Horror Books

An American classic by the country's best curator of western folklore.

Dobie tells the story of the impact that the introduction of the horse had on life in the Americas, with an emphasis on the American West. His historical research is good, citing a number of written sources (and even giving new perspective on Fremont or Pike).

But the real color of the book comes from his anecdotes, many of which come from discussions with cowboys and mustangers who lived through the final days of the open range in the American West. Great color, great stories throughout!

Highly entertaining, yet with good research and historical value. Wonderful insight into the character of horses.

I'm not sure why, but this book just completely captured my imagination and ran with it. This is one of m favorite books of all time. What I really love, though, is the copy I read was a musty old tome, probably printed in the 30s or 40s, from my library, that just had the mosr wonderful smell and the comfortable, dusty feel. If at all possible, read a copy like that.

My major was "Spanish North American History," and my wife and I developed a ranch and bred horses for more than ten years. So, this book was down my alley. In fact, it was a book of assigned reading in a course I took. It is primarily about the Spanish BARB that the Spaniards brought to America, and that became the root stock of Mustangs that still run wild in many western states. They have bred into themselves qualities that make them special, especially as cow ponies, and explain why they are sometimes referred to as "rock horses," because they do not need to be shod. Dobie is as much a story teller as he is a historian with a style most becoming. He was born in the 1800s and knew the people and the times of which he speaks. Mexicans were most familiar with Mustangs, but the Plains Indians learned to handle them and became great riders in their own right, as when on the hunt. The Mustang was essential to the time in which they existed, and were the catalyst for the life-style of their day. Wealth was counted in the number of horses a brave had, and horse stealing was the avocation that pitted tribe against tribe at the expense of human life as well as horse flesh, much of which was eaten. Whites ate them, too, usually when either they or their horses played out. Times have changed, but there is another book that as a sequel to this one expresses the way in which it changed. I refer to A BEAUTIFUL, CRUEL COUNTRY, by Eva Antonia Wilber-Cruce who was born about the turn of the 20th century, and raised in Southern Arizona. The rock horses played a significant role in their lives when horses were still essential in such a rough land. I recommend The Musangs be read first, then Eva's book, for those who even yet have a fondness for horses. If I were still raising horses, I would, after reading these books, look seriously for a rock horse I could call my own. I cannot believe how much I learned from reading Dobie's book. Little is left to the imagination.

What would the Old West have been without the Mustang? Frank Dobie regales the reader with tales ranging from the legendary Pacing White Mustang to more obscure but nonetheless fascinating legends such as Blue Streak and Starface, to insight into the mysterious origins of the breed.

I read this book for the first time years ago, and I still can't get enough of it! This book is must-read for any horse lover or Wild West enthusiast!

Wayne Courtois delivers an Odyssey of extreme-bondage and tickle-torture sure to elicit gasps and groans in equal measure. My Name is Rand explores new sexual territory where men are bound and tickled to the point of madness, submitting completely to their master's desires. This goes well beyond the typical S&M scenes you've become accustomed to; Wayne Courtois takes you on a strange and intensely erotic journey you've never yet imagined.

The narrator starts off exploring his unique fetish with a tickle-master met online, but is abducted before he can return home. He is removed to The Compound, a tickle-torture camp where people are literally tickled to death. He is run through a gauntlet of tickling and bondage that leaves him near madness, and then left to face the nemesis of Dred Junior, a psychotic who can mentally tickle you. The narrator stumbles upon a hiding place where other inmates are planning escape, and they take spiritual and sexual solace in one another.

Already becoming a cult classic among foot and tickle fetishists worldwide, My Name Is Rand is a powerful and delirious novel which will introduce you to a whole new world of sex play. Welcome to your new fetish.

This novel is a beautifully crafted piece of literature with heartbreakingly real characters and a plot that is fantastic yet grounded. Mr. Courtois is a gifted writer with an ear for real dialogue and a complete understanding of the power of tickling as a tool for torment, as a potently erotic activity and as the ultimate expression of domination. His world is drenched with the most vividly rendered scenes of tickling ever produced. The novel defies easy classification, but admirers of science fiction will be pleased as will students of human nature, for there is deep insight into the dark parts of humanity here. Of course, fans of erotic tickling of men will relish this book as the finest example of its kind in print.

I was bowled over by the sheer force of the writing. Mr. Courtois is a major new force. His writing is elegant, effective and strong. He has a voice. His imagination is amazing and his ability to implement his vision is impressive.

I long for more from this writer.

It's more than a riveting look at the erotic world of tickling, it's an excitement-packed, non-stop thriller about a hidden compound where men are abducted and subjected to an assortment of extraordinary tickling scenarios. What could have been a banal bit of erotica dolled up in a silly fantasy is instead a gripping tale of escape, survival and carnal torment. And it's all courtesy of Wayne Courtois' astonishing flair for seamlessly blending purple prose with plot-driven action.

With an individualistic voice that gives erotica a touch of class and raises the bar for his peers, Courtois totally enmeshes you in the lead character's experience. His absorbing imagining of Rand, a trustee at the hidden compound, highlights his skill as a writer with the keen ability to express the unique perspective of someone who'd once been victimized by the denizens of the tortuous compound, but now jadedly aids the victimizers. He creates not only compelling characters, but also torrid tickling situations intermingled with the heart-stopping action.

When you finish reading My Name Is Rand, you shake your head at the writer's ability to instantly invert the real world and pull you so far into it's pages that you devour it with the avidity usually provoked by an epic best-selling thriller. As you journey along with Rand and his daring band of compound escapees you realize that, among the handful of true superstars in erotic fiction, Wayne Courtois is primed to take his place on the throne.

From the gripping first chapter to the surprise ending, this book weaves a wonderfully vivid and sensuous spell.
A riveting exploration of a rare fetish, this first person narrative has real energy and drive. Psychological and metaphysical aspects are skillfully and , yes, surprisingly well blended, Surprising because present day novels, particularly erotic ones, are not known for taking into account the spiritual realm. This one does and the effect is NOT either contrived or forced, but an integral and important part of the story.
This novel is both inspiring and provocative. Rare qualities in any novel, let alone an erotic one.

This book contains the most extreme male tickle-torture I've read anywhere - as well as subtle treatment of much bigger ideas than I expected. Terrific prose, overwhelming action, challenging food for thought. Extra-dark, completely relentless, with some "paranormal" tickling in there too (a personal favorite)... and a fair amount of explicit gay sex. Some great plot twists, too. I'm impressed beyond words that this book was written - and published. The torturous possibilities of tickling have been overlooked for far too long. Personally, I bought it despite the sexual content - as written descriptions of tickling go, it's THAT good.

Reviewed by Brianne Plach (age 9) for Reader Views (3/07)

"The Mystery of the Crying Ghost" is a book about Chloe Wendleton. She is a young girl who is having difficulty adjusting to a different school. She just feels like she doesn't fit in at all. She has her two dependable pets to keep her company. Killian is her golden retriever and Isis is a Himalayan cat. Her family tells her that she is just hearing things when she says that she hears a child crying.

Is it all in her imagination? Isis and Killian seem to hear the same crying. Chloe goes up into the attic with her grandfather and discovers an old newspaper. It shows that the Van Hise children, Sarah Jane and Thomas, somehow disappeared from the house without a trace. She shares the information with two of her classmates. Will Reed tells Chloe that he had heard that the house she is living in is haunted. Will is what one would call a "brain" so he gets picked on a lot. He is defended by Maya Roubideaux and her karate skills. Will is suffering from a major crush on Chloe, but his knowledge is a key to solving the case. Just when Chloe, Will and Maya can't seem to put a hand on any clues, the animals lend a paw and make discoveries of their own.

"The Mystery of the Crying Ghost" will capture the attention of any sleuth who enjoys a good story, adorable animals and friends working together towards a goal. With more books like this one, Rita Hsu Syers could easily have created another "Nancy Drew." I'm happy that she is planning her next mystery and can't wait to read it!

This is one of the best children's mysteries out there. It is a true page turner and I can't wait until another from this author comes out!

The debut novel of author Rita Hsu Syers, Mystery of the Crying Ghost is a novel written for young adults ages 8-12, about a young fifth-grade girl named Chloe who has a hard time adjusting to her new home. Settling into a new school and making new friends is rough, her grandfather is terribly overworked, and strange noises come from her house at night - noises that no one else notices except her beloved dog and cat. When Chloe glimpses a child peering at her from the window of an empty room, she discovers that her house is haunted by spirits who suffered a terrible tragedy fifty years ago. Chloe seeks to uncover the mystery behind the tragedy, but she needs help; grown-ups don't believe her, so she turns to two classmates, a sharp-minded genius boy and a courageous girl who studies karate, ready and willing to discover her house's hidden secret. Highly recommended for public and middle school library shelves.

I thought thsi book was really fun and scary! I liked all the animals in it and Chloe, Maya, and Will remind me of me and my friends in school. I hope this author continues to write more books like this, because it was really good!

The Mystery of the Crying Ghost: (A Chloe Wendleton Mystery) is the first of many great stories to come. The second night I started reading it, I started back up at Chapter 5 and it kept me up until 3 am, because I had to finish it!
Although this book is written for children and young adults, I, being in my early twenties, found a lot of humor and interest in it, and found that it truly resembles a modern day Nancy Drew novel.
The best part about this book is that aside from the crying ghost, (and I don't want to give anything imporant away) the story draws upon historical facts and scientific ideas. It takes place in Bucks COunty, too! Which is the best setting for a mystery...

It would be wrong to judge Steve Gerber by just one comics story.

But if there is one story that captures most of his sensibilities as an author in one work it's probably this one. It features the innately bizarre landscape of Las Vegas, musings on good and evil, homeless bums who are secretly super-heroes, and the underlying nature of the Universe (much like Countdown to Mystery: Doctor Fate). It also features a stripper with a pet bird that sometimes seems to talk (not very much like the beloved Howard the Duck, but there is a certain resonance). A hard-boiled crime drama with otherworldly perpetrators going on in the background. There is even a two-bit crime boss with a lava lamp head and a gorgeous mafioso daughter.

I can't figure out how he fit them all in one story.

But he did. It's like watching a magician make an elephant disappear. You know there MUST be a trick. But you can't see how it's done.

If you only want to try one Gerber work. . . maybe this one will whet your appetite. Then come back for the rest.

Nevada (her name) is a Las Vegas stage performer - performing with her pet ostrich, Bolero. She's about as hard a case as any, and keeps it that way. She has a few friends, including a dancer paradoxically named Bianca and the casino's resident geek, Rip. It's a good enough life. There are lots worse lives to live, including wino Ogden Locke's, di Vesuvio's (if you call that living), and the lives being taken in bizarre acts of dismemberment.

That's when her life turns weird. Not just the usual kind of stalker - she can handle that well enough. It's things like ancient Greece appearing in the ladie's loo that get to her, with Locke delivering oracular warnings from his seat on the porcelain throne. But Locke couldn't possibly have been there, and it just goes down hill from there. Against her will (and there's a lot of will), she's off on a hallucinatory journey of transformation. After her trials of spirit, she emerges as ...

Well, see for yourself. She's about halfway between Moore's "Promethea" and Ennis's "The Pro" in humor and attitude, though she precedes both by a few years. Gerber has driven innovation in comics since the 1970s, with his landmark "Howard the Duck." This work unites his writing with some of the best comic art and lettering in the industry. This looks like the opening chapters of a story that was never finished, but what's here is easy to enjoy.

//wiredweird

This book exhibits all the quirkiness, along with amazingly believable and likable characters, that made Gerber's classic work at Marvel (on "The Defenders," "Tales of the Zombie," "Man-Thing," "Omega the Unknown," and "Howard the Duck") such joys to read and re-read. "Nevada" is further strengthened by the way the realistic art of Phil Winslade makes "Nevada" feel very matter-of-factly, even while its main character is facing hoards of extra-dimensional monsters, or falling to pieces during a mind/body spiritual test that becomes a little too literal.

"Nevada" is a joy to read and re-read.

What can I say ... the short series collected in this volume has a real woman for the lead character, vivid characterisation, heaps of intelligence, a sharp critique of modern society and humanity in general, and an exposition of an existentialist, yet non-materialist philosophy unlike anything you'll find elsewhere in comics. The fantastic milieu of Las Vegas and alternate dimensions is rendered in a wonderful and realistic style by Phil Winslade ... Clearly, a special labour of love by Gerber and Winslade, which, along with Gerber's Howard the Duck volumes, comes very highly recommended to anyone who loves comics, but wishes more of them had intelligence and soul.

Wow, I'm surprised no one has reviewed this book! Originally a six issue mini-series from DC Comics' Vertigo line, this comic has it all: a beautiful strong woman, who also happens to be a Vegas showgirl, a pet ostrich (named Bolero), a gangster with a lava lamp head, strange murders, and much more. Steve Gerber has written one weird story here, as if Las Vegas wasn't already surreal enough. Nevada, the main character, is a pretty unique woman in the world of comics. She's tough, but more in a psychological way than your typical Amazonesque superheroine or babe with big guns. She's sexy, but in a real and naural way. The artwork is good too, supplied by Phil Winslade and Steve Leialoha. This is probably one of the best Vertigo mini-series ever (along with Peter's Milligan's ENIGMA and Paul Pope's HEAVY LIQUID.) If you like Grant Morrison's stuff, you'll probably like this too. Gritty and surreal just the way you like it!

This book is terrific for your little ones. My 3 1/2 and 6 year old love this story. I enjoy reading it to them. Another good book by this Author is The Hungry Giant!!

I read this book to my 2nd grade, ESL students, and they love it! Choral reading is our favorite activity when we read and they just love repeating "Nickety-nackety noo-noo-noo". There's a lot of rhyming in the book which is another good way to make sure that the children are listening. I tend to pause before the last rhyming word to give them a chance to guess what it is.

This story is about an ogre who tries to force a "wee wishy woman" into living in his home and cooking for him and how she stays cool and calm, outsmarts him, and then escapes. The story is written in verse--about one four-line verse per page. My two year old loves this book, but I think an older child (four to eight years old) would enjoy it even more.

With every verse ending with "nicketty nacketty noo noo noo" this book has a lovely repetition that will find your child repeating these lines with you as you read the story together.
The combination of the funny story line and silly words and names such as "Gobbler Magoo" and "Wee wishy woman" make this book a real treat.

This is a wonderful story which twists in just the right way to allow children to really enjoy it. The illustrations are perfect. Gorgeously done, lovely colours. It is about an Ogre called 'gobbler magoo' who lives in a swamp where the wild weeds grew.

He captures a 'wee-washy woman' and takes her home to make him a good tasty stew.

She chops and she cuts and she throws it all in, all the time looking sweetly benign. The Ogre eats it up, quickly then more slowly, And then realises that the stew has been made with glue!

The wee washy woman packs up her pots and her pans, and her glue, and walks on - and you wouldn't want to eat any of her stew would you!!!!!!

At the end of every verse is the very irish refrain 'nickety nackety noo noo noo" which the chlidren love chanting.

It is wonderful book which can be frequently re-read. Immensely good fun and good humoured - Highly recommended!!!!

The back cover says: "The most violent and explicit book you will read" . I have to agree to a point, (Richard Laymons "One Rainy Night" is worse in my opinion). The villain(s) are very sick people. I haven't read anything else by Johnstone but I would like to one day. Like the other reviewers have said it is a gory battle of good vs. evil. I would recommend this if your looking to kick back and read something that doesnt take alot of thinking. I gave it 4 stars for the fact that the story kind of takes a weird turn in the middle with the whole neighborhood cult and vigilante business but overall it was a cool book.

I have read almost all of Mr. Johnstone's published work. I enjoy most all of his books, but my favorites are still the ones from his horror genre. There are many that prefer his para military and his western genre. "Night Mask" would not disappoint any of the groups. It is well researched in that locations are recognizable in real-life and that characters act consistent with their chosen profession and created personalities....until they surprise you. The twists and turns in the plot are many, but don't retract from the "readability" of the book. Mr. Johnstone has a way of refining the story of good vs. evil so that it is re-invented again and again in his books and never turns mundane. He can be graphic without the turning it gross. "Night Mask" is an above average example of Mr. Johnstone's talent as an author and I highly recommend giving it a go.

This book was one that I had trouble putting down. Every page became more exciting than the last. I have read almost every book Mr. Johnstone has written and this one rates as good as "Out Of Ashes". All congressmen and judges should read the "Ashes" series. Keep up the GREAT work, maybe we can convert a few bleeding heart liberals

This book is the first Mystery story I have read by Johnstone, and I am not dissapointed. This book contains most of the things that peoples attention: rape, murder, phony leads, and a unexpected ending. I hope others read this book and to those who do I say good for you. But to those who think this book is beneath you I would have to say it's your loss. Fight the evil and enjoy the thrill of the chase.

Good or evil. In this day and time most people would chose evil. But there are a few who not only chose good, but chose to fight evil. This is such a story. When you read this book you not only can picture the evil, but you can feel it also. Life is not safe and this book points out that, we really don't know our neighbor or the people around us. Evil is not prejudice and hero's aren't born every day. The writing is simple, but descriptive. Facts and places in the book are real and you can see Mr. Johnstone did alot of reseach into the occult. You can not read this book only once, it will entice and keep you coming back for more. I have a collection of over 8000 books and by far this is one of my favorite

Sleep has eluded me since I read this book. I jump at shadows.
Freddie has been eclipsed. Night now comes too soon. Stephen King has some heady competition. I look forward to Drew's next book with anticipation... and dread.

If, ten years from now, you want to be able to say "I was a fan before anybody knew who he was," buy this book today. Here's hoping we haven't seen the last battle between Steve Wykoff and Dust!

Chris has been fostered at the Crowley boot camp since he turned seven. At sixteen, he is finally ready to run away because his foster father is an abusive person who works Chris and the other children to the point of exhaustion. All he has left of his mother is a picture of her when she somehow communicates with him when he is troubled; her advice is always accurate. When he reaches Caldera New Mexico, she no longer transmits to him.

Caldera is a strange and frightening city that has an alarming growth rate. Julian, an environmentalist for Project Earth, has scientific proof that alarms him. At the same time psychiatrist Saney finds evidence that frightens her as she sees too many people suffering from bad dreams and psychoses than any other place she has encountered. These two individuals along with Chris connect with one another to find the cause of the problems at Caldera and attempt to stop them if they can even if they are supernatural in nature.

Anyone who likes a supernatural thriller similar to the "Left Behind" series will want to read THE APOSTATE. Unlike the "Left Behind" series this novel is more subtle and the supernatural elements more covert. The story line is very entertaining and enriching while the protagonists are people like the neighbors next door, caring and helpful when called upon in need.

Harriet Klausner

Night Terrors is a very fast-paced and frightening novel. The author has a very enjoyable writing style that keeps the pages turning. This book is scary, well written and a lot of fun.

The face on the cover gives me the shivers. The words within gave me sweating fear.

Night Terrors is such a visual book. It begs for film adaptation. Imagine Fred Krueger more whacked out than the norm and then make him exist only in your lousy dreams. Throw him into a town of crummy folks who don't have the most pleasant of thoughts. Imagine that and you only get Fred Krueger in need of meds...you don't get Drew William's own Dust. I will let you discover Dust on your own when you read Night Terrors and later dream. Dust is the villain of Night Terrors who, thanks to meds gone mad, is enabled to be given strength.

I love Night Terrors! I've been jumping at shadows and it is delicious fun! It doesn't hurt that the premise behind the book was one that intrigued me and made me think.

I want more from you, Drew Williams.

Great story. We love G.G. Garth! Read all four of G.G.'s books!

Great story. We love G.G. Garth! Read all four of G.G.'s books!

Great story. We love G.G. Garth! Read all four of G.G.'s books!

What a concept! Although poorly edited, we loved the concept, the detail, the inventive plot. Would love to see it on film. The special effects described in the story would be terrific on celluloid. Bravo! Has Hollywood read G. G. Garth's books?! Hurry up Hollywood.

What a concept! Although poorly edited, we loved the concept, the detail, the inventive plot. Would love to see it on film. The special effects described in the story would be terrific on celluloid. Bravo! Has Hollywood read G. G. Garth's books?! Hurry up Hollywood.

Have you ever picked up a booked and just not wanted to put it down again? With in the first two pages I was so curious that I would not even consider putting this book down, by page five I was lost in a story that gave me chills while making me smile. This book is full of action and adventure; as well as truth and justice. The author shows great talent within the pages of this book, talent that some even thought long forgotten.

Good vs. Evil wage war in a action packed page turner. I couldn't put the book down. If you enjoy Comic Books, Martial Arts Movies, or any of the action packed Hollywood blockbusters this novel is for you

I'm not usually an action book kind of girl, but I've got to say that Nightwalker was truly an exception to the rule. Gaynor's story is fast-paced and catches the reader's attention, holding it tight until the last page! The characters are enjoyable and the reader finds it easy to bond with them. The plotline is creative and contains a fine balance of dramatic and humorous moments. The description of the action is incredible, page-turning material. I am dying for the next book!

NightWalker engages the reader's imagination. It traps the reader in what becomes ritualistic and euphoric page turning, satisfying the need to discover the plight of the questing heroes and heroins. I anxiously await the next installment.

Incredible! This book is a must-read for every fan of comics, super-heroes, or even just cutting-edge fiction. The characters are well-defined and immediately bring you into their world. And what a world it is! Ancient wisdom, revenge, dark and light powers, super-abilities, good vs. evil... it's non-stop action from the first page. The author effortlessly blends old-world philosophy with modern attitudes and the future of the human race. Para-normal abilities among the `chosen few' create a power struggle on many levels, both past and present. For anyone who misses the days of brilliant graphic novels and anyone who just loves spectacular SciFi - NightWalkeR is one to remember and read over and over again! Well done!!

I had searched for a copy of this book for weeks. I am soooooooo glad that I finally found a copy. Nightwind is a chilling, incredible read but it is not for everyone.

Lauren Fowler is in her forties, plain and somewhat mousey. She has never known love, not from her parents or from anyone in the town in which she lives. She has no friends and is somewhat tormented at work. She is constantly overlooked and is utterly alone. One night, her desolate cries of anguish are heard and are about to be answered.

Syntian Cree, a NightWind Demon, hears her cry. It is different from all the rest and he centers in on it, instinctively knowing that Lauren is different. She is meant to be his and his alone. He rises out of Hell's own pit, bent on claiming her.

As soon as Lauren encounters Syn, life begins to change for her. He is alluring and seductive. With his charm and handsomeness, he easily sweeps the lonely Lauren off of her feet. She cannot prevent herself from falling madly in love with him. But there is a chilling side to Syn one which she does not see. Bad things happen to those who hurt Lauren . . .

This is an incredibly written story filled with love, sadness and betrayal. The ending totally left me stunned.

I would recommend this book to all who love paranormal romances. If I could change one thing, though, it would be the ending. No! I won't give anything away but for me, Syntian Cree was the ideal "dark" hero. I know there are those out there who would totally disagree with me but I (like Lauren) grew to love Syntian Cree. Despite his chilling wickedness, I didn't want his story to end in the manner in which it did. Despite this, NightWind was an incredible, chilling read.

Highly Recommended!!

I highly recomend this book as well as all her others. Each book captures your attention and you won't stop reading till the very last page. In "NightWind" you will find, love, happiness, obsession, magic, and triumph, all of which Lauren finds as well as finding her ancient heritage and magic. And Sentian, a very sexy man and one who finds love across the ages proving that love can be found everywhere. This is a very compelling story that will stay with you, a story that you will not soon forget. For all you dark fantasy fans and romance fans alike, Charlotte Boyett-Compo's books are not to be passed up. She gets better with every book she writes.

As my introduction to this genre (dark fantasy/romance) I found Nightwind to be an entertaining and fast moving story. The heroine Lauren Fowler does not fit the standard writer's guidelines for romantic female characters. She's forty-four, and old maid, not particulary good looking, and a bit of a wimp as she first appears. Of course a handsome intelligent hunk (chisled features and all) arrives on the scene to engage her disused libido, and by the end of the first chapter a lurid crime is committed on her behalf.

It takes off from there at a high pitch, no dull backstory warm ups, no interminable descriptions of romantic landscapes or gothically furnished drawing rooms, nor the usual catalog of cute quirky personality traits so common to the perky and spunky young woman setting off on a romantic go-away-closer escapade with dark and handsome virile male destiny. Not that Synthian Cree, the male interest, does not fit that description to a tee. But he's hardly Mr. Right.

Indeed, potential male readers can rest assured that Nightwind is not a ladies book per se. It holds some shocking surprises. It could have benefited with is little more mundane guy appeal. A little more machinery or technology, maybe. Indeed there were two glaring lapses of your basic car knowledge that threatend to nosedive my suspended disbelief. Now, if Lauren could have been a shy female computer programmer or auto mechanic...

This is a well crafted story and it's obvious that Charlotte Boyett-Compo has done this sort of thing before. The plot is well paced and structured. There is always some element of trouble brewing for the heroine, pushing the reader on to the next chapter. Its linear unfolding of events and graphic scenes would make it work well as a screen play. Background information on the characters is inserted deftly with short narrative summary instead of story-stopping flashbacks. Not a pretty story, it's actually gets rather ghastly and gory, as Lauren moves on to her real destiny, with romance on the back, albeit hot, burner.

If I could give this review more than 5 stars I would. This book has surpassed all of the other books I have read by Ms. Boyett-Compo. To say it is spellbinding, fantastic and outstanding would still not be saying enough. If you haven't read this book yet, you are missing a true treasure.

Syntian Cree, a NightWind demon has come back to Earth. The lonely and desolate cry of a woman has beckoned him once again. This time he knew it was different, she was different than all the others before her. He was lost to her even before he arrived; she would be his and his alone.

Lauren Fowler is in her mid-forties and has never known love from anyone, not even her parents. She is lonely and friendless, even in the town she has lived all of her life. She does not know her cries have not only been heard and answered, but also her life is about to change in a way that she never could have imagined.

Syntian sweeps Lauren off her feet, courting her in the old-fashioned way that befits a lady. Although strange things have been happening since Syntian arrives in town, she never questions him and allows herself to fall deeply in love with him. So much so that she agrees to become his wife, without knowing the truth behind him and what he is.

This begins a story of love and heartbreak, betrayal and deceit. The results will stun and shock you, leaving you speechless and wanting more, all at the same moment.

In the "Afterward" of NIGHTWIND, Charlotte Boyett-Compo tells the story of sitting in a bus station waiting for family members to arrive. She loves to watch people, and a young woman who went totally unnoticed by everyone around her captured Boyette-Compo's interest. Her skirt was a little too long, her blouse a little too loose, her hair mousy, and she seemed to shrink into her surroundings. Amid the hustle of the terminal, she was an isolated island of loneliness. A gorgeous guy approached where she sat, and as her gaze lingered on his sexy attractiveness, he didn't see her, but looked right through her as if she didn't even occupy space. Boyette-Compo vividly carries this image of loneliness, of a woman who longs for her presence to be noticed, in a vivid, haunting tale of the paranormal in NIGHTWIND.

At forty-six, Laureen Fowler had never been kissed, had never been on a date, had never had friends, and had never even been given a polite greeting by her neighbors. She was the target of disdain and cruelty at the bookstore where she worked and of her mother's cruelty outside of her job. In her loneliness and isolation she often cried herself to sleep, crying out to the universe her agony. She didn't know someone heard and answered.

Syntian Cree, the NightWind, heard Laureen's call and takes vengeance on Laureen's oppressors. Under his loving attention, she grows into her full potential, becoming a strong, forceful, beautiful woman. Syn's victims lie damaged or dead, and Laureen is vindicated. She's also in love with a force she does not understand. And as powerful as he is, Syn is oath bound to another. Refusal to answer this other's call will cast him into the pits of the Abyss. Indeed, Laureen has many powerful, dangerous secrets to learn and battles to fight if she is to find the answers and results that she seeks.

The first novel in the WindDemon Trilogy, NIGHTWIND Combines elements of the paranormal, including demonology, witchcraft, and the supernatural. Indeed, Boyette-Compo captures the very essence of what it is to be isolated, and the amazing transformative power of love and faith in one's self. NIGHTWIND is one of those gripping novels that shocks, horrifies, and mesmerizes the reader. The highly developed characters, the mythology that provides the foundation of the tale, and the deft plot twists and turns lead to a satisfying, though shocking, conclusion. This novel is a must read.