Book picks similar to
Saint Sadist by Lucas Mangum
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The Night Burns Bright
Ross Barkan - 2022
It’s where Lucien is taught the importance of living in harmony with nature and building a peaceful and sustainable future. But when his youthful curiosity draws him into town and to Gabrielle, a public-school student living a life wholly different from his own, Lucien’s inquisitiveness about life beyond the commune and questions regarding the events of 9/11 threaten to unbalance everything he thought he knew.Slowly, things begin to change at House of Earth. The outside world is off limits. Security measures tighten. New rules are put in place, and anyone who violates them is asked to leave and never spoken of again.As forbidden questions pile up, Lucien’s willingness to obey weakens. Continuing to meet Gabrielle in secret only reinforces his gnawing fear that something about his world is terribly wrong. Unable to remain silent any longer, Lucien will soon discover that looking for answers at House of Earth may be the most dangerous rule he can break.
The Disturbing Incidents at Lonesome Woods Boarding School (Dr. Harper Therapy)
Dr. Harper - 2021
Apocalypticon
Clayton Smith - 2014
Unfortunately, that "normal" includes collapsing skyscrapers, bands of bloodthirsty maniacs, and a dwindling cache of survival supplies. After watching his family, friends, and most of the non-sadistic elements of society crumble around him, Patrick decides it's time to cross one last item off his bucket list. He’s going to Disney World. This hilarious, heartfelt, gut-wrenching odyssey through post-apocalyptic America is a pilgrimage peppered with peril, as fellow survivors Patrick and Ben encounter a slew of odd characters, from zombie politicians and deranged survivalists to a milky-eyed oracle who doesn't have a lot of good news. Plus, it looks like Patrick may be hiding the real reason for their mission to the Magic Kingdom...
The Devil's Own Work
Alan Judd - 1991
Tyrell, he is surprised to receive an invitation to visit the old man at his villa in the south of France. The night of their meeting, Tyrell dies, and soon after, Edward’s career mysteriously starts to soar as he earns fame, fortune and critical acclaim. But despite his achievements, Edward seems haunted, even tormented. His friend, the narrator, begins to put together the pieces of the story: an ancient, inscrutable manuscript, a beautiful, ageless woman who attaches herself to whatever writer possesses it, and a bargain to achieve success at a terrible price . . .Winner of Britain’s prestigious Guardian Fiction Prize, Alan Judd’s modern classic The Devil’s Own Work (1991) is, as Owen King writes in the new introduction to this edition, “a perfect novel about the demonic possession that is literary ambition.” This edition also features a new afterword by the author, in which he reveals the inspirations for this haunting tale.CONTEMPORARY REVIEWS“More chills in its little length than in a whole shelf of bestsellers.” – Stephen King“At once moral fable, cautionary ghost story and inspired attack on the whole hellbent drift of modern letters, this is a splendid tale, splendidly told, which Ford or Henry James would have been glad to have written.” – Robert Nye, Guardian“Wry and insightful . . . toys with the notion of demonic possession but becomes a thoroughly realistic and highly original story of revenge; a chilling cautionary tale.” – Elaine Kendall, Los Angeles Times“A brief return to the world of Faust, Mephistopheles and the Devil pact. Mr. Judd . . . achieves a deep polish.” – Robert Grudin, The New York Times Book Review“Elegantly succinct. . . . The secret of Mr. Judd’s success is instantly apparent; this tightly written story eloquently suggests more than it explains.” – Wall Street Journal“It is seldom that a novel demands such attentive reading; and seldom that a reading is so amply rewarded. Ford would have been proud to have such a disciple.” – Times Literary Supplement (London)“Judd’s creation is perfect in itself: totally true, totally real, totally right. And superbly written.” – Financial Times (London)
The Traveling Vampire Show
Richard Laymon - 2000
All over the rural town of Grandville, tacked to power poles and trees, taped to store windows, blowing along the sidewalks, fliers have appeared announcing the mysterious one-night-only performance of The Traveling Vampire Show.The show will feature Valeria, the only known vampire in captivity. According to the fliers, she is a gorgeous, stunning beauty. In the course of the performance, she will stalk volunteers from the audience, sink her teeth into their necks and drink their blood!For three local teenagers who see the fliers, this is a show they don't want to miss. But they may have to.Though they can probably scrape up the price of admission, other obstacles stand in the way. One problem, nobody under 18 years of age is allowed into the show. Dwight, Rusty, and Slim are only 16. Another problem, the show begins at midnight and the three teens always have to be home by then. If that weren't bad enough, the show is to take place at Janks Field -- a desolate patch of ground with a nasty history -- that has been declared off limits by their parentsThe situation appears hopeless.Though Dwight and his friends fear they won't be able to attend the actual performance of the Traveling Vampire Show, they do have the entire day to themselves. Why not hike out to Janks Field and take a look around? With any luck, they might be able to watch the crew make preparations for tonight's performance. If they're really lucky, maybe they'll get a peek at Valeria, the gorgeous vampire.And so the three friends set off on foot for Janks Field...Dwight is a solid, honest kid, long on common sense and loyalty to his friends. He always tries to do what's right.Rusty is a husky guy who relishes trouble.Slim, their long-time pal, is the brains of the outfit, a voracious reader of novels, an aspiring writer, and a girl. Also, she is sometimes too brave for her own good.The Traveling Vampire Show is the tale, told in Dwight's own words, of what happened to him, Rusty and Slim on that hot summer day they hiked to Janks Field. It's the story of their friendship and love, their temptations, their betrayals, and their courage as they went where they shouldn't go, did what they shouldn't do...and ran into big trouble.
Aftershocks
Marko Kloos - 2019
Amid an uneasy alliance to maintain economies, resources, and populations, Aden Robertson reemerges. After devoting twelve years of his life to the reviled losing side, with the blood of half a million casualties on his hands, Aden is looking for a way to move on. He’s not the only one.A naval officer has borne witness to inconceivable attacks on a salvaged fleet. A sergeant with the occupation forces is treading increasingly hostile ground. And a young woman, thrust into responsibility as vice president of her family’s raw materials empire, faces a threat she never anticipated.Now, on the cusp of an explosive and wide-reaching insurrection, Aden plunges once again into the brutal life he longed to forget. He’s been on the wrong side of war before. But this time, the new enemy has yet to reveal themselves…or their dangerous endgame.
Infinite
Brian Freeman - 2021
Dylan initially chalks it up to trauma, but that changes when he runs into a psychiatrist who claims he’s her patient. She says he has been undergoing a unique hypnotherapy treatment built on the idea that with every choice, he creates an infinite number of parallel universes.Now those parallel universes are unlocked—and Dylan’s doppelgänger has staked a claim to his world. Can Dylan use these alternate realities to get a second chance at the life that was stolen from him? Or will he lose himself…to himself?
Beyond
Ambrose Ibsen - 2019
Then, he came back to life... On the night of a long-awaited comet sighting, Erich, a university student, comes back from the dead. Making a miraculous recovery after a horrific car accident, he quickly returns to his musical studies and seems to have a new zest for life. Though he mingles with his fellow students and dedicates himself to his work, those close to him can't help but notice something is wrong, however. Very wrong. Erich isn't himself anymore. His personality has changed radically, and where he was once a middling musician, he's suddenly and unaccountably developed a virtuosic talent. He spends his nights awake, walking the streets or throwing lavish parties. What's more, those who spend time alone with him tend to go insane. Amid a string of suicides and government conspiracies, the denizens of Moorlake, Ohio find themselves at the center of a blossoming cosmic horror. If they don't find out who—or what—Erich Tellier has become, the horror is bound to spread beyond the confines of their quiet college town. BEYOND is a tale of cosmic horror by Ambrose Ibsen.
Avenue of Regrets
R.J. Piñeiro - 2018
. . Worthy of Hitchcock." --Publishers Weekly Your spouse and infant son died in a tragic accident, or so you thought.And on the same night you were accused of a crime you can't remember committing. "A Superb Psychological Thriller." --Douglas Preston"Rife with suspense." --Kirkus Reviews Yet, you were exonerated, somehow. And you even found the strength to go on, to try to make amends by starting a shelter for battered women. You think, hope--even pray--that by helping those abused, those living in fear, that your dark days will be behind you, allowing you to emerge from this long avenue of regrets. "A hard-hitting examination of regrets, atonement, and acknowledging sins committed and those imagined." --Midwest Book Reviews But on the seventh anniversary of that terrible night, you learn that everything that happened seven years ago--everything--was not as it had seemed. "Greed, violence, and the hope of redemption are the defining themes of Avenue of Regrets, a non-stop action thriller." --Foreword Reviews This revelation propels you into a world of corruption and violence you never knew existed. Still, you won't stop--can't stop. How could you? Someone killed your family, and you must search for the truth . . . no matter the cost. "A riveting crime thriller." --Cheryl Kay Tardiff HAUNTED BY THE PAST. SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH.AVENUE OF REGRETS.
One Word Kill
Mark Lawrence - 2019
And it isn’t even the strangest thing to happen to him that week.Nick and his Dungeons & Dragons-playing friends are used to living in their imaginations. But when a new girl, Mia, joins the group and reality becomes weirder than the fantasy world they visit in their weekly games, none of them are prepared for what comes next. A strange—yet curiously familiar—man is following Nick, with abilities that just shouldn’t exist. And this man bears a cryptic message: Mia’s in grave danger, though she doesn’t know it yet. She needs Nick’s help—now.He finds himself in a race against time to unravel an impossible mystery and save the girl. And all that stands in his way is a probably terminal disease, a knife-wielding maniac and the laws of physics.Challenge accepted.
Onyx Webb: Book One: Episodes 1, 2, 3
Richard Fenton - 2015
Gripping. Fascinating. Onyx Webb is a multi-genre mash-up that combines supernatural suspense, crime, horror, romance, and more. So the story... Onyx Webb is a ghost. Billionaire playboy Koda Mulvaney becomes obsessed with a girl he sees inside a mirror. Juniper Cole is on her way to the prom and... well, we don't want to spoil anything - we've probably told you too much already. How all these events are related is part of the mystery that is, Onyx Webb.The Onyx Webb series follows the unusual life of Onyx Webb along with a central group of characters in various locations and times. The billionaire Mulvaney family, piano prodigy Juniper Cole and her brother Quinn, paranormal show hosts Cryer and Fudge, and a few others make up the core of the series. Written like a book version of a supernatural soap opera (think: American Horror Story) each character’s story moves forward with most every episode.It may appear that the characters are entirely unrelated and yet episode by episode, the connections will become clearer. Like being an inch away from a spider web, with each book, the web will move further and further away revealing the full story of every character and most importantly, the stunning conclusion for Onyx Webb herself.
Hometown
Matthew Keville - 2014
It's the Fall of 1994 in the small milltown of Belford, New York. The leaves are turning, the kids are going back to school, and the heat of Summer is giving way to a cool, misty season. It happens every Fall. Only this Fall, people are disappearing into that mist. Some people are found torn apart, some people are found dead for no reason, and some people aren't found at all. Other people see strange things in the mist: ghosts and campfire stories. There's something out there in that mist. Something old. Something that has slept for a long time, but has now woken up hungry. Maybe the people of Belford could resist it, but as the terrible Fall wears on, more and more of them start...changing. Acting bizarre and violent. In the end, only a small group of teenage defenders are left to make their stand.
291
Susan May - 2019
Usually, he’d get a flat, or the locks would jam or the damned onboard computer would freeze.291, though, had a bloody and tragic history which might explain why this piece of metallic crap seemed so intent on driving him crazy—excuse the pun. At first, he jokingly called it the demon car, but now he realized he may not be far off the truth. Something lurked inside this car and whatever it was, it meant him harm. He was beginning to seriously believe that if he didn’t fight back soon, this car might be the death of him. And he wasn’t about to let that happen. From international bestselling suspense author Susan May, comes a story of possession, desperation, and one man’s battle against an unknown enemy.
In the Hills Above the Gristmill
Kalvin Ellis - 2020
After the tragic death of her mother, Paisley began to see her anxiety-induced hyper-focus as a strength. She has used this focus to become a paranormal investigator with an up and coming web series that she hopes will propel her into becoming an expert in her field. Hollis Grimm is a charismatic preacher from the small Appalachian mining town of Grey Water Ridge. When he contacts Paisley to help shine some light on the mysterious mutilation of seven women in the woods outside of town, she is on the first flight out. The locals believe God has sent a creature to punish the town for its sins, and this has captured Paisley’s attention more than the preacher or the murders themselves. The preacher, an outsider turned sheriff, an heiress and internet celebrity, a man obsessed with the past, an old-timer with an ax to grind, an obsessed fan, and a growing number of bodies stand between Paisley and the truth. After digging into the dark secrets of the town’s history and discovering a strange pattern she must decide what is more dangerous, the monster in the woods, or the people who believe in him. If she isn't careful, she will not be leaving Grey Water Ridge with the story, let alone her life.
The Last Town
Stephen Knight - 2017
A flu-like plague that infected thousands and killed roughly ten percent of its victims. Those who died awoke once again, but they were no longer among the living--they came back as soulless carnivorous corpses who desired only one thing: to feed on living human flesh. As the infection spread, across Europe and the rest of the globe, cities were overwhelmed. Nations fell. Humanity flickered like a candle flame in the wind. In the United States: the nation's great cities are becoming hunting grounds. New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles...all are falling victim to hordes of shambling dead who want only one thing: to devour the living. Single Tree, California is a small resort town in Inyo County. Between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, it's easy to overlook. And that's exactly what the citizens of Single Tree want, for the stenches and those fleeing them to ignore the town long enough for it to be transformed into a desert fortress at the foot of Mount Whitney. But time is not on their side. Not only do they have to worry about the dead... they have to fear the living.