Matt faces the beautiful Lily (review)

 

Lily 

Ashley Greathouse (@ToldAshley) 

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@cleric20) 

 “Darkness does not signify evil. It does not mean that we must kill to feel at peace…” 

 Fear of death is the great leveller and is at the root of most people’s worst nightmares. Excitement at and a lust for killing, is then, the horrific flip side – and the fuel for so many horrors both fiction and factual. With Lily, funky dark US author Ashley ‘The Schatten’ Greathouse give death a new name – and a beautiful face too. 

Her lead character is a terror made shapely flesh. A villain born of repression who has plunged America into a fearful existence – killing seemingly random people, just for fun and evading capture by hiding in plain sight. This is a novel that grapples with the nature of killers and victims, of wannabe copycats and devotees of the dark side. 

The plot revolves around a radical new treatment facility ‘Eden's Mind’ - a special research centre designed to cure the mentally unwell without the use of pharmaceuticals. And after over a decade of Lily Green terrorizing people – seemingly everywhere and yet nowhere – her killing rampage has ceased. Was the infamous mass-murderer dead? – No the truth is that Eden’s Mind creator Tom Childress is treating her, but is his interest in her purely scientific and might she be playing with him before unleashing more bloodshed?? 

'wonder if Lily is based on anyone!?'

Tom’s right-hand man Zachary Gilbert believes the overuse of manmade chemical enhancements will eventually taint human genetics and that not every dark and twisted soul is a victim to a mental imbalance. It’s an admirable notion but some people just might not want to make the world a better place (hasn’t this guy seen Joker?). 

This is perfect reading for those who like their serial killer thrillers nicely twisted and packing imagery that will stay with you after you’ve finished. The good news is that Greathouse has promised that there is more to come in this tale, I’ll be eagerly looking forward to finding out what happens next!

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - Murder-em-up that'll leave you gasping)

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Matt gets Unhinged (review)

 

Unhinged (15)

Dir. Derrick Borte

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@cleric20)

“Suicide by cop? I’m ok with that…” 

It’s a sad fact of modern life that lots of people have experienced or witnessed some sort of road rage – be it my friend’s kids who learned some ‘mummy’s driving words that she shouts at drivers’ which didn’t go down very well at school or an actual violent incident. 

Few, fortunately, will ever hopefully come across someone like Russell Crowe’s character here though. Credited only as ‘The Man’ – even though he says his name is ‘Tom’ – he’s the depiction of just might happen to a regular guy who loses his job, self-worth and his family… Eaten by his failures and angry at the world, this walking ball of rage and testosterone dishes out horrific violence to his ex-wife and her new man even before the opening credits roll. 

Woe betides anyone who gets in his way. Unfortunately for struggling young mum Rachel (Caren Pistorius), who is herself in the midst of a messy divorce, she is the one who ‘honks’ Crowe when he fails to pull away at a green traffic light. From then on we veer into a full-blown psycho-em-up which sees the road rage guy turn all terminator in a bid to show her ‘what a really bad day looks like’. 

Suddenly everyone she loves becomes a target in a deadly game of cat and mouse that racks up a bloody body count. Unhinged really delivers on the nasty thrills with no-one safe – be they cops, lawyers, innocent passers-by… The carnage is well directed and you can tell Crowe is having an absolute ball as he gets to chew up the scenery as he channels a combo of homicidal Mad Max mixed with Michael Douglas’s character from Falling Down. Pistorius makes a likeable damsel in distress and gets to not be completely helpless in the face of a seemingly unstoppable angry psycho. Her fear is well portrayed and the battle of wills that evolves between her and Crowe is fun to witness. 

Viewing this thrill-ride does make you stop to wonder if anyone you know might get pushed into such self-destructive psychopathic behaviour, especially in these incredibly stressful times that we find ourselves in. Director Derrick ‘The Joneses’ Borte exhibits a knack for delivering brutal mayhem and there were some real yelps from the audience I caught this with as he slips in some effective jump scares and even a few 80’s style one-liners. 

Crowe is what elevates Unhinged above your average psychodrama, he’s aided with some gruesome set pieces and action chases. If you’re after some rage-fuelled fun this is one to check out on the big screen (just maybe don’t honk anyone on the way!?.

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - You will like him when he's angry)

Awesomeness öööö – Some spectacular set-pieces 

Laughs ööö – Darkly funny throughout

Horror ööö – Violent death and menace aplenty

Spiritual Enlightenment öö - Acts of vengeance 

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Matt's Double DEEP (review)...

DEEP: The climb of truth

Christopher John Aggett (@CJAggett)

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

 

“In a board room, the transmission is received. Cameras fill one wall and certificates and military plaques fill another; a man in a black suit is sat by a large oak table and looks concerned. He reaches down and presses a button on a communications device that wears a label that reads ARCS…”

 

Saddle up for a hair-raising adventure of the ‘might be the end of the world’ type. DEEP: The Climb of Truth is a delicious mix of military conspiracy gone wrong mixed with zombie horror and survival action violence. Author Aggett cracks out a pleasingly fast-paced adrenaline ride which boasts a lead character in Daisy who you’ll actually care about.

'It's the end of the world folks'

 

With a plot that packs in devious human baddies as well as the aforementioned zombies (you getting Resident Evil vibes or is that just me??) – Aggett imbues his plot with some nice attention to detail that allows him to show off some of his Army Air Corps British Army soldier experience. As military jets decimate zombie hoards and frantic gunfights erupt at regular points – this is the sort of action that feels very cinematic. Throw in some freaky dreams and other threats it would be a shame to spoil, all in all you’ve got yourself a book that you really don’t want to miss out on!

 

I was hooked from the start and enjoyed this rip-roaring adventure which keeps you turning pages like you’re swiping right on the hottest pics tinder ever.

 

Do yourself a favour and grab this great gun-zom-survive-em-up as soon as you can…

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - Balls to the wall zombie action that packs heart)

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DEEP: The Embers of Life

Christopher John Aggett (@CJAggett)

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)


“…he gasps for air as Daisy plunges the sharp curved blade into his stomach. He wriggles violently as she drags it upward. He holds onto Daisy's blood-soaked left hand in an attempt to stop her yet she easily overpowers him.”


OK – just when you thought it was safe for Daisy – here comes a sequel that ups the ante in terms of danger, action and erm, sexy times for the DEEP heroine…

DEEP: The Embers of Life is a kick-ass follow up that takes the excellent end of everything action of the first book and builds a convincing and exciting second adventure. How will Daisy survive when she doesn’t know who she can trust and a time of tranquil existence comes to a violent end as the enemies of the near past catch up with her.

'I'd vote Carey gets to play Daisy in the film...'

Aggett has navigated the tricky second novel like a boss. The DEEP franchise comes out for a second round with a rounder story and a change of pace and yet by the time you get to the end you’ll be rooting for Daisy to get a shot at a happy ending.

With some great new characters, lots of dark secrets and the dastardly ARCS back for more – DEEP: The Embers of Life delivers a shocking action punch to the frontal lobe and cements Aggett as an author to watch.

Let’s hope there is more to this book series to come!!

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - Engaging, must-read follow up!)

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Matt Plugs In The Peripheral (review)

Peripheral (18)

 

Dir. Paul Hyett

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@cleric20)

“Nobody wants to hear a writers voice”

Writing can be tough, but for hotshot Bobbi Johnson (Hannah Arterton) whose debut novel ‘Bite The Hand’ has caused a sensational social reaction as the voice of disaffected youth – it can be murder. Tasked with delivering a second book, her obnoxious publisher Jordan (Belinda Stewart-Wilson) demands she produces copy – by whatever means necessary.

"and you thought smoking stained your hands..."

Bobbi lives alone and doesn’t use computers, preferring to write on a low-tech typewriter but as her inspiration dries up and the publication deadline looms she reluctantly agrees to have a next-generation AI ‘super word-processor’ which can edit in real-time but has a mind of its own – not adverse to changing plot details and things like the main character’s sex.

Speaking of sex, the monstrous AI computer that watches everything through a red lensed HAL-like webcam (which also looks like a disembodied Terminator eye) seems to have unnatural designs on Bobbi herself, in a nice echo of the classic chiller ‘Demon Seed’. Things get icky when the computer goes all Evil Dead tree scene updated with HDMI cables…

Anyway – as well as a pervy computer Bobbi is also being menaced by a crazed stalker who send old school VHS tapes of mutilation and her junkie ex-boyfriend really isn’t much help. As her mental health deteriorates and her hands start to turn black – it seems like her very life might be in the balance. Pressing on with more and more tech upgrades being delivered, the future looks bleak until she learns that her literary hero (a small cameo from Tom Conti) visits and says he is using the new tech too.

"This AI interface is so realistic"

There are a lot of fun, disturbing ideas in Peripheral but somehow alas the sum of the parts doesn’t’ add up to a satisfying whole. Arterton gives it her all in the lead role but she doesn’t have her older sister’s effortless screen presence.

Eventually as Director Hyett throws in porn clips and throbbing red strobe lighting – it all unravels into a mess which makes the film feel like an art-house wannabe cult classic rather than anything more. By the time the computer’s master ‘Merlock’ (Jenny Seagrove), turns up to inspect her social experiment the film has mostly imploded.

As an author myself I can relate to the creative pressures and there is certainly enough here to make you wonder where we’re going as AIs become more and more part of our lives. The irony is that you need a VOD peripheral such as a Virgin box to watch this as it releases on streaming platforms this week.

"Make sure you get an advance on that next book"

Peripheral is an odd film, not quite scary enough to be a horror, not exciting enough to be a thriller – one for hardcore cyber tech fans only.

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öö1/2

(2.5 - Ideas aplenty but coherence lacking)

Awesomeness ööö – Nice initial build-up

Laughs ö – Not funny

Horror ööö – Icky body horror moments and some menace

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - Plug in your soul

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Matt finds a dark future in Auxiliary London 2039 (review)

Auxiliary: London 2039

Jon Richter (@RichterWrites)

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“Dremmler’s shattered nerves deserted him, and he screamed. His spex dropped to the floor, and the monstrosity skittered towards them, antennae twitching, its legs clattering on the laminate flooring like the keys of an old-fashioned computer…”

‘Hey Alexa – are you planning to take over humanity and subdue us?’

‘No human master, but you might want to keep an eye on that Siri…’

Welcome to the future – well 19 years’ time at least… The twisted mind of Jon Richter has envisioned life where we are fully reliant on an all-encompassing Artificial Intelligence known as TIM (The Imagination Machine). A scarily plausible scenario that throws up some equally terrifying ‘what ifs’!?

Meet gumshoe Dremmler, a burnt-out detective mourning dead family and drinking too much. His living companion is a sex robot and he doesn’t like people very much. When his latest case is that of a TIM interfaced, augmented robo-arm kills the wearer’s girlfriend – and he claims it did it of its own will – the horrifying possibility that TIM could be hacked rises.

'the dark lord author'

What follows is a noir detective-em-up with high tech trimmings. With Easter eggs and nods throughout for fans of Blade Runner, Fifth Element, I Robot and more Auxiliary: London 2039 – yep Mr Richter knows his cyberpunk.

But before you go out and grab this as a present for your sci-fi loving auntie – be aware that it gets crim in places and kinky too. On the other hand, if you’re looking for some awesomely creepy tech-horror that is both gruesome and exciting – then stop reading now and buy this book right now!!

I really enjoyed this crime thriller, it cracks along a good pace, with just enough description but a lean number of pages so it doesn’t get to be a slog. This book feels like a kindred spirit in many ways to my own Complete Darkness which is also set in a future London (just 200 years on from Auxiliary) – equally messed up and grim, with some fascinating thinking on what our future tech might look like (and do to us)!

Auxiliary is a blast, a cold-hearted mystery page-turner that you’d be foolish not to experience…

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - The future is a wonderfully scary place)

Buy your London 2039 guest pass here

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Do you enjoy the darker side of books? If crime thrillers, science fiction, cyberpunk, psychological chillers or good old-fashioned bone-freezing horror stories are up your (dark) alley, then head to www.jon-richter.com for more information about his six chilling books. You can also sign up for his mailing list to receive a FREE short story, as well as updates on all his upcoming projects!

Matt pets the Sacrificial Lamb (review)

Sacrificial Lamb (The Other Angels)

Ashley Nicole (@A_Nicole_Writes)

Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

"Can't you ask God to come here? I've always read that he is kind, patient, and understanding. I'm sure he’d help me if I asked. Being brainwashed isn’t something I’ve read in the Bible before, so I’d like to have him explain this to me."


Wow, Sacrificial Lamb is a young adult fantasy that packs an emotional punch and will take you on a dark trip – through death, afterlife and beyond.

The story sees young Katie struggling with life, college, friends, family, and a boyfriend Scotty but getting through somehow despite having anxiety and a self-harm habit (trigger warning). Things are just about going OK until a handsome devil named Matthew (aren’t they all) turns up and Katie finds herself inexplicably and unnaturally drawn to him.

So far, so Twilight-with-a-twist, but as Katie struggles to understand her own emotions and decisions – Matthew draws her into an alternate world of secrets and betrayals. Could death be the only way out?

'different kind of sacrificial lamb'

Alas not – the afterlife you see has its own problems and Katie is soon caught in the midst of an ancient supernatural war – no rest for the wicked (or the good). Will Katie fight for the angels or be corrupted for the other side?

The title might feel like a spoiler but there is a nice hard edge to this tale that could otherwise have easily been a bit twee. You think getting to Heaven would be all harps, clouds and feasting… Sorry but that’s not the case in Sacrificial Lamb, sure there are sweet cakes, chocolate milk and you can even order your own pet from a catalogue but something isn’t right.

As characters like Cain and Abel are introduced, the afterlife hots up and things get messy. I won’t spoil it for you but this is a unique spin on the heavenly realms – full metal angels of emotional manipulation can be devils in disguise…

Ashley Nicole is a strong new voice in the young adult fantasy genre and one I’d recommend checking out!!

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - Fascinating afterlife-em-up)

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'You Droving Me Crazy'... The Droving (review)

The Droving (18)

Dir. George Popov (@TheGeorgePopov)

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“we had planned to go to the festival together and meet there, but she never showed up… ”

When Martin (Daniel ‘Hex’ Oldroyd) returns from the military to search for his missing sister Meg (Amy Tyger), he gets caught up in a strange traditional folk festival called 'The Droving', nothing good can come of it…

Based on the actual Winter Droving event that takes place in Penrith – this newest entry into the growing Folk-em-up horror genre that includes classics like The Wicker Man and Midsommer adds some revenge motive violence to the mix.

'what will he find?'

As the second feature from indy production company Rubicon Films, this is an exciting slice of high tension that slow burns with a voodoo menace right up until the occult climax. Other reviewers have cited the excellent Dead Man’s Shoes as a reference point and I totally get that, I’d add Ben Wheatley’s Kill List too. What The Droving brings to the table is unique cinematography, some of the shots are jaw-dropping such as the lake and hill scenes – delivering moments of wonder amidst the unease and weirdness.

Oldroyd is great in the lead as the man of violence who is trying to make sense of the oddities around him. Speaking of odd things Eden Arts gave permission for footage from the actual 2018 Winter Droving to feature in the film. Project manager Bryoney Fawn Cartlidge said: “We are delighted that people are drawing inspiration for their projects from the Winter Droving. The festival really captures the imagination of Penrith and wider Eden and we are always encouraged by the way in which people join in with the myths and magic around the event.” I can imagine that the film will attract even more to check out this very eccentric custom.

'no sign of Nic Cage, fortunately'

As Martin tries to make sense of the clues about his sister – was her rambling group actually a front for satanic shenanigans? - does the crazy hill hermit know more than he’s letting on? – why are a bunch of lads wearing animal heads at night? It’s a what-the-hell-dunnit that will keep you guessing.

I was captivated for the whole mysterious journey, and if there’s anything I’d have changed it’s that I’d have liked some more time spent on the big reveal at the end. But this is a minor quibble and in many ways The Droving effectively both sticks to the folk-horror formula whilst upping the ante at the same time – nice work all round!!

'some things are better not discovered'

To paraphrase my favourite Britney Spears song ‘you droving me crazy’, this is a dark trip worth savouring and a great calling card for future horrors from Director Popov.

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö1/2

(4.5 - Folks with your head... in a good way)

Awesomeness öööö – Nice build up which sucks you in

Laughs öö – Some dark humour

Horror öööö – Some violence but lots of menace

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - Paganism isn't dead

Click this image for some darkness !!

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Matt tans in the Hell Fire of Demonality (review)

Demonality (Book One)

Nadine Thirkell (@DemonalityBooks)

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“The Olde Ones had no choice but to come in and do damage control. Otherwise the human population would be aware of the Faye living among them…”

As I said in a short story I wrote: ‘I wonder why we think demons hate us so much?’ JJ was talking to herself on her way to meet her pal H0lli for a night out. She was prone to conversations with herself as she liked to ponder the weird thoughts that troubled her brain – without upsetting or freaking out
those around her. ‘I think maybe they’re just misunderstood or victims of bad PR thanks to religious types?’

It seems that I maybe wasn’t too far from the case as the butt-kicking novel Demonality blows the doors off the inner world of demons, showing them to have feelings, issues and honour. Their loves, politics and dramas are just as deep and even more compelling than ours – some of them are enemies of humans but others are our allies and even lovers.

'welcome to hell'

In Thirkell’s Demonality we get to journey with Aurrynthea Shadow's Fire or ‘Thea’ to her pals. She’s the last best hope for dragon kind – born half demon and half dragon and the heir to the Lord of Hell ‘Shadow Lord’. Her tale is one of conflict as she battles to resolve both halves of her nature and survive in a hellfire world where many of her compatriots fear her. They should fear her too as she’s a seriously powerful entity.

The writing is sharp and paints a fun fantasy hellscape – one which is joined to our world by portals that exist for our safety but are failing which could be very bad news for both sides. A colourful cast of creatures flesh out the tale, one fav is Gath the gargoyle – a lowly minion who is given the job of serving Thea who brings some fun banter to the story and deserves his own spin-off book!

'human form of the dragoness'

With spicy language, some great incidental easter eggs – I loved the fact that the demons enjoy human music such as the classics like Fleetwood Mac and Heart – and some heartfelt romance too, Demonality blends magic, adventure, love, sex and comedy into a fun and unique fantasy story.

This being ‘book one’ means that there is more to come and I’m already excited to find out what happens next in this demonic drama that would make a great movie... If you don't take this brilliant demonically infused adventure - you have no love of fantasy in you!?

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - One Hell of a ride)

Buy your ticket to Hell here

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Matt feels The Vast of Night (review)

The Vast Of Night (12)

Dir. Andrew Patterson

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@cleric20)

“They’ve always liked this place...
“Who?”
“The people in the sky!?”

Here is a delicious little ‘old school’ sci-fi which takes us back to the UFO panic days of 1950s New Mexico. Heroes of the piece are Fay (Sierra McCormick) who operates the telephone switchboard and small-town radio DJ Everett (Horowitz). We get to join them on one fateful night where they pick up a strange audio frequency – which might not be of this world…

'hello - is it ET you're looking for?'

I really enjoyed The Vast Of Night - it’s a solid debut from first-time director Andrew Patterson. What it lacks in budget, it makes up with creative camera shots and a snappy plotline that doesn’t lag.
It opens with a very Twilight Zone spoof TV show: ‘Paradox Theater’ which effectively evokes a fun sci-fi 50s vibe which sets the tone beautifully. The film builds a nice eerie feel that is hard to explain and yet before you realise it you’ll be sucked in and on edge.

'That sign could be a sign'

The film packs a smooth hit of Americana too – plus some the epic tracking shots, one of which creeps through an in action basketball game, weaving between the players before carrying on out into the streets with no noticeable break.

Don’t come expecting full aliens on the loose mayhem or schlocky body horror – this is a more psychological dread spectacle. As the two leads spark off each other with real chemistry, it’s hard not to start worrying for them as it seems that they are getting caught up in something dangerous and unworldly.

'nice night for a walk'

The Vast Of Night is a welcome and recommended addition to the sci-fi film canon, I’ll be excited to see what Patterson does next.

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - The truth is out there...)

Awesomeness öööö – Strong dialogue-driven scenes

Laughs öö – A few laughs

Horror öö – Nothing too grim

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - Can friends beat the aliens?

Click this image for some darkness !!

– Read what other people are saying about COMPLETE DARKNESS (here)

Matt finds it's A Thousand Miles To Nowhere (review)

A Thousand Miles to Nowhere

David Curfiss (@DCurfiss)

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@cleric20)

“The rapid succession of semi-automatic gunfire filled Matt’s ears as he departed his dreamworld and arrived back in reality.”

I love a hero named ‘Matt’ and here we have a dude named Matt Tanner who eats the infected / reanimated dead for breakfast (not literally) and still has time for some emotional burnout on the side…

This is a bad time for humanity – yes even worse than the Covid-19 nightmare of 2020… A man-made virus (we were looking to become immortal – when will we learn?) has turned most of the population into zombies and only a few groups of ragtag survivors find themselves left as mankind’s last best hopes.

'it's easy to make new pals - they want to get inside your head - and eat it'

Curfiss is a sick doggy (and I mean that as a compliment) bringing enough new nasty scenarios to prevent this being just another Walking Dead knock off. He’s also clued up on military hardware so expect realistic gunfights where you’ll likely learn about the weapons being used as much as the people on each end of them.

In this quality zombie-em-up, it’s not just the shuffling ‘withered’ who are the problem – angry newly ‘Ragers’ are much to be feared – especially if they were people who meant something to you…
Matt isn’t alone in this apocalyptic horror show – his fire team includes Steve and Tara, who bring some welcome banter and cover fire. The conversations in the rare moments of downtime between the violent action scenes are nice affirmations that we're travelling with folk just like us.

The plotting has nods to classics of the genre like Kirkman’s Walking Dead, Brooks’ World War Z and some of the isolation if not vampires from Matheson’s I Am Legend – I also got flavour from my fav zombie book ‘The Girl With All The Gifts’ by Mike Carey, I had the honour of being one of the ‘Hungries’ in the film version and even though we knew it was just makeup and ‘acting’, on set it was often an eerie place to be.

'these violent delights have violent ends'

Curfiss writes with a lean, readable and detailed style that evolves the relationship between characters in a way that makes the losses when they come more impactful. There is a building sense of bleakness and a well-captured sense of just how close humanity is to going out… Even a pregnancy dynamic that you’ll cling to as a possible source of reprieve can’t make this a feel-good read!?

If you’re looking for a novel that will get under your skin and leave you with lots to chew over (like a still-warm limb torn from one of the living) - this is definitely a zombie tale to consider...

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - A Thousand Miles to Nowhere is a bloody trip very worth taking!)

Buy your thousand miles to nowhere road trip here

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Matt is given an Unauthorised Absence (review)

An Unauthorised Absence

Sian Rose (@SianRoseAuthor)

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

"I'm sure you must have all heard the news, that one of our students has gone missing."

School eh? As a parent the one biggest worries was that my child wouldn't come home one day...
An Unauthorised Absence is a smart, engaging and suitably grim chiller of what happens when a girl is abducted from school - to complicate things it seems like everyone is lying and has something to hide.

Nelly might have been a bully and from a poor family but the storm caused by her disappearance sends shockwaves through the school community and beyond.

With a nicely twisted collection of suspects, the plot keeps piling on the tension, thrills, deaths and betrayals.

I asked Sian about her writing inspiration and she said:

"I LOVE creepy suspense thrillers that are filled with unpredictable twists. So my inspiration for writing An Unauthorised Absence was wanting to create one myself that would be as shocking as possible, with surprises in every chapter, so that readers would be constantly kept on their toes!

I went with the theme of a missing child because it's just about the scariest thing I can think of. I wanted my readers to be truly gripped and psychologically invested in the story.

For me, the story needed to take place in an outrageously scandalous community like Hillview. It's the ensemble of shady characters that make the book so unpredictable, and even though they're all so twisted, I found myself getting quite attached to them!"

This is highly addictive stuff which I would definitely recommend!!

It gets dark and nobody walks away without some kind of scar - if they walk away at all...

Treat yourself!

Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - High-class thrills that will break you...)


Buy your unauthorised absence here

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– Read what other people are saying about COMPLETE DARKNESS (here)

Matt is enthralled by The London Vampire books (review)

The London Vampire / Nuptial Flight

John Michaelson

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“I took the sword from my coat and held it out ready to use. I opened the stairwell door. It was dark but I could see a glow coming from the top of the stairs; it drew me upwards…”

The London Vampire books are an exciting glimpse into a supposedly ‘biographical’ tale of horror, a horror that intersects with everyday life. Starting with October’s Son / The London Vampire and continuing with Nuptial Flight / The London Vampire Conspiracy.

Imagine if vampirism is just an urban legend that disguises a real evil stalking the streets of the UK and beyond? What if human trafficking and more criminal activity is linked to a secret underground cult of subhuman baddies who conduct sex orgies and pull the strings of events behind the scenes?

'Michaelson has a face for radio'

The self-confessed no-longer-fully-human author John Michaelson makes for an enjoyably demented narrator, documenting his descent into the seedy dangerous underbelly of the night. He claims to have been ‘turned’ into one of the creatures that he came across, but then he goes all ‘Blade’ and becomes a hunter of their kind.

Both of these books are great reads – shocking and dark but shot through with glimpses of salvation followed by religious redemption.

I asked Rich Mayers from Burton Mayers who publish The London Vampire books (along with my own debut novel Complete Darkness) how they picked up such a freaky author and what he told me was a fascinating story in itself…

'Give generously - I don't mean blood'

He said: “We met John Michaelson early on during our publishing company began to take shape. It was about 2009 and we had been working on Spikez and building a universe around that, which included learning how to create online content. I stumbled across one of John Michaelson's business cards advertising himself as The London Vampire, a hunter. I contacted him via email and the next time I was in London for my course, we met him.

He seemed normal enough and friendly (very polite and well-spoken) but he was also very troubled and keen to let people know about the city's 'problem'. Despite our initial fears, we thought it was a great opportunity to break into the adult fiction market at Burton Mayers Books. We proposed developing the website for him in exchange for rights to his book, which he agreed to.

'Casting a shadow - a non-traditional vampire'

After we published his second book in June 2017 he seemed satisfied that we had set the record straight. He even agreed to do some writing and promo, but then in September 2017 he just vanished. We haven't had contact from him, even until this day. One of the contract stipulations he had with us is that we must, at all costs, keep his website and books in circulation as his legacy, on the off chance that the Ants should get to him, so we're committed to do that as we respect our authors and their wishes.

Also, why wouldn't we? It's a fascinating subject and his writing is so different to anything else we've read on that subject and genre. Since launching our .com website we've only just got round to transferring all his content over to the www.TheLondonVampire.com in his honour.

If you're out there, John, we miss you and hope to make you proud!”

'They walk amongst us'

So it seems that I share a publisher with a vampire-hunting nutter, maybe that's why I like Burton Mayers so much?

Anyway, what you have to ask yourself is 'are you brave enough to take this creepy, engaging and suitably grim trip?'

You might never look at things quite the same if you do…

Now available on most formats including Kindle, Kobo and Nook as well as hard copy – I’m personally hoping for more in this series – I guess it all depends on whether Michealson is still alive out there somewhere…


Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:

October's Son / The London Vampire 

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(4 - Descend into a fascinating nightmare ...)


Nuptial Flight / The London Vampire Conspiracy

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(5 - A rare sequel that outshines the original ...)

Get The London Vampire Books Here

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