Summary:
Enter the world of the Pendleton: The original owner became a recluse – and was rumored to be more than half mad – after his wife and two children disappeared in 1897 and were never found. The second owner suffered a worse tragedy in 1935, when his house manager murdered him, his family, and the entire live-in staff….
Craftsmen and laborers working on renovations disappear or go mad….
For years, the Pendleton is a happy place, until a bad turn comes again….
Voices in unknown languages are heard in deserted rooms, everywhere and nowhere….
Disturbing shadows move along walls but have no source….
Images on security monitors show strange places that exist nowhere in the building or its grounds….
A young boy talks of an imaginary playmate – who turns out to be terrifyingly real….
A figure like a man but clearly inhuman is glimpsed in the courtyard gardens at night and in other locales, perhaps a hoaxer of some kind, seemingly oblivious of those who see it – until it suddenly takes an interest in one of them….
My take: 2 looks
Originally reviewed October 31, 2015
To end my October Scary Reads, I chose a book by Dean Koontz, usually a master of suspense and horror. Unfortunately, I didn’t choose wisely.
While this looks great on the summary-level, the story is extremely cumbersome and in need of editing. Koontz overuses terms that are so unique that they should be use sparingly, like “they are legion”. Well into the second half of the book, he continues to introduce new characters, while seemingly casting what were major players to the side.
In the end, when the reader finds out exactly what is happening, why it is happening, and when it is happening, it elicits less of an eye-popping and more of an eye-rolling reaction. With so many other quality horror novels out there, this one is…
Not recommended.
