, with some of the most original methods of torture and death that I've seen. My only complaint is having to wait to receive the following volumes after reading this one. If you're going to get this, I HIGHLY recommend to just go ahead and purchase the other volumes. One other nice feature was that there are pages at the end of the book to clarify some things that aren't obvious to the average joe.

Otsuka and Tajima deliver well-crafted tales of madness in this short collection of Manga Horror, featuring a detective with multiple personalities. There is a lot of disturbing imagery, but each case is original and twisted in its own right, and makes for a riveting read. I couldn't put the book down until I had finished it. The art is also surprisingly good, and complements each story in black and white.

This is a fantastic series for fans of psychological horror and serial killers. It's something right out of Se7en mashed with anything out of the Hannibal series topped nicely with something genuinely original. The brutal madness and constant mind-bending storylines are beautifully tied together and keep the suspense from easing the deeper it goes.

However, I extend this warning: It only gets more twisted from here, so I would recommend the weak of stomach to find something else to read.